Flatliner

It's For those That Aren't

2010-07-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

The Christian message is for those that aren't, not for those that are. It's a message of hope and freedom to the oppressed. It's a message of salvation to those trapped in sin. It's a message for the slaves, not their masters.

Of course, everyone is included in God's salvation. No one is excluded by virue of status. What I am speaking of specifically is the tranformational message. The Word of God - action and voice working together to bring change.

The power of the message is lost on Christian cultures. That's why we work so hard to build up the outward show of faith: the buildings, the speakers, the sermons, the worship teams, the magazines, the books, the faith-espousing T-shirts, the flip flops, the mints, the visible "proof" of our salvation.

The persecuted don't waste their time, they're too busy actually having faith. The secret believers don't put on their Jesus clothes, they praise Him in the quiet secret places. The Lord's servants among the children and the widows don't boast about the size and glory of their church or the education of their pastor, they boast of the glory of the Lord as He provides.

And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that
I may obtain eternal life?"

And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is
only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the
commandments."

Then he said to Him, "Which ones?"

And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR
FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I
still lacking?"

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your
possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and
come, follow Me." But when the young man heard this statement, he went away
grieving; for he was one who owned much property. (Matthew 19:16-22)

Our Shared Life and Other Thoughts

2010-05-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

This idea has been rolling around in my head for a few weeks – some pieces much longer – and I’m going to try to put it into words. I’m not sure if I can make as much sense of it as I want to. For me, this is a starting point. Once these ideas are out, I will refine, explain and define them more as I see fit and necessary.

At the core of everything is the truth. By this I mean God and the story of God; his being and his essence and just his stuff for lack of a better word. I will refer to it as the truth to keep it simple. This truth exists beyond our ability to describe it with language. This leads to our inability to understand it in any real way, or at least in any way that comes close to the actual truth.
It’s the idea that we can only know a shadow of the truth. I don’t think shadow is the right word, though. It’s not that we’re not looking at the truth. We are, but we can’t understand fully what we see.

This relates to the post-modern idea that words have no inherent meaning. Now, I don’t claim to be an expert in post-modernism or certainly the ideas associated with deconstruction, but I find it fascinating. Any word I choose to use has no meaning outside of what I (or more rightly my society/culture) choose to give it. It’s most easily seen in the difference between languages. I call a dog a dog and you know what that means, but I could say that in Iraq, and people wouldn’t recognize it.

Moreover, once we decided on a way to communicate and understand the word we both use to describe the animal, the cultural association with the meaning of the word is very different. One of my favorite examples of this is that Kurdish people use the word Communist. It turns out, though, that the connotations of the word are very different. In Kurdistan a communist is someone who doesn’t believe in God, any non-religious person. The term is not necessarily used to describe one who believes in the communal ownership of the means of production and/or the inevitable rise of the proletariat.

Our languages are inadequate for communication in general and are woefully inadequate as a means to describe the divine.

God existed before the creation of the world. God existed before the creation of human language. God created language, but is, in fact, pre-language. Knowing this, we must also admit that God and his creation must be more than language.

God never said “Let there be light.” Of course we can’t know with absolute certainty that God didn’t utter his words of creation in English, but it seems highly unlikely. We, in fact, have no real idea what god said. We only know that he said something - insofar as we understand the idea of speech, that is.

We know that the Bible says God spoke. John tells us the word of God was with him from the beginning. The word was with god and the word was god. John tells us that the word of God is Jesus and that by that word, God created the earth.

We don’t know God’s words, but we know the outcome: creation. Action. The speech of god equals the action of god. There seems to be no difference. This means that Jesus, too, is the action of god. The word and the action.

Knowing this, then what do we say of the Bible? The Bible isn’t the word of god, right? That’s Jesus. It’s god’s own action. The Bible is a language-based representation of the story of God. God exists outside of the book. Certainly we know that God is known to people who can’t read and to people who have never heard the words of the Bible only the story of Jesus and the action of God. (Like everyone who believed before the Bible). I don’t mean to sound critical of the Bible. I’m not trying to be. I am trying to be critical of our limited understanding of the Bible and our limited understanding and use of the words therein. The power of the book is God.

We, as a culture of Christians, often argue over translations and meanings, but the book itself really has no inherent meaning. The words mean nothing outside of our context of understanding. It only means what someone told us that it means.

And most of us are okay with that. Someone else’s understanding of the story of God is good enough for us. Or the reverse is true. We’re okay with someone else’s criticism of the story of God.

We accept conventions as the truth and we settle for shallow understanding of the truth. We use words that don’t mean anything to describe our sacred faith and assume that everybody knows what we mean. We say, “ I met with my small-group for fellowship and we decided to do some servant evangelism to he non-churched.” Those words don’t mean anything. “Oh, I feel so blessed. Hallelujah.” That doesn’t mean anything either. “The worship service was followed by an alter call.” Nothing.

This all really a jumble of two ideas: the message/story/truth of God is more than the words Bible and our current use of language in reference to God is shamefully cheap and meaningless.
We use important words to describe things we don’t understand anymore. The church uses jargon as a crutch to stop thinking. What if we stopped? Or better, we talked about it. Let’s discuss our language. Tell me what salvation means. Tell me what it means to be blessed. Tell me what fellowship is. What does it mean to worship? What’s a worship service? What’s church?
After we discuss it let’s evaluate if our meanings hold any fidelity with the way we actually live. That’s the part that’s missing most, I think.

A couple of months ago, I discovered the Kurdish word for fellowship. I don’t remember the actual word, but it translates to “our shared life.” Not shared life, not a shared life, not the shared life, but our shared life. Our. I love it.

You may say so what? Who cares? That’s not the Greek word. I like it because it means something in a way that fellowship doesn’t. Fellowship is an idea, but our shared life is a description.

I guess this is really beside the point, but I, like I said, there’s a lot swirling around my brain tonight and I wanted to get it out.

John 4:31-54

2009-11-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

This makes me think about my time in Kurdistan. The Kurdish for "Rabbi, eat" is "Mamosta, bixo." Although in Kurdish it would be followed with the equivalent of "Eat! Why aren't you eating? Don't be shy! Eat."

In Kurdish, mamosta means teacher (like Rabbi in Hebrew). It helps me remember the intent of the word Rabbi whener I see it used. In Kurdish, mamosta is a common title used to show respect for someone who has knowledge (actual teachers and otherwise). Drawing the link between mamosta and Rabbi helps me remember that Jesus is being held up as someone who has knowledge to give rather than as a member of a religious institution.

But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."
So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?"
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

The water that Jesus has to offer is everlasting life and the food that he eats is to follow the will of God and do His work. We seek to be as Jesus, so we must eat the same food.

"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'?
Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
"Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
"For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

The food to be eaten is the will and work of God. It is ready to be harvested and eaten. There is no waiting. It is being harvested now. We don't have to plant the seeds, someone else has already done that. We are not at the beginning of the cycle, but at the end - it's not even the beginning of the harvest, the workers are already hired and working. We are eating the labor of those that have come before.

The Samaritans from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done."
So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."

The Samaritan woman becomes an early missionary. She spreads Jesus to her people and she gets a quite a reward in return: the people begin to believe of their own faith, no longer relying on her!

After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe."
The royal official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child
dies."

Jesus said to him, "Go; your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.

This is more positive fallout from the miracle of water to wine. The royal official knows that Jesus can perform miracles from either being present at the wedding or hearing the stories and he asks Jesus to save his dying son.

As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives"; and he himself believed and his whole household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

John 4:1-30

2009-08-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

I want to preface the following post with a little bit of context for me as the author - where I am, what I'm doing, how I feel.

I am sitting in an office, a call center if you will. I am the only one here because it's 6 am on a Sunday morning. I've been here since 5.

I hate it. I don't know another word that quite describes how I feel about the job I currently work. I could go into all the reasons why I hate it, but it doesn't much matter.

On the other hand, I am grateful to have a job that pays money and I prayed pretty hard for a job to get us through. I am waiting for a clear sign from God that I can quit.

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.

And He had to pass through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

I think it might be hard for many of us to understand why the woman reacts the way she does in the following passage. I don't really understand it, but I have been in situations where it would have been impolite or even rude to speak directly to a woman (in conservative Muslim-Kurdish homes), but never in a situation where the rules were based on race or ethnicity.

The woman is fairly brazen here, I think. She's not the one in the power position - she's Samaritan and a woman - yet, she doesn't simply do as she's asked. She calls Jesus on his people's ethnocentrism.

Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

She said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?"

Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw."

The woman is interested in what Jesus is offering, but I'm not sure she's convinced that he can deliver what he's offering.

He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here."

The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."

Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."

The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

This is the second time that Jesus has spoken a simple truth that led to belief. The first was when he told Nathanael that he'd been sitting under a tree.

Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

The promise of being accepted into God's Kingdom for all, not just the Jews, spoken to the woman becasue she was brave enough to ask the question "Why are you even talking to me?"

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."

Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?"

So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men,

"Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?"

They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

John 3

2009-08-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that
You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do
unless God is with him."

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is
born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot
enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of
water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born
of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do
not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows
where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes
from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not
understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we
know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our
testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will
you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven,
but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will n Him have eternal
life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that
the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged;
he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the
Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light,
for their deeds were evil.

Do you notice what Jesus just said? Those who beleive in Him are not judged. I think of the cultural imagery of the final Judgement Day. Jesus suggests that day may not be as we expect; everyone's already been judged. We've chosen light or darkness already. The light saves us and the darkness condemns.

I've already written about the serpent in the wilderness.

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for
fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes
to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in
God."

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and
there He was spending time with them and baptizing. John also was baptizing in
Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and
were being baptized-- for John had not yet been thrown into
prison.

Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a
Jew about purification. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He
who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is
baptizing and all are coming to Him."

John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given
him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not
the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.' He who has the bride is
the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him
rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice So this joy of mine has been
made full.

"He must increase, but I must decrease.

"He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the
earth and speaks of the earth He who comes from heaven is above all. What
He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His
testimony. He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that
God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives
the Spirit without measure.

"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He
who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will
not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Here John restates what Jesus has just explained to Nicodemus. I imagine that the followers came to John hoping to stir a little jealousy in him or a bit of anger, but John responds instead with the truth.

John 2:13-25

2009-08-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business."
His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."
The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?"
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Here is more foreshadowing of what's to come.

I know that one of my goals is to read this as if it's the first time I've done so and, therefore, don't know what's to come. The author himself refers to the future, so I feel justified.

These verses make me think of how believers today spend so much money on the things of the Christian culture and the industry of the church.

The dove buyers are as guilty as the dove sellers.

Church of the Bronze Serpent

2009-07-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

I was reading john 3 with some friends tonight and we came across the following verse:

14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up."

I asked what serpent was Jesus referring to. Was it the serpent and the staff story?

We weren't sue so we looked at the footnotes. It is a reference to Numbers 21:4-9 which says:

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

I'm sure it's not true, but I felt as though I had never heard that story before.

Jesus compares himself with this bronze serpent? What can that mean?

Just as those bitten by the serpents were saved by looking at the bronze serpent, so can we be saved by looking to Jesus.

I think I was most struck how unlike western Christianity this story seems. And to think Jesus himself uses this story to describe himself and his role.

Turns out there's a lot of good stuff in the Bible!

John 2: 1-12, Wine from Water

2009-07-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.
And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him.
When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

Why did Jesus turn water into wine?

Perhaps it was foreshadowing for the symbolism to follow. At the last supper, Jesus uses the wine to represent his own blood and his own blood washes us of sin; it is the new fluid of the baptism of the Spirit.

(Blood=Wine)>Water, so to speak.

John 1: 35-51

2009-03-30T07:22:00.002-07:00

I vowed to read John as if it were the first time I had done so, but it's harder than I imagined.

I read passages like the following and my only thought is "Uh huh. yes. Indeed. Go on."

Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at
Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard
him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them following, and
said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi (which translated
means Teacher), where are You staying?" He said to them, "Come, and you will
see." So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that
day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and
followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He found first his own brother
Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means
Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon
the son of John; you shall be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Ideas such as "Lamb of God" and "Messiah" are too familiar to me. At least, my immediate understanding of the words makes it difficult to force myself to dig deeper; to take the role of one who has never heard.

Why is it important to understand the reference to lamb of God here? Well, lambs are sacrificed unto God as a sin offering and Jesus is God's own sacrifice to erase the sin of the world and fulfill the promise of the law of Moses. If we know that, then the reference in this chapter is a foreshadowing of what's to come.

But what does it mean to us if we don't know? Nothing?

The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip And Jesus
said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew
and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom
Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said
of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael
said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before
Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael
answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." Jesus
answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig
tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to
him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels
of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

All it takes for Nathanael to believe that Jesus is the Son of God is that Jesus says he saw him under the fig tree? A little clairvoyance. That's the least of the miracles we'll see! Jesus says as much to Nathanael. "You will see greater things than these.

I know that Jesus' first miracle is understood to be the changing of water to wine, but this is the first one in the book of John and I think it's important. Some people don't need much convincing. There's something to be said for knowing and it's clear that Nathanael knows what's what.

John 1: 19-34

2009-03-30T07:22:00.001-07:00

I want to really hear what John says - what both Johns say. I want to understand how he says it and why. I want to know what it was like to hear the gospel for the first time; to not have preconceived notions about the message.

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not " "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

Make straight the way of the Lord. John is not concerned with anything other than the truth. He's not the Christ, he's not Elijah. He's a messenger and his message is to get ready for the coming of the Lord.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" John answered them saying, "I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. "It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! "This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' "I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."

John was given a vision by God and here it is realized. John recognizes Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who comes to take the sin from the world.

John actually tells us a lot of what we can expect in the coming story. If I were hearing this for the first time, I might not understand the foreshadowing here. John's comparison to Jesus with a lamb is important as is the note that Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Something tells me we'll hear that again and that it'll be important.

John 1: 1-18

2009-03-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

I said before that I'd go through John's gospel and focus on the following questions:

What is Jesus doing?
What is Jesus saying?
What are his followers doing/How are they following him?

I'll do that, but, of course, I will feel free to write what I feel led to write.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into
being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into
being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Word has always been with God because the Word is God. God made everything through the Word.

This is one of the most complex and densest pieces of scripture, I think. It says so much and means even more. I don't even know how to unpack it!

I think about it a lot, though. People often use Word to mean Bible or the things therein. "You'd better get into the Word."

But it's so much more. Word here is the very method of God. The mechanism through which he created the world and everything that exists. That Word is the light of men, life itself.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came
as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true
Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world,
and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to
His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received
Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who
believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man, but of God.

John the Baptist testified about the Light (the Word), but he was not the Light only a messenger. Just as today, we may spread the gospel of Jesus, but we are not the gospel.

If this book stood alone and it was all we had, we'd know immediately what God was trying to tell us: If we accept the Light, we have been given the right to become children of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we sawHis glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace andtruth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For theLaw was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of
the Father, He has explained Him.

Here we see that the Word that was with God in the beginning became flesh in Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God. The same method that He uses to create the world, He uses to save and redeem it.

The Promise

2009-03-27T05:16:00.001-07:00

Readers, this site hasn't been updated in a while, but it will be again soon.

Previously, I worked through the book of Hebrews because itwas important to me. Next, I'll be working through the book of John.

With the gospel of John, I want to focus on three things:

What is Jesus doing?
What is Jesus saying?
What are his followers doing/How are they following him?

I think it should be very interesting, so stick around.

My Desire

2008-08-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the following song this morning and thinking about why it always creates such a strong reaction in me.

It came to me quite simply. This song is the desire of my heart. It's what I desire from my God. It's why I serve Him. It's why my motives get screwed up sometimes and I can be so easily frustrated.

I find that I get caught up in what I have to do and I try to earn it from God, but He gives it freely. He's given it to me before and it's those experiences that I strive to gain rather than striving to gain the Lord.

The song is "Welcome Home" by Dolly Parton.

I wanted just the song, but the video was what I could find.

I remember once when I was first earnestly seeking to learn about the Lord, I prayed on a treadmill. I felt God hold me hand and comfort me.

That's why I am a Christian. God cares for me.

I want to know He's here everyday. I want to see Him and feel Him. Like the song, I long to hear Him say I knew that you'd return to me the place where you were meant to be. Rest now, for you've been gone too long .

Well done my faithful son...Welcome home.

Here are the lyrics:

With great anticipation he waited at the door
His only son was due from overseas
For months now he'd been waitin' since he'd gone off to war
And his eyes were filled with tears of great relief

Welcome home, son
His loving arms held open and his heart so full of love
Welcome home, son
I've been praying and been hoping and I never did give up
I knew that you'd return to me
The place where you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
I heard him say as they embraced
"I've waited so long for this day
My son, my very own...Welcome home."

But a dreary rain was falling while another soldier fell
And a mother wakes up cryin' in the night
She thought she'd heard him calling in that moment she could tell
Her only son had passed into the light

Welcome home, son
His loving arms held open and his heart so full of love
Welcome home, son
As Jesus stood there glowing, their hands reached out and touched
I knew that you'd return to me
The place that you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
As they embraced, I heard him say
"I've waited so long for this day
My son, my very own...Welcome home."

Now I think of all the families that have lost a darling one
And I think how Jesus died for all our sins
And I think how much God loved us to send his only son
To live and die, and then to live again

Welcome home, son
I hear God saying when they nailed Christ to the cross that day
Welcome home, son
And when he sent his angels to roll that stone away
I knew that you'd return to me
The place where you were meant to be
Rest now, for you've been gone too long
I hear God say as they embrace
"I've waited so long for this day
Well done my faithful son...Welcome home."

Welcome home
I hope to hear God sayin when it's my time to go
Welcome home
While the angel band is playin' and God comes to claim my soul
The angels will be singing and joybells will be ringing
Rejoicing I'll shout and sing along
When there are no more wars to fight
And we're all children of the light
When the father and the Son say
"Welcome home"

Welcome home, welcome home, welcome home

The Crabslide

2008-06-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

Once there was a crabslide blog that never quite caught on...

Now that list has come here to rest.

I'll write more on it later.

Envy

2008-06-21T21:09:00.004-07:00

The Lie: God doesn't have good plans for my future.

The Scripture: John 21:18-19, Psalm 73:25-26, Romans 10:12

Despondency

2008-06-21T21:09:00.003-07:00

The Lie: God is incapable to provide a good future.

The Scripture: Philippians 4:4, Romans 12:12, Hebrews 10:35-38

Impatience

2008-06-21T21:09:00.001-07:00

The Lie: God doesn't know the right time. He isn't quick enough. He isn't doing anything.

The Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Isaiah 55:7-9, Romans 8:28

Listlessness

2008-06-21T21:08:00.002-07:00

The Lie: Since God has no plan for me, there's nothing I can do which will fulfill me. God has nothing for me to do to fulfill me.

The Scripture: Psalm 16:11, John 4:34, Psalm 23:2-3

Bitterness

2008-06-21T21:08:00.001-07:00

The Lie: You deserve revenge. God doesn't care.

The Scripture: Matthew 18:35, Romans 12:19-21

Anxiety

2008-06-21T21:07:00.002-07:00

The Lie: What concerns you does not concern God.

The Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7

Regret

2008-06-21T21:07:00.001-07:00

The Lie: Past mistakes rule out a promising future.

The Scripture: Jeremiah 38:20

Covetousness

2008-06-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Lie: Your life is found in the abundance of your possessions. God doesn't care enough to meet your needs.

The Scripture: Luke 12:15, Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 Timothy 6:5-6, Ephesians 5:5

Hebrews 13 - The Finale

2008-04-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Let love of the brethren continue.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

so that we confidently say,

"THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.

Greet all of your leaders and all the saints Those from Italy greet you.

Grace be with you all.

I don't think it's coincidental that this chapter comes at the end of Hebrews and the end of my time in Kurdistan. These are the things I want to say to my teammates and my friends here as well.

OK, in honesty, I probably wouldn't mention the marriage bed thing. And I probably wouldn't mention Timothy or the saints in Italy.

But the rest. The rest is appropriate.

Hebrews 12

2008-04-25T13:16:00.001-07:00

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin (True); and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons

"MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

If you've read "Wild at Heart," then you're familiar with the idea that it' s difficult for many people to understand God as the Father because they're own fathers wounded them in some way that drastically affected them and their lives.

I think this is true for most people. I was lucky enough to have a great father, but he was human and he made mistakes that did, in fact, wound me. As a 30-year-old man, I'm still trying to come to terms with it and I'm still trying to find the true face of God as my father.

I can take all of the good attributes of my earthly father and project them onto God, but that's not enough; it's a shadow of the real God.

I feel that I was fairly disciplined by my father, but I sometimes feel unfairly disciplined by God. I don't like going through the hard things for my own growth.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with all men (even the ones I don't like. ugh.), and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.For they could not bear the command, "IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED."

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling."

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

I've only recently taken note of this and it's awesome. We didn't come to something scary and frightening. God is certainly powerful. He still is the mountain and the blazing fire, but we've come to city of the living GOD. We've come to Jesus and the new covenant!

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."

This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

On to Chapter 13!

Hebrews 11

2008-04-19T11:47:00.002-07:00

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. I love this passage of scripture from the gospel of John. I know that I am talking about Hebrews here, but aren't the first five verses of John the entire gospel?

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

He is the rewarder of those who seek Him. That's quite a promise. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. No service can win favor.

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.

All of these died in faith WITHOUT receiving the promises, but having set their eyes on greater promises that are not found on earth. If they had been thinking of the country from which they came, they could have returned to it. I feel that strongly for myself now. I see the promises of God laid out before me, but I can still feel the pull and call of my family and my home in Ohio. I want to go back there and I know that God will allow me to go back, but I know greater reward lies ahead; fulfillment of the promises of my God.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.

By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

No holds barred here. Some received there loved ones back from the dead but others were sawed in half!

I imagine that my life will fall somewhere in between these two extremes, but that's quite pointed. Some received gifts on earth, while others only pain and suffering. All received eternal life, but the earthly bit was different for them.

Hebrews 10:19-39

2008-04-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

That's so great. We can draw near to God in full assurance of faith. Full. We've been washed in pure water, our sins are gone away.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

As an example, I don't want to meet tomorrow. At all. I would prefer to sleep in and let the fools deal with themselves. But that's not right thinking. Plus, then who'll deal with this fool?

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY " And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

How much more to those who trample the Son of God... The old covenant wasn't just replaced, it was replaced by the SON of GOD. If I disobey the law of Moses, I disobey words, but, if I disobey the law of Christ, i disobey God's own Son.

But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.

For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

You have need of endurance. Truer words were never spoken.

Hebrews 10:1-18

2008-04-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

The beginning of this chapter is similar to chapter 9, so I thought I would write about it now to. if nothing else, I want to be reminded of the nature of the sacrifice of Jesus and the intricate plan of God.

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

"SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.

"THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'"

After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law) then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

"THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,"
He then says,
"AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

There is no longer any offering for sin.

Because the perfect sacrifice has been made.

Any sacrifice made by man is futile. It must be made over and over again and even then it can't clear the slate.

When someone fails to understand that "their sins and theor lawless deeds I will remember no more," he or she can fall into regret, thinking that their past mistakes rule out a promising future.*

But what is it called when someone fears making mistakes? Is it simply a fear of looking foolish based in pride? Or is it something else?

Certainly it's an attack from the enemy - the aforementioned footstool.

I feel this fear. I feel like I can see God's perfect plan laid before me, but I am afraid that my touch will mess it up.

But this plan requires boldness of me and intense humility; I will have to ask for and receive help. I can't do this on my own.

This may seem like babbling beyond the scope of Hebrews 10, but that's ok (I do run this blog, after all).

If there is forgiveness, what do I have to fear? If there is eternal life, why should I be afraid of this temporary one?

So, to the one in Egypt, this is what's in it for me. Just like you said.

Hebrews 9

2008-04-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

I have taken a sort of hiatus from this. I haven't been reading God's word as much as I should an, honestly, i haven't read anything at all really in the last week.

I skimmed the book of Isaiah yesterday looking for something, but that's hardly intentional study. How does one get fed on that?

One doesn't.

So, I'm back and I'm expecting great things from Hebrews 9.

Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.

Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.

For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying,

"THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU."

And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.

Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

I have to admit that I have found it difficult to comment on Hebrews. I can only think "Yes, uh huh. That's true. That's good. I like that."

I don't know how to synthesize what I am reading here. The New covenant is more perfect than the old. Christ offers a better sacrifice than the priests can offer.

He is THE perfect, one-time sacrifice for sin. All sin.

Hebrews 8

2008-03-02T13:41:00.001-08:00

Hebrews 8 reminds us that the old covenant, the law, is made perfect in Christ. He is the true high priest, although unlike an earthly priest he has no need to offer sacrifices. He is the sacrifice.

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.

Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says,

         "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,
         WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT
         WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
         NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS
         ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND
         TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT;
         FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,
         AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
         FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
         AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
         I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
         AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.
         AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
         AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
       AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
         AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,'
         FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME,
         FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
         FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,
     AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."

When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete but whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

The law that matters most is the one written on our hearts. We are His people and he is merciful where we are weak.

Hebrews 7

2008-01-19T09:39:00.001-08:00

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.

So, this high priest, Melchizedek, is called king of righteousness and king of peace.

Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

Abraham gives his tithe to one who is not of the Levites. When I first heard this story, I didn't know who the Levites were! But now I know why this is important. It's a reminder that the priests aren't Gods. the great Jewish patriarch didn't (couldn't) give his tithe to the priests descended from Levi.

But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

There's a lot in the preceding passages, but the most important part is the basis which is being layed for the new High Priest - the theological foundation from the Jewish tradition itself pointing to Jesus as priest and sacrifice.

For it is attested of Him,
"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER '
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

"for the law made nothing perfect" Whoa. I can't believe I read that! But I thought the 10 commandments could save my soul!

Ok, Ok. I didn't really think that, but I knew mostly of the things I shouldn't do rather than the promises of God.

And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,
"THE LORD HAS SWORN
AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND,
'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

God,

2007-12-30T17:46:00.001-08:00

We do not fear our lives, and

We do not fear our death

Because You are with us.

Hebrews 6

2007-12-27T12:25:00.000-08:00

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

And this we will do, if God permits.

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU."

And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:11-14

2007-12-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

I often think about these verses. Honestly, I mostly think about them in relation to the church in America and how many of us are infants partaking of only milk.

And I have many opinions about those who are on milk when they should be well past it and those who are on milk because they're afraid to step up to solid food and I even have opinions about those who continue to feed milk to those who should be more mature. I have a lot to say about those people.

But, what about me? Am I on solid food or am I on milk? I think it depends on the definition of the terms. I don't think solid food is more knowledge of God, I think it's experience with God and the doing of holy things, more than the thinking of holy things.

I like to think that I'm on solid food, most times, but sometimes, I think the truth may be that I'm jut not eating anything. That's the challenge of feeding yourself rather than being fed passively by a church - by a pastor or teacher or evangelist or tele-evangelist. If you have to feed yourself then you have to feed yourself.

Luckily, we have a God who cares for us. When I first came to Iraq, I really struggled to eat God, so to speak. Especially in corporate worship and prayer times. I hated it. We were all like college kids who only knew how to microwave things. Our times were bland and way overdone.

We all yearned for something more and we eventually stormed our way to better food. Six months in and I'd say we were eating at least as well as newlyweds.

(I'll admit that I may have just way overused my analogy, but I think you get my point - eating solid food is harder than eating milk)

I don't think we should move past milk only to starve to death, but we should move past milk before it puts us to sleep.

That's the best way my wife and I have found to put the baby to sleep (or even just to get her to stop crying): feed her milk! She's almost always pacified and most of the time she sleeps when she's had enough.

But, I'd bet if you're reading this, you're beyond milk and need to be on solid food. If an infant typically starts adding solid food at 6 months, we should be eating the caviar of faith. Even beyond just the Happy Meals and pizzas!

This is my sincerest wish for believers - that they would be those who are mature, those who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

I pray it for myslef also.

Hebrews 5:1-10

2007-12-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,

^"YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU";

just as He says also in another passage,

^"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Ah, the passages about Melchizedek. I had no idea who Melchizedek was before Wiley told me.

And it's important. Jesus is a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Genesis 14:18 says

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth."

So it all made sense to me. Communion made sense, Jesus' death made sense, atonement for sins made sense.

The idea that Jesus is a high priest of God, that He fulfilled and fulfills all the requirements of the law is crazy! It's great!

In my daily life I need to remember that he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness.

Hebrews 4

2007-12-02T12:33:00.002-08:00

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

"AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,"

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day:

"AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

All of this talk about God's rest, but what does it mean? How do we get there?

We who have believed enter that rest. Hmmmm. I don't know how to defend it theologically and I won't try, but I know that I long to enter that rest. I do think it's a future rest, not for the here and now, but I also think that a shadow of rest, if you will, can be had today.

The last portions of this chapter remind us that the word of God judges the hearts of men and that, because Jesus was man, we have a high priest who can sympathize with our struggles.

I don't know what else I want to say about it. There's a threat here exhorting us to continue in our faith lest we be denied God's rest as the Israelites were when they hardened their hearts against God in the desert.

Do I harden my heart like the Israelites in the desert? I think I do, but I also have forgiveness to fall back on as long as I accept it and seek it (hold fast to my confession).

Hebrews 3: 12-19

2007-11-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

It's funny to me now as I reread this passage that I didn't notice the link. I wrote previously about the importance that Hebrews had on my own decision to follow Christ. What I failed to note, though, was the significance of Hebrews in my recent growth.

In December 2005, I was first introduced to a study either based on or directly from Unity of the Bible written by Daniel Fuller. The study is also written by Fuller, though even if it's not directly from the book.

Oversimplified, the study is about the various ways one defies God by disbelieving His promises and reminds how we can fight disbelief in God - which leads to death - by remembering God's clear promises to us.

A fundamental scripture used within the study comes from Hebrews 3. It's the following chunk of the chapter.

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said,

"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS,
AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?

So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

So, for the past two years I've been studying - sometimes against my will - the theology of Hebrews and I never really made a connection. I know it sounds strange, but it's true. I sort of disassociated this scripture from the Book of Hebrews once it was transplanted into the study.

The most important thing, however, isn't the connection, but the lesson this scripture teaches: we will not enter God's rest if we cease to believe.

For me, this idea plays out in two ways:

1. it reminds me that it isn't sin that denies a person eternal rest in God. It's disbelief. A person doesn't go to Hell for telling lies, or for murder, or for being gay, or whatever sin you want to choose. A person goes to hell when they refuse the Lord.

2. The alternative is true. I am not saved by the things I do. The Israelites all followed Moses out of Egypt, but it wasn't enough to simply follow Moses and struggle in the desert! They were required to believe! Suffering doesn't equal salvation. Following rules doesn't equal salvation.

Hebrews 3:1-12 (and then some rambling)

2007-10-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.

For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,
WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me,
AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.
THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION,
AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART,
AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS';
AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'"

It's surprising to me still that I decided to work my way through the book of Hebrews and write down my reflections - ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc - here for the world to see. It's really not my style, but here I am anyways.

This bit in the third chapter about Moses vs Jesus is about the law more than it's about Moses. The law being fulfilled by Jesus. More importantly, as the author of the Law, God is more important than the law. He deserves more glory than the law. As we read earlier in Hebrews, Jesus was with God from the beginning and "the world" was created through Him, certainly then also the law was created through Jesus. Jesus deserves more glory than the law.

Moses was simply a servant in the church, the body of Christ, the house

We are part of that body only if we hold fast our faith until the end; our faith in Jesus as our saviour, our faith that the house indeed does exist.

Do I believe that the house exists? That's the important question. Do I live inside the faith that Jesus Christ dies for my sins?

The question isn't "Do I believe that I am a good person?" or "Do I believe that God likes good people?" God built a house for his children and intends for us to live in it. We sin, but that doesn't get us kicked out. We live rent free, in fact. No animal sacrifices or fasting to pay the rent.

Just faith.

Sometimes, I desire the law, though. Sometimes I wish I could just follow the Old Testament stuff. I wish I could just follow the ten commandments and ritually wash myself and slay the right animals and burn all the right parts. I'm pretty smart, see, so it wouldn't be too hard for me to learn all of that and always know exactly how good I am and how good (or not) everyone else is. It'd be easy...

But then I am reminded of the Hebrews in the desert wandering and dieing and being denied entry into God's rest because of their provocations. The rules can only tell me what not to do. The House that Jesus built is about living and freedom.

There is a struggle to live within the simplicity of what Jesus has built, but it's what drew me to Jesus in the first place. I thought it was always about how good I was or wasn't. I thought I had to act a certain way and be a certain person. I didn't know that by fulfilling the law of the old testament, Jesus had set us free of the punishment sin demands.

The new covenant turns it all upside down and makes everything new by doing everything the old covenant promised that it would do! Not destroyed or over-turned or re-imagined or "now under new management" or new and improved or any of that.

Solid and consistent throughout all time. Always.

Doesn't that blow your freakin' mind?

Hebrews 2:5-18

2007-09-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified:
"What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor
and put everything under his feet."

In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me."

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Here we see the first real glimpse of the hope of Jesus in the book of Hebrews: "...so that by his death he might destroy...the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." The fear of death from sin under the law, the law of life perverted by the enemy.

Knowing what sin was by the law, they were afraid to live lest it bring about their death. And they were afraid of death because they feared the punishment of God. They couldn't be sure of their salvation because they had sinned too much and they couldn't be sure whether they had done enough to atone for those sins.

So Jesus came and died for all the sins. He was the last sacrifice to fulfill the sacrifice required under the law.

Simple, yes?

Well, not really. I mean how easy is it to believe that there's nothing to be done to make ammends for sins? If it were so easy, people would do it. This takes away all of the control. I have no control. If I sin, i can't do anything to make it right again.

I can't pray five times, or fast for 10 days, or give money to the poor, or give 10% to my church, or spend 3 years in prison, or clean the church bathrooms, or go on a missions trip to Africa, or sell all of my belongings, or suffer through disease, or go silent for a few months. Nothing. I can't suffer my way through my guilt to earn forgiveness.

It's freeing and scary all at once.

If you watch enough Dr. Phil, you'll see that people do this stuff all the time. They live a life that is less than they could live because they believe they don't deserve it, that they deserve to be punished. Well, sure you deserve to be punished, but you don't need to be. Jesus paid for those sins already and no amount of self-inflicted punishment can earn you a damn thing. So stop it.

Hewbrews 2:1-4

2007-09-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

"For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will."

We pay closer attention because it was told to us by the Son of God. We listened to the angels and Jesus is way more important that they are. I mean we listened to the prophets and they were just men.

Not only did Jesus say it, but his words were confirmed in those who heard his message by God himself!

Whoa. I mean, is Jesus' message confirmed in me by God working through miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit? That's quite a question for everyone who has heard and has believed is it not? How is this message confirmed in me?

Looking critically at myself, I am forced to say that I don't know and that lack of surety and confidence is shameful.

And it Begins...

2007-09-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 1

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

For to which of the angels did He ever say,
"YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"?

And again,
"I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM
AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME"?

And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says,
"AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM."

And of the angels He says,
"WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS,
AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."

But of the Son He says,
"YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
"YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;
THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU
WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."

And,

"YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH,
AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;
THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN;
AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT,
AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP;
LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED
BUT YOU ARE THE SAME,
AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END."

But to which of the angels has He ever said,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES
FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"?

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

God made the world through Jesus. Meaning that Jesus didn't just show up on the scene in the book of Matthew. I remember that being quite a revelation when I heard it. The rest of the stuff about Jesus being the son of God and higher than the angels and at the right hand of God, it's great but I already knew all of that.

That's the common Christian jargon stuff. I mean I had been celebrating Christmas for almost 20 years. Of course I knew that Jesus was God's son and all that jazz.

But he was there at creation? WTF? Seriously. It's astounding. It's like the opening passages of John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Did not comprehend it indeed.

These passages are exciting to me. It's like a secret. I mean, it's like I know a something that once was hidden to me. It's amusing to me as well because I don't think that's the point of the opening of Hebrews. The real focus is clearly to define Jesus' position above the angels, but, like I said, that was always obvious to me. I mean who worships angels, right?

Been a Long Time

2007-09-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted anything here! A lot has been going on, but that's not a real excuse. I kinda forgot that this blog existed. I mean in my normal day-to-days I just never thought to remember it.

That's really too bad, though.

I don't have too much to say today either, though. I've been thinking a lot about the Book of Hebrews. I haven't been reading it as much as I've been thinking about it's significance in my life. I've been focused on chapter 12 for almost a month.

When I was asked why I decided to follow Jesus, I said that it was because of the new covenant; the idea that Jesus fulfilled the old covenant and didn't just show up with a new plan or his own agenda. I learned that through the Hebrews.

I say all of that to mean that Hebrews has been an important book to me in the past and the stuff contained within it really defines who I am as a believer. Or, it should define me as the foundation of my faith, yes?

Over the next couple of weeks, I intend to go through the book and see how much it actually does define me. It's a matter of integrity and I hope my actions line up with my words.

When Heaven Invaded Earth

2007-04-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

I cannot take credit for the post which follows. It was sent to me by a friend and is an excerpt from When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson.

The Christian life is not found on the Cross. It is found because of the Cross.

The Cross is not the end, it is the BEGINNING!!

The great majority of the Christian world is still weeping at the foot of the Cross. The consciousness of mankind remains fixed on the Christ who died, not the Christ who lives. People are looking back to the Redeemer who was, not the Redeemer who is.

Jesus became poor so that I could become rich. He suffered with stripes to free me from affliction, and He became sin so I might become the righteousness of God. Why then should I try to become as He was, when He suffered so I could become as He is? At some point the reality of the Resurrection must come into play in our lives—we must discover the power of the Resurrection for all who believe.

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” A misunderstanding of this call has led many to follow His life of self-denial, but to stop short of His life of power. For them, the cross-walk involves trying to crucify their sin nature by embracing joyless brokenness as an evidence of the cross. But we must follow Him all the way—to a lifestyle empowered by the Resurrection!

One who embraces an inferior cross is constantly filled with introspection and self-induced suffering. But the cross is not self-applied. Jesus did not nail Himself to the cross. Christians who are trapped by this counterfeit are constantly talking about their weaknesses. If the devil finds us uninterested in evil, then he’ll try to get us focused on our unworthiness and inability. …

In my own pursuit of God, I often became preoccupied with ME! It was easy to think that being constantly aware of my faults and weaknesses was humility. It’s not! If I’m the main subject, talking incessantly about my weaknesses, I have entered into the most subtle form of pride. Repeated phrases such as “I’m so unworthy” become a nauseating replacement for the declarations of the worthiness of God. By being sold on my unrighteousness, the enemy has disengaged me from effective service. It’s a perversion of true holiness when my introspection causes my spiritual self-esteem to increase, but my effectiveness in demonstrating the power of the Gospel to decrease.

True brokenness causes complete dependency on God, moving us to radical obedience that releases the power of the Gospel to the world around us. …

I believe that for the most part this counterfeit cross-walk is embraced because it requires no faith. It’s easy to see my weakness, my propensity toward sin, and my inability to be like Jesus. Confessing this truth requires no faith at all. On the contrary, to do as Paul commanded in Romans 6:13, to consider myself dead to sin, I must believe God!

Therefore, in your weakest state, declare, “I AM STRONG!” Agree with God regardless of how you feel and discover the power of resurrection. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. The first place that faith must be exercised is in our own standing with God.

When God gave Moses a noble task, he responded with “who am I?” God changed the subject saying, “certainly I will be with you.” When we are focused on our lack, the Father tries to change the subject to something that will lead us to the source and the foundation of faith: Himself. The noble call always reveals the nobility of the Caller.

Apart from Christ, we’re unworthy. And it’s true that without Him, we are nothing. But I am not without Him, and I never will be again! At what point do we start thinking of our worth through His eyes? If it’s true that the value of something is measured by what someone else will pay, then we need to rethink our worth. Do we ever acknowledge who we are before Him? Please don’t misunderstand; I’m not encouraging arrogance or cockiness. But wouldn’t it honor Him more if we believed that He actually did a good enough job in saving us, and that we really are saved? Jesus paid the ultimate price to make it possible for us to have a change in our identity. Isn’t it time we believe it and receive the benefits? If we don’t, we’ll break down in our confidence as we stand before the world in these final days. The boldness we need is not self-confidence, but the confidence that the Father has in the work of His Son in us. It’s no longer a question of heaven or hell. It’s only a question of how much of hell’s thinking I will allow into this heavenly mind of mine.

Doesn’t it honor Him more when His children no longer see themselves as only “sinners saved by grace,” but now as “heirs of God?” Isn’t it a greater form of humility to believe Him when He says we are precious in His sight when we don’t feel very precious? Doesn’t it honor Him more when we think of ourselves as free from sin because He said we are? At some point we must rise up to the high call of God and stop saying things about ourselves that are no longer true. If we’re going to fully come in to what God has for us in this last days’ revival, we will have to come to grips with the issue of being more than “sinners saved by grace.” Maturity comes from faith in the sufficiency of God’s redemptive work that establishes us as sons and daughters of the Most High. …

Zacharias was given a promise from God that was beyond his comprehension: he was to have a son in his old age. It was hard to believe, so he asked God to give him confirmation. Apparently an angel speaking with him wasn’t a big enough sign! God silenced him for nine months. When God silences the voices of unbelief, it is usually because their words could affect the outcome of a promise. When Zacharias saw God’s promise fulfilled and he chose to name his son according to the command, against the wishes of his relatives, God loosed his tongue. Obedience against popular opinion will often reintroduce someone to personal faith. And that’s a faith that goes against understanding.

Mary was also given a promise beyond comprehension: she was to give birth to the Son of God. When she couldn’t understand, she asked how it was possible since she was a virgin. Understanding a promise from God has never been the prerequisite to its fulfillment. Ignorance asks for understanding; unbelief asks for proof. She stands apart from Zacharias because while being ignorant, she surrendered to the promise. Her cry remains one of the most important expressions the Church can learn in this day--
”be it unto me according to Your word.”

We’ve discussed an incredible promise of paramount importance to the Church. There are few things further from our grasp than the statement, “as He is, so are we in this world.” And so we have the choice: to stand in the shoes of Zacharias and lose our voice, or walk in the ways of Mary and invite God to restore to us the promises we cannot control.

Psalm 118

2007-01-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

“In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered..."

Anguish is a strong word, but we've all felt it. I feel it right now. I feel it for my personal situation (unemployment, poverty and incessant waiting). I feel it now for my friends and family for many of the same reasons. I feel it for the people of Iraq for what I think are obvious reasons.

But also because they don't know the Lord. They are striving and seeking and fighting but will never know peace. It's sad, but I know that God works through all situations regardless of the view from the outside.

But what good is knowing God when things still go bad? When things blow up - literally or figuratively? Does knowing Jesus get me a job, or save loved ones from death, or give us back what we've lost?

How exactly does God "answer" when we call out in anguish?

"...by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Living Up to Your Potential

2006-12-15T00:28:00.000-08:00

Today I am thinking about humility. I have thought a bit about it lately and I have come to realize that it involves a true understanding of oneself. It isn't about making yourself less than you are, it's about knowing that God is responsible for you (and, of course, your gifts).

I am convinced that in the strive to become humble, many people throw off the person that God has created them to be. They do this because they do not understand humility. Sometimes you are the best person for the job, the one with the best and most useful skills, the best looking one, the one with more money, the clean one. Humility doesn't lord this over others, but it doesn't deny the truth.

We are called to "live in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called (Eph. 4)." We have been called with the truth of Jesus Christ. Later in the same chapter of Epesians we read that Jesus ascedned on high and He "gave gifts to men." To deny those gifts is to deny the truth of Jesus. To borrow from another (unrelated) passage, "We make God out to be a liar and the truth is not in us."

I want to live out of a place of right and truthful assessment. I do not want to shirk my responsibilities to my community (of believers, of non-believers, whoever) in a fruitless quest for false humility.

I tend to have a desire to implicate the church, as in "The church is stifling us with teachings about false humility and submission," but this isn't about that. It's a personal call. One which, asks us to look inside and examine ourselves. I guess, in this case, myself

The Nature of God

2006-11-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

I have been fasting for a few days now. I am on day 4 with a couple of breaks - like when someone at work bought me a sub. I've been thinking alot about my future and what God has planned for my life, so I decided to take some time to focus on the nature of God, or at least one part of it.

What drew me to embrace God was His compassion. As I learned about Him, He seemed to be offering me what I needed most; acceptance and love. And that's what he has continued to do throughout my relationship with Him.

I am fascinated and amazed by Genesis 3. After God comes upon Adam and his wife, Eve, hiding after eating the "apple," this happens:

"The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

"Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken."

After they defied Him he clothed them and more importantly for all of us, He saved them from eating of the tree of life and living forever in their state of sin.

I am no theologian, but could God make himself any clearer? He loved Adam and Eve. He loved them enough to save them from everlasting life in sin even if it meant expulsion from the garden. He made them clothes, even.

He did the same for us. He sent Jesus to save us from everlasting life in His absence.

And He clothed us.

About

2001-01-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Flatliner started as a codename; a sort of a nickname. A joke of sorts.

My pseudo-pseudonym based on a movie of questionable greatness and that movie's greatest character. One Mr. Billy Mahoney; the child tormentor in the red hooded sweatshirt.

I had a red hooded sweatshirt.

I took both names, but only the name of the movie stuck.

Flatliners, of course, is based on the premise of med students killing and reviving each other. Each returned from the experience with death with a tormentor or tormentors - something or someone from their past requiring resolution or redemption.

The idea of redemption and rebirth sound good to me.

But the reality sounds even better. Jesus offers us rebirth and redemption both.

Without the fear of those pesky ghosts in red hooded sweatshirts.