Author: BJ Armstrong

Leviticus 25; Psalm 32; Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4

Man holds an unquenchable hunger and thirst for knowledge . Not just knowledge, but wisdom. My own pursuit of these is generally framed around fixing something in my life. The purveyors of answers make promises of living a big life. In fact, it’s not just about living a big life, but doing so while maintaining balance. You actually can have a huge career, the body you deserve and a healthy family. You can have it all. Do you want to hear more?

I listened to a similar pitch just this morning. Apparently, all I have to do is agree to work really, really hard, being 100% sold out and committed to achieving my goal. When I do this and send him $5,000.00, I will be introduced to the simple secret that has eluded me, and apparently millions of others, since the beginning of time. Despite the high cost, it is a compelling message. Not just to me either.  He interviewed a recent graduate of the course. Guess what? The course paid off 10 fold and the man’s marriage was saved from the brink of disaster. All because of these few secrets that have never been revealed. Do you want to know more?

The answer is YES, I WANT TO KNOW! Please, tell me now how I can live this ridiculously awesome life. I am ready!

This is exactly what 2 Timothy 4:3 predicts. The writer knows that my propensity is to seek answers that suit my own desires.  I have “itching ears.” The evidence is overwhelming. I can sit through hours of podcasts and study page after page of business strategy to potentially satisfy my own compulsions. More recently, I have devoured books on psychological theory explaining how the human mind interprets information. It is fascinating. I absorb all of this information to make some sense of my life. Of course, all of these things have failed me. My newly acquired wisdom and knowledge have not silenced the voices of negativity and doubt between my ears.  I remain insecure in my ability and my marriage is less than I think it can be.

Despite my efforts, God has protected me from deception. As I reflect upon my study habits, He reveals that I attempt to learn more about getting rich than being rich. There is a huge difference! The biggest one is surrender. You see, finding something that will tickle my brain is easy. It doesn’t require confronting my weaknesses and it energizes my spirit.  Filling me with possibility. The other way, the Jesus way, is hard. It requires that I give up my own dreams while I embrace my weaknesses.  The Jesus way requires complete transformation of my spirit. To be harsh, it requires death. Ironically, it is in death, that I find life. Jesus tells us right. He says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).  Real Truth.

Leviticus 18; Psalm 22; Ecclesiastes 1; 1 Timothy 3

Psalm 22 is known as a prayer of lament.  What does that mean?  Lament, according to dictionary.com is “a formal expression of sorrow, or mourning.”  You hear these clearly in David’s words, right?  At the time he is writing this, his very life is in danger.  His own son has taken over the kingdom and now wants David permanently eliminated.  Knowing this, David cries out in anguish for God to help him, saying “why have you forsaken me?” Yet, God’s help doesn’t show up.  Have you ever had a similar experience?  Maybe your circumstance was not as extreme as David’s, but we all have times that we simply need help.  There are two things about David’s plea that capture me.  First, he is brutally honest and second, even in desperation, he acknowledges that only God can provide what he needs.

To some, David’s honesty might seem disrespectful.  Can we ask God why he has forsaken us?  I actually catch myself thinking that this is a selfish prayer.  Aren’t I suppose to shut up and endure?  Isn’t that what faith is?  Who am I to question God?  Additionally, when I come to him that way, don’t I sound like a selfish and spoiled child?

The answer to those questions come from David in verse 3 as he formally acknowledges God’s position of authority and deity.  He says, “you are enthroned as the Holy One, you are the one Israel praises.”  Don’t you see David’s true heart here?  Yes, he is crying out to God for relief, and, at the same time his heart is submissive.  How could God accept this as anything but absolute worship?  Furthermore, by acknowledging God and identifying with who He is, David effectively removes any selfish motives from his heart.  Basically saying, since you are who you are, I am willing to endure whatever you have me endure.  Do you hear the echo of Jesus in this?  Remember Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane?  He is under intense stress because of the burden upon him asking God for the same relief.  Luke 22:44 suggests that Jesus’ stress was so great, he was sweating blood!  Despite the agony, Jesus embraces his lot saying, “yet not my will be done, but  yours.”  At that moment, Jesus gave God his greatest possession.  His very life.  Pure Worship.

Leviticus 10; Psalms 11–12; Proverbs 25; 1 Thessalonians 4

As we remember the one year anniversary of the tragic plane crash that took seven good men from their families, loved ones and communities, I am humbled to read 1 Thessalonians 4:1 today. Eugene Peterson’s, The Message, translation reads,

“One final word, friends. We ask you––urge is more like it––that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance”

 Each of these men reflected this “living, spirited dance.” It was exemplified in their compassion, humility, playfulness and, of course, their kindness. What a fabulous opportunity to honor them today by each of us carrying out or own 7 acts of kindness.   May their living and spirited dance continue in our hearts.  I pray that we would all live lives that are a living, spirited dance, pleasing to God.

 

Leviticus 2–3; John 21; Proverbs 18; Colossians 1

Michael Somers brought up a good point in yesterday’s post, titled Taking Thoughts Captive. He said, “Thoughts are curious things. They tend to breed more of themselves. If we think on things that are dark, such thoughts beget more darkness.”   It is true.  What we focus on expands.  Unfortunately, we all, at some point in our lives, find ourselves lost, groping in the darkness, longing for the light. Many of the Psalms express this angst. We can hear the psalmists’ deep cries of distress and desperation that echo in the dark and empty recesses of our own hearts. We also hear them pining for relief. What the psalmists get right in these dark nights of the soul, is the focus point of their plea and petition. They look only to God.

Everything that I know about God says that he cannot live in my dark place. Clearly, if my heart is in darkness, God wants nothing to do with it. His very being will not allow it. This creates an insurmountable challenge for me. Fortunately, God wants more than anything to reconcile my heart to him. He did, after all, create me.  He is my Father.   He loves me far beyond the love that I can comprehend. Just one example comes from Romans 8:38-39 which reminds us that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from His love.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you hear what I hear in those wonderful words? They say that nothing in our present circumstances, no people, no higher (or lower) powers, NOTHING can touch his love for us. How can this be true? How does God overlook the darkness upon which I dwell? The difference maker is Jesus Christ. Today we read about the great pleasure that God has in his son. Because of Jesus’ perfection, he has no darkness (1 John 1:5), which is why in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (Colossians 1:19). You know the rest of the story, right? His perfection, his light and his fullness were laid out on the altar, sacrificed, given for me, so that God sees only light, not darkness. In fact, when we live with Jesus, our hearts emit such a pleasing aroma that he has brings us into his own presence, and we are holy and blameless as we stand before him without a single fault (Colossians 1:22 NLT). Do you know what that means? It means that the fullness of God is pleased to dwell within our hearts.   Now, that is something worth thinking about!

Thank you for your Son. For his complete sacrifice that allows us to live in your fullness. Fill our thoughts today with your goodness.  As king David does in Psalm 27, I pray that we may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of our lives, to gaze upon Your beauty, our Lord and to inquire in Your temple.  

 

Exodus 35; John 14; Proverbs 11; Ephesians 4

Few things stir my heart more than the concept of calling. Why? Well…if I am honest, the answer is self-incriminating. When I think of calling, I consider what my life is about. What is the significance of my time here on earth and what is my contribution to the world? Now, these are not bad questions to answer, but we need to be careful with the answer. Here’s why.  I see two options. One is to answer them according to the American dream, the second is according to the faith that I have professed in Jesus Christ.

When I answer my calling with respect to the American Dream, I begin to think about all sorts of possibilities. I think of people like Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller.   They are stand out’s among the fabricator’s and hero’s of the American Dream. Their motto; anything is possible and everything is probable. Heck, I could even be President! It just requires persistence and hard work. Our dreams are within reach. So, how do i define my calling as an American? Unfortunately, much of my life has been marked with the shallow and self-serving answer of “success.”

The narrative changes, however, when we choose to follow Jesus. Today, in Ephesians 4, Paul reminds us to “live a life worth of your calling.” In my quick reading, I interpret calling according to my American Dream. As I read deeper, however, I see that Paul clarifies that Jesus’ calling is not my own. Instead, Paul exhorts me to live the life to which I have been “called.” Paul is talking about the life that God created us for.  What is the difference between these two lives? A handful of verses bring me clarity.

[Serve] the Lord with all humility and with tears (Acts 20:19 ESV)

 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (Philippians 2:3 ESV)

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another (Colossians 3:12-13 ESV)

have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8 ESV)

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5 ESV)

As I read through these verses, there is one word that appears and repeats in my head, tying them all together. It is the thing missing from my narrative. It is replaced with turmoil in our daily lives, as we chase the American dream. It is why Jesus died for us. It has eternal significance and, it will ensure our joy-filled life. What is it?  What does Jesus call us to? LOVE.

Exodus 27; John 6; Proverbs 3; Galatians 2

I have ruminated on Jillian’s most recent post since reading it on Saturday. She talks about being thirsty.  Specifically, Jesus promises to help quench our thirst in John 4. He says “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:11-14) Today, Jesus expands on this teaching, explaining that once we have tasted the nectar of salvation, life becomes us. He says,

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38 ESV)

Two questions arise when I consider this text. First, what exactly do rivers of living water look like and second am I drinking the right water?

When you think of a river, which one comes to mind? The Illinois is the first to mine, I suppose because of its proximity. The second is the Mississippi in no small part because of Chevy Chase (here’s the clip). Why is the Biblical imagery of a river so important? Think for a minute about the volume of water flowing through them. A quick Google search reveals that more than 33 million people rely on the Mississippi river as their primary water source. Multiply that by the average 100, or so, gallons used daily by each person and we are talking about 3.3 billion gallons of water.  That is a lot of water! Isn’t this exactly what Jesus is promising? He literally tells us that he will give us a river of living water that will flow out of our hearts.

While trying to grasp the concept of a river of water flowing from my heart, two things strike me. The first is that the water is flowing. As opposed to a stagnate pool, flowing water, is vibrant. It carries energy.  In fact, big, flowing rivers of water provide enough power to light up entire cities! Not only is the water flowing, it is living. This life is not just its own, the water itself sustains countless creatures. In fact, the water is teaming with life.  Life lives in, above and around the river. In other words, the life given to me, flows out of me.  When it does, it nourishes and replenishes everyone around me. Said another way, if we truly have the life promised by Jesus, it will flow out of me. Enriched by the Holy Spirit, this life affects everyone around us. Jesus explains this further, telling us how we know it is the right water in John 13:35,

“Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Does this make you want to live by the river? As you know, a constant source of water is the only way to ensure life.  Make no mistake, Jesus Christ is the only source of this pure water.

Finally, I cannot leave you without sharing one of my favorite scriptures from Jeremiah 17.

““But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLTse

Exodus 21; Luke 24; Job 39; 2 Corinthians 9

Have you ever watched the show Undercover Boss? If you have, you know that business owners and CEO’s participate in the inner workings of their businesses, in disguise so that they get an accurate and unfiltered view of what people think and do. Jesus does something similar today in Luke 24 when he joins two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. Starting with yesterday’s reading, you will recall that we experienced Jesus’s crucifixion. While many people faithfully followed him there, there are two in particular that this story covers. After painfully witnessing his death these two patiently waited for further news. They both knew Jesus and trusted him. They spent enough time with him to easily recognize him. A few days after Jesus death, however, evidence was mounting that it was over. The time had come for them to re-engage in their old lives, reconnect with their families and get back to work. The hope that they so desperately followed was now a memory. Let’s go home, back to Emmaus.

Walking side by side, the conversation is passionate. The two men cannot help but discuss what had happened over the last several days.  About a month ago, This man, Jesus, promised them a better life, offering them freedom and hope.  They dropped everything to follow him; the greatest man they had ever met.  And now, he was gone. Upon hearing the news that his body was no longer in the grave, they were literally, “amazed” (Luke 24:22). This report was so shocking that they were dumfounded and bewildered with no idea how to respond. In fact, the prophecy found in Psalm 88:8 describes the events as “a horror” to them. This is where our story turns and Jesus enters as the Undercover Boss. Joining them in their walk, Jesus wanted to remain anonymous. So, he “kept their eyes from recognizing him” (v16).  For what its worth, I have a picture of Jesus in my head with pork chop sideburns and fake teeth (kind of like this guy), but that’s not part of scripture’s description.

Being undercover allows Jesus inside the conversation. He gets to hear their unfiltered accounting of past events as well as their thoughts about the future. What he discovers is disappointing. These two men were only focused on the past. They had quickly forgotten that the Scriptures promised more. My quick review of the prophecies clearly shows that “his chastisement brings us peace, we are healed because of his wounds, and that his death removes our iniquity, (Isaiah 53).” Surely, these men had this knowledge.  But, they were anything but peaceful. They showed nothing of the freedom and healing that Jesus grants us. Instead, they lost hope (Luke 24:21). How does Jesus respond? Jesus leads them back to the Truth. He points to the promises of the scriptures and lovingly guides them back to himself.  Not just who he was, but the discovery of his resurrection as his living self.  This occurs with simple act of communion. Jesus took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.   And their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (Luke 24:30-31).

If Jesus showed up in your life today as an Undercover Boss, what would he find? Do you display evidence of the hope and life he promises from his resurrection or are you still floundering with doubt like the two walking toward Emmaus?

Exodus 14; Luke 17; Job 32; 2 Corinthians 2

As we have seen throughout the story of Exodus, the Israelites are stuck. Stuck in part from their circumstances of slavery and partly stuck because of fear. How so? Consider their choice in living a life of slavery, making bricks for an oppressive ruler over a life of freedom. This choice often led them to death. As we read through Exodus 14, we see that they finally choose differently. They choose freedom. The result? They become trapped; hemmed in by the Red Sea in front of them and the entire Egyptian army not far behind. Not only that, the Egyptians were on horses and in chariots, brandishing spears, arrows, sharp swords and all other life removing apparatuses. They could feel their impending slaughter. It would be easy.

What do the Israelites do? Chicken out! Reverting to their old behaviors, they rely on their own, severely limited, understanding. These limitations create fear, causing them to regress to their old ways. They discard the hope they received, replacing it with the relative comfort of what they know; slavery. Thankfully, God intervenes in their weakness. He really is patient and has a deep desire to see all of us live a free life in Him (2 Peter 3:9)

The rest of the story is obvious. God steps up in a way that nobody else could, performing the life-saving and  mind-blowing miracle of dividing the Red Sea. This act enables the Israelites to walk to freedom on dry ground. Now, if you are like me, you will give a quick shout out for the Israelites and a fist pump for an awesome victory. But… it doesn’t really impact my life today. Or does it? This is precisely where our journey collides with the Israelites.

In many ways, I find myself standing around waiting for God to move between me and the enemy, so that I can live the life that I have always wanted. He waits; patiently. I am allowed to remain in slavery, maintaining the habits and lifestyle that I have always tolerated because I fear the unknown. Today, I am sure that the hitch in my Spirit is God telling me that He has something more if I will only follow. He tells me that I can be freed from my slavery in an instant, but it’s not the way that I expect.   In fact, I have been looking for a 12-step plan or a 21-day program. Instead, he provides my own life-giving and mind-blowing miracle. This miracle, however, is bigger and better than the parting of the Red Sea. God sent his only son to suffer, die and rise again. Why? So that I might be free to live life abundantly (John 10:10).  Re-reading Exodus 14 with my miracle in mind, I see:

the Lord saved ME (Israel) that day from the hand of slavery (the Egyptians), and I (Israel) saw the enemy (Egyptians) dead on the seashore. I (Israel) saw the great power that the Lord used against my enemy (the Egyptians). (Exodus 14:30-31 ESV)

Do you see it too?  Can you hear God calling you to the Cross? Remember, He has risen! It is time. Move forward. “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. His promise gives firm footing, not in mud, but on dry ground. True Freedom! (Exodus 14:15 ESV)

Where He Leads Me ~ Twila Paris

Exodus 8; Luke 11; Job 25–26; 1 Corinthians 12

Have you ever read a Bible story from the other point of view? I am betting that when you read today’s Word, you chose one, or two of the characters to identify with. Take Exodus 8, for example. When I read it, I am Aaron or Moses, of course. Why? Because Pharaoh is an idiot. He intentionally sabotages the work of God for his own gain. I want to be on God’s side, so I stay as far away from Pharaoh as possible. Until, I intentionally read the story as Pharaoh.

Like Pharaoh, all of us will experience pain and discomfort in our lives. Now, we probably will not experience the stink of dead frogs gathered in heaps, or swarms of flies, but we will have something from which we need relief. What do we do? We turn to God. We ask him for relief, for help and for provisions. When real desperation shows up, we begin to offer God anything that he wants. We will do whatever it takes, if he would just take it away. And then it’s gone.  The pain subsides.

The true test of our lives shows up not just in the time of distress, but also in the time of relief. Like Pharaoh, it is easy for me to commit to God when I need something.  I know deep down that he can provide it. The hard part is maintaining that faith when I don’t need him. This is exactly what happens in verse 15. As soon as there was relief from the frogs, Pharaoh moved his own direction and worked toward his own gain.

So am I like Pharaoh or Aaron and Moses? I know what I want the answer to be, but I am afraid of what the answer is. The realization that there is darkness in my heart leaves me with two options. The first leads to a dark place that I’d prefer not to talk about, the other is filled with grace and love. It is at the foot of the cross. It is a reminder that even though I have sinned, I have hope. I have hope, I am given new life, because of one sacrifice that was perfect and complete.