Author: Jennifer Armstrong

Deuteronomy 1; Psalms 81–82; Isaiah 29; 3 John 1

Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete fell out.  Who was left?  Repeat.  Pete and Repeat were in a boat.  Pete fell out.  Who was left?  Repeat.  Pete and Repeat…

I hated this riddle when I was a kid. I still hate it.  Why?  The endless repetition becomes a mindless chant and drives me completely INSANE!  My kids know it.  If they want to watch me turn into a raging lunatic, they simply sit in the back seat of the car and repeat a phrase or stanza of a song over and over and over.  Works every time.  Sounds something like this…

Krusty Krab pizza is the best pizza, Krusty Krab pizza is the best pizza, Krusty Krab pizza is the best pizza… While allowing my children to watch SpongeBob Squarepants was not one of my wisest parenting moves, the Krusty Krab pizza episodes have become part of our family story.  They make us laugh and bring us closer together as a family.

Today we started into Chapter 1 of Deuteronomy. It is in the fortieth year since God rescued his people from Egyptian slavery.  The whole generation of Israelites who rebelled against God has died off.  The second generation is within days of crossing the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land.  After 40 years of wandering in the desert, THIS IS THE MOMENT WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR…it has me on the edge of my seat…let’s go!!!!

Not so fast. Deuteronomy begins by going back in time.  Chapter 1 recounts when Israelite leaders were appointed for each tribe (Exodus 18), the adventure of the twelve spies (Numbers 13), and the Israelites rebellion against the Lord (Numbers 11-20).  The repetition starts to seem like a drag (and starts to annoy me), but hang on.  Don’t overlook why telling these stories again was so important.  The first generation of Israelites originally received the law through Moses, rebelled against God and lived through 40 years of wandering.  Except for Moses (until Deuteronomy 34), Joshua and Caleb, this whole generation is now dead.  In Deuteronomy, Moses is teaching the second generation of Israelites about God’s law, why they should keep it and the severe consequences of disobedience.

It comes as no surprise that the Greek word Deuteronomy means “second law”. Moses knew, because of his sin, he did not get to enter the Promised Land.  This is his last hurrah, his last chance to pass on insights from his incredible journey with God.  Throughout Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Moses lived these stories real time.  Now he gets to teach them again.  This time, however, he makes them relevant to the challenges God’s people will experience as they take over the Promised Land.

The stories in Deuteronomy weren’t repetition for the second generation of Israelites, but they are repetition for us. Please don’t check out.  From years of schooling, we all know the immense value repetition brings to the learning process.  As we read through Deuteronomy over the next month will you let the repetition help implant these key messages in your heart and bring you closer to God?

• God is serious about sin. He hates it. It separates us from Him.
• Because of his love for mankind, God made a way for us to atone for our sins and be reconciled to him.
• Under the Old Testament law, atonement was achieved through a variety of defined sacrifices; under the new covenant, Jesus’ death on the cross paid the price for our sins.

Thank you God for your word, for making it living and active in our lives.

Numbers 30; Psalm 74; Isaiah 22; 2 Peter 3

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:10-14).

Wow, this is a fire and brimstone passage. A good preacher could definitely have a field day with it.  Or at least I think they could, I don’t really have much experience with those kind of sermons…and I have listened to A LOT of sermons in my day!  I am a PK (Preacher’s Kid).  For decades, I listened to my Dad preach from God’s word every Sunday morning.  If you never had the opportunity to listen to a Gary York sermon, I’m sorry you missed out.  He was (and still is) really awesome.  During his ministry, God used him in incredible ways to profoundly impact many lives, including mine.  Fire and brimstone wasn’t really his style.  Rather than paint a picture of the situation or environment, then rely on his audience to “find themselves in it”, he really had a way of making things personal.  If preaching from this passage, I don’t think my Dad would have focused on Jesus’ coming like a thief in the night or the destruction of everything.  Rather, he would have made it personal by taking his audience straight to the question in verse 11 and the direction found in verse 14.

…what kind of people ought you to be?

…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

These are pretty weighty verses. They are very personal for all of us.  Here’s how they showed up in my life this past Wednesday – A couple weeks ago, one of my Managers officially announced the voluntary departure of one of his team members.  With three children under the age of 5, Joni decided to leave the company to stay home with her children.  I had the opportunity to spend a little time with her this week.  Before she left, I wanted to make sure I thanked Joni for the contributions she made to our organization over the last 18 years.  More importantly, I wanted to applaud her for having the courage to make such a tough choice.  I shared with her my story – how ten years ago, I changed employers for a similar reason.  While my change has not proven to be an overly beneficial career choice, I wouldn’t trade the healthy family relationships I’ve gained in return for the sacrifice.  I encouraged Joni to move forward with confidence, knowing her priorities were in line, and trusting God would bless her choices.  I’m confident she won’t regret it.

Joni didn’t make the decision to leave her career easily. In fact, she and her husband have been working on it and praying over it for the past two years.  I think her story reflects the guidance in 2 Peter 3:14 – Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.  As I looked in her eyes on Wednesday, Joni is at peace with her decision to invest in the lives of her children while she looks forward to Jesus’ return.  This change is allowing her to be the person she ought to be.

What about you? Are you making every effort to be the person you ought to be?  Are you at peace with God?  At best, I’m afraid my personal answer is only sometimes.  Some of my choices are good, others are not so good.  I’m so grateful Jesus’ blood covers me, as this is the only way I will ever be spotless and blameless before God.

In their song This is Your Life, Switchfoot says it well – This is your life, are you who you want [or who you ought] to be?

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/switchfoot/thisisyourlife.html

Numbers 23; Psalms 64–65; Isaiah 13; 1 Peter 1

In Numbers 22 yesterday, we were introduced to the Moabite King named Balak.  He was afraid.  Knowing what the Israelites had just finished doing to the Amorites, King Balak and his people were distressed as they looked out and saw thousands of Israelites camped on the plains of Moab.  As any good leader would do, Balak took action.  He sent for Balaam, a “diviner” with an impressive track record, to help him take care of the situation.  “Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (Numbers 22:6).

I find it interesting that Balaam is not a prophet of God. He is a diviner or sorcerer.  However, God still steps in and provides Balaam instruction.  God tells him not to go with the Moabite princes and not to curse the Israelites because they were God’s chosen people.  Balaam desperately wanted the riches and honor King Balak had promised him.  So he persisted with God, hoping to change God’s mind.  Surprisingly, God compromised and let Balaam go. And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you” (Numbers 22:20).  So far so good, Balaam was getting what he wanted (or at least he thought so)!  Here is where it started to get crazy…

Balaam set out on a donkey, but God sent angels to block the way. Balaam was frustrated and beat the donkey because it wasn’t going where he wanted it to go.  THEN, God opened the donkey’s mouth and he started talking to Balaam!  (What, a talking donkey?  This sounds like a bad television show.)  After the donkey made Balaam feel bad for the beating, God opened Balaam’s eyes to see an angel of God standing in the donkey’s way.  Balaam fell on his face.  While he offered to change direction / to turn back and not go to meet King Balak, the angel affirmed God’s earlier instruction, “And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word I tell you (Numbers 22:35).  So far so good, Balaam is still getting what he wants!

When we get to Numbers 23, Balaam has King Balak set up alters and offer sacrifices to God. But the outcome was not a curse on the Israelites like King Balak requested.  Rather, having to speak the words God instructed, Balaam blessed the people of Israel.  Four times King Balak requested a curse and received a blessing in return.  By the end of Numbers 24, Balaam and Balak part ways.

This story is hard to follow. I’ll admit, a talking donkey is kind of weird and somewhat entertaining, but what is God teaching us with this story?  Remember – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  A few key lessons to consider:

• God is sovereign – The plans of influential and powerful men, like King Balak, will not prosper without the Lord’s permission. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand, (Proverbs 19:21).
• God uses a variety of means to accomplish his purpose – In Numbers 22-24, God used both a pagan sorcerer and a talking donkey to accomplish his plan. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”, (Isaiah 55:8-9).
• Outward appearances aren’t enough – Balaam gave the impression he was God’s prophet; he had King Balak build alters and offer sacrifices to God; he spoke God’s words of blessing on the Israelites. But make no mistake about it, he was clearly in it for himself. Later in Numbers, we will see Balaam wreak more havoc on the Israelites. Unfortunately he never truly put his faith in God.  For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart (I Samuel 16:7).

This last key lesson is where I think the rubber meets the road for many of us.  Remember, God’s plan for salvation requires us to take action. …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved, (Romans 10:9-10). It isn’t enough to be a good person, to go to Church, to say the right things, to “hang out” with God and to sound godly.  God requires more. He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8-11).

God requires our hearts.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).

Numbers 15; Psalm 51; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 12

As my children grow older and wiser (or maybe just more crafty), I find it entertaining to sit in the front seat of the car and listen to them reason things out in the back. These conversations often lead to some of the best teachable moments, opportunities to help them connect the dots and gain a deeper understanding of why things work the way they do.  One of our recurring lessons is about how the economy works.  As you would expect, the conversation almost always begins or ends with the statement, “nothing in life is really free” or “if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is (too good to be true)”.

We serve an incredibly gracious God. His goodness knows no end.  His faithfulness has been proven through generations.  This sounds too good to be true, is it?  Let’s review God’s plan for salvation:

• God’s invitation is open to all – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).
• We all need it – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
• We can’t earn it – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Jesus paid the price for us – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
• Here’s the hook…it requires us to take action – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

Following Jesus requires us to change, to repent and to turn from our sinful ways. Our reading in Psalm 51 today walks us through how King David repented of his sins to gain forgiveness.  David was Israel’s greatest King, he was known as a man after God’s own heart.  But he, like us, was sinful and needed to take action to make himself right with God.

The backdrop for Psalm 51 is the story of King David and Bathsheba (II Samuel 11). If you aren’t familiar with the story, here are the basic facts – from the palace rooftop, King David lustfully looked upon Bathsheba, a neighbor woman, bathing.  Bathsheba’s husband Uriah was away at war.   King David, after having sinful relations with her, learned Bathsheba was pregnant.  He set up a plot to cover up the sinful relationship.  The plan involved bringing Uriah home from war and having him reunite with his wife, in order to keep King David’s paternal relationship with Bathsheba’s baby a secret.  However, when Uriah refused the privilege of sleeping at home with his wife during his leave, King David had to take his plot to the next level.  He sent orders to have Uriah moved to the front line, where Uriah was soon killed in battle.

In II Samuel 12, God sent the Prophet Nathan to King David. Through Nathan’s conversation, King David became acutely aware of his sin and God’s displeasure with it.  He was filled with remorse.  This brings us to Psalm 51, a deeply moving picture of King David’s repentance and restoration.

Studying Matthew Henry’s text commentary this week helped me break Psalm 51 down into the five main themes of King David’s prayer. Notice each of these themes start with a verb.  Again, an action King David took to make himself right with God:

• Confessed his sin (verses 3-6)
• Prayed for God to pardon his sin (verses 1, 2, 7, 9)
• Prayed for peace of conscience (verses 8 and 12)
• Prayed for grace to sin no more (verses 10, 11, 14)
• Promised to do good for others and for the glory of God (verses 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)

When I was in high school youth group, we used to sing an old Keith Green song – Create in Me a Clean Heart. The lyrics were simply the words of Psalm 51:10-12.  More than 25 years later, I sometimes find myself singing this prayer to God, asking for him to walk by my side, help me rid my heart of selfish desires and yield to his ways over mine.

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/keith_green/create_in_me_a_clean_heart.html

Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me

Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord

Take not Thy holy spirit from me

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation

And renew a right spirit within me

Numbers 7; Psalms 42–43; Song of Solomon 5; Hebrews 5

I am a numbers person. This is really no surprise given my educational background.  We called ourselves “accounting dorks” back at the IWU Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house in 1994.  There were 4 of us.

Here are my numbers on Numbers 7:

• With 89 verses, Numbers 7 seems like the longest chapter in the Bible.
• Psalm 119 is actually the longest chapter in the Bible, it has almost double the number of verses – 176 in total.
• Our 2016 biblejournal.net schedule (following the McCheyene plan) will get us to Psalm 119 on June 22.
• Don’t worry though, we have an entire week allocated to Psalm 119 (7 days, June 22-28).
• Seventy-three of the verses (7:12-7:83) in Numbers 7 say the exact same thing, just with different names.

Truth be known, it isn’t really the numbers themselves that I love. Don’t get me wrong, solving the math problem or getting the financial statements to balance gives me a sense of fulfillment, but that isn’t really where my energy comes from.  Rather, it’s how I can use the numbers to tell a story, to make my case, and to influence my audience.  That’s why I love the MD&A (Management Discussion & Analysis) section of an annual report.  It’s the story behind the numbers.  Investors beware, this is an UNAUDITED section of the financial statements.  It is full of management spin, which is why it’s so fun!  Yes, 22 years later I am still an accounting dork.

When it comes to the book of Numbers (and Leviticus for that matter), are you like me? I’ve found this reading to be pretty hard.  It has a ton of historical details and, frankly, isn’t overly inspiring.  Yet from reading 2 Timothy last week, we know God included these scriptures in the Bible for a reason.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In the book of Numbers so far, God’s people have:

• Taken a census
• Arranged their camp
• Assigned serving duties to men of each tribe
• Outlined rules for unclean people, confession and restitution
• Established the Nazarite vow

All were these actions were taken in accordance with instructions God gave them through Moses. The Lord blessed them.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27)

This brings us to Numbers 7. In response to God’s blessings, each tribe brought offerings before the Lord.  Seventy-three verses in Numbers 7 explain exactly what each tribe brought.  Twenty-six sacrifices by my count (3 serving pieces of precious metal, flour/oil mixture, incense, 21 animals), which are explained in the same painstaking detail 12 times.  What is God trying to tell us?  A few ideas to consider:

• God’s people are obedient to his instructions. Did you notice, the sacrifices each tribe brought align with God’s detailed instructions from Leviticus (grain offering, burnt offering, sin offering, peace offering and redemption values)? As Christ followers, we are called to be obedient (John 14:23, James 1:22).
• We each matter to God. The sacrifices offered by each tribe were recognized, individually, by God. This approach affirms that God values people. There is power in numbers (Matthew 18:20), but God also cares deeply about each one of us (Luke 12:7).
• All gifts/roles/responsibilities in the kingdom of God are equally important.  Each tribe had a different number of people and a different role for serving in the tabernacle, but all were equally important and valued.  Likewise, it takes a variety of roles in the Church today to accomplish God’s objectives. All matter (Romans 12:4-5).

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Leviticus 27; Psalm 34; Ecclesiastes 10; Titus 2

Have you ever had a friend whose presence seemed to have a bad influence on almost every situation? Reflecting over my childhood years, a few of these people come to mind.  I was generally a pretty good kid, but when one of these friends was around, things always seemed to go downhill.  My parents knew who these “bad seeds” or “ring leaders” were.  I knew it too, I was just never willing to concede.  Admitting my folks were right may have propelled me to make a different choice, which may have led me to miss out on the fun.  No thanks.

Now that I’m old, and have kids of my own (I have one who suffers from a severe case of FoMO – the Fear of Missing Out), the wisdom found in 1 Corinthians 15:33 means more to me than ever, Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.    Funny thing is, this truth applies no matter how old we are.  It also goes both ways.  While one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, one good, influential person can also raise everyone else’s game.  We see these truths illustrated in the first four verses of Ecclesiastes 10 today.

Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.  A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.  Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.  If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

Verse 1 is about the bad apple. In contrast, verse 4 gives us a picture of the person who doesn’t get pulled into the fray, rather they stand their ground and help to diffuse a bad situation.  That would have been a really good argument to use with my parents back in the day.  “Mom, I actually need to be there.  Who else is going to stand their ground and influence the group to make good choices?  See, it is my duty to help save them from themselves.”  Truth is, back then I wasn’t quick enough to think of that argument nor did I always want the responsibility of trying to influence good choices.  I was usually busy just trying to fit in and have some fun.

Jump forward to today’s passage in Titus 2. Do you see a similar theme?  The first ten verses of Titus 2 are all about teaching biblical truths and modeling god-honoring, upright behavior in order to influence others.  Titus 2:7-8, Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Mike Baker, Senior Pastor at Eastview, often reminds us – your greatest witness is the life you lead.

Think about this today. Are you being influenced by the company you keep OR are you using your relationships to influence others and bring them closer to Jesus?  Are you along for the ride to get maximum enjoyment from life OR are you intentionally using your circumstances to be salt and light to this world?  Jesus calls us to the latter.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Leviticus 20; Psalm 25; Ecclesiastes 3; 1 Timothy 5

Did you know Apple released the first iPhone on June 29, 2007? Over the last two quarters of that year, about 1.4 million iPhones (units not dollars) were sold.  By the end of 2015, only 8.5 years later, Apple had annual iPhone unit sales of more than 230 million.  Isn’t it absolutely crazy to think sales went from 0 to 230 million, and the iPhone went from a luxury to a mainstream device, in less than a decade?  Ten years ago, would you have ever dreamt you would be carrying ONE device that provides access to a wealth of information, can take and store pictures, can translate your speech into text messages, can track your heart rate, can pay for your groceries, and so much more…in your pocket?

This storyline isn’t unique to the 21^st century.  Between 1908 and 1927, the development and adoption of Ford’s Model T car illustrated the same point – this world changes at a rapid pace.  It can, at times, be a little overwhelming.  (Just ask those connected to Kodak and Blockbuster, two great companies who couldn’t change fast enough to stay in business.)

I contrast the story of frenzied technological change, which we experience every day, to the words of truth recorded in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. This passage naturally stirs my heart. Maybe because I hear it most often at funerals.  Read it aloud, do you feel a sense of calm and comfort?  The rhythm, “a time to… and a time to… a time to… and a time to…” is soothing as Solomon takes the reader on a poetic journey through a range of life’s activities.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

¹For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; ⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

The sense of comfort, however, comes from something more impactful than poetic patterns or meters. It comes from the foundational truth that God is sovereign, meaning he has supreme power or authority.  Solomon begins chapter 3 by reminding us that there is a season or time for EVERYTHING.  Notice verses 2-8 don’t just list good things.  They talk about death, weeping, mourning and hatred as well as life, laughing, dancing and love.  All these things, both good and bad, exist in this world.  God uses his supreme power and authority to work ALL of them together to accomplish his purpose.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful in its time.

The first verse and chorus of Colton Dixon’s song Through All of It provide a comforting reminder that He is our God through all life’s seasons, both good and bad.

There are days I’ve taken more than I can give.  And there are choices that I made, that I wouldn’t make again.  I’ve had my share of laughter, of tears and troubled times.  This is has been the story of my life.

I have won, and I have lost.  I got it right sometimes, but sometimes I did not. Life’s been a journey, I’ve seen joy, I’ve seen regret.  Oh and You have been my God through all of it.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/coltondixon/throughallofit.html

Leviticus 13; Psalms 15–16; Proverbs 27; 2 Thessalonians 1

Psalm 16:5-8

⁵ Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;  you make my lot secure. ⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;  surely I have a delightful inheritance. ⁷ I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;  even at night my heart instructs me. ⁸ I keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

This past Thursday, I read B.J.’s post and reflected on last year’s tragic plane crash and the impact it had on families, friends and our community as a whole.  It is really hard to believe a whole year has passed.  After our morning routine, my children and I got in the car and drove to school, just like we do every Monday – Friday.  But on this day, I was reminded the ordinary, mundane routine of everyday life was a blessing I got to enjoy.  Not everyone did.  I thought about seven families for whom the last year was anything but ordinary as they figured out new routines and a new cadence to life without their loved ones.  We paused to talk to God on our drive Thursday morning, and asked for his continued care and healing for these families.  This day was going to be an extra hard one for them.

As I dropped my kids off and pulled away from the school, Chris Tomlin’s Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) came on the radio.  I cried the rest of the way to work as I listened to and sang the words of verse 3 over and over again:

The Lord has promised good to me,

His Word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/christomlin/amazinggracemychainsaregone.html

My small group has been studying Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, by Francis Chan, over the past few weeks.  The book, which challenges readers to engage in a passionate love relationship with God, includes a discussion about Judgment Day in Chapter 10.

Romans 14: 10, 12 – For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God…each of us will give an account of himself to God.

After citing this passage, Chan challenges his readers to reflect on the following question: “How will you answer the King when He says, “What did you do with the Life I gave you?””  Ouch, that stings.  How would you answer? Are you confident about your response?  I’m not sure I am.  Don’t get me wrong, my life isn’t void of God-honoring activities, but am I comfortable admitting I shopped on the internet for 3 hours, read a brainless spy novel, and watched more than 40 hours of basketball over the last 3 weeks?  After our group studied Chapter 10 on Wednesday night, it stands to reason why I couldn’t get the lyrics, “as long as life endures” out of my head on Thursday.  Jesus came so that we could have life and could have it abundantly (John 10:10).  But he does not promise us how long we get to stay here.  We are not guaranteed another single moment, hour or day.  As such, we should be compelled to challenge ourselves with a sense of urgency – what are we doing, today, with the life God gave us?

Tomlin’s version of Amazing Grace closes with this final verse:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine.

But God, Who called me here below,

Will be forever mine.

We may or may not live until the end of time when Jesus’ returns. We may or may not have our lives cut short by tragedy.  What I do know for sure – we will all die at some point.  What we do between now and then is our choice.  Choose wisely.

Leviticus 5; Psalms 3–4; Proverbs 20; Colossians 3

Jon’s post from yesterday was a refreshing reminder of the gospel message – “when Jesus offered his body and blood as a sacrifice, he paid off all of our sinful debt, past, present, and future.” This is the Good News, it is the source of the hope we have as followers of Jesus Christ!  Today I want to go back to Leviticus and ground us on why we need Jesus, remind us how we got from the Law in Leviticus to Paul’s message of grace through faith in Romans, then look at today’s passage in Colossians to see what a “new creation” looks like.

2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

In each of the first five chapters of Leviticus, we have read about different types of offerings – burnt offerings versus grain offerings, and different situations in which a sacrifice is required: peace offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings.  These are extremely detailed instructions to God’s people for exactly how sacrifices were to be performed in order to achieve the expected outcome – payment for sin.  I’ll be honest, I’m not completely straight on the difference between some of the offerings, and in what situation each was needed.  I also find it really easy to get distracted by all the details of how to arrange the body parts and what to do with the blood when the sacrifices involved animals.  Even so, the main points are crystal clear:

• God is serious about sin. He hates it. It separates us from Him.
• Because of his love for mankind, however, God made a way for us to atone for our sins and be reconciled to him.
• In the Old Testament, atonement was achieved through the sacrifices we read about in Leviticus.

After Jesus’ death/burial/resurrection, we are no longer bound by Old Testament law. We no longer have to atone for our sin through the sacrifices described in Leviticus. We no longer need a priest to be the intermediary between us and God.  Again, “[Jesus] paid off all of our sinful debt, past, present, and future”.  The Holy Spirit lives inside us.

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Ephesians 2:8, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

While this is the Good News, we must not forget the nature of God – he is unchanging. The God we serve today is the same God the children of Israel served in the Old Testament.  He is Holy.  He required the children of Israel to be Holy and requires us to be holy.  Yes, we are still sinful.  Yes, Jesus paid the price for these sins.  But salvation does not absolve us of the responsibility to take up our cross every day, to faithfully follow after Jesus, and continue the process changing our hearts to look like his.  Today’s passage in Colossians 3 shows us what taking up our cross and faithfully following Jesus looks like in our lives:

Focusing on the eternal versus the temporal:

¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

 Turning away from sinful practices:

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

 Choosing actions that reflect a Godly character/the Fruit of the Spirit:

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Reflect on verse 15 for a minute, “Let the peace of Christ RULE in your heart”.  Insert the definition of the word rule, as a verb, in this sentence. “Let the peace of Christ [exercise ultimate power or authority over] your heart.” Letting go and giving control over to Jesus is the only path to accomplish the command in verse 17, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”.

God, today would you please show me places in my life where I am still in control? Please soften my heart.  Help me surrender all to you.

Exodus 37; John 16; Proverbs 13; Ephesians 6

“Wisdom is perhaps the greatest gift one generation can give to the other”.  Jim Collins, a popular author and teacher, feels this is perhaps the best advice he’s received from his personal board of directors over the years. In the mid-1990’s, Collins introduced the concept of a personal board of directors to business leaders.  The notion of assembling a multi-disciplinary group that could provide feedback and advise on anything from career choices to helping overcome workplace challenges, was a fresh alternative to traditional one on one mentoring relationships.  This concept has an inward focus – how connecting with others can truly make you better, rather than just helping you get to the next level by linking with a leader on his/her way up the ladder.  An idea that started as advice to Collins’ business students has been useful to leaders in more than just business settings for almost 20 years.

Have you ever employed this approach? Thanks to a wise mentor, I have.  The last time I interviewed for a job, I intentionally spent time connecting with six leaders who had different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.  Their guidance was instrumental in helping me think through what I wanted from the position, what I capabilities I brought to the job, whether I was really a fit for it, and what additional information I wanted to gain from the hiring leader during the interview.  I walked in to that interview better prepared than I had ever been.  Unfortunately, I can’t tell you this experience had a fairytale ending.  I didn’t get the job.  The process I used to prepare for it, however, was what helped me quickly work through the initial disappointment and, eventually, realize I am much better off because I didn’t get that job.

As I read and reflected on Proverbs 13 this week, I see the concept of a personal board of directors rooted in the wisdom of Solomon. Guidance for seeking knowledge, instruction and wise counsel is the heart of verses 13-20.  Solomon’s direction applies to business, it applies to leadership, but it also applies to the everyday lives of Christ followers.

¹³Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.  

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life

that one may turn away from the snares of death.  

¹⁵Good sense wins favor,

but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.  

¹⁶In everything the prudent acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

¹⁹A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.  

²⁰Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,

but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

The scripture begins by affirming that the Bible, the inspired Word of God, is a Christ follower’s guidepost (verse 13). It goes on to describe the goodness of seeking out wise counsel and conversely describes the consequences of relying on advice of the wicked, of fools or relying on yourself alone.  This is where I see the concept of a personal board of directors begin to show up.

• Verse 14 talks about the teaching of the wise
• Verse 15 talks about using good sense
• Verse 16 suggests pursuit of knowledge is prudent
• Verse 18 warns of the harsh consequences that come from ignoring instruction
• Verse 19 began to hit home when I thought about times in my own life that my desire for something clouded my judgment

I haven’t always used a personal board of directors.  Rather, I can think of occasions I wanted something so bad that the only people I asked for advice were my closest friends, people I knew thought like me, and those I knew would give me the answer I wanted to hear.  (A few of these situations didn’t have fairytale endings either.)  Verse 20 closes the passage by instructing us to choose advisors wisely for this very reason.  Experience tells us the more time people spend together, the more they become alike.  Should you be hanging around with people who make you better or people who make you worse?  Walk with the wise and, over time, their influence will help you become wiser.  Walk with fools and, over time, you will make poor choices.

Selecting the right people is imperative to finding success with a personal board of directors. In order to bring value, this group has to be diverse.  Not only does it have to include people outside your circle of friends and people who think like you, it also needs to include people with points of view and experiences different from each other.  A well-rounded team.  These people must also have the courage to give difficult feedback that will help you grow and develop, though sometimes it is painful and not easily received.

Who’s on Your Personal Board of Directors?, by Carolyn Taketa (Christianity Today 2014) provides some very relevant guidance on selecting the right people, especially as it relates to the lives of Christ followers.  Her central message is that your board should be “people that consistently motivate you to become the person God has created you to be”.  She then goes on to describe diverse roles that may be valuable for helping you grow and develop:

• Mentor – a wise counselor
• Sponsor – someone who can, and is willing, to open doors for you
• Spiritual advisor – someone who helps identify and understand God’s work in your life
• Partners in ministry – those who help you with ideas and strategies for your area of ministry
• Honest encourager – someone who helps find clarity in difficult situations
• Prayer warrior – someone who has the gift of intercessory prayer
• Others with specific expertise – experts who help provide guidance in certain areas, for example a financial planner, therapist, personal trainer, etc.

Assembling a personal board of directors isn’t easy. Identifying the right people and investing in the relationships takes time.  It also requires vulnerability, willingness to accept the risk of hearing things you don’t want to hear, and readiness for some level of disappointment.  Considering the wise counsel of Solomon in Proverbs, is there a better way?

Proverbs 1:7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 12:15, The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 15:22, Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 19:20, Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 24:6, By wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.