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Be Perfect as God is Perfect: Love Your Enemies

Readings:

Genesis 14

Genesis 15

Genesis 16

Matthew 5

Matthew 6

Psalms 6

Love your enemies — not just your friends and those who treat you well. This is the emphasis of Jesus’s sermon on the mount when He says,

Matthew 5:48 NLT
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

It’s easy for us to be offensive and petty when we are offended. In fact,  that is probably our default — “you hurt me, so I’ll hurt you” seems to be how our pride and our flesh screams out for what it thinks is “justice”.

But God has a different way. And it isn’t to be a spineless coward either. Mercy and loving our enemy is strength under control. We may have the strength, the ability, the opportunity,  and even the self justified motive for why we might destroy our enemies, but we are told to love them — and to leave Vengeance to the Lord.

Romans 12:19 NLT
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

This advice in the New Testament builds upon what we see in the Old Testament:

Psalms 94:1 NLT
O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!

Leviticus 19:18 NLT
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

The New Testament goes beyond loving your fellow kinsman and neighbor even to living your enemy. And isn’t this how Good loves us?

Romans 5:6-11 NLT
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

And such a call is beyond the weakness of our flesh and pride. So Lord God our Redeemer and our strength,  you must do this in us and through us. Since this is who you would have us be. Help us to not resist your Holy Spirit and to willingly die to ourselves and be raised to life in you today.  Amen.

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Do you Love Me Enough to Fight?

Readings:

Job 10

Job 11

Job 12

Job 13

Excuse my harsh words,  but all of this “happy wife,  happy life” stuff is crap and lies. If a spouse of either gender needs to cower and placate and dance around the other one,  that is NOT happy, healthy, or sustainable.

When most people date,  they try to project a better image of what they think the other person wants than they actually are — this is because there is no relationship,  there is no commitment, there is no covenant yet. Even in the honeymoon phase, unless abuse is part of the picture,  people will rarely get as “real” with their spouse about their true frustrations as Job does here with God. It takes going through some battles together in a relationship before we know that we can be “real” and know they won’t either walk away or respond with abuse.
I see how Job talks with God and it doesn’t strike fear in me on his behalf like it used to when I read these passages years ago. Now, it stirs a respect for the relationship that He and God clearly have. Now God still has to respond to Job’s challenging words, no doubt. But it reminds me of how my wife and I can have arguments, or pick at each other, or even blow off steam — all the time loving each other, committed to each other,  and frustrated all at the same time.

Real relationships have depth and are so entangled with everything around us both that the words we are saying aren’t even just about “this thing” — but involve every argument we’ve had in the past, every set moment we’ve had, how our day has been, how much time we’ve spent together getting on each other’s nerves, and how much time we’ve been apart missing each other. All of these things are a part of our conversations that someone standing nearby can’t see, hear or experience themselves — but that we are both very intimately aware of when we’re being “real” with each other.

And it’s the same with God. He doesn’t need us repeating some words over our food to check the box of speaking at him today. He’s ready for us to grow closer and closer in relationship with Him so that in the good times and in the bad,  we are in it together. And He isn’t going anywhere when we say out loud the truth about our doubts,  our fears, our frustrations,  our anger,  etc. He already knows what’s in our hearts and what we are going to say before we even think it! So why do we hide behind our proverbial fig leaves instead of running back into His open arms?

Do we love and trust Him enough to wrestle — like all intimate, close relationships do?

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How different holiness “looks” than we might expect

Readings:

Genesis 11

Genesis 12

Genesis 13

Matthew 5

Psalms 5

Man, how many things we take for granted these days. Imagine a world so corrupt that a faithful and righteous man who walks with God chooses to offer up his wife to a ruler as if she is his sister so that he would not be killed — and God, knowing Abram’s heart and the whole situation brings curses onto the rulers house and blessings through this wickedness onto Abram and his wife. In a world where laws and attempts at justice for all are at least the appearance that most people and nations want to project — this story can seem confusing and uncomfortable, right?

But imagine how much closer our sin is to what Abram did here — in fact, how much closer our best acts are to what Abram did here — than they are to the holiness of God. In fact, our best works are filthy rags. We can easily be distracted if we’re looking for Abram, ourselves, or anyone else to be the hero figure in these stories. No, we are all fallen, we have all fallen short, we are all in great need of Christ.

And, I love the “don’t go to the altar of you have unsettled problems with someone”. Some of the most valuable missed Sunday church services or “walk outs” in the middle of a church service have been when I’ve remembered this very verse — and choose to fear God more than fearing man.

Those moments when you know that any attempts at actual prayer time in the presence of God are going to be hindered, and instead of “looking like a good church goer” you’d rather “look like a heathen but walk as the church we are called to actually be”.

It’s funny how many times doing the things that God actually calls us to do won’t earn us any honor or respect in the eyes of people around us — and it shouldn’t anyways, if it’s really Him doing work through us.

And what about those times when we are hurting and grieving so deeply that the one that we have a problem with is God — and we’re faced with the Rock that we need to fall down upon, but it feels in some way that the rock might crush us.

This path is narrow, but it’s still so much better than when I stray or when I was blind and lost. Thank you Jesus!

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The Quiet Blessings of Long Suffering and Calamity?

Readings:

Job 6

Job 7

Job 8

Job 9

I love how Job is being real with his “friends” about his suffering even in the midst of their “religious reasonings, justifications, and judgements” while he just needs someone to be a mediator on his behalf with God and a friend beside him in his suffering:

Job 6:4-5 NLT
For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows. Their poison infects my spirit. God’s terrors are lined up against me. Don’t I have a right to complain? Don’t wild donkeys bray when they find no grass, and oxen bellow when they have no food?

I love how Job’s response starts with :

Job 9:1-2 NLT
Then Job spoke again: “Yes, I know all this is true in principle…

It’s like so many times when people are genuinely suffering or grieving and someone “tells them something about God”, quotes a scripture, or says “I’ll pray for you” yet never actually wrestles with God on their behalf over the pain their “friend” is going through.

It is in this place where Job points out what he truly needs — and unknowingly prophesies about the coming Messiah Jesus and the Holy Spirit. His great need and heart suffering cuts through any confusion or distraction and paints such a clear picture of exactly what is needed — and explains why men need a comforter, a guide and a teacher, who can pray on our behalf when we do not have words (the Holy Spirit):

Job 9:32-35 NLT
“God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.

In this upside down Kingdom of God, it seems that deep suffering here and now in this life can be a great blessing in the grand scheme of eternity — because it cuts through the distractions and temptations to set our eyes in the only direction left (towards God).

It seems harsh and unkind if we only have eyes to see and consider the worthless things of this life (that will all eventually waste away) or we love our own lives (not realizing that our whole life is just a speck and blink of the eye in comparison to all of history and eternity).

So whether it is long suffering where our only option is to cry out to God (because no one else can help us) — or whether it is that moment of calamity (where we are definitely facing the possibility of our own destruction and our body and mind jump into high gear — where time seems to slow so much that we are in that quiet place with no distractions for possibly the last time) — will we turn to God in that moment and be real about our heart?

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God has a plan and a promise, will we follow or oppose?

Readings:

Genesis 7

Genesis 8

Genesis 9

Matthew 4

Proverbs 1

What a contrast we see between what is good and what is evil, between what is foolish and what is wise!

God made a wise plan and Noah followed it, and God made a Noahic covenant. And after having meat today, I’m especially appreciative of this covenant!

This made me consider the various covenants tonight.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Edenic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Adamic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Noahic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Abrahamic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Palestinian-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Mosaic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/Davidic-covenant.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-covenant.html

Note: Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism camps arguments on “Israel” as:

  • the genetic descendants of Abraham
  • the political nation
  • the physical Holy land
  • the Church as “true Israel”

confuse me.

If anyone can clear up the distinctions, I’m interested.

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Faith goes beyond having to know “Why God?”

Readings:

Job 1

Job 2

Job 3

Job 4

Job 5

A powerful consideration for praying daily for family and friends:

Job 1:5 NLT
When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Note: I need to add this to my Prayermate cards (in a personalized way).

Also, God gives and He takes away. We’re probably somewhat comfortable for thanking Him for what He has given us, but are we prepared to worship Him and not sin even when what we say “the Lord has taken it away”? What can I thank the Lord for daily for “taking away from me”?:

Job 1:20-22 NLT
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Note: I probably need to add this to my Prayermate cards too.

The Bible teaches us that a good wife is one of the greatest blessings, but I’ve heard plenty of jokes about why Satan didn’t touch Job’s wife:

Job 2:9 NLT
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

I should definitely thank God for my good wife, and praise Him for the fact that she builds me up and encourages my faith and doesn’t act like Job’s wife did here. But even what Job’s wife meant for evil,  God turned it to good because Job is ankle to again say that we should be willing to accept bad things at times and not only good things from God — and we see that this was not wrong!

Job 2:10 NLT
But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

If you’ve ever faced real, horrible, agonizing grief, you’ll agree that learning to accept bad things and still know that God is sovereign and good is more important than any intellectual & religious argument about whether or not or “what part God can have in” causing, allowing, or choosing to not prevent bad things from happening.

It’s still hard for me to understand fully how this all works with respect to God’s sovereign power, so if anyone can explain it simply, it hurts my heart many times seeing oppression, abuse, atrocities, diseases, loss, grief,  suffering.

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Drawing Close

Readings:

Genesis 4

Genesis 5

Genesis 6

Genesis 8

Genesis 9

Genesis 10

Genesis 11

Matthew 2

Matthew 3

Psalm 3

Matthew 3:10 NLT
Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Good fruit is quite different than a religious/pious life or a life focused on less sin. Paul encourages us in Romans 7:24-25 that starts out “O wretched man that I am…” and in 1 Tomothy 1:15 where he proclaims “I am chief among sinners”.

The Way is not just about turning away from sin that hands is and others, it is about living close with God. We see this distinction about both Enosh and Noah who walked with God. We too are called to walk with God, to personally seek and know Him. He is not just our Lord, not just our Savior, not just Father God, but He is also our Friend.

It is this walk with Him that produces fruit that others around us get to enjoy — not works of our own hands, but supernatural nourishment provide to others by the Holy Spirit working through us.

Like Peter’s shadow healing the sick in Acts 5:14-16 and “miracles following those who believe” mentioned in Mark 16:17-20 — God uses those He loves and that love Him to be a blessing to those around us — just as He models in Israel to be a blessing to the nations (Gen 12, Gen 18:18, Gen 22:18, Jer 4:2, Zech 8:12).

Isn’t it so much more amazing that God does work through us to bear fruit than just some demand that we be good enough to earn or prove our worth and value to Him? Being in His presence changes us, and He is responsible for the good works He prepared for us in advance, and even for our salvation, so that none of us should boast our get puffed up in religious pride.

What a wonderful, awesome, amazing God we serve, and know, and love. Amen.

And what about when it “feels” like a curse more than a blessing? What if we are hungry for nourishment ourselves, hurting, grieving, suffering?

He is the God that both builds up and tears down — and in all of it there is purpose. Jeremiah 1:10, Jeremiah 31:28, and Jeremiah 45:4

I love the song “Though you Slay Me” by Shane and Shane, and especially love the Son excerpt from John Piper where he voices the spirit of Job 13:15 that even in our suffering and pain, God is renewing us day by day (as 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 teaches).

John Piper says, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

So if we are in this current moment of grief, of suffering, of trial. of discipline, or “whatever does not feel good in the moment”, we can seek to understand in the perspective of eternity, not just feelings in a moment.

In fact, in these times, we are drawn to find our comfort in Him and not the things of this world.

Thank you Jesus!

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It’s Trade in Time

Would you like to trade in your ashes for a crown of beauty?

Your mourning for a joyous blessing?

Your despair for festive praise?

Isaiah 61:3 NLT
[3] To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.61.3.NLT

Call on the name of the Lord:

Joel 2:32 NLT
[32] But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the Lord has said. These will be among the survivors whom the Lord has called.

https://bible.com/bible/116/jol.2.32.NLT

No matter the enemies we may face,  our victory comes from the Lord:

Psalms 3:1-8 NLT
[1] O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. [2] So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” Interlude [3] But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. [4] I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude [5] I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. [6] I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. [7] Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked! [8] Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people. Interlude

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.3.1-8.NLT

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He is God, I am not

Reading:

Genesis 2

Genesis 3

Genesis 4

Genesis 5

Genesis 6

Genesis 7

Matthew 2

Psalms 2

This story has always been challenging for me, because I read it and contemplate what it tells me about God. As a child, I would wrestle with “How could God destroy everything yet still be a loving God?” Or “If God is all knowing and all powerful, why would He create something that would frustrate himself to the point that He must destroy it?” All kinds of troubling questions come to me as I contemplate things like Cain and Abel, the Sons of God having sex with women and bearing Nephilim, and the story of Noah all read more like the scary fables of old and of an authoritarian rule of force than like the gospel, the New Testament, etc. Then I think about my experience being a parent, and how I raised my daughter as a baby looks very different than now that she is older. I contemplate on how different (yet still like us) God must be if He is truly all powerful and all knowing yet is able to generate these situations where his patience eventually comes to an end and He must intervene.

As I read stories like Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, Herod killing the firstborn of Israel, God killing the firstborn of Egypt, and the description of Jesus given in Psalm 2, it pushes my comprehension of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit far beyond the image of “buddy Jesus” that is easy to swallow, easy to ignore, and easy to call up when you need a friend to talk to. If we cookie cutter and twist the Word of God into our own feelings and opinions of what God “should be like”, we’re making ourselves and our own way out as an easy to swallow “my personal truth” (that is truly a lie) that doesn’t require us to change. But no, The Way we are given is narrow, and He is God, not us.

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A New Year & New Beginnings

Reading:

Genesis 1

Genesis 2

Genesis 3

Matthew 1

Psalms 1

I’m reminded that evil twists what God has said and lies to try and deceive. It’s useless to try to point the finger at someone else when we’ve been disobedient. The only way to align ourselves with God is through humble repentance (not by arguing our case).

I love how God’s perfect creation has a perfect and beautiful design and purpose — and how He knew in the beginning how it would all play out. He has been revealing Himself and His plan and The Way to us. He offers wisdom and blessing, but even when we are foolish and have turned away, we are not meant to remain in that foolishness. In fact, He allows consequences and He disciplines us so that we learn that His guidance isn’t arbitrary and it isn’t authoritarian, but is meant to reveal his love and His mercy and how holiness and that walking with Him is best.