aSacredRebel

Blessings for Obedience

If you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them, the Lord your God will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that he swore to your ancestors; he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you. You shall be the most blessed of peoples, with neither sterility nor barrenness among you or your livestock. The Lord will turn away from you every illness; all the dread diseases of Egypt that you experienced, he will not inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. You shall devour all the peoples that the Lord your God is giving over to you, showing them no pity; you shall not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. If you say to yourself, ‘These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?’ do not be afraid of them. Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover, the Lord your God will send the pestilence against them, until even the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed. Have no dread of them, for the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you. But the Lord your God will give them over to you, and throw them into great panic, until they are destroyed. He will hand their kings over to you and you shall blot out their name from under heaven; no one will be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them. The images of their gods you shall burn with fire. Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself, because you could be ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the Lord your God. Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction. (Deuteronomy 7:12-26, NRSV)

If we are obedient and follow what God has asked us to He will bless us…

Sounds like the start of works talk to earn our way to heaven… But you see you and I both know we can not earn our way to heaven. We can do nothing that would make us to be worthy of being with God for all eternity. That price was paid for us, and the covenant was sealed through Abraham and the promise fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah! We can do nothing to earn our way into heaven, so that does that mean we do nothing?

We are to love and fear God and keep His commandments, not because it will save us, but because we are so moved by the love and mercy we have received, and because we need to show the world the love He has given to us. Not so we get, but so we can give! We have been blessed by God through the life He has given us, and so in return we are obedient to the calling He has given us and follow through. Just like Jesus who was faithful to go to the cross so that we might be reunited with our creator!

If we live in the faith that Christ has given us and follow what He has asked us to do, our life will be the abundant blessing He has prepared for us. And He will always be with us!

Is this bearing your cross?

Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and, with him there, he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house,she caught hold of his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me!’ But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called out to the members of her household and said to them, ‘See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.’Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, ‘The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.’ When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, ‘This is the way your servant treated me’, he became enraged. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. (Genesis 39:1-23, NRSV)

This story in Genesis is familiar to most of us I am sure… But do you remember what led Joseph to being here in Egypt? He was sold to a band of men by his brother, because he was the favorite and got preferential treatment from their father. (maybe a good story for parents to read about treating their children equally – yet that is another post all together!)

But Joseph has been through a lot. His family has deserted him, actually handed him over to slavery. Then an up tick and then slammed back down. He is going through a lot of bad times. Is this what we mean when we read and say, “You have to bear your cross?”

Yes it is true that Jesus bore a cross that led to His death, but is the cross we are suppose to bear from Christ suppose to be one of suffering and pain? Is that what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) So we have to suffer in order to be a disciple of Jesus?

Bearing our cross has nothing to do with enduring pain and anguish. Going through some long dark trial. Jesus is asking us to maintain focus on Him and the Father. To be cross eyed, so we have our attention fixed on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

It is about focus. Bearing our cross is about living a life that is focused on Christ and where He is leading us. That is exactly what Joseph did. He maintained his focus on God and continued to serve him, in bad times and good. And Joseph is a model of how we should live, focused on God and what He is calling us to do.

Inked: Choosing God’s Mark to Transform Your Life by Kim Goad and Janet E. Kusiak

All of us are marked in some fashion. Goad and Kusiak use stories to help us understand ow we should be marked.

You see we have a choice. If we are tattooed we have a choice of what we have inked on our bodies, and who will be the one to tattoo us. We also have a choice in life if we will live out the God giving life.

Goad and Kusiak use a wonderful imagery of being tattooed and how this is being handled in society and how this is paralleled by our life in Christ. A wonderful read for all!

Comfort

And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:14-21 ESV)

Where is God? Where does He dwell?

According to the author of third Isaiah, He dwells in the high and holy place, and also with him who is contrite and lowly spirit. God is in the holy place but also with anyone who is contrite or lowly spirit.

Contrite… What does that mean? I had an idea, but to be honest since it is not a word I use every day, I looked it up. According to Merriam-Webster online (m-w.com) contrite means “feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming”. It is a word that goes with lowly spirit, to mean humble.

You see God does not like unjust gain and is unhappy when people use the gifts they have been given to make gains that they shouldn’t. When His people are mistreated and used for the ill gotten gains of others He is not happy. But If we are contrite or lowly in spirit and humble before the Lord He will love us and comfort us. So be humble and treat others better than they deserve because that is what God did for you. And invite those who can not repay you so to show the love that God first gave to you.

a day

For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:12-17 ESV)

A day.

What if I told you that the creator of everything has a day that all will be made equal and He alone will be exalted in that day. Everyone who puffs themselves up will be deflated by the Lord, for He alone is to be exalted, He alone is the one worthy to be looked upon and seen as the one who has set the captives free.

The great wonders of His creation will be brought low, because He alone is to be above all things. So think of yourself in the light of His glory. He gave you everything you have and has given you the abilities you have or the furthering of His kingdom. Exalt Him by humbling yourself and giving Him the light and glory!

equip you

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20, 21 ESV)

One of the great blessings or benedictions found in the Bible.

May you be surrounded by peace, the very peace which brought Jesus our lord back from the dead. May the blood of the eternal covenant wash over you and keep you ever in His care. May the blood and the peace from Jesus equip us and make us ready to do His will, helping us to do what is pleasing in His sight.

What a great thing to hear and take to heart! To know you are surrounded by God’s unfailing and unending peace, and He is putting in you everything you need to do what He is leading you to do! Always remember this!

I have a dream…

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ (Luke 14:1,7-14, NRSV)

Honor and shame is all Jesus is talking about here. Society in His day was based on honor and shame. People invited people to dinner parties that would then be in their debt. So they would have someone, or many someones who would owe them something.

Jesus here gives us 2 pieces of advice. One that is very good advice – Be Humble. Be Modest, and do not think to highly of yourself. We all have moments where we think to highly of ourselves. Jesus advises us to be modest and to not take to high of a seat so when we are asked to move up, we receive more honor. Good advice.

The second piece of advice is fairly ludicrous! Jesus turns to the one giving the party and tells them to invite people who can not do anything for them. Really? How am I suppose to gain more honor if a do things for those who can’t do me any favors in return? Or if they are indebted to me, I will never get anything because they can’t repay me? Jesus wants us to see what the kingdom of God is like. Where those who do not deserve or can repay get everything, just like you!

And this week is the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr I Have A Dream Speech. It is very interesting that this momentous occasion in American history almost did not happen they way it did. For some history on this read Rev. David Hansen’s blog here.

But I contest that the dream that Martin talks about is not his dream, but God’s vision, and what Jesus tells us about in the reading above! We are to love each person equally and accept everyone regardless of how they look, how they act and if they agree with us or not. The dream that has yet to be realized 50 years later, or is that 2000 years later is one that we can make happen if we will do what Jesus told us to. So what does your faith mean to you and has it changed you to be countercultural and not be worried about who has done what for me lately!

Live the dream and the vision of the kingdom of God and be different!

Thoughts on Stewardship – Quit Tithing. Really.

Great thoughts on what it truly means to be a steward!

Thoughts on the Edge (of Town)

I almost titled this a ‘random’ thought on stewardship. But it really isn’t random. I’m working on my master’s thesis on stewardship so stewardship is something I spend a lot of time thinking about, not to mention researching and reading. Yes, some of us do read books on this stuff! Which is pretty ironic when you consider that one of the reasons I left the church in my 20’s was over stewardship. That is the subject for another blogpost but soffice to say God does indeed have a sense of humor. The fact that I’m a pastor would indicate that but I digress.

Anyways, this week’s thoughts on stewardship are not entirely random though the timing is, of course. It just came to me so I put fingers to keyboard.

A few weeks back I mentioned that stewardship isn’t about money, even though it is almost a universal result that…

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Servant of all

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:20-28, ESV)

This is an interesting story. The mother of the sons of Zebedee comes to Jesus and asks Him for her sons to have what she assumes will be the places of honor in the kingdom. And after she asks Jesus addresses the sons… so did the boys go and whine to mommy and she said “let’s go boys I’ll talk to Him.” They assumed that to sit at Jesus’ right and left would be the seats to have…

There is just one (really more) problem with this. Each week in most liturgical churches we confess our faith using the Apostles Creed (OK we use other creeds, but usually it is the Apostles). And what does the creed say about Jesus?

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead.* On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

He rose again, ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father. If Jesus is at the right hand of the Father who is seated to Jesus left? And which ones of the sons of Zebedee think they can sit in that seat?

We deserve no seat of honor, everything we have has been given to us to manage while we are here. We need to use what we have to serve God’s creation and children. To be like Jesus and give up ourselves and serve everyone.

good stewards…

The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11, NRSV)

You thought this post was going to be about money….

You read the title and thought, “great another devotional about money and how I don’t handle it correctly.”. We get hung up in stewardship and good stewards being only about money. However being a good steward is a whole lot more than money. It is the proper handling of everything we have been given.

For instance being a good steward means being a good parent. You were blessed by God with the children you have and because He has given them to you, you need to treat them as children of God and raise the, to love and fear God. We need to pass along the faith we have been given and help to raise the men and woman God has planned for this world. It is part of being a good steward.

Also we must use the gifts we have been given for the greater good of all. Regardless of how we feel about someone or how they have treated us, we must serve one another and be hospitable. Because every time we serve some one we are serving a child of God. And we must speak the truth, because the words we speak as children of God reflect on God and how others will see Him. We will either always spread God’s love, or we will give people reasons to hate God and run from Him. Or actions are our stewardship of His creation and our words have impact far beyond the life they live. We are always to be managing the time, talent and treasures God has given us for His kingdom.

So be hospitable serving all and speaking the truth of God in love.