Is This the World You Want?

A Lord's Supper devotion I gave a while back...
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A couple weeks ago, I was listening to a new CD we had got by the band Switchfoot. One of the songs caught my attention after a couple listens, and I was drawn to listening more closely to the lyrics, which really touched me. Shortly thereafter, I gave some thought to using them for a Lord’s Supper devotion here, and filed the thought away. 

Then last week in the sermon, the discussion was about our Christian walk. During it, there was one quote that really struck me as relating to the song I had thought about sharing some time earlier. The quote was by the unknown author which said:

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day. By the deeds that you do, and the words that you say. Men read what you write, whether faithless or true. Just what is the gospel, according to you?

Prior to that in the sermon, (Pastor) Dave had said:

We are to live consistent with what we know, with what we teach, with what we preach, and with what we believe—this is integrity. We are losing all credibility today because we say one thing and do another. We live one way and preach another. We must walk worthy of our calling, or we destroy our effectiveness and become a group of hypocrites.

Are You Murmuring to God?

A Lord's Supper devotion I gave a while back...

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Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. (Phil. 2:14-15)

I know for me personally, there are times I can struggle with contentment, and that leads to murmuring, so I wanted to take a quick look at this topic as a reminder to us all to watch for signs of this in our daily lives.

By murmuring, it does not simply mean complaining. There is a legitimate way of complaining to God about our situation that is not considered murmuring. Like when the Israelites were under the heavy yoke of bondage and cried out to God in their affliction. They were moaning about what was happening, and God brought deliverance.

The Sovereignty of God & "Stonewall" Jackson

A Lord's Supper devotional I gave:

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Psalm 4

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

    You have given me relief when I was in distress.

    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

2  O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

3  But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;

    the LORD hears when I call to him.

4  Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

5  Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.

6  There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?

    Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!”

7  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

In reading this, especially the last verse – it strikes me at how often I lie down to sleep yet cannot, as my mind races with concerns and worries. While I claim to believe in the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh, there are still times where I do not put it into practice. 

What Are You Thinking? - Taking the Lord's Name in Vain

1 Cor. 11:24-34

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

During the week, as I pondered ideas for this morning, I found myself drawn back to last week’s sermon and the discussion on taking the name of the Lord in vain, and an idea of connecting that thought to the Lord’s Supper.

In the Wilderness: Christ Did What We Couldn't

A Lord's Supper devotional I gave a while back:

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Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Deut 8:3)

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deut 6:16)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”(Deut. 6:13) Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Here we find Yeshua about to enter into his public ministry, and right after he is baptized he goes into the wilderness for 40 days. We can see many parallels in what he does here and what Israel experienced in their wilderness wanderings. The connection is seen initially from Yeshua’s quoting of three verses out of Deuteronomy that are part of Israel’s wilderness experience.

Allstate's Credit Rating System (Pt 2): Hiding Their Illogical Deceitful Practices

So, as I mentioned in part one, I demanded that the rep I spoke with have someone from higher up call me. I wasn't expecting any response, so I was surprised when in fact the next day they called. Unfortunately I was heading into a meeting and could not take it, so I asked them to call back. It took two days, but I finally did receive the call back. Unfortunately, just as with the previous reps, it was useless. Allstate has a secret, and they will not, indeed cannot, let it get out. if it does, it could cause an uproar in the insurance industry.

Here is the point - they (as with many insurance companies has started doing) base your rate on various aspects of your credit report. This is not based on your credit rating, it is based on many other aspects. When I examined their report summary showing what they consider optimal scoring pieces, the illogical approach was staggering. It is THAT aspect of the situation that I seek answers to. I spent the time writing a four page letter detailing their view as it pertains to my specific report and their rating of me, asking how they count as negative things that are indeed nothing but positive financial and credit rating moves?

Allstate's Credit Rating System (Pt 1): Trying to Get Answers

So many things we just ignore and take for granted are valid and logical, until they affect us and we stop to look deeper. Most companies count on people not doing this, and so we are therefore duped time and time again just because we're too lazy to stop and question.

I target this post at Allstate because they are my company, and I have been with them for longer than I can recall (at least 15 years), but I am pretty sure the majority of insurance companies pull this quick one over on people too. In all of that time I have always paid on time, usually with their auto pay feature. I have had very few claims (I don't recall ever claiming one on the car, but do recall one when lightning struck near our house). So, I have both car and home insurance through them, never been late on payment, and never had any real claims filed. I qualify for most all discounts they offer, and get all kinds of bonuses they offer. So, imagine my surprise when my recent policy renewal saw a decent jump in my premium.

I called my local agent and asked why, and they tell me they couldn't tell for sure, but that it is most likely related to my credit report, which they look at about every 3-5 years. If something had changed on it in the past 3-5 years, that is probably what caused the increase. I requested to know more, and specifically what on my credit would cause such an increase. My credit score tends to be 720 or better, so I was a little baffled. I was told I had to contact the home office for more details, and they only way to contact them is via mail. Really?!? In this day and age, they are only reachable by snail mail?

Review: All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture

All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture by Kenneth A. Myers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first heard of this book in early 2000s, buying it not to much later than that. I now wish I had read it back then instead of waiting all these years. Had I done so I suspect my child rearing over these years since may have indeed been drastically different. The early second of the book contain a lot of the history of pop culture, and while quite interesting, it was the latter half of the book that was most captivating to me.

Jeremiah 29:11 - OUT OF CONTEXT SCRIPTURE

Hermeneutics - the science of interpretation. What "formula" or approach do you use when interpreting a given scripture? Is the Bible just a bunch of quaint sayings we apply to life, or is it a story that had meaning in it's historical context? Sadly, so many treat it as the former.

Christians need to stop looking at the Bible as if it was a book of good sayings and individual verses of encouragement. I believe this practice stems from a lack of Christians reading the Bible through in its entirety and doing so on a frequent basis anymore these days. It seems people do not view the Bible as a large interconnected story, but rather see it as a bunch of single books of sayings and wisdom type literature that can be used to guide mankind through life.

True, the scriptures are wisdom and do serve as a guide for our living, but this is only truly accomplished when Scriptures are read and understood in their correct context and proper application to their original audience - audience relevance being a key part of hermeneutics.

A true understanding and meaning can only be acquired by properly interpreting the original meaning, and only then can a passage be perceived and properly applied to daily living.

Context and audience relevance are the two key concepts that are required for any Bible readers who seek to handle the word of God accurately, and are sadly ever considered by the average reader.

As many of us were taught in grammar class, the reading and understanding of the Bible also benefits from applying the five Ws of grammar - Who - What - When - Where - Why? Before applying a verse to some universal situation, seek to ask these questions to ensure your interpretation holds up.

In this edition of my Out of Context series we examine Jeremiah 29:11 which is used quite often by Christians as a word of encouragement to other believers. It says:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

Saying this to another believer sounds encouraging and pleasant, true, but is that what this verse is meaning - is that why it was written and recorded in Scripture? Reading the whole chapter where this verse appears, or better yet, the entire book, would answer many answers, but lets start with the basics. Who was this written to, and what was it talking about? Who - What - When - Where - Why?

Who is speaking? Yahweh. This is known by backing up one single verse:

For thus says the Lord... (Jeremiah 29:10 ESV)

Who is He speaking to? To those sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: (Jer 29:4 ESV)

 What is He speaking of here? He is speaking of a promise involving and regarding them and their situation:

When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. (Jeremiah 29:10 ESV)

When was this written? Back in the 6th century BC - when Jerusalem was destroyed (586 BC) and the people were captive in Babylon (29:4).

Where was it written? It was written and sent to Babylon where the people were:

The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. (Jer 29:3 ESV)

Why was it written? To show that God keeps His promises.

For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jer 29:10-14 ESV)

So hopefully you can see from just this cursory examination of the text in its context that it is dealing with a specific situation for a specific people in a specific time, and is not a general statement from Yahweh for all mankind to grab for themselves.

Yahweh is speaking to the exiles, people who had turned from his covenants and sinned greatly, and who were being judged by him by having their temple destroyed and the people led away as slaves. Yahweh is telling them that though he has brought this judgment upon them, He will not forsake and forget them.

He promises that when seventy years of exile are complete, he would restore them to the land and would hear them when they prayed and sought Him. And why would he do all of this? Because he knows the plans He has for them - those people, at that time, who he is directly addressing with this promise.

So, the declaration of welfare and hope is speaking specifically to these surviving people of exile. To seek to quote and apply this verse to every Christian as a general promise from God to bless them, is to misapply the original intent and ignore the audience and their message and promise being stated here. This just distorts the biblical text and application of it, and seeks to make Scripture just a bunch of disjointed motivational sayings.

Until Christians return to a proper handling of the Word of God, and refrain from abusively using it in this manner, the church will continue to be confused, and less effective and less influential to the world around it.

Conclusion: this promise in Jeremiah is not for you, or anyone beyond the intended people addressed. So what can we take away from this for our lives today? Yahweh is a God who makes and keeps His promises. 

View Other "Out of Context" Verses

Review: When Giants Were Upon the Earth: The Watchers, the Nephilim, and the Biblical Cosmic War of the Seed

When Giants Were Upon the Earth: The Watchers, the Nephilim, and the Biblical Cosmic War of the Seed by Brian Godawa

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a truly enjoyable read. I have read a handful of great theologically based books on giants in the past couple years, including Giants: Sons of the God by Douglas Van Dorn and The Sons of God and the Nephilim by Tim Chaffey, so the bulk of the giant related information covered in this Godawa book was not necessarily new. However, the difference with this book and the others, is that this one deals with a wider range subjects. It looks at the Divine Council and all kinds of other topics related to the battle between the seed of the serpent and the seed of Eve.