Pray for THAT Guy?

While I was attending an Adventist college a few years back I got along with just about everyone there.  I thought my fellow students were great, and they generally seemed to like me, too.  Everyone was just so friendly, from the school's president down to the janitor on my dorm hall.  Everyone, that is, except for this one guy.

Mr. Jenkins was the head of campus security, and I am hard pressed to think of anyone who liked this man.  He made negative comments about the student body, and he harassed us constantly for not parking just so!  Any time his name was mentioned, someone had a story about how they didn't like him and they usually had a specific reason.

One day I was heading off to deliver a projector to a classroom on the other side of campus when I noticed that there were two squad cars-with lights flashing-out in front of the administration building.  A couple of seconds later, an ambulance came screaming onto campus.  I came to learn that Mr. Jenkins, while trying to stop someone from leaving before the police could arrive, had been hit by the fleeing car.  At first I didn't know what to think.  A part of me wanted to laugh, but another part felt

horrible for what had happened.  I continued on my delivery still mulling this over in my head.

That night in the cafeteria the news was everywhere, but for the most part people thought it was funny.  The general consensus was that it was not an undeserved accident.  The next day on my way to chapel, I overheard some students talking.  "You know, I really hope we don't have to have a big long prayer for this guy.  I think I might just leave chapel if that happens."  

I was in shock.  Here I was on an Christian campus, and all the talk I'd heard about the last day or so was how Mr. Jenkins deserved what he got, and I never once heard a single shred of sympathy for the man.  Part of the shock I felt was my own guilt for having many of the same thoughts as I heard voiced by others.

I began to think of something Paul said.  "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;  if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20)"  Was I doing that?  I was ashamed to say that, even though I knew that I should do that, I didn't really want to.  That's when some of Jesus' words really hit home: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than [this].  (Mark 12:31)"  Wasn't Mr. Jenkins my neighbor in Christ?  Didn't I see him in church every Sabbath? 

Often times in our lives we seek to encounter God through the good things that happen to us.  How often do we look for God in situations where we don't want Him to be?  I didn't want the Holy Spirit reminding me that God loved Mr. Jenkins as much as He loved me. That night, as I said my prayers, though, I said an extra prayer for Mr. Jenkins, and you know what?  It felt GOOD.  It seems God knows what He is talking about when He tells us that we should love even those who don't love us.

ENCOUNTER:

Who are you impressed to pray for right now?  How will prayer change you?

Converse by A. Allan Martin

Today zillions of people are talking to You all at once. Heartache. Elation. Frustration. All coming at You in hundreds of different languages. . . millions of different ways. At noon, I came to You along with our entire nation, asking You to "Bless our President, Congress, and all our leaders with supernatural power." And yet, it's awkward. Because You don't speak up; You're not like my wife, my friends, my colleagues. You speak different.

Sara* says it well for me:

"Hello Lord, it's me Your child. I have a few things on my mind. Right now I'm faced with big decisions, and I'm wondering if You have a minute.

Chorus: Right now I don't hear so well and I was wondering if You could speak up. I know that You tore the veil so I could sit with You in person and hear what You're saying, but right now, I just can't hear You.

I don't doubt Your sovereignty, I doubt my own ability to hear what You're saying and to do the right thing, and I desperately want to do the right thing. [chorus]

Somewhere in the back of my mind I think You are telling me to wait, and though patience has never been mine, Lord I will wait to hear from You. [chorus]"

Waiting is the hardest part. It makes me anxious. It's then that You mention, "Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Me. And My peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Me." [Philippians 4:6,7 NIV paraphrased]

You're right. I don't understand it. You're always right.

Christine* says it well for me:

"The people said this desert never ends. We have no bread our throats are dry. Our heads are heavy and our feet need rest. Has He left us here to die? And we've forgotten all His words. As if we never heard. We take our hearts and turn away.

Chorus: But He is not silent. He is not whispering. We are not quiet. We are not listening. He sends a lifeline. We keep resisting Him. He is not silent. We are not listening

We wander through this world in disbelief. Shake our heads at every tear. Searching endlessly. For some relief. Has He left us dying here? But we've forgotten all His words. Pretend we never heard. We take our hearts and turn away. [chorus]

We take our daily bread. And after we've been fed. We take our hearts and turn away. [chorus]"

So today, I'm turning towards You.

Time for me to be quiet...

I'm listening. [really]

ENCOUNTER: How is it between you and God?

 

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*Sara Groves' song "Conversations" and Christine Dente of Out of the Grey's song, "He is Not Silent"

Doors by Scott Reed

I have a desire for my life and yours... it's that we would "simplify and intensify" our focus. Just as a river will gain momentum and force when it is channeled into a smaller opening, our lives can also become more powerful when we truly seek God to hear the things that He is calling us to focus on. This often involves long periods of waiting that is uncomfortable and unnatural for us as believers who prefer an "open door" kind of theology that says, "if there is an open door, I'll walk through it"... "if a door closes, I'll go find another open one". I would love to see us, as a church, stop this kind of thinking. Can you see how destructive it can be? It takes all the seeking out of the process... you no longer have to hear from the Holy Spirit, you don't need to say "no" to things as long as they're "good" things, and you no longer have to walk by faith, just simply walk by your own sight. The word gives us opposite instructions..."the just shall walk by faith and not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7)

So, I will continue to learn to hear God more clearly in my life, even if it's harder. I will continue to learn how to say "no" to opportunities that distract, even if they are "good" ones.

And, I will continue to "simplify" my life, so that the callings and will of God in this life can be "intensified".

ENCOUNTER:  How might you simplify your life? Where do you sense your need to feel God's intensity?

Silence

View the Master by Jeff Gang

WORD: "He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." - John 3:2

THOUGHT: One of my favorite toys growing up as a kid was the View Master. Maybe you remember this toy. It was this strange looking contraption that looked like demented binoculars. There was a slot in the top where you were supposed to put this cardboard wheel with mini-slides around the disc. Then you pulled down on the lever to advance the slides while peering through the lenses and you had your own private 3-D slide show--from cartoons and comic book heroes to tours of Africa. It was great!

We've all been given a View Master. Its called the life and teachings of Jesus. He came to show us how to live the Kingdom life. Nicodemus recognized Him as a teacher sent from God. More importantly Nicodemus recognized, as did many others, that what Jesus was teaching said a lot about how we are relate to God and one another. The Gospels continually refer to people being "amazed" by what they witnessed in the life and teachings of this simple man from a town called Nazareth.

Jesus is the ultimate View Master. He shows us how to live a life of connections--connections with God and people. One of the key things He taught us was how to worship. Worship for Jesus didn't just happen at the synagogue on Sabbath. But He lived a life of worship. It was state of being. It meant that He related to His Father and His brothers and sisters differently. True worship does that to you. It changes your perspective. So make sure you View the Master today.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are my teacher, may I learn from You today. Help me to see things through Your eyes. Change my perspective. May I View Your Life today and follow after Your ways and Your methods.

ENCOUNTER: What do you see when you View the Master? What are some things that He did that may change your perspective on living a life of worship vs. viewing worship as simply a once a week act (e.g., prayer, etc.)?

Rescue 911 by Denise Badger

I finally was going to learn how to surf! Pacific Beach, California, my friend Esmeralda and I took her boards down the cliff to the ocean, stopping in the sand just a few yards from the water. Surf board, check. Wax, check. Cool surf shirt, check. We were ready to go!

After five lengthy minutes of instruction, Esmeralda deemed me knowledgeable in the art of surfing and off she went, confident that, with a little time and space, I would soon master the skills necessary for surfing... or at least survival.

After figuring out which end was right side up, and several mouthfuls of saltwater later, I managed to get to where the waves were to be caught (whatever that meant!). Flipping, slipping, sliding, somersaulting, and face-planting moments later I found myself suddenly swept away on a wave! I was riding a wave... a real wave, and on top this time! The wind was whipping my hair back, the board was cutting the water and the speed was accelerating by the second... it was incredible! With all fours on the board, I felt like a real pro! And then I opened my eyes, and suddenly the thrill turned to chills. First thing I realized was that there were no other surfers, and then, as I looked at my soon-to-be destination, I realized why. I was headed straight for the rocks-a group of ominous, dagger-looking, bully rocks that had a reputation for eating surfers alive if they dared come near. Panic set in as I careened helplessly towards a lot of pain. I needed to be rescued!

Ever been there? Ever needed to be rescued...saved from disaster, or pain, from others, or from yourself? There are so many predicaments in which we find ourselves-overwhelming temptations, family dramas, relationship issues, work struggles, school challenges... and we don't know what to do. We feel helpless, hopeless, trapped, in trouble with no way out. We're about to hit the rocks at tremendous speed, and we need to be rescued, now!

Enter Psalms 18... enter God. "The Lord is my deliverer... I call to the Lord... and am saved from my enemies... In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice... He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters...he rescued me because he delighted in me..."

This is the kind of God we have on our side. When we're in trouble, God rescues us. It doesn't matter how many times we've done it, or how awful we are, when we call on God, he will respond. God is the one who throws us the life jacket, the life-line, to get us out, or around, or through the temptation, or struggle, through whatever situation that has us in need of help. Psalms 18 makes it clear that, not only does he deliver us, but he rescues us from our entanglements and set us in a "spacious place" with him... why? Because he delights in us! Now that is indeed a God most worthy of praise!

ENCOUNTER:

1. Recall a time when God "saved" you in the past... when you were rescued, helped through a hard time. Thank him again for that right now... for being a God who rescues because he delights in you.

2. From what in your life are you needing deliverance today... from what or who do you need to be rescued? Picture that situation, that foe, that place of swirling water and rocks in your life and then read Psalms 18.

Going Old School: Actions Do Have Consequences

Thanks for hangin’ in there people!  We’re almost through with our study on Leviticus.  As we’ve seen throughout the book, God reveals a lot of Himself to His people (which includes us).  He also goes to great length to show what living a good life in Him looks like, and how rewarding that can be.

Leviticus 26 continues that line of thought.  This chapter (and again in Deut. 28)  shows us that we have two paths to choose from: obedience and disobedience.  Throughout the Bible God warns the people over and over and over about worshipping idols.  It’s easy for us today to look back on those people and thing how stupid they are for worshipping something made of stone carved from wood.  I mean, come on!  But if it weren’t an important warning, would God have given it so many times (in the Old and New Testaments)?  The truth is we are just as prone to idol worship today as the ancients were.  If we’re honest, we’re even more prone to it.  Idolatry is making anything more important than God, and our lives are FULL of that temptation!  Think about it!  Money and wealth, beauty and good-looks, how successful we are, our reputations, how financially secure (or heck, physically secure)…the list could go on forever.  The point is that as long as we look to these false gods that promise everything we want and nothing we need, are we really so removed from our ancestors when it comes to idolatry?  What do you think?

Nestled in vv. 11-13, God makes a wonderful promise to His people (including us).

¹¹ I will live among you, and I will not despise you. ¹² I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. ¹³ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.

God is promising His people that if they strive to live with Him, some day they will.  He will walk among them, live with them, interact personally with them!  Imagine the joy that brought to this group of former slaves.  While in Egypt, they were treated worse than livestock, but God delivered them and gave them both freedom and dignity.

The same promise remains true for us today, too.  We are set free through Jesus’ sacrifice for us.  We don’t have to wallow in the guilt and shame of our past sins.  Through His grace, Jesus has forgiven us and forgotten our sins.  Like the Israelites, even though we’ve been set free, we must always be on guard against backsliding to our old sinful ways.  As Peter puts it (referencing Leviticus):

¹³ So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. ¹⁴ So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. ¹⁵ But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. ¹⁶ For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Leviticus 26:14-39 also outlines what would happen if the people chose to disobey and ignore God.  Many people use these verses to show that the Old Testament God is mean and vengeful, waiting for us to screw up so He can punish us.  But take another look.  God is using the natural consequences of sin to draw us into repentance; back to Him, not to get back at us!  Sin’s consequences might not always be immediately apparent and when disaster strikes we might not be able to identify the reason.  Maybe it’s the result of our own actions, or maybe something someone else did.  Perhaps it’s even a natural disaster.  The point is to not focus on the punishment or try to decipher if we’re being punished.  When disaster strikes we should turn to God and make sure we are right with Him.  When we turn to God, in the words of Paul, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7).

God promises to send His Spirit to light our lives and show us those areas we need to work on.  David was right when he called said “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Ps. 119:105).  Because disaster and calamity isn’t always the result of some sin we’ve committed,  we must be careful not to accept blame for something beyond our control.  We must also be wary not to blame God for everything bad that happens in our lives.  Misplaced blame and guilt is one of Satan’s favorite weapons, and it’s easy to be tempted into his “blame game.”  Remember the words of James, “¹³ And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong,and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” (Js. 1:13-14).

What God promised would happen (vv.33-35) if the people turned away from Him was played out in II Kings 17 and also II Kings 25.  The people continually (almost stubbornly) disobeyed God, and they were eventually conquered and carried of to far away lands by the Assyrians and later the Babylonians.  The nation was held captive in Babylon for 70 years, making up for all the years that the Israelites ignored the Sabbath year (II Chron. 36:21).

The last few verses of Leviticus 26 show us something else about God, too.  It shows us that God really is slow to anger, as He says (Ex. 34:6).  Even when the Israelites chose to disobey God and were scattered all over the world by their enemies, God still gave them the opportunity to repent and come back to Him.  His purpose in letting them get carried off was not to destroy them, but to help them grow.

Our daily life experiences and hardships can feel overwhelming at times.  If we don’t see God’s purpose in our lives that helps us grow, we often despair.  But when we’re going through difficult times and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, we would do well to remember God’s promise to each of us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.” (Jer. 29:11-12)

Encounter: Is there something getting between you and God?  What is it?  Have you asked Him to help move it out of the way?

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Some references borrowed from the Life Application Study Bible (NLT) 2nd Edition published by Tyndale House Publishers.

Going Old School: Saying You’re Sorry

As we’ve studied so far in Leviticus, you’ve probably begun to see a pattern.  God isn’t giving us a bunch of useless rules and regulations to make our lives difficult.  Quite the contrary, God is trying to help us live the best lives we can!  Sure, God wants us to be healthy and happy, but more than anything God wants to develop a relationship with us, and in Leviticus He really goes into detail about Himself and how we, as fallen, fragile human beings, can develop a relationship with out all powerful Creator.

In Leviticus 16, God goes into great detail about how the Israelites, as a nation, can be made right with Him.  The Day of Atonement was the greatest day of the year for the Israelites (much the same way we hinge the year on the Christmas season now).  In Hebrew, the word לכפר  (atone) literally means “to cover.”  As we’ve gone through Leviticus, we’ve seen God outlining the different offerings and sacrifices for the people, but all the sacrifices they made could never remove their sins, only cover them.  Our sins could only be covered until the perfect sacrifice from God was given on the cross, which is the sacrifice all the others pointed too.  On Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) the people confessed their sins as a nation and the high priest would go into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle to make atonement for them.

The high priest couldn’t just go traipsing in to the Most Holy Place, though (Lev. 16:2).  He had to spend hours preparing himself to meet God!  How he dressed, bathed, and the sacrifices he had to make to cover his own sins before entering the tabernacle, everything!  The high priest had to be absolutely focused on God when he interceded on behalf of the people.

Lev. 16:5-28 talks about two goats, which is sacrificed and one which is released into the wild as the Azazel (scapegoat).  The two goats represents the two ways that God dealt with the peoples’ sins:

1. He was forgiving their sin through the blood sacrifice of the first goat
2. He was removing their sin guilt through the scapegoat that was released into the wilderness.

This same was repeated every year until Christ’s death replaced the old sacrificial system once and for all.  Now, instead of making an animal sacrifice, we can ask Christ (our High Priest) to remove our sins when we put our trust in Him (Heb. 10:1-18).

One more sidebar while we’re here.  You’ll notice (Lev. 16:12) that the high priest had burn incense (and in fact take incense with him into the Most Holy Place).  The incense burner would have been a shallow dish or bowl that hung by a chain or was carried by tongs.  Inside the burner were a combination of sweet smelling spices and burning coals from the altar.  In the Most Holy Place, the smoke would shield the priest from the full glory of the Shekhinah (God’s presence shining between the two cherubs above the Ark of the Covenant) otherwise he might die.  The incense probably also had a more practical purpose, too.  The sweet smell would draw the people’s attention to the morning and evening sacrifices at the Tabernacle (and help to cover up the often foul smell of burning sacrifices).

The Israelites went through all this every year to have their sins covered until the day when God would remove them completely, which He did (and does!) through His Son, Jesus.  How spoiled we are that we can approach God any time we want (Heb. 10:16) without having to go through everything that the priests of old did! 
Just because we have this access does not mean we get a free pass and can be careless in our worship of God.  We must remember that God is holy, and our ease of access was bought at a steep price: Christ’s death.  Christ opened the way so we would not have to go through all the rituals to come to God, but we must still take the time to prepare our hearts and focus our minds as we draw close to God in prayer.

After all, how can we develop a relationship with God if we never give Him our undivided attention, even for a few minutes each day?

Encounter: Have you taken the time to meet with God today?
 

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Some references borrowed from the Life Application Study Bible (NLT) 2nd Edition published by Tyndale House Publishers.

Going Old School: We Are Priests to the World

All right, we’ve taken a look at the different sacrifices & offerings the people made to God.  As you recall, God had some pretty specific instructions and which offerings were required when (some as thanks, others because someone sinned against God or someone else).  God also gave very detailed instructions to the priests about what to do with the offerings, how to treat them, and how to be a person’s advocate to God.

But who are the priests?  What does it take to become a priest?  Let’s dive back into Leviticus and find out!

¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Bring Aaron and his sons, along with their sacred garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of bread made without yeast, ³ and call the entire community of Israel together at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”

While all of the Levites were set aside as servants for the Lord, only Aaron and his descendants could be priests.  Aaron and his sons had the honor and responsibility of performing the sacrifices.  Leviticus 8 & 9 details the priestly ordination for Aaron and his sons, which was performed in front of the entire community.  Here’s how it went:

1. Aaron & his sons were washed with water (8:6)
2. Clothed in the ceremonial priestly garments (8:7-9, 13)
3. Anointed with oil (8:12)
4. They placed their hands on a young bull as it was killed for sacrifice (8:14-15) and two rams as they were killed for sacrifice (8:18-23)

All this showed the people that holiness comes from God ALONE, not just from being a priest.  That is a lesson many of us need to learn today, too.  We aren’t “better” because we’re active in the church, have a title or position, or a good reputation.  No matter how great our reputation is or how long we’ve been actively involved at church (or even been a pastor!) we must depend on God for spiritual vitality!

The next natural question in all of this is why priests were needed in Israel at all?  Back in Exodus 19:6, God called all of the Israelites to be a NATION of priests.  The idea was that they would be holy and relate to God and share that with the nations around them.  If you look at where Israel is located on the map, all of the major trade routes of the time went through their territory, giving them a grand opportunity to witness to the world!  But we’re human, and we’re sinful, and since Adam we’ve needed a mediator with God.  For the Israelites it was the priests, who offered the sacrifices to on a person’s behalf that they might be made right with God.  For us today, Jesus Himself is our mediator, and as we confess our sins He makes us right with God.  The priestly system (both past and present) was a concession to fallen man’s inability to relate to God individually or corporately.  When Christ returns and we are fully restored to God, we will no longer need a concession for our fallen nature.

After the priests were ordained and Aaron offered his first sacrifice for the people, God Himself sent the fire to consume the sacrifice, so that the people would know that God approved of Aaron’s offering (9:24).  When the people saw what God had done, they cried out in…fear?  No!  They cried out in JOY!  They cried out and then fell to worship their awesome and loving God!

Often times today we think that God doesn’t give mighty displays like that any more.  We question whether God actually exists  because we don’t see heavenly fire consume anything, the sea parting, a pillar of cloud/fire anywhere.  How many of us have asked God if He’s really up there?

But God IS at work in today’s world just as much as He was with the Israelites in the wilderness.  When a group of believers is actively working and seeking Him, He doesn’t need to do mighty physical acts.  Instead, He works to change the world THROUGH His believers.  YOU are God’s mighty display of power!  When you realize that, you’ll see God’s acts of love all around you.

I want to close with two questions.  It’s a tradition that a dear friend of mind, Stephanie Johnson, had some crazy high schoolers do before a meeting, and I think it fits in nicely with what God is trying to teach us in Leviticus.

Encounter: Who was Jesus to you today?  Who were you Jesus to today?

21 Days to Glory

Three weeks can accomplish a lot of things. In a month’s worth of days, I could clean up the garage or get the yard into shape. With some devotion, I could lose 6 pounds, maybe more. Even if I were to leave out the weekends, I could finish a book that I have been toting around since the first of this year. Three weeks is a good chunk of time.

So how about spending a slice of time, for the next 21 days, praying for GODencounters?

To give us a focal point, this year is about morphing, and our theme is Reflecting the Son. Taken from 2Corinthians 3:17,18 (NIV) which says:
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Maybe you want to meditate on: freedom, reflect, glory, unveiled, transformed, likeness, Spirit.

There is another passage found in Romans which keys into transformation; Verses 1 and 2 read:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Some words you could add to your prayer list: mercy, offer, living sacrifice, holy, pleasing, spiritual act, worship, conform, pattern, renewing mind, God’s will, good, perfect.

What might happen if we gave 21 days towards conversations with Jesus? Maybe I could put my house in order. Or tend my spiritual garden. I could shed some excess weight/baggage. I would love to dive into another chapter of my life. How about you?

You’re invited to pray along with other GODfollowers. Post your prayers if you wish, the prayer rooms are set up just for that purpose. Real time prayers with people in person works too.

21 days. What might happen?