His Children

Screen capture from Youtube video by Judah Smith

The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. (Hosea 1:1 KJV)

That covers a lot of time, living through the reigns of those kings. Not a time of growth, calmness nor peace. There’s a lot of history from those days, written in other books. So why do we have one where a man is told to marry an unfaithful woman?

To see a picture of the unfaithfulness of God’s chosen people, and His response. As Gomer answered the desires of other lovers, Israel answered the calls from other gods. Chapter after chapter we are shown how Hosea (God) sought his chosen (Israel) in spite of unfaithfulness.

Toward the end of Hosea there is a beautiful description of God caring for His children:

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. (Hosea 11:1-3 KJV)

This is a portrait of Israel as God's son, chosen and brought into a close relationship as father and child. This picture of God's guidance and guarding care of Ephraim is tender - an affectionate parent teaching a child to walk, lifting by the arms to hold them up. Teaching the child how to walk and not stumble, lifting the child over obstacles. In spite of the help, on his own the child stumbles and is hurt - and the Father heals. The child does not acknowledge that help, does not show appreciation of God's work, His design, His every day oversight and involvement, ignoring the healing.

We, too, are His children, by our acceptance of His invitation:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:14-16 KJV)

Do we appreciate God's gracious designs and dealings with us? Do we tell Him how much we appreciate Him? Do we cry Abba? I don’t believe I do as much as I should.

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:20 KJV)

I believe I take time to thank Him when I receive that for which I have asked. I doubt I give thanks for the grouchy person I was given the opportunity to lift with a kind word; the rude person blocking the aisle/road so I could nod, wave and pass with a smile. Why? because they are part of the “all things” for which I should be giving thanks. Because God has not given up on His children:

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? (Hosea 11:8 KJV)

How Do You See The Church?

Back in 2010 I used this graphic for a blog “House of the Lord.” Is that how you see the church? Or is it the congregation that attends meetings in that building? What is the church?

This week I read an open letter by a “Millennial” to others who have written open letters about what needs to be changed to make the church better. Or, perhaps more truthfully, they have written about what makes the church worse. Before getting into the subject, we really need to know what is meant – biblically – about the church.

ἐκκλησία (Strong’s G1577) is a compound word, a combination of “calling” (G2564) and “out” (Strong’s G1537) which one site defines it as “people with shared belief, community, or congregation” and states: This meaning is used often in the Old and New Testament.

The reason for careful consideration of the church is because it is the Bride of Christ, seen through a number of Bible verses, including:

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:7-9 KJV)

Long before these verses, Jesus referred to Himself as the Bridegroom:

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. (Matthew 9:14-15 KJV)

Now, I doubly like that open letter to open letter writers because it describes me:

. . .ladies who put on those events praying over those doily-laden tables for young women to fill those chairs. These women who aren’t silenced or frozen by a fear of being irrelevant show up and serve with you in mind. They do it because once upon a time someone did it for them. They do it because they desperately want to connect so they serve the way they know how. They model a level of fidelity and gospel-centeredness I’m not sure most of us Millennials can understand. It’s easy to love and serve a sexy church. But to love and serve a struggling one, that’s another level of Christ-likeness.

Yes, I dropped the first of the sentence because it describes we Titus 2 aged women as sweet and saintly. Sweet? I doubt people consider me sweet. Saintly? Only because Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior. But I like the idea that we do pray over young women, and we are not silenced nor fearful and absolutely not irrelevant. We are serving our Lord by teaching good things, especially love.

We are the church. As are our husbands who love us as Christ loves His church. Just as the young women who love the Lord are the church. And all the others who love our Savior and work to bring others to become part of His church.

I’m grateful for the younger generations who are growing into workmen who are not ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth and are sharing that love with others. They are the church, too.

Who Shall?

And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. (Exodus 40:17-18 KJV)

Have you ever thought your church needed a new sanctuary? I was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tulsa when they built a new sanctuary in the 1960’s. More than 50 years later, I would venture to say some of their members can’t imagine what it was like to be in the old one – which I remember well.

Sixty years ago this year, the church I attend now was formed. No sanctuary, so they met in the community center until their first was built. It is still in use – but moved miles away, just outside Chico. In March, we will hold services in both of those places in remembrance.

The tabernacle itself was a place of remembrance. It spoke of the Israelite’s relationship with God. By the time David was king, the Ark of the Covenant was located in a temple:

And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; (1 Samuel 3:3 KJV)

In the short five verses of Psalm 15, David asks, “Who shall abide there?”

A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. (Psalms 15:1-5 KJV)

Just as we live our lives, David did not keep this advice he gave. That non-compliance kept him from fulfilling a dream he had of building a temple worthy of the Lord he worshipped:

Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. (1 Chronicles 28:2-3 KJV)

The consequences of his actions limited his ability to do God’s service.

These short verses are almost echoed in the fruit of the flesh and the spirit in Galatians 5:19-23. I do believe it’s a good idea to keep them in my mind as a measuring gauge for how I’ve limited my ability – and strive to live unlimited.

Restating, Redundant, Again

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1 KJV)

I’ve written about this subject before – a full blog back in September, about Beams and Motes. I need to revisit it because of a bit of Sunday night’s sermon. The verses following Matthew 7:1 also point me to another verse I use often:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

When Christians point out error, it not only needs to be done with the correct biblical commandment, done in love but it must be done after we Christians exam our own hearts for error – any error – and exam our purpose in pointing out another’s error.

Behind the internet’s false cloak of anonymity, errors are most often pointed out in language much less than courteous, a far cry from any consideration of lovingkindness. We’re more like the two birds above, arguing instead of debating or even having an interesting discussion.

What is our purpose in pointing out another’s error? For them to change? I don’t believe it should be. I believe it should be to show them God’s love in spite of all we do wrong. How is that done when pinpointing one person’s sin?

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6 KJV)

Old or New Testament, the message is the same:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

That’s me as well as the person to whom I’m witnessing. We both stand in need of God’s grace:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)

It is not my place to remind the unsaved of sinfulness. It is my place to give an answer about the hope I have in God’s saving grace.

Not until I’m discussing error with a Christian should I be reminding them of God’s commandments and work with them to remove a mote – after checking for beams in me:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 KJV)

But – is it necessary that I be the one to help with that mote? Is God directing me to be of help? Have I gone to Him in prayer about the mote? Can I cite chapter and verse as to why the mote is apparent? Most of all, do I consider it an act of love – or an act of correction?

I must know my heart is right, my purpose is within God’s will and be in prayer myself before considering a mote in a brother’s eye. I must be even more prepared to speak to another about salvation – mine or theirs. Now, just to remember that!

Follow A “Rabbit Trail”?

Pastor's sermon this Sunday was from I Corinthians 9:24-27. You can listen to it on our church's website, along with earlier ones.

I assure you that although I listened to the sermon and was able to see application in my life, what you'll read here is the result of following “rabbit trails”-- an American idiom, essentially meaning to follow something that continually changes locations.

Let me lead you through what I followed – beginning with a look at the “Pulpit Commentary” on I Corinthians 9, where I ran across an interesting quote: 

Scripture teaches us, by its examples, that God claims the service of even ungodly men, and deigns to work by them. Of Cyrus God says, "I girded thee, though thou hast not known me,"

Jumped to that source in Isaiah 45, and verses there gave me more food for thought.

For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:4-7 KJV)

It’s the first verse that tell us this is was spoken to Cyrus, the third why:

… that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. (Isaiah 45:3b KJV)

But I got hung up on the word “evil”in verse 7 – the Hebrew רעה    רע, Strong’s H7451, often translated differently in other KJV verses. Looking further, that’s the same word translated “evil” in:

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 KJV)

It shouldn’t surprise us that God is acquainted with and controls evil:

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 KJV)

Yes, God made the angels, even the ones that rebelled against Him. Even the father of lies:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44 KJV)

Did you follow that rabbit trail? At the close of my trek, I’m convinced that God has, does and will use the actions of ungodly people to accomplish what He has planned. The best example is the redemption offered each one of us through His son:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Seems as though my rabbit trails return to the good news God provides.

Assumptions and Faith

Last week I read an article about Charles Townes’ death. You might not recognize the name, but he had an impact our our lives. In 1954, he and his students developed the "microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The maser preceded the laser, which changed our way of life from medicine to manufacturing - even to our selection of entertainment channels.

What I found most interesting in the article is something I've felt, but haven't heard a scientist say what Townes was quoted in 2005:

Many people don't realize that science basically involves assumptions and faith. But nothing is absolutely proved.

I believe those assumptions and faith are what divide the nation in a recent Pew Research Center report, Public and Scientists’ Views on Science and Society. To put it mildly (which we really don’t) our views diverge. Pew describes these as:

. . .  powerful crosscurrents that both recognize the achievements of scientists and expose stark fissures between scientists and citizens on a range of science, engineering and technology issues.

A large difference is shown in how scientists perceive the public’s knowledge about science. Eighty-four per cent of scientists consider our lack of knowledge to be a major problem, another 14% consider it a minor problem.

I did not find a question/response that showed the public’s view of scientists lack of knowledge about religion being a problem, but I consider that to be one. It is a difference based on whether faith is based on someone’s scientific, perhaps empirical, evidence and another’s personal, daily living, evidence.

We all have faith in something. It is good for us to think about where our faith is based. Wherever our assumptions originate, faith still is:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

No, I have no empirical evidence that God exists. No, there is no empirical evidence that God does not exist. But, I have faith that He does based on years of experience making decisions based on instructions in the Bible.

No, I do not have an experiment that a person without faith could complete to show evidence – it’s a very personal experience, a different step for everyone. According to scripture, there is one requirement:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Back to Townes’ quote that science includes assumptions and faith, surely there’s a spot available in everyone for the faith to diligently seek Him. That is so much better than denying without reason – and better than saying we accept what we hear without understanding the faith that is required.

That said, is it fair to reject science without a fair hearing? Shouldn’t we learn enough to be knowledgeable when we refute a scientists’ statement? And, shouldn't we ask the same in return when they consider our faith?

Building Character

I looked for the source of a quote, and found one a bit better. According to Quote Investigator:

In 1856 a newspaper in Colchester, England reported on a speech delivered to students which contained a statement that has remained in circulation to the present day.

Mr. Wiseman then cautioned his young friends as to the habits they contracted in early life:—”Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” You sow an act, you reap a habit (acts repeated constitute habits); you sow a habit, you reap a character; you sow a character, you reap a destiny. Let them, he said, cultivate habits of industry, application, and order, and they might rely upon it, with God’s blessing, they would succeed in life. (Applause.)

Let’s put that partial verse in context:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7-8 KJV)

I am sent back to Proverbs – and it most likely wasn’t new then:

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. (Proverbs 22:8 KJV)

I also think Paul’s fruit discussion applies here – the seeds are sown as actions and repeated actions show a person’s character.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

Most people skip over the preceding three verses, especially the last part:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)

Please don’t try to tell me that you know someone who never hated, or someone who never felt envy. Yes, you can tell me you know someone who never practiced witchcraft – well, except for  the Ouija board and horoscopes. How about wrath? Strife? Does it seem fair that those are included with drunkenness, sedition and murder? Or the catch-all “such like”?

Sorry, I didn’t make up the list – it was written by a man whose life was changed in one moment on the road to Damascus. He certainly qualified for hatred, wrath, strife and even connected with murder. A complete turnaround and he taught the fruits of the Spirit over land and sea between two continents and eventually died for those teachings. So have many others.

Still others have perverted those teachings, using idolatry, hatred, wrath, strife, heresies and murders in Christ’s name, to their shame and lack of inheritance. I believe we will all stand before our King and some will hear:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)