Tidbits, Everything Means Something: Bread, Symbol of Unity

We can all agree on this: Food is necessary.  God provides it in abundance, we accept that it is everywhere in the world.  Anywhere we travel there will be some source of food.  We take this reality for granted.  Do we stop to consider a spiritual reason God made us to need food on a regular basis?  We can exist for a while without it, but at some point we die if we don’t get it!

This weekend we hosted a brunch for a group of family members—2 of my brothers and their wives, some cousins and spouses, our 2 children and 2 grandchildren.  A very special group for me!  In preparation for the gathering I asked the Lord His perspective on the event.  He revealed a spiritual truth I had not considered before: We eat food and it becomes a part of our bodies, it is in unity with our entire being.  We share food in a community setting (our gathering) and it is a unifying process.  There is a spiritual bonding that takes place when we eat together.

I am reminded of the early church in Acts 2:46-47 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.”  I had not before considered the significance of that statement.  It seemed like a good thing to do, something we do today, but I had not given it a spiritual meaning.  I now see that breaking bread together was a symbolic way to demonstrate unity within the community of believers.

Jesus placed a meaningful emphasis on bread during His ministry on earth.  John 6:48 is Jesus declaring that “I am the bread of life”, verse 51 “I am the living bread…This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

In John 21 we have the account of Jesus after His resurrection meeting the disciples on the beach of the Sea of Galilee.  Verse 12 “Jesus said to them, ‘ Come and have breakfast.’  None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’.  They knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them.”

Jesus could have met with them a number of different places and ways, but He chose the breaking of bread.  I see this as a way He was identifying with them in an intimate unifying way.  As the Bread of Life Jesus emphasized His unity with His disciples—and by extension—with us today.  When we take communion at church we are symbolically declaring unity with Jesus and with other believers who are also taking the bread and cup.

I do believe I will see communion in a different way from now on.  It isn’t just about Jesus and me, but includes a unifying bond with everyone else who is taking communion.  Our family joins in a small circle as we take the symbols and pray, but I see that it is much more than just us.  Our entire community of faith is bonded in a unique way as we all break bread together.

Thank you Father for giving us bread as a universal symbol of unity.

Tidbits: Everything Means Something–Doubt

Like many of you I have been reading the book of James in the Bible for years.  We don’t like the first part about being joyful in trials so we pass over that principle.  The next one is just as uncomfortable:  James 1:6 reads “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. “  At this point, do you think as I had ‘That doesn’t apply to me!  I’m stable, not blown about.’  Then the next thought is really sobering: “That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

That doesn’t include you and me!  The truth is, it does include all of us who ever doubt.

Does that mean God doesn’t answer my prayers if I doubt?  If I don’t completely, 100% believe He will do what I ask Him to do?  That is what that statement says.  How many times have I asked the Lord to do something for me or for someone else, hoping but not totally convinced He will do what I asked?  Too many times to count I am sorry to admit.  Is this why we don’t get our prayers answered?  It surely sounds like it.

There are other reasons as well: asking outside God’s will, just saying the words, but when we get to the bottom of it, it comes down to unbelief, mistrust and doubt.

If the underlying elements of doubt are unbelief and mistrust, then we must admit that doubting God is a sin.

Here are some other Scriptures to consider:

Romans 4:20 (Speaking of Abraham) “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.”  Praying without doubt brings rewards.

Matthew 21:21 “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, (see verses 18-20) but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  Therefore I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”  This is a promise from Jesus!  Would He offer something that is impossible?  Everything with Him is possible.  It is the principle He is promising: Believe and do not doubt to get your prayers answered.

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

The Bible person I think of who did not doubt was David.  In so many of the Psalms he wrote there is not any wavering, hesitation or doubt.  For example: Psalm 66:17-20 “ I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.  If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Does that sound like James 1:6?)  But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.  Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me.”  Do you hear the confidence David had, his faith, his strong unwavering belief and trust in God as you read his prayer?  Isn’t this what we want?  It’s ours to pursue before the Lord.

The Fourth Quarter

The Houston Rockets lost to the Golden State Warriors in the final game of the playoffs.  The Rockets did have a sizeable lead, but by the end of the fourth quarter they had lost the game.  Allen and I were discussing what happened and began to reflect on how often that happens in athletic games and in our lives.

It is hard to play at a high level for four full quarters.  Think of all the football games lost in the last few minutes, golf tournaments lost on the 72^nd hole, marathon runners who collapse on the last 10 miles.  The final quarter is critical—how you play it—and how you live it.

I am in the fourth quarter of my life.  I want to sustain my energy until the end, but it is hard to do.  I think back on my life: the first quarter was very difficult in an abusive home, but I survived.  The second quarter brought some achievements and joy.  Getting a college education, marrying my husband of (now) 58 years, having 2 children and seeing them grow into adulthood, having some career teaching achievements, learning to play tennis and golf.

The third quarter was the best: the children were off to college, we had the means to enjoy skiing, the Lord called me into a ministry of prayer counseling with women, our 4 grandchildren came into our lives bringing lots of joy.

The fourth quarter has been enjoyable and productive so far.  Allen and I established Current Elijah Ministries when he retired.  It is a ministry to encourage pastors .  We invite the couple to join us in Colorado for skiing, pampering and praying.  It has been a memorable 17 years so far.  Now that we are well along in the fourth quarter of our journey through life we have questions about how we will continue until we are taken home to be with Jesus forever.

We have scaled back our Colorado ministry, but have increased ministry in our home in The Woodlands, Texas.  Is this God’s way of sending us a different game plan?  He’s the only One who knows how we will finish.

Will we serve until the end?  Will we be sidelined with illness or injury?  Isn’t there always that unknown in any fourth quarter when no one knows the final score?

I know one thing with certainty—my next quarter of time will be in heaven with Jesus for all eternity.  I want to hold onto that truth knowing the best “quarter” is yet to come!

I say with the Apostle Paul, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace.”

Everything Means Something: Israel of God

Have you read Scripture when something “jumps out at you?”  That happened to me as I was reading Galatians 6:16. The verse says” Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.”  I had to find out what that term meant!  Who is the Israel of God?  Is it the people of the Old Covenant?  Or does it refer to the church—since Paul is writing to believers in Jesus?

First, what was the “rule” Paul mentioned.  It refers back to the previous verses which spoke about circumcision: “Neither circumcision or non-circumcision means anything, what counts is a new creation.”  This is my first indication Paul may be referring to the church as the Israel of God.  We are a new creation in Jesus Christ.

Looking up the title in Strong’s Complete Word Study Dictionary I found some interesting information:

A basic tenet of the Old Covenant was the privileges that the nation of Israel enjoyed as God’s chosen people. They were the ones who received the promises to Abraham, the Law given to them through Moses, the Temple worship.

In the New Covenant Paul differentiated between the natural and spiritual descendants of Abraham and the Promise.  The spiritual descendants are the true Israel of God.

Ephesians 2:12 says “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the Promise, without hope and without God in the World.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

Being in Jesus gives us the privilege of being a part of the spiritual Israel—having the spiritual right to the promises given to Abram by God.  It is those who are in Christ that are the true Israel—not those who are natives of Israel by physical birth and heritage.

Strong’s says this: “Ture spiritual Israel is practically equivalent to all the faithful.  It might be defined as the whole number of the elect, who have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ.  All the believers of all time constitute the church universal.”

Romans 9:6 “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.  Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children…In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.”

Romans 3:2 gives us the characteristics of Israel: “First of all, they have been entrusted with the Word of God.  Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the Law, the temple worship and the promise.”

The essential elements of their privileges are now, in Christ Jesus, privileges of the spiritual Israel—the church.

Romans 8:15-17 says we are adopted as sons of God; verse 18 we have the divine glory both present and future; we are partakers of the new covenant which has been ratified by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 11:25)

The new testament book of Hebrews explains at length how the new covenant is better than the old covenant and how this body of spiritual Israel is the fulfillment of prophecy. (Jeremiah 31) We still have the Law—not written in stone but written within our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 8:10)

In the book of Revelation we find the spiritual Israel being protected, sealed as servants of God.  Both Peter in 1:1 “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit” and James 1:1 “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” allude to the inclusion of Gentiles in the Spiritual Israel.  These are the believers mentioned in Revelation 7 dressed in white robes before the throne of God in heaven.

This is the ultimate destination of the Israel of God—all believers in Jesus!

We can call ourselves Christians and we can call ourselves Israel of God.

David and the Ephod

How did David of the Old Testament communicate with God?  There are several recorded events where he received answers to his specific questions about fighting against the Philistines or other enemies; there are other occurrences where a prophet spoke for God to him.  The situation where King Saul was determined to kill David, causing David and his men to move from place to place to avoid Saul, was one where it was the use of the priestly ephod to give him answers.

The ephod is a curious piece of equipment worn only by the high priest.  The description of it in Exodus 39:2-6 leaves some details to our imagination.  The description is as follows: “They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.  They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman.  They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened.  Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the LORD commanded Moses.  They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel.  Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.”

 

Attached to the ephod was the Breastpiece which had mounted four rows of precious stones held with gold filigree on it, 12 stones in all to correspond to the twelve tribes of Israel.  With a series of gold rings it was attached to the ephod.  It must have been beautiful!

 

The purpose of this garment was to hear from God.In the breastpiece were 2 symbolic objects called the Thummim and the Urim.  It was through these objects that the answer came.  It is certainly a mystery to me how that worked!

Now to David and his need to hear from God with the ephod.

David was being vigorously pursued by Saul to kill him because of Saul’s jealousy of David’s abilities.

At one point David went to the high priest at Nob so the high priest could inquire of God for him for direction and guidance.  This account was used by Jesus in Matthew 12 to illustrate a point.  Because David and his men were on the run from Saul they were hungry.  David asked the priest for food—the only bread available was the day old bread of consecration—so the priest gave it to David and his men.  (1 Samuel 21)  There was a man present, Doeg the Edomite, that interfered with David getting the inquiry he came for.  Later Doeg would be used by Saul to kill all the priests of Nob (about 85 men).  One escaped (Abiathar) and went to David, taking the ephod with him.

In chapter 23 of 1 Samuel we find this scenario: “Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.  And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.  When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring the ephod.’

David asked God some specific questions: “Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard?  O LORD God of Israel, tell your servant.  And the LORD said, “He will.”  David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?”  And the LORD said, “They will.”

It was through the Urim and Thummim in the ephod that David got his answers.  His answers did not come from a direct conversation with the Holy Spirit, but with the use of a physical object.  How that happened I don’t begin to understand.

My take-away from this story is that God has always made a way to communicate with those people who have faith in Him, trust Him and will be obedient to do exactly as God directs.

Is it any different for us today?  We don’t need an ephod with sacred stones in it, for we have Someone infinitely better—we have the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit who does speak directly to us.  When we ask a specific question—and not a “why” question—we can confidently expect the Holy Spirit to answer us clearly.  We must search our souls and see if we stand in faith, trust and obedience.  If we can affirm a “yes” in our souls, we can boldly—like David—ask our specific questions and expect the answer that corresponds with God’s will.

Everything Means Something: The Airport Lounge

We were traveling with a family of 4: husband, wife, 2 sons to Israel from Houston on Turkish Airlines.  It is a 10 hour flight to Istanbul, Turkish Airlines hub.  Having a couple of hours before continuing our flight to Tel Aviv, our friend suggested we go to the Turkish Airlines Lounge.

I have never seen anything like it!  It defies accurate description.  Walking in my eyes could not take it all in.  It has every amenity a person could want.  Making a tour I saw food stations, drinks available, computer areas, spa facilities, etc.

Not everyone can enter however.  You must have a status.  My friend flies all over the world so has “gold” status with the airline.  Based on the work he does he gained entry for himself, his wife and 2 sons.  Without the work he had done that would not have been possible.

 

I was later thinking about that experience.  Everything has an element of the spiritual, this experience certainly did.

I have been studying about the Blood of Jesus and its power.  The airport lounge is an example of what His Blood means for those of us who are followers of Jesus.

Jesus is the Head of all mankind; He is the One with the status to enter the Holy Sanctuary in heaven.  Without His status to get me in, I am left out.

Jesus’ work on my, and your, behalf brings every benefit of the spiritual journey.  It is His shed Blood and our faith in its efficacy that allows us entrance into the Holy Place.  He makes the way through His torn flesh (the curtain) and we can follow—nothing we have done makes it possible—because of our faith in Him.  We are His adopted brothers and sisters, children of His Father, so He speaks for us.  Another way to look at it is, as believers in Jesus, we are His Bride.  Therefore, when He presents His Blood before the Father the access to the Holy Sanctuary is opened to us.

We can follow Him in and see the most lavish provision beyond our wildest imagination.  Scripture tells us that He sets a table before us, we can drink from His river of delights, we can find true rest in Him.

 

What a privilege we enjoy!  Security is provided by His presence, His going before us, His providing all we need and more.  Believing in the total power of Jesus’ shed Blood is what makes it all possible.

He not only opened the way, He maintains our spirits by imparting His powerful Blood into our hearts.  He is our High Priest, in charge of us in the Holy Sanctuary, bringing us into the presence of the Father in the Holiest of All.  He is the Mediator of the Better Covenant God established through Jesus’ work on the Cross.  He represents God to us; He represents us to God.  Jesus does it all!

 

Our only hope of eternal life, of being in the presence of our Father, of finding rest for our souls is found in the Blood of Jesus.  Seek to understand the meaning of the internal spiritual life and experience the joy of following Jesus into the Holy Sanctuary of heaven.

 

The Turkish Airport Lounge was incredible, providing all kinds of possibilities, but compared to the incomparable privilege we have in Jesus taking us into the very presence of our Heavenly Father—there is no comparison!  Earthly pleasures are nothing compared to what we will experience in the Heavenly Sanctuary with Jesus.

Let’s keep our eyes and hearts tuned to the heavenly riches awaiting us.

 

Everything Means Something: Lincoln Navigator

This is an account that, to most people, would look like “luck”.  We traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado to celebrate my brother’s birthday, his 80^th.  We rented a car and that’s where the story begins.

Allen had reserved a modest Ford Edge for our time in Colorado.  When we went to the parking lot to get it, it had been upgraded to a Lincoln Navigator!  What a surprise to me.  “What do we need such a big vehicle for?  There are just 3 of us and not much luggage.”

We climbed into this lumbering giant—thankful for the running board that automatically appeared and disappeared—and went up to Copper Mountain for 2 days.  What a wonderful ride that big SUV had.

We acknowledged that the Lord had given us a blessing and enjoyed the ride.

Coming back to Denver on Saturday for the birthday party we used the up-to-date GPS in the Navigator.  We had no clue as to directions to the party—what a blessing to have the “map lady” guide us there.

Blessing upon blessing!

At the party, held at my nephew’s craft brewery, I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit with Bill’s family.  We had had no real contact for many years.  There was no reason except that we were scattered across the country.  I thank the Lord for the blessing of still having family.  I had been asking the Lord for  years to give me the opportunity to reconnect with my siblings.

Last August Allen, Jeri and I made a trip to Omaha to see my sister.  What a blessing that was, and now to have time with Bill.

Blessing upon blessing!

Our son Wayne lives in Castle Rock, just a short distance from Denver.  He came to the party and visited with relatives he hardly knew.  It was so good to see the cousins laughing and getting acquainted.

Blessing upon blessing!

After the party we went home to stay with Wayne, Denise and Sheridan for 2 nights.  Their hospitality was heart warming.  We felt very welcome.  Their other daughter, Jordan, was finishing her semester at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.  We did not think we would get to see her.  Another blessing was coming up!  Sunday was Mother’s Day, also the day Jordan needed to start moving out of her apartment.  Wayne planned for all of us to go to CSU to help Jordan move.  I was so excited that we would see her after all.

Wayne took his pick up truck to bring her bicycle home and her other collection of belongings, most of which were in open containers.  We loaded all of her stuff into the Navigator.  A smaller vehicle would not have been adequate.  That’s when we realized why the Lord blessed us with the Navigator.  It was to bless Jordan and her family.

My heart was overwhelmed with the Goodness of God and His care for the least events in our lives.

While in Fort Collins we all attended the church where Jordan went.  What a blessing to worship together as a family.  Our daughter, Jeri, made the trip with us.  It was the first Mother’s Day in probably 20 years that I had both my children with me.  It was a landmark blessing for me.

The next day we drove on to Colorado Springs to spend the day and one night with Bill and Kathy.  What a joy just to be together and recall the days of our youth.  Jeri stayed with her cousin, Beth, which gave them time to establish a relationship.

Blessing upon blessing!

The blessing of the Lincoln Navigator, the provision the Lord chose for us, was an integral part of the journey.

The Lord had the entire trip planned in His journey for us.  I am so glad we could rejoice in His participation in our experience.  I think He does that many times and we don’t recognize His Goodness and Grace in our daily lives.

Isaiah 55:8 reminds me that “His thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord”.

Psalm 40:5 declares “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

 

Everything Means Something: Help!

I was praying with a woman recently that sincerely asked the Lord to “help” her do a variety of tasks.  What did she want the Holy Spirit to do for her?  Was she willing to completely  submit to the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish her request?  Was she merely wanting to control trying to fix the situation herself and just wanted confirmation from the Holy Spirit?  I don’t know the answer to either question.  It did cause me to seek guidance myself in how I use the word  help.

I have arthritis in the joints below my thumbs which makes opening bottles difficult.  After I have struggled with no  success I call Allen, “Will you help me open this bottle?”  I don’t really want him to participate with me in twisting the cap on the bottle—I want him to take the bottle and open it!

Another example: fastening a necklace behind my neck.  Some chains have ridiculously small loops and clasps.  I can’t see what I’m doing—the loop refuses to go into the clasp—I realize if I’m going to wear that necklace I need help.  Again, I call Allen,  “Will you please help me fasten this?”  He stands behind me where it is clear how to make the two pieces join.  What I really want is for him to fasten the necklace for me.

I use those two simple needs for help to illustrate an important truth about prayer.  We humans want to control our environment, our relationships, our spiritual journey.  Scripture tells us plainly that the Holy Spirit is our advocate, our “Helper”.  Romans 8:26 says “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

I read this and see three truths: first, we are weak, unable to do it ourselves; second, we don’t know what to pray, and third, we are to let the Holy Spirit intercede for us.

Do we just need the Holy Spirit to hold our hand (so to speak) while we continue to attempt to express our request?  Or do we turn it over completely to the power of the Holy Spirit to speak for us as we submit to the reality we don’t know what to pray?

We talk and sing about surrender, yielding to the Lord, but how much do we actually do it?  Prayer is the one area where we can be intentional in acknowledging we are desperate for the Lord to take over for us, to give our requests completely to Him.  We don’t want help—we want Him to do it for us!  That is His assignment from our Father.  As our High Priest serving in the Holy Sanctuary of heaven, Jesus sends His Spirit to do the work of prayer for us.

We talk a lot about freedom.  There is such relief from our prayer burdens to know we don’t have to know the answers.  We can be a hindrance instead of a help if we ask amiss.  I’ve learned to not ask for “help”, but to ask the Holy Spirit to “just do it!”  He alone has the power to take our requests before the throne of grace where the answer will always be “Yes”.  Hebrews 4:16 assures us, “…so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

If you have not prayed depending on the intercession of the Holy Spirit—try it.  You will be amazed at the power you experience in your submission.  You don’t ask for help, you humbly ask that He do it.

Everything Means Something: Meekness

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land.”

Who are these people, the meek, who have the privilege of not only living in Israel, but having it for their very own?  That question intrigued me.  I had always heard that the meek were the mild mannered who were powerful but had that power under control.  Somehow, that definition didn’t seem adequate to explain Jesus’ saying.

To understand the background better I did a search in the Old Testament first.  There I found a very different explanation of meekness that would resonate with those people surrounding Jesus.   The Hebrew of Psalm 37:11 uses the word humble as “The humble shall inherit the land.”  That does not refer to the mild and gentle, but rather to the powerless, downtrodden, subjugated and victimized.

Thinking about the political atmosphere at the time Jesus was teaching, I remember the accounts of the atrocities of the Roman government.  The people were indeed powerless and downtrodden, fearful for their lives on a continuing basis—never knowing when the Romans would kill or take property.

Was this the implication Jesus was making?

Throughout the Old Testament meekness refers to the afflicted, the poor, the oppressed.  Examples: Psalm 10:17 “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted, you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”  Isaiah 11:4 “…but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.”

In contrast to this view I found the other view in New Testament Scriptures.   For example: Ephesians 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”  Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

How can the 2 views be reconciled?  One definition of meekness I found is in the Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament by Spiros Zodhiates: “primarily it does not denote outward expression of feeling, but an inward grace of the soul, calmness toward God in particular.  It is the acceptance of God’s dealings with us considering them as good in that they may enhance the closeness of our relationship with Him.”

There are many references in the Old Testament to God’s care for His people.  Knowing that truth would the afflicted, abused, mistreated look to God for justice?  We see that in the Isaiah Scripture.  Would He intervene on their behalf in judgment?  We see that as well.  Perhaps the contrast is not so great after all.  The faith in God the oppressed clung to could be the expression of that “inward grace of the soul” we read about in the New Testament letters.

Those inward graces of the soul are desired among people of all religions.  For our purpose we Christians share a common desire to please our God by abiding in His provisions for us.  The Holy Spirit draws us to those inward qualities that result in us seeking meekness.  2 Corinthians 10:1 tells us “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ…” and in Titus 3:2 we are reminded to “be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility (meekness) toward all men.”  Therefore, I conclude that meekness is a character quality you and I should embrace to be more like Jesus.

 

Everything Means Something: Seed

When I asked the Lord for a Scripture to pray over, I didn’t expect this familiar passage.  It is so true that every time I or you, read a known Scripture we learn something new or applicable to what we need right now.

“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

 

These are the truths I received this time:

1. It is the Lord who supplies the spiritual seed we are to use.  We have no source of seed apart from His Hand.
2. The seed is opportunities to be generous.
3. I am the sower. He gives you and me many opportunities to advance His Kingdom, according to the kind of seed He provides.
4. In order to do the work of sowing we need sustenance. The Lord provides us with the bread for strength and energy to do our work—both physical and spiritual.  Perhaps mental acuity and emotional stability are to be included as bread.
5. We don’t ever need to be concerned about running out of seed. He promises to increase our store of seed so we can accommodate more opportunities.  I think we must show our faithfulness in using the seed wisely in the places He says to plant!
6. Seed can lose its viability if left too long in the storehouse. We must be diligent and immediately obedient in using our opportunities to be generous.
7. The Lord promises to enlarge our harvest of righteousness. What is the harvest?  Isaiah 32:17 says the “fruit of righteousness is peace.  The effect of righteousness is quietness and confidence forever.”  Philippians 1:11 says “the fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”
8. We will experience a harvest that makes us rich in peace, calmness and productivity.
9. It is this provision that makes it possible for us to be generous in every opportunity we are given.

The result of our generosity is not praise for us for our gift, but praise to God.  He’s the One who did everything to supply our part in meeting needs of others.

 

Throughout the whole of Scripture giving to the poor and needy is a continuous theme.  That theme continues with us as followers of Jesus.  The above Scripture is a part of Paul’s encouraging the Corinthian Christians to be generous in helping their Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem who were in desperate need.  I think we must be specific in choosing the places our gifts go.  There are many good deeds being done by secular charities, but there is no indication in Scripture that our primary giving should be outside the Christian community.

 

It is my firm belief that individuals are given the gift of making money so that the money can be distributed into the Kingdom.  Where else will it come from than in the secular marketplace?  Those that have the opportunity to take from the world and give into the Kingdom receive that harvest of righteousness the Scripture promises and provides opportunity for God to receive praise and thanksgiving.  What a privilege we have to be a part of what God is doing!