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Today’s Word Is INFLUENCE

Mon-Jul-20-2020

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give to each man according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

The movie “Fireproof” is the story of a captain firefighter (Caleb) whose marriage is on the rocks. One of Caleb’s crew (Michael) is a man of strong faith. In one scene, Michael is talking with another fireman who is having a problem with a decision. He is telling Michael that he is going to “follow his heart” about this decision. This sounds like a good strategy and is often used in our society as a sensible principle to follow. But Michael can see that what his friend is getting ready to do, as he follows his heart, is not a good choice at all. So, Michael tells him, “Don’t follow your heart, lead your heart.”

Each of us has a body and a soul (personality). Within our soul are two factors at work, our mind and our emotions (we might also say heart or passion). These two factors are the influences on a third aspect within us, which is our will (or decision-maker). Some of us operate primarily by our mind, others primarily by emotions, although none of us is 100% one or the other, but some combination. Those whose mind dominates are likely to do the sensible or logical thing, while those driven mostly by emotion decide based on what feels good or is pleasing. Sometimes our mind and emotions agree, other times they are at odds.

Our hearts have been helpful all along in life as we make decisions, but sometimes the heart gets set on something that is not good for us or others. It is the same with the mind. Although our thinking is usually helpful, it is not perfect, and often misguided. As we grow up, our hearts and minds are hopefully learning how to guide us into good decisions. But our hearts and minds can fail us.

Thus, the prophet Jeremiah is right on target when he says that our hearts are in this sense deceitful and sick, meaning susceptible to error, prone to long for the wrong thing. And as he also says, our mind must be tested as well, because it cannot always be trusted to lead us to good “results of our deeds.”

But wait … there is a fourth aspect of our soul, which is spirit. Our spirit is in a sense dead or dormant when we are born. It is that empty space within us that longs to know God and to be filled by him. Our spirit comes alive by a process or event which Jesus describes as being “born again.” In John 3:5-7, a Pharisee named Nicodemus has come to discuss with Jesus the miracles he is performing. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”

In other words, when we ask Jesus to come and live in us, the Holy Spirit of Jesus enters our spirit, making us spiritually alive and “born again.” When we receive and are “indwelt” by the Spirit of God, we receive the perfect influence, power, and guide. We now have within us a better guide to life than depending on our mind and emotions to make our decisions. The Holy Spirit of God is perfectly reliable, far more than our mind and our heart.

Now a new process begins. As we operate under the influence of the Spirit of God to make decisions, a reversal of influence takes place. Instead of our faulty mind and selfish heart influencing our decisions (rather poorly sometimes), the choices we make under the guidance of the Spirit begin to influence and reshape our hearts and minds!

That is why Paul says in Romans 12:2 that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” And Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will remove the heart of stone … and give you a heart of flesh.”

Notice that when Paul says to “be transformed,” there is an understanding that the Spirit can and will do this, but also a clear implication that this takes intention and cooperation on our part. The Spirit does not forcefully continue to renew our minds. We must desire it, giving permission and opportunity for this amazing transformation to take place. The challenge then is to keep our hearts and minds out of first place and let the Spirit take the lead.

Thus, it is not true that my mind and emotions don’t change, although some people contend it is true. They say, “I can’t change the way I am. That’s just me.” No, there is a higher me, to which I am being transformed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Rather than our mind and emotions directly influencing our will, we live and walk by the Spirit in our decision-making. And as we allow the Spirit to be the greatest influence, our minds will be renewed, and our hearts softened.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BURDENS

Wed-Jul-15-2020

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

Another version says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…”

The heaviest burden many people carry is the load of expectations placed on them by others. Trying to live up to an image of who others think we should be can become a weight too great to sustain.

One of the reasons people flocked to hear Jesus was because he talked more about a God who cared, than one whose heavy hand wanted to control them and punish them for not being good enough or for breaking too many rules. I wonder if a single rabbi (teacher) had ever in their lives invited them to come follow so they could rest!

But Jesus was doing just that, which essentially was an invitation to live a life of trust in the goodness of God. Those who felt hopeless, oppressed, and tired of trying and failing were intrigued by these words … “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”

Now, this was not an invitation to stop trying, nor to escape responsibility, but to receive an internal shift from dependence on the approval of others to dependence on the grace of God. Worldly living says, “I will love you if” … and then there comes the expectation.

Kingdom living (God’s Kingdom, that is), says that you are loved by your Creator and your Savior for who you are, not for what you accomplish. The first step of Kingdom living is to get rid of the baggage, the load of expectations, the fear that you might not prove to be worthy, … and in exchange receive the following reality … You are accepted because God made you and loved unconditionally because that’s who God is and what he does.

After that, there are lots of things we do to accomplish Kingdom purposes, but they are not done to prove we are acceptable, they are done out of thanks that we were “declared” to be acceptable as God’s primary gift. (We call this salvation or conversion.) We are no longer laboring and heavy laden under a load of disapproval, but rather there is rest from it.

Welcome to the Jesus life. Now, I need to complete the picture. In the beginning, I only gave you one of three verses to describe the Jesus invitation. Here’s the “rest of the story”:

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You may notice that after Jesus offered rest, he told us to take his yoke upon us, which is the equipment placed on the shoulders of oxen and other work animals, for the purpose of carrying or pulling loads. How about that! … Invited to rest and put to work! But that’s it! Rest, work, rest, work. Not work, work, work, work.

In the Pharisees’ world, the “working” at proving ourselves to be religious and obedient was primary. In Jesus’ world, the “resting” is primary. The Sabbath is the holy day when God rested. For God, six days was “enough” to complete creation. Get it? This faith we practice has works of righteousness involved, but not to prove our worth and not to the extent that they become a burden we can’t carry. The most important day of the week is Sabbath, meaning the most important aspect of the Kingdom life is rest.

Is this making sense? Jesus invited us to turn around, to stop thinking of religious performance as the basis of life, but rather to let rest and assurance be the focus of life, with an attitude towards works of faith that sees it as a joy, not a burden, and certainly not the way to prove anything to God.

The result is rest for our souls, because the yoke (workload) is easy, and it burdens us only lightly, because it was given to us by a Savior who is both gentle and humble.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

By the way … this has been my favorite passage of Scripture for 40+ years. When I was a young pastor, I had read this passage many times, but the first time I used it as a sermon text, I began preparing and spontaneously became overwhelmed with tears at Jesus’ invitation to come to him and get rid of my burdens in exchange for his rest and a yoke that was much easier than the burdens I had been carrying for such a long time.

I say this because when we are first saved, we understand our salvation as we experienced it at that point. But later on, more revelations of the nature and glory of this new life in Christ will touch us in deeper and richer ways. This passage became my best symbolism for the illustration of salvation … to give him what I have, and in return get what he has. That’s the best bargain anyone in the world will ever get!

Today’s Word Is ASSURANCE

Fri-Jun-5-2020
It’s Humor Day!

Albert Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Dr. Einstein, the professor couldn’t find his ticket. He searched every pocket, his briefcase, the seat next to him. No ticket.

The conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.”

The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry. I know who you are. No problem. You don’t need a ticket. I’m sure you bought one.”

Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going!”

I hope you know where you are going. If we believe the Scriptures, then we know that born again believers are going to heaven. Many people, Christians and not, over the years have asked me, “How can I know, how can I be sure that I am going to heaven?”

This is basic, but important. I think these three passages can most clearly describe what it means to be saved.

The first is from Jesus, who told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This does not describe how it happens, but rather what it is … namely, a rebirth. Just as we had a physical birth, so also, says Jesus, must we have a spiritual birth. In other words, not only must our body become alive, but also our spirit must come alive in a separate event. Thus, Jesus continued, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6) Up to the point of salvation, your spirit is dead, so to speak. So how does it come alive?

The other two verses say more about how it happens. The Apostle Paul says, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

And for the third, just to make sure we understand who does what, Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) It requires God’s grace and our faith. And the fact that it is a gift indicates that God’s part is the greater part.

God offers the gift, for which Jesus Christ has already paid the price, but gifts are only put to use when the recipient stretches out their hands to receive it, this being an act of repentance, humility, and faith. When this happens, the Spirit of God enters into your spirit and your spirit comes alive! You are “born again.” The Holy Spirit of Christ is living in you and through you! I like this phrase, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

If these things you have done, then do not be embarrassed to ask the question about “how do I know I am saved and going to heaven?” You are not alone. Many Christians are not fully “at peace” until one more miracle occurs. Apparently, some believers in the New Testament had the same question.

Thus, there is one more piece. Besides having salvation, it is great to have an “assurance” of salvation, and to be at peace. And this is supplied by the Holy Spirit. So Paul wrote this to them, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:16-17) How do I know for sure? We sang as children … “How do I know, the Bible tells me so!” But also, I know because I can hear, sense, and feel the Holy Spirit whispering assurance into my heart.

Come and join with me, children of God, and give thanks that we can be sure that we are saved; we are heirs, heirs with Christ, and heaven is our home!

There is one last testimony as a verification. We will indeed suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Yes, the life of faith involves suffering and hardship, but none greater than what our Master endured. And for this is offered all his glory for us to share, both now and forever.

Have a blessed weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark

NOTE … I know that there are people who will call me exclusive when I say that Christ is the only way to God. But I didn’t create this idea. I read it in the Bible, and I believe it. As my friend Dr. Bob Sanders used to say, “Don’t look at me! I didn’t write it! I’m just the messenger!”

ANOTHER NOTE: Please don’t use this devotional to scrutinize someone else’s life trying to figure if they are in heaven or not. Only God knows. Doing so can discourage you unnecessarily. Believe for the best, and wait.

Today’s Word Is HEAR

Wed-May-27-2020

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

When this verse says, “If anyone hears,” I conclude that not everyone hears. It implies to me that even though a voice may be speaking, something about some people causes them not to hear that voice, at least under present conditions.

For the first time in our 37-year marriage, my wife and I have a home with a swimming pool. We like it. I am now the “pool guy,” and there is always something to do. Under certain conditions, sometimes the pool pump clicks off and must be restarted. The equipment is near the end of the house where our bedroom is, and while I am getting ready in the morning, I can tell by the presence or absence of a certain sound with a certain pitch whether the pool pump is running or not. My wife can’t hear it unless I hum the pitch and she really, really concentrates, and sometimes still can’t.

On the other hand, my wife has had the sense of hearing the faint cry of one of the kids during the night while I remained asleep. There are folks who can be at a crowded occasion in a large facility, and yet when a child falls and cries out from the other side of the room, the parent of that child knows the sound of that cry.

There is something in each of us capable of hearing the voice of God. We can be preoccupied by our world, our job, our activities, whatever … such that God’s voice doesn’t get our attention. But God is calling. He hasn’t left you out or given up on you because of your present season of stress and distraction. Stop and listen. You can hear him.

During my younger years, I heard others use this passage as an evangelism and conversion tool. And I adopted that approach as well. Jesus is knocking on the hearts of unbelievers because he wants to come in and save them, take up residence.

While that is true … that Jesus wants to come into the hearts of unbelievers, that is not who this message was originally written to. It was addressed to the Church at Laodicea. Yes, Jesus is knocking on the door of a church that has stopped listening to his voice. This is the church to whom Jesus said, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation (3:15-17)

This is evidence that even though we might have been a believer for a long time, we still have spells when we are not really listening. In one sense, that is what this passage is about … the church … one full of believers who have stopped listening. Isn’t it interesting that his request was for “anyone” on the inside of that door to hear him and invite him in!! And while this is a call to the churches to become on fire again, it is also about any believer who has learned to ignore what God is saying.

I listened to a story on the radio today from a man who was sitting in a church leadership meeting when the Lord spoke to him about the extra-marital affair that he thought he was getting away with. And the voice said, “Today is the day to come clean. It is time to trade your story of infidelity for God’s story of faithfulness and forgiveness.” The next day he revealed the truth to his wife, and a new story began.

Now that’s pretty serious. And maybe your situation is, too. Or maybe your story is completely different. Maybe it’s about your church. Or perhaps you personally have wandered away from God. Listen for his voice today. God has “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) But he does want you to hear his voice. He wants to continually write and rewrite your story. He does not want you to be lukewarm. He wants you to be all in.

Wherever you are in life … stop and listen. Invite him in. Dine with him and be nourished. Be changed. Be new.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is FRUIT

Mon-May-25-2020

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Our lives produce fruit by which we may either bless others or hurt them. We could wait until someone else acts as a “fruit inspector” and levels with us about the quality of the actions and attitudes we produce … or we could decide to look within ourselves and ask God if our fruit is wholesome and effective to touch and bless the lives of others.

For myself, I can read through that list of 9 characteristics and pretty quickly tell you which ones I am producing well, and which ones I am struggling with. How about you? Take a moment to read the list. What are your thoughts?

Jesus once commented about how to detect sincerity and godliness versus deception and dishonesty. “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-17)

Lest you be concerned that you might be stuck as a bad tree, consider this. In the biological world, a plant is what it is. A thorn bush can’t become a grape vine. But in the Kingdom/spiritual sense, God can take the old nature of a person and make it new. In other words, we were all born weeds (tainted by sin), but we can be born again, as a wheat. We may have produced bad fruit in the past, but God can transform us, and we will begin to grow good fruit … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Apple trees don’t have to make a concerted effort to grow apples. They grow them because that is the kind of tree they are. You and I can try all we want to grow certain kinds of fruit, but it is of no eternal benefit unless we begin by allowing God through salvation to give us a new nature. Then comes the fruit. The fruit is not a result of what we try to do, it is a result of who we are in Christ.

That doesn’t mean we don’t have to make an effort. After all we are actually people, not trees. We have choices, trees don’t. This leaves us with a mysterious combination of genuinely producing good fruit because God has heard our humble request to be reborn and has made us into a good tree, but also refining what we produce based on our tendency to stray from God’s purposes. God’s grace and our efforts work together, and by far the greater of these two influences is God’s grace!

The people around you observe and know you by your fruit.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is UNCONDITIONAL

Tue-May-12-2020

Having God’s unconditional love does not mean you have God’s unconditional approval. – Pastor Miles McPherson, former NFL player

While attending seminary I found a stray puppy one day and decided to rescue her. She was brown and black and fuzzy, possibly part German Shepherd. I took her home and fed her. Then I put her in the sink and cleaned off a lot of fleas and dried blood. Next, I took her to the vet to get rid of parasites from her bloated stomach and to give her immunizations to protect her future health. I named her Ginger, and eventually had a friend come forward who wanted to adopt her and give her a permanent home.

Here’s my way of saying what Pastor McPherson is trying to get at: ”God loves you just the way you are. But he loves you too much to leave you the way you are.”

Some folks interpret God’s unconditional love as requiring nothing in the way of change or improvement. They would contend that if God loves me the way I am, he’s not going to make me change or do anything. I am what I am. What you see is what you get.

But think of this … Suppose I take in this stray puppy but do nothing to “fix it up.” I tell my friends about my new puppy, and that she is really cute and lovable. So, they come by to see this little rascal but are astonished at her sickly appearance. Obviously, they would think that I didn’t care very much about its well-being. They would, in fact, think that I was cruel to take it in and then let it suffer through fleas, worms, sores, and malnutrition. If I really loved this puppy, then taking it in is not enough.

In terms of the love of God for us, being “saved” is only the beginning. When I took in Ginger the puppy, unconditional love was at work. I gave her a home when she was lost, unclaimed, and belonged to no one. That was her “salvation.” But that unconditional love also led me to nurse her back to health by fixing what was wrong.

God loves you unconditionally, which means he wants you to come home to him, but because he loves you unconditionally, he also wants to work on what is not healthy in you. Those of us who are looking for change and transformation can be encouraged today that it is available. God will meet us where we are and take us where we need to be. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

In the case of this helpless puppy, I took charge and worked on her problems. However, in our case, when God takes us in, and by his grace and our confession and faith, we receive salvation, God is not going to force us into change. We are not animals, but humans with a will and a choice.

So, yes, “God loves us as we are, but he loves us too much to ignore us and leave us like we are.” He lets his desires be made known, offering to lead us into health and well-being. He does not demand that we change or force us into it. He waits for us to want it and to seek it and to seek him. This is the way to life as we are intended to live it.

God in his unconditional love saves us and then leads us through the changes we must make to become the person we are intended to be. This is a life-long process. We may need to remind certain people what the unconditional love of God is really like – He loves us like we are, but he loves us too much to leave us like we are.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

(If you’re interested) … The Miles McPherson Story: The man behind the Pastor

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in March 1960, the second oldest of five children, Miles McPherson was raised on Long Island in a strong family. After excelling in football throughout high school, he attended the University of New Haven, where he majored in engineering. McPherson was the university’s first player to achieve All-American honors in football and be drafted into the NFL. Strong athletics run in the McPherson family; Miles’ brother, Don McPherson, was a Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1987.

Miles played four years in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers from 1982-1985. It was during this time that he developed a cocaine addiction that found the NFL star in a tailspin as he began feeding his habit.

After his second season in the NFL and after a weekend-long drug binge, he called out to Jesus Christ, accepted Him and stopped doing drugs in one day. This turnaround put him on the road to becoming a pastor.

Today’s Word Is FINISHED

Good Friday
Fri-Apr-10-2020

The foundation of our salvation is the combination of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. There is not one without the other. It would be like asking, “Which is more important, breathing out or breathing in?” The Crucifixion is the breathing out – getting rid of the carbon dioxide, the poison, the sin. Breathing in is the Resurrection – filling with oxygen, new life, the Holy Spirit.

Today we focus on the Crucifixion. It was foretold in prophecy in numerous ways. Isaiah Chapter 53 is all about Jesus … (v.3) He was despised and rejected by men — (v.4) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows — (v.5) But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities — (v.7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth — (v.9) although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth — (v.17) because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

King David said some prophetic things about Jesus in Psalm 22. And, among the seven “words” of Jesus from the cross, there is a quote from Psalm 22:1 … “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)

In my early years, I had to struggle and come to terms with that verse. Many explanations that I heard did not make sense to me. Like this one … because Jesus took on our sin, God had to turn away from him because he couldn’t look at all that sin. Well, my thought is that God looks at sin all the time. He may not like the sin, but it is in his people, and he loves his people.

Another thought I have is that I thought Jesus’ death on the cross was part of the plan. So why would God have to look away from Jesus as he carried out the plan they made together?

If you read all of Psalm 22, you discover by the end that although David felt in his humanity that God had forsaken him, David finally affirms that God was there for him, and he was not really forsaken, but he did feel like it. This is what I think Jesus was experiencing. He knew the plan, that he would have to go to the cross. But while on that cross, he felt alone and helpless. It’s not that God was now rejecting him, it’s more like he was experiencing from a human standpoint what death and suffering felt like.

Besides his human emotion on the cross causing him to cry out to God about feeling forsaken, there is another angle to this. If you read all of Psalm 22, you will see that, just like Isaiah 53, it is a description of Jesus, with many details about the Crucifixion.

Psalm 22 (v.7-8) All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” — (v.16) For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — (v.18) they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Now, the Pharisees and teachers standing at the cross should know about Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, right? And here is Jesus, dying on the cross as described in that Psalm. So, Jesus quotes the first verse as his expression of pain and helplessness. The teachers and rabbis who take students to school them in Scripture do an interesting thing. They will quote the first verse of a Psalm, perhaps, and the student is supposed to know the rest of the Psalm. It’s almost like Jesus is inviting them to quote the rest of the Psalm and discover that they are crucifying the Messiah … that they are, in fact, fulfilling a prophecy!

There is one other of the seven words of Jesus that relates to Psalm 22 … When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

He was, in effect, quoting the meaning of the last verse of Psalm 22 (v.31) They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”

Yes! Yes! Yes! He has done it! It is finished! To his last breath he was obedient!

This terrible, dark day of the Crucifixion is for you and me. And, since we are now 2,000 years removed and understand its meaning, it is in one sense both the worst day and the best day. We get tears and agonize over his suffering, while at the same time find ourselves filled with thanksgiving and praise. We know we are not worthy of such love, yet we love the Savior who did for us what we could not do for ourselves — paying the price for every sin we ever committed or ever will commit.

Glory to His Name!

Chaplain Mark

The Crucifixion and the Resurrection Work Together in Salvation

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures …” (1^st Corinthians 15:3)

And then … “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Today’s Word Is TEMPLE

Tue-Apr-7-2020

In the Old Testament, the Temple represented the presence of God as the center of the faith community. There was an outer court where people gathered, an inner court or Holy Place where sacrifices took place, and an innermost room, called the Holy of Holies, where the Spirit of God dwelt. In this innermost place was the Ark of the Covenant, a large golden chest, which contained a golden pot of manna from the wilderness, Aaron’s wooden rod which budded, and the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments.

Cloth partitions divided areas, including an enormous high and thick cloth surrounding the Holy of Holies. This was the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would go out from there to do Kingdom work in the land where God needed it.

By the time of Jesus, the Temple had become a marketplace of vendors selling various animals to be used for sacrifice, as well as various religious trinkets. Activity was especially great during Passover. And during the final week of Jesus’ life, he entered this commotion to right a wrong.

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-13)

The problem was that the hearts of the leaders were not right. In modern Western thinking, we consider that getting your heart right with God is about confession, attitude, positive thoughts, good intentions, and right beliefs. In the Jewish culture, the heart was a symbol of your will (your decision-maker). Thus, if someone wanted to check out whether your heart was right with God, they wouldn’t ask you what you believe, they would look at what kind of decisions you make, and what kind of activities are going on in your life. It was a contradiction to say that you loved God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and with praise and worship, and yet your life reflected something else.

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple signified that what was going on in this Holy Place was not consistent with their faith. What was believed about the meaning of the Temple did not match up with what you observed when you were there. The next verse after the cleansing of the Temple says this, “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.” (Matthew 21:14) Now that’s what is supposed to be going on in the Temple!

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, great storms and earthquakes took place. And during this violent weather, a strange thing happened. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:51)

My friend Charlie tells me this is the reaction of God to those who hated his Messiah so much that they would be the perpetrators of the crucifixion. The Jews had two practices that indicated their objection to something that was wrong. First, if there were someone making false claims or spreading bad teaching in the public places of discussion, listeners would bend over and pick up a handful of dirt and toss it in the air. (We would be more likely to “boo” them in our day.)

Second, if something blasphemous was said, they would tear their clothing. When Caiaphas the High Priest was interviewing Jesus, and Jesus said, “You say that I am,” (meaning the Messiah), Caiaphas stood and tore his robe in half, “top to bottom” (Matthew 26:65).

Well, when God tosses dirt in the air (earthquakes) and rips his clothing from top to bottom (the curtain in the Temple), he does it in a big way!!

What happened that day was that the Holy Spirit left the Temple in Jerusalem, and 50 days later at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to live in the hearts of believers. And that’s what happens to us when we repent, believe, and receive salvation … the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. Your spirit comes alive by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. (1^st Corinthians 6:19)

My wife had a revelation several years ago, in which it came to her that Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple is a reminder to us that we, too, need to keep the new temple (our lives) cleansed. Just as Jesus got rid of those who robbed the Temple of its holiness, so we must get rid of those things which rob us of the peace, joy, and good things of God. We look to see if the activities and atmosphere of our lives reflect the faith, love, and worship which dwells in and sounds forth from the holy place called “me.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is PURIFICATION

The Steps of Christian Maturity
Beatitude #6
Filtering Out the Junk
Tue-Feb-25-2020

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:8) (Beatitude #6)

In this series, I haven’t told you yet what the word Beatitude means. The dictionary says it is “a state of extreme happiness or bliss.” Each Beatitude starts with the Greek word “makarioi” [pronounced ma-kah-ree-oy] translated “Blessed.” But some versions translate it as “Happy.” To the Jewish reader in Jesus’ day, it was a word that meant to live a full life of trusting God, following his commandments, enjoying his blessings, and being thought of by others as a very blessed and happy person.

In our journey thus far, we have gone from humility, turning to God, releasing our old ways, being genuine and self-accepting, and becoming hungry and thirsty for the best life God has for us, to leaping forward into a life that shows mercy and compassion to others. In this process we are being transformed inwardly from a self-centered person into someone who is “pure in heart.”

This doesn’t mean perfect. We are human, and often must remind ourselves and others that “nobody’s perfect.” It is a way of admitting that all of us are right sometimes and wrong sometimes … and that’s OK. But as we change, we are becoming more like Jesus in our behaviors, attitudes, interests, and purposes. The word for this process is “sanctification,” meaning “being made holy.”

Growing up in my family in which my Dad was a pastor, I sensed an expectation from many sources that I was supposed to be perfect. And so, I tried … and failed miserably. Based on my personal experience, perfectionism is not recommended! There is a healthier way.

The Christian life is not about earning perfection, but rather is a relationship with God, who by his grace and through our faith, “clothes us with the righteousness of Christ.” He declares us to be acceptable in his sight because Jesus paid the price for it. (See Scriptures below.)

This “new life” has a purification aspect to it. It is not about being pressured into being perfect, constantly struggling and stressing, feeling unacceptable. Rather … it happens like this … as our life of faith gets better and stronger, we begin to lose desires for certain things we used to like that were bad for us. In addition, we see things in ourselves that hinder us and decide to lay them aside for his sake.

Think of the oil filter in a car. It removes impurities. And this is what the presence of the Holy Spirit within us is doing. Were there undesirable, unhealthy, or sinful things within you that you used to like and gravitate toward but are no longer interesting or tempting to you? As you mature in faith, you begin to be increasingly less interested in self-destructive things. This is what Jesus is talking about … the “pure in heart” … those persons who are having the “junk” filtered out of them.

Many years ago, I decided to switch from secular music to Christian music on the radio. It didn’t happen instantly! I tried a little bit at a time. After a couple of songs, I would have to go back to my rock-n-roll station. But more and more, the contemporary Christian station became my “go to.” Sometimes, I would listen to those good old songs from the 60’s and 70’s … the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel … but after two or three songs, I would have to go back to my Christian station, and I became blessed by that. Secularism was being “filtered” out of me. I still occasionally listen to those old songs, but my norm has changed.

And the more this purification happens, the more you “see God.” You see him more clearly for who he is, and you see him in many situations and people. You increasingly feel clean, alive, more interested in enjoying God’s way of life, and less interested in getting into hurtful behaviors that leave you with problems.

Today’s word is “purification” rather than “purity,” because it is more about a process than a demand for instant perfection. We still need to maintain those beginning steps of humility and genuineness, that hunger for more, and that merciful attitude, as we move on to higher levels of maturity.

Purity is a worthy concept, but be patient, purification takes time. In the meantime, are you feeling it? There is a new you, the best you, emerging.

May your life be blessed!

Chaplain Mark

CLOTHED WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

“… so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith …” (Philippians 3:8b-9)

“And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)

NOTE: If you have not read the previous articles about each Beatitude, you should scroll further down and read previous days’ entries and catch up. We are discussing the faith journey toward Christian maturity as described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Beatitudes … Matthew 5:2-10 (NRSV)

2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Today’s Word Is MERCIFUL

The Steps of Christian Maturity
Beatitude #5
Giving and Receiving Mercy
Mon-Feb-24-2020

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:7) (Beatitude #5)

Beginning at birth we all sing a song that goes like this … “It’s all about me, it’s all about me, it’s all about me, it’s all about me.” (You can make up your own tune.) You can also add a second verse, but of course it has the same lyrics as the first verse. From day one the demands are: feed me, change my diaper (especially when it contains a surprise), make me comfortable, hold me, rock me, pacify me. Repeat.

A narcissist is someone who never gets past the self-centeredness they were born with. Some narcissism is so extreme that such a person is like a sponge, soaking the life out of others and into themselves. In practical terms, this person is expensive to be around. Their demand for attention tends to increase over time. All the while you may begin suspecting that their interest in you may actually be based on selfish motives more than genuine appreciation and concern for you as a person.

What is missing in such a person’s life is the motivation and inspiration to jump the hurdle from self-centeredness to merciful. In the life of Christian faith and maturity which Jesus is describing in the Beatitudes, we have reached the point where that leap takes place. Jesus has spoken four blessings (Beatitudes) prior to this one … blessed are the poor in spirit (humble); blessed are those who mourn (letting go of what holds us back); blessed are the meek (genuine, at peace); and blessed are those who are hungry for right things and for things to go right.

In a way, this is the description of conversion to belief in Jesus … humility, confession, repentance, turning around, leaving the old life behind, and following him. For instance … Jesus said to him [the rich young ruler], “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21) … and also … [Jesus said to them], “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34)

These first four steps are about us as individuals becoming converted to and established in the faith. But now, in Beatitude #5, Jesus starts to describe the effect your new life has on your character and your desire to make a difference in the world around you The Holy Spirit moves in your heart because you feel blessed and as a result you become continually thankful. Then something springs forth from within you that wants to share this better life and to be a blessing to others. In other words, having been shown mercy by God, you become a merciful person toward others … like the song entitled “Pass It On” or the movie entitled “Pay It Forward.”

Now here’s the kicker … the favor you show to others gets returned to you. And these blessings come both from God and from others around you.

And here’s the paradox … we don’t receive this mercy by seeking it. If your motive for ministering to the needs of others is to cause them to be nice to you, it generally backfires. That’s because you are demonstrating not that you are a merciful person, but that you are a selfish person, more interested in your own needs than others.

The merciful person expects nothing in return, and yet receives in abundance.

Be merciful!