365 Reflections

What Christian hasn't been there? You live with those nagging doubts that perhaps you misheard God, perhaps you didn't follow the plan He wanted, perhaps you messed up at some juncture in the past and the pain you presently feel is a sign you're off target.  If you've been there, you're in good company. Jeremiah was there in Jeremiah 20.  Jeremiah 20:7 (ESV)  O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. The first thing we do when our ministry or lives don't go as planned when we have set out to serve God is to question whether or not God actually spoke or even if we misheard him. Jeremiah takes it a step further, he claims God deceived him. What does it mean to be deceived by someone but to consider that your actions were the result of someone deliberately leading you down the wrong path. Jeremiah feels overpowered by God's Word.  Perhaps Jerem...

David's flight from Saul is one of incredible detail. We see where he goes, who he meets, what he wants and where he ends up. Why? Because we are looking at a moment in David's life where his faith waned and his strength was sapped. Like all of us, he found himself making questionable decisions along the way. First, we see David lie to the Priest for the purpose of self-preservation: 1 Samuel 21:2 (ESV) And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. He hasn't been sent by the King, he's running from him. Then we see David want and secure a sword. And what an ironic choice he's given: 1 Samuel 21:9 (ESV) And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a c...

Judges 21:1–5 (ESV) Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” 2 And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3 And they said, “O Lord , the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” 4 And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord ?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” The book of Judges ends in infamy. The tribe of Benjamin is utterly decimated by the civil war fought against them by the other tribes for the horrific events of Judges 19. On top of that, the people have sworn an oath to no longer intermarr...

Deuteronomy as commentary from Moses on what's happened so far in the history of Israel illuminates a very interesting point for their journey. It's Numbers 13-14. The time when the Lord told Moses to select 12 leaders and send them in to spy out the land. Here's a bit of insider information we get from Moses on what really transpired in that moment... Deuteronomy 1:21–24 (ESV) S ee, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord , the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ 23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe. 24 And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out. It is an important piece of informa...

In Numbers 20 things don't go much better from Moses' failure to the next scene. Miriam dies in verse 1, Moses fails to honor God and loses out on the Promised Land and now another setback looms on the horizon. Moses has to lead the people of Israel through the territory of Edom. These are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Most are familiar with the heated nature of that relationship but also how the two brothers resolved their differences in the end.  Moses knows well this tenuous relationship and acts incredibly diplomatic sending a nicely worded transcription to Edom's leaders. Numbers 20:14–17 (ESV)   Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we cried to the Lord , he heard our voice and sent an angel and brough...

For all the attention Numbers 13-14 get, we miss a huge blessing if we do not read on to Numbers 15. Yes Numbers 13-14 were a defining moment for Israel. It was a stain on their history. It separated the winners from the doubters. The incident of Kadesh Barnea has been preached about to many a congregation who has been tempted to stop believing God for more, better and higher levels of effectiveness. It has encouraged many Christians to stay strong in faith and not doubt even when facing the giants in their lives. But let's be honest. We have all had our own personal or community failures like that of the Numbers 13-14 events. Sad to say we have not always believed God as we should. Some of us live with regrets based on past mistakes. But let us not lose sight of this one thing: God will do what He said He would do. As quickly as judgment comes upon the rebellious generation, God has a renewed word for the generation to come: Numbers 15:1–5 (ESV)   The Lord spoke to Moses...

What is it about us? Why are we so prone to negative thinking? Numbers 13:1–3 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. Moses sends the leaders of the tribal families of Israel into the promised land. This land that was promised according to the covenant God made with Abraham back in Genesis 15. It's already been agreed upon. There's no doubt, according to God, Israel will possess this land.  But even the spying out of the land was a step in the wrong direction. Numbers 13 makes it sound like spying was God's idea. But all Numbers 13 is doing is picking up a conversation recorded in Deuteronomy between Moses and the people.  Deuteronomy 1:22–25 (ESV) ...

There are those who investigate God simply to find new ways to deny Him. This is the case of Pharaoh's hardened heart in Exodus 9. We are 5 plagues in to the Exodus and Pharaoh's own advisors have spoken against his willful arrogance. He has seen the evidence now for two of the five plagues that God is distinguishing between Egypt and Israel. The plague on the cattle is the second plague in a row in which all of Egypt suffers while Israel lives peacefully. The signs cannot get much clearer for this rebellious man. Pharaoh does something interesting concerning the fifth plague too. It reads: Exodus 9:7 (NLT) Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn, and he still refused to let the people go. What did Pharaoh do after the plague? He went to investigate if indeed it happened just as the Lord had spoken through Moses. It had. And all Pharaoh did from this m...

Exodus 7 is a bit of a turning point in the story. It moves from the story of the man God would use to the story of redemption God will perform. Here's God's commission to Moses and Aaron: Exodus 7:2–4 (ESV)   You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. What a job. God first says, "Say all I command to Pharaoh." Then God says, "And I want you to know he will not listen to you." If that were my assignment I'd wonder what was the point! But herein lies the secret to works for God for those He has called. You are not in charge of results, you are simply assigned the task to speak. No one can m...

Exodus 6 contains a short conversation between God and Moses that seems like a rehash of what transpired at the burning bush a few chapters earlier. It has the same statements but there are contextual differences that make it plain: this is a new conversation about an old topic. Exodus 6:10–13 (ESV) So the LORD said to Moses, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” 13 But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Moses has been in active ministry now for a few days. They have been hard days. He's been believed and rejected in a matter of moments. The words he speaks to the people are falling on deaf ears. Notice the horrible stature of their hearts in v...

Dips happen. They are inevitable in whatever you put your hand to do. If you're ever going to step out for God, whether it be starting a business, church or class, entering marriage, beginning parenting or the adoption process ... whatever it may be, get ready for some dips. But please note in the dip: You MUST NOT quit. Moses steps up to the plate against this own desires to do what God wants. He approaches Pharaoh ONCE and all hell breaks loose. Pharaoh turns on the Israelites and the Israelites turn on him. Dips are inevitable. And they can prove incredible. The people who give in to the dip often don't realize what is about to happen in their lives! A dip is by definition and temporary event. It comes and goes. Those who press through the dips get to new heights. This is especially true for God's chosen! Moses does what we need to do in the dip. He goes to God and he gets a firm reminder from God about what He is going to do. God starts to talk about Himself an...

The cowering lowly Moses who ran from the first sign of terror in his life has come storming back into Pharaoh's court and demanded the release of Egypt's most valuable commodity - the slave labor force of the Israelites. Exodus 5:1-3 (ESV) Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold ta feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” What changed Moses from the man we saw at the beginning of chapter three to this man standing before the most powerful man in the world and speaking with such authority? He met with God. Look at Verse 3: ...

Genesis 50:23 (ESV)   And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. We usually end our studies of Genesis by looking only at Joseph's words concerning the things his brothers meant for evil but God used for good. But the book doesn't end there. There is something more to be said. Before the end of the story, there is this curious mention of Joseph's life as it comes to a close. He sees his children's children's children's children.  What does Joseph get as a result of the work of God in his life? He gets a big family.  The Hebrew wording of Genesis 50:23 is unique. The english version above doesn't translate well. The idea is of intimate familial relationships. It is literally translated,  "the children of Machir (Joseph's grandson) were born on Joseph's knees." That is, as a great-great-grandfater, Joseph bounced those children on his kn...

When Jacob passes away a very touching moment is recorded between him and Joseph. Some notable things do not happen as well. Genesis 50:1–3 (ESV) Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. Genesis 50:10 (ESV) When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. The first 14 verses of Genesis 50 record a very long process of mourning and burial for Jacob. Egypt mourns 70 days! Pharaoh commissions Joseph to carry him to Canaan for burial and there Joseph mourns another seven days. The inhabitants see the mourning and say something particular:  Genesis 50:11 (ESV)  Whe...

In Genesis 49, Jacob shares his last blessing with his youngest son Benjamin. The son born to him at his wife's death at his old age. Here's what he says about Benjamin's tribe: Genesis 49:27 (ESV)   “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.” The tribe of Benjamin's blessing is odd in comparison to the character trait Benjamin the boy possessed in the Genesis narrative. In fact, all we've seen of Benjamin is passivity throughout the entire drama that has played out between his maternal brother (Joseph) and paternal brothers (10) of jealousy and rage. Benjamin hasn't even said a word. But Jacob's blessing is going to play out in Benjamin's tribe in surprising accuracy. The tribe of Benjamin does become ravenous and wild. The accounts of the book of Judges reveal a hedonism and disregard for human life that would shock any society (see Judges 19). Benjamin would produce the arrogant and p...

We label Thomas the doubter but he wasn't the only one. There were many. First of which in the Bible was the man who would be named Abraham. Genesis 15:1–6 (ESV) After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God , what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord , and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:7–8 (ESV)  And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of t...

Genesis 12:10–13 (ESV)   Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” On the surface of things, this moment in Abram's life is really bad. He totally gives in to the pressure of the circumstances by fleeing to Egypt. Then he connives his way to prosperity even using his wife as some kind of "slave-trade" leverage. He failed God. No doubt about it.  But let's be honest, Abram has been facing some severe pressures... and having nothing to eat was the last straw.  - He lost his father. - He left his homeland. - He couldn't settl...

Will a miracle make someone believe? The answer is no. A miracle does not make you believe. The obvious evidence is that after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, those who did not believe in Jesus saw it and doubled down on their efforts to kill him and now the resurrected Lazarus! Psalm 78 is proof positive of the stubborn heart of man when it comes to faith and miracles. The first 31 verses recount all the miracles God had done for Israel... rescuing them from slavery, feeding them in the wilderness, water from the rock... splitting the sea... amazing wonders. But no matter what God did, they kept rebelling and refusing to trust Him... Psalm 78:32 (ESV) In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe. So if miracles and wonders do not cause belief, what does?  Look at what it says two verses later! Psalm 78:34 (ESV) 34 When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. What? Whe...

The 14th Psalm opens with very familiar words, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" It then describes the ungodly: They are corrupt, do evil. They don't seek or understand God. They turn away from Him, they do no good. They hurt the people of God. Not all atheists do all those things. But they at least do one of them. How do you answer an atheist? Sometimes we want to argue our point. That makes us feel smarter. Sometimes we want to pray for a miracle to happen. But they will dismiss that as easily as the miracle of a new born baby. Sometimes we want to prove we are more patient and better behaved. But that never works, we are saved by grace. The Psalmist provides a great answer to the atheist in this Psalm: Here it is: Live with God. Don't answer Atheism with believism. Answer it with living in the presence of God, without fear, without worry, without falling apart or getting overly worked up about the state of the world. Notice Ver...

Psalm 9 and 10 are actually one long acrostic hymn. The letters of the Hebrew Alphabet in order (minus four) form this beautiful piece of literature. The first 12 verses proclaim confident faith in God. He is good and He reigns and He defends the Psalmist. The next 4 verses are a cry for help from God in the presence of his enemies. Verses 17-20 are confident expectation that God's action will be soon and swift. Psalm 10:1-11 decry the evil and violence of the wicked. Psalm 10:12-15 he prays earnestly for God's intervention. Psalm 10 ends with three verses of confident hope and enduring faith: Psalm 10:16–18 (ESV) The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17 O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. This 2 part hymn can sum up a great deal of our Christian experienc...