Can I Be Honest?

I was born with a strong sense of loyalty. I have recently thought about this and how my sense of loyalty may be overdeveloped. I am an extremely loyal person, which makes life difficult in a very disloyal world. If it helps you understand, you can exchange the words faithful and loyal.

I believe loyalty is one of the most under-taught and under-discussed attributes of the Christian life. As a result, we have a prevailing attitude that loyalty does not matter. Loyalty does matter. Through our loyalty, we show our love and devotion to Christ, His Church, friends, and family.

Before Jenna and I married, we decided to find a church we could serve in together. Both of us are pastors’ kids, so sitting was not an option. We wanted to work. We found a church where we fell in love with the pastor and his wife. I am blessed to still see them once a year. The church was not the style that either of us were used to. It was a little more formal than my upbringing. My wife was raised in a large church; this was a good size (200ish) but not large. There was a lot about it that did not fit what we wanted, but we fell in love with the pastors.

For the next three years, we served, supported, loved, and prayed for the shepherd God placed over us. My goal was to be loyal to him, and come hell or high water, we would stand and support them. I learned a lot of lessons under this godly couple.

Paul writes in 2 Cor 7:7 “His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!” (emphasis mine)

One of the challenges Paul dealt with in the Corinthian church was disloyalty to his leadership. Evidently, this loyalty issue has been around forever. So, is it Biblical to be loyal? Should there be a limit to our loyalty? What if we disregard the loyalty God wants in our lives?

First, Christ is always our example. Think of the loyalty He showed to the Father, to His calling, to His suffering, and His friends. This can also be seen in the Old Testament, as God remains loyal to Israel, even when they are not.

Second, our loyalty should be limited. I do not want anyone to be in a dangerous situation simply because of loyalty. I’ve never told someone who came to me for counsel that they should get a divorce. However, I have told some that they need to leave to protect themselves and their kids. I was loyal to an oil change/car repair shop. Then, they failed to put oil in my vehicle, and the engine blew. That’s not disloyalty; it’s wisdom.

Third, too many Christians believe God changes His mind more than He does. They blow in and out of churches like dust in the wind. Here today and gone tomorrow. There is no loyalty to a body. This is more disappointing than hurtful. When close friends are unfaithful or disloyal, it hurts.

Can I be honest? If you are like me, with an overdeveloped sense of loyalty, prepare yourself. You will be hurt. But that hurt should never cause us to move toward disloyalty or lead us to shut ourselves off from others. Embrace who you are. Be loyal. That’s how God made you.

If you struggle with loyalty, make it a matter of prayer. Ask God to give you a deeper sense of loyalty. Search Scripture for loyal and disloyal traits. What does God say about those situations? Find a church and a pastor, and be loyal. Be a loyal friend. Love when no one else will. Be willing to be vulnerable.

Prov 17:17 “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Fairness or Formation

Dear faithful readers, both of you, I want to express my deep gratitude. Over the past few months, life has not allowed me to write very often, though it is something I love to do. Writing relieves stress and allows me to express thoughts I cannot work into future Bible studies or sermons. With that said, I hope to write more frequently.

This past Sunday, my sermon dove into one of the most traumatic moments of my life. I have provided a YouTube link here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7AIa7EtfE In this message, I shared the story of my GPA Hamacher’s accident. I know, I know, I must be Irish. I was 5 years old when a drunk driver hit GPA’s truck. I will direct you to the video for complete details.

Suffice it to say one of my earliest memories was of significant trauma. We talk a lot about trauma these days. I will be the first pastor to shout that having a Pastor and a therapist is OK. Get the help you need. When I was growing up, counselors weren’t often spoken of; frankly, we would not have had the money to go that route. I learned to navigate this darkness on my own. Please note this was not something I lived with 24-7. As I thought about life, loss, and God’s fairness, it came and went.

If you’ve served God for more than a few days, you have likely said to God, “This is not fair.” We want God to be fair. Remember, fairness is defined by our minds and our way of thinking. It is subjective. In the end, God is more concerned with your formation than fairness.

Was it fair for Moses to put up with the people of Israel?

Was it fair for David to be wrongly accused by his son?

Was it fair for Paul to endure such an overwhelming life of tragedy and hurt?

Was it fair that Jesus had to die for the sins we committed?

The answer to all of these is a resounding NO! It was not fair, but formation is more important than fairness. In the natural, none of this is fair, but it does accomplish the will of the Father. Your tragedy, hurt, or loss forms you into the man or woman God wants you to be. I do not believe God is the cause of our suffering, but I know He is powerful enough to redeem my suffering. Think of the words of Joseph, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Gen 50:20

Note the last statement, “Save the lives of many people.” God has always been about salvation, indeed the salvation of the Jewish nation as a people. Yet, this all points to our ultimate salvation through Jesus Christ. Formation is hard. It hurts. Let the Lord redeem your hurts and bring life and light into your darkness.

I used this beautiful quote on Sunday in my message. It is taken from the book Treasures in the Dark by Katherine Wolf. She writes, “Ignoring loss, denying grief, numbing out pain, or strong-arming our souls into premature closure are all such tempting tactics…Before we can heal, we have to grieve what’s been lost…To take its full form, resurrection requires both life and loss” (pg 4).

“Resurrection requires both life and loss.” While we all want to avoid pain, that is natural; I do not want to miss out on a moment of God’s forming my life.

God redeemed my GPA’s accident. The tragedy turned into triumph the day he gave his heart to Jesus after the accident. He survived the accident but died about four years later. I know that I will spend eternity with him. God is a God of redemption. With eternity before us, God will even redeem my lost time with my GPA.

Though it was traumatic, walking through his accident at 5 taught me so much about trusting our good-good Father. So, my dear readers, rather than bucking the pain and crying out for fairness, maybe, just maybe, it is OK to embrace the pain and let God form us into His image.

Unity in Division

This past week, I preached a message about unity among believers. My title was “Biblical Connection,” with a text of Psalm 133. “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Psalm 133:1a

I want to approach unity for this week’s blog as it applies to those outside of our faith. How can we achieve unity amid so much division? How far do we go to achieve unity? What if those around me are antagonistic? These are some of the questions I will try to answer today.

It is no surprise to anyone that we live in a nation and a world marked by division. For those 35 and older, understanding the shift that defines disagreement as hatred is challenging. Of course, this is untrue, but as believers, we must learn to navigate that prevailing thought. I say this because our ultimate goal is not to achieve unity just for the sake of unity. Our goal is to clearly present the Gospel to those around us. We strive to do this lovingly, especially for those far from our belief system.

Here are a few basic principles, with some commentary along the way.

  1. Pray and fast, asking God to open doors for you to share your story. Everything we do as believers must be approached prayerfully. Doing so may defuse situations and attitudes before we begin.
  2. Approach people with humility. Remember who you were before Christ. Remember that you are not their Savior; that role is reserved for Jesus alone.
  3. Avoid divisive topics that have no bearing on salvation. I have very strong political views, but I do not go there. The profession of my political opinions could shut the door to sharing the Gospel. Is politics my goal or leading someone to Jesus?
  4. We can never compromise the Gospel for the sake of unity. Our love for others is best expressed in the truth of Scripture. I cannot accept someone’s life choices as OK if they contradict Scripture. However, I can respectfully and lovingly share God’s plan.
  5. Unity can only be achieved if I strive for it. I must humble myself and set aside my pet theologies. I need to keep my eye on this one purpose: showing others the way to Salvation.
  6. I do not and will not apologize for what the Bible says. I did not write it. It is God’s Word, not mine. I will use all my strength to guide others. I want them to understand my view of our gracious, merciful, loving God.
  7. Guard what you discuss or say in public. Do not let the words that come from your mouth be a detriment to your witness. Instead, pray the words of Psalm 19:14, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” NIV

These few principles are certainly not an exhaustive list. They are a guide to help us achieve unity with those who may disagree with us. In this supercharged, politically divisive culture, may we, the Church, live in humility. We must remember that our goal is not to be right on every topic. Instead, our goal is to show people the way to Jesus Christ.

Our Unity Builds the Kingdom. Now, go and share your faith with someone.

Who’s Incharge Anyway?

Due to my travel schedule this fall, I have not had time to post weekly. I will try to catch up. One will post today and another tomorrow.

In my last blog, we saw that David’s Psalm 122 discusses the house of the Lord. At that time, it was the Tabernacle. Psalm 127 also discusses the “house,” but now the Temple is built or in process. As you remember, God gave David the vision for building the Temple. However, his son Solomon was meant to carry it out. Now Solomon writes these beautiful words as a Psalm of Ascent.

I encourage you to read Psalm 127.

God is not alone in building His house or kingdom; He has called us to play a part. That is why this is a Psalm of Ascent. It reminds the children of Israel of God’s part and theirs. It further reminds them that they are working for the Lord, not the Lord for them.

Dr. George Wood wrote a short devotion for each Psalm of Ascent. To illustrate this point, he writes, “I am reminded of the man who sold his property to a developer. After the transfer of the title, the new owner showed up with bulldozers, a crane, and a wrecking ball. “What are you doing?” asked the former owner. “I thought you wanted this.” “Oh,” the new owner replied, “I don’t want the buildings, just the land. I’m going to put up something better.” (A Psalm in Your Heart, George O. Wood, 2008)

There comes a moment in every believer’s life when we realize a reconciliation is needed. What God wants for our lives and what we want for our own may not be the same. So, we must decide who the builder and assistant are. The work of the church is much the same. As a pastor, I may have a grand plan for the church’s future. However, we should not pursue it if it is not God’s direction.

God must be our central focus and our primary goal. I want to follow God in obedience more than I want to build a building or grow in numbers. This desire remains even if that means I sacrifice my plans. This remarkable fact remains: God does not want to do it alone, but often, we exchange our part for God’s.

Three themes emerge in these few verses: Trust, Rest, and Teach.

In verse 1, the theme of trust is illustrated in the words “unless the Lord builds.” We recognize that we cannot build anything truly lasting apart from God’s power and direction. That takes trust. It also reminds us that our priority must be building God’s Kingdom. Everything else is secondary.

Dr. Wood titles verses one and two as “Help from Above.”

Dr. Wiersbe asks the questions what and how are we building?

John 15:15 encourages us with these words. “I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

God does not leave us alone in this. We join hands with God and partner with Him. Together, we see our lives and His Kingdom built. The second half of this verse says, “unless the Lord protects.” Dr. Wiersbe writes, “Building and battling go together.” Noah built; God protected. Nehemiah built with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.

We move from our Trust in God to verse two, where we see our rest in God.  He says, “It is useless for you to work so hard.” This is human nature. When we remove our trust in God, we also remove our ability to rest. It becomes our project rather than God’s.

Sometimes, we fear that all we’ve worked for will fall apart if we rest. Is it not God holding it together anyway? God taught me this lesson during my first two years as pastor. I was afraid to take a day off or vacation because we had momentum. I worried that if I left, it would fall apart. As the next part of verse two says, I had anxiety over it. But overconfidence leads to overwork.

The Holy Spirit asked me, “Who is building this anyway?” God used two ladies in our church to confirm the word the Lord gave me. I will tie this back in under the next point.

God offers rest to his workers. Rest is also an act of trust. Here, too, God has a part, and I have a part. I must prioritize taking a day off; then, it is up to God to bring rest. Admittedly, I work a lot, but I try to the best of my ability to guard my day of rest. Trust and Rest go hand in hand.

Subsequently, we are called to teach the next generation what we have learned. Teaching emerges in verses 3-5. First, God reminds us that our children are a gift. I love giving my kids a hard time, but I cannot imagine life without any of them. My most important role as a father is to teach them the ways of the Lord, including Trust and Rest.

Teaching is also an act of trust. We trust the Lord to care for our children because sometimes they reject His plan for their lives. You remember earlier in verse 1, we trust God to protect what we are building. That includes your kids. For a moment, think of who is writing this: Solomon…he had a few kids. This speaks to the generational hand-off of God’s plan.

In verse 5, Solomon uses the terms of physical confrontation. There is a battle raging for your kids. Too often, Godly parents fight against God rather than with Him. They compromise God’s standards to keep their kids “happy.”

Being a teacher also calls us to be teachable. That has always been a prayer in my life. As a young pastor, I learned a valuable lesson from those two ladies.

Solomon directs us to trust, rest, and teach. In each of these, we have a part, and God has a part. May we never confuse the two.

Come and Worship

During October, we will shift our attention from the books of the Kings to the Psalms. Three of the Psalms we will study are written by King David, and King Solomon wrote one. Today, we begin with Psalm 122 as we look at An Invitation to Worship.

Psalm 122 is the second Psalm of Ascent. This remarkable collection of songs, from 121 to 134, prepares the hearts of God’s people. The songs ready them as they approach the temple mount for worship. They are physically ascending to the mountain of God and spiritually meeting with and honoring God. These are my favorite Psalms. They affirm who God is, what He has done, and a call to worship him.

Psalm 122 is among my favorites. It is An Invitation to Worship.

Read Psalm 122.

While I will explain aspects of this Psalm in detail, I want you to recognize its context, audience, and purpose. You can observe all these in the opening phrase. It says, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

The context is challenging. The children of Israel navigated rough terrain and faced dangers while walking to the Holy City to worship. Yet, they proclaim, “I was glad.” This is not just an emotion but a reflection of their attitude. How often do we come to God’s house but do not do so from a position of gratitude or joy? We should approach worship with an attitude of joy. I want you to realize again our privilege in worshiping our God.

Next, we see the audience. King David writes, “Let us go.” He is calling those around him to join in this pilgrimage. Our worship experience is communal. Yes, we are thankful that we can worship God alone anytime we want to. However, God created us to be in community. Unsurprisingly, the enemy fights hard to keep believers separated from the body. Busyness of life, misplaced priorities, laziness, and indifference all keep us from receiving the blessing of worshiping together. There is also an evangelistic aspect to this call. May we do everything possible to bring others with us as we worship.

Third, we see the purpose, the House of the Lord. That is our purpose: to come to the place where we meet with God together. Our purpose in worship is in the act of going to God. The House of the Lord refers to the Tabernacle, as the temple was not yet built. I want you to consider this for a moment. They were not in a grand structure but in a tent. But in that tent was the very presence of God.

The presence of God no longer dwells in a tent or a building of any kind. You can go to the grandest cathedral in Europe, which may be devoid of His presence. The Spirit of God is not in a building. He is in us. Therefore, when we join together, His Spirit is strong in the room because He is present in our lives.

As we study this Psalm more closely, I will use Dr. Wiersbe’s brief outline.

•            In verses 1-2, we see A Heart for God.

•            In verses 3-5, we see A heart for Praise.

•            In verses 6-9, we see A heart for Prayer.

These three things, God, Praise, and Prayer, express our greatest purposes as we come into the Lord’s House. Many commentators connect this earthly worship in Jerusalem to our ultimate worship in the New Jerusalem. This Psalm confirms the eternal temple in the eternal city. It highlights the eternal King on His eternal throne. We give Him our eternal adoration.

Dr Wiersbe writes, “A heart for God will surely be a heart filled with praise and prayer.” Why am I glad to come into this house? Because here I meet God, and I can praise Him and place my needs before Him. God’s house is a place of spiritual renewal and peace. Peace is the absence of conflict. Therefore, we must come into the house unified in purpose and expectation.

We must set aside our preferences for the betterment of the body. This is especially important for those who do not yet follow Christ. Worship style is irrelevant. It’s about Jesus. In this place, we pray, worship, and love God as we love, support, fight for, and listen to each other. What we do here weekly should not be from a place of form and ceremony.

Our united worship sets the atmosphere and welcomes the Holy Spirit to come and move among us. It brings in His power and authority. We set the atmosphere to receive salvation, healing, deliverance, and blessing from our Savior. So, let us commit ourselves to meeting with God. Let us praise Him for His infinite goodness. We should bring our needs before Him and expect an answer. Let us bring others with us as we have a standing Invitation to Worship.

Come and Worship!

Insecure

I once heard a speaker say that the most confident person can be brought to the knees standing in front of a room of teenagers. While we all have moments of insecurity in specific situations, what about spiritual insecurity? Spiritual insecurity may be defined as a lack of confidence in our God or our position as God’s children.

At some level, we all have spiritual insecurity. Some might define this as a lack of faith. I do not think that is an accurate way to phrase this. A lack of faith may result from our spiritual insecurity, but it is not the cause. Rather, our spiritual insecurity stems directly from one of these places…God or us in God.

King Saul often seems to be an example of what not to do, and so it is again today. Saul exemplified insecurity from the moment of his call. God called and anointed him, but he failed to believe in himself. Scripture reminds us that he hid among the baggage at his public anointing.

Read 1 Sam 15:17-23.

A lot is happening in these few verses, but I will explain this. I first want you to notice that Samuel the Prophet cuts off the King to give him a word from the Lord. Samuel knew who he was in God and walked in that authority. Thus, he was willing to approach the king and correct him. There are too many among us today who know God; they love God, but they fail to walk in the authority that is theirs.

Concerning insecurity, Samuel says, “You may think little of yourself.” Then he reminds Saul that he was chosen to be the King of Israel, God’s chosen people. He was to help wipe out sin in Israel, including destroying some of the evil nations around them. Instead, Saul increased the wickedness of his people and disobeyed God when it came to their enemies.

The challenge here is that Saul believed he had obeyed God. We see this often in our culture. The problem is we approach obedience through our standards rather than God’s. Someone asked me this week how I talk to an unbeliever about standards they see as morally wrong. I must remind them and myself that we do not follow men’s standards but God’s. God set the standard. I did not. My role is to be obedient to the best of my ability, even if those around me do not understand.

Saul believed he would honor God by sacrificing, so he disobeyed. God did not ask for sacrifices; he asked for obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Verses 22-23 are a poem with a pronouncement of judgment in the final two lines. Samuel reminds us that obedience is better than sacrifice, a principle repeated repeatedly in the NT.

Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

In his first epistle, 2:4, John writes, “If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.”

I wonder where Saul’s insecurity comes from. Arrogance is often a mask of insecurity. Humility, then, is a mark of security in God. You all know there are many places where Saul seems like a real jerk. He was arrogant, yet Samuel says, “You think little of yourself.”

Saul argues with Samuel and tries to justify his disobedience. Sacrifices are good, but not to the detriment of better things. Samuel calls Saul to examine his motivation for sacrificing. At this time, a sacrifice was a ritual to physically show one’s devotion to God. That can’t be bad, right? It is when God says destroy the enemy and keep no plunder.

I think here Saul’s arrogance and insecurity collided. Saul wanted to save face and show his authority in front of Israel, but actual authority is demonstrated in humility and obedience. Saul was confused. Being religious does not make you righteous.

Saul stands at Gilgal, where he was called king, and now the kingdom is removed from him there. Throughout his life, Saul failed to recognize his success was the power of God in him. When he met the prophets on the road as a young man, the Spirit of God came to him and empowered him.

Like Saul, we are all insecure. There are moments when we do things our way out of fear of failure, lack of trust, to save face in front of those watching, or the fact that we do not recognize our authority is in humility.

We are all insecure at times, so how do I live in confidence rather than insecurity?

First, know who God is.

Second, know who you are in God.

Third, Live like it.

Hope for Fear

We live at a unique time in Christian history, a time that demands our vigilance. The signs are clear, and every believer who is paying attention will realize that Christ’s return is very near. It’s a truth that has resonated with every generation of believers, and it’s a truth that we must not forget. The spirit of antichrist has always been present in the world, and it’s a reality that we must be constantly aware of.

1 John 4:3 “But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

How is it that the spirit of the antichrist has always been in the world? Quite simply, Satan is not all-knowing. Therefore, he has always had a person, or persons prepared if there is an opportunity. After all, his goal is the destruction of Israel and the Church of Jesus Christ. This is even more clearly understood when we connect Messiah’s birth with the house of David and His connection to Israel.

In 2 Kings 11:1-3, we see the story of Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Her husband dies, and then her son is killed. She walks into a sudden power vacuum. Her goal is to destroy every descendent of the line of David, many of which are her grandchildren. One of her daughters hides her infant nephew, Joash. In so doing, she protects the line of David and Jesus Christ.

Years later, the book of Esther (Esther 3) introduces us to Haman the Agagite, a descendent of King Agag of the Amalekites. Saul was instructed to wipe out this tribe, but he refused. Now, Saul’s people, the Jews, are facing destruction from Haman. Once again, killing the Jews will cut off the line of the future Savior. But, again, God had a person ready to step in. Esther’s cousin makes this prophetic declaration…emphasis mine.

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13b-14

God always has a plan to protect His children. Protection does not mean that we will not experience trials and tribulation. We only have to look to believers around the world to see the difficult tribulation that is occurring now.

Yet, as followers of Jesus, we must preach hope, not fear. I am not afraid of the upcoming election. My hope is not in government. I am not scared of the future. My hope is not in the things of this world. I am not afraid of the coming antichrist. My hope is now and will always remain firmly rooted in Christ Jesus.

Dr. Craig Keener writes in his book Not Afraid, “We in the West have too easily bought into the lie that because God loves Christians, we will be spared tribulation.” He goes on to emphasize that we must be ready. “Being ready does not mean stockpiling food and weapons in the mountains. Being ready means that we are completely sold out to Jesus and ready to testify for Him no matter what our situation.”

The world is selling fear. Too many in the Church are selling fear. Followers of Jesus are to be filled with hope. As the modern chorus states:

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There’s salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There’s salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ, my living hope

MY LIVING HOPE – Phil Wickham

Sins of Fathers and Sons

My sermon this past Sunday was titled “Learning to Surrender.” Submission to God is a very difficult thing. We want what we want and often do not care or think of the consequences. There are also moments when we are called to surrender circumstances that are not our own. A good friend often says, “I didn’t break it, and I can’t fix it.”

What if we are called to surrender our worry about someone close to us? In my message, I brought up our kids as one example.

I Samuel gives us two examples. First is Eli and his sons. Eli was one of the last judges of Israel and was a priest. I Samuel 2 tells us this story. Eli’s sons were evil. They seduced women in the Tabernacle and stole from the sacred sacrifices. While Eli is righteous, his sons are not. So, God raises Samuel to be the final judge of Israel.

In 1 Samuel 8, we see that Samuel is now old, and the situation is repeating itself. Samuel’s sons were also wicked men. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. It does seem that Samuel kept his boys from serving as priests. I suppose that is something. Perhaps he remembered the sins of Eli’s family and how God wiped them out.

Whatever the reasons, the children of Israel came to Samuel and asked for a king to rule them. They wanted to look like the nations around them. Samuel took this request to the Lord, who instructed him to do as they had asked.

I want to focus on these two connected accounts and show that there was a righteous father and wicked sons in both places. Parents, you are not responsible for the sinful choices your children make. Be released from the guilt. It only serves as a way for the enemy to keep you discouraged.

Where does this idea originate?

The Law of God stated that the Father’s sins would be placed on the sons to the third and fourth generations. In the same way, a father is guilty of his son’s sin. He should raise his kids to know better. This Scripture gives us the often-cited idea of generational curses. Oh, how the Christian world has latched onto this idea and run with it…even using it as an excuse for sinful behavior.

The problem is Ezekiel 18 undoes what was written in the Law. Here, the prophecy states that you will no longer say this. Instead, the father is guilty of his sin, and the son is guilty of his. Ezekiel is teaching personal responsibility and destroying the poor theology of generational curses. As a point of clarification, the Law and Ezekiel are both Old Testament. Yet, many bring that idea into the New Testament context.

That, too, will not hold up. Galatians 3:13 reminds us that Jesus became the curse for us and broke the curse of the law and sin in our lives. I find it counterproductive for believers to pronounce that they are under a curse. How foolish. Why would I profess to have what Christ Himself bore and broke for me, especially since most believers understand the power of our words?

Some might say yes, but what about generations of cancer or alcoholism? These things certainly affect the fallen world we live in. I would also agree that there is a place and a need for deliverance in our world. Maybe more than ever before. My mom died of cancer at the age of 60. If, God forbid, He allows me to also die of cancer, do I believe the Lord has cursed me or has allowed the enemy to curse me? Do I think the sin of my great-great-grandfather causes this cancer? ADAMENTLY NO!

Perhaps it is somewhat semantic. Maybe it is our reality colliding with our beliefs.

According to Scripture, this must then connect with the idea of sons, fathers, and guilt. Parent, you are not responsible for your adult child’s choices. Their relationship with God is theirs. You cannot save them. You can intercede for them and give the situation over to the Lord, trusting that He will faithfully pursue your prodigal.

I realize many Christians will disagree with me, and that’s okay. We learn by studying diverging thoughts and beliefs. I have studied this for many years. Mainly because I see the result of the guilt parents walk in and the tendency to blame our bad behavior on generational sins.

Therefore, I have included the following article for those who want to study my opinion more deeply. Whether you choose to do so or not, do not allow your children’s actions to condemn you. Pray for them. Believe in their salvation but surrender them to God. Only He can save them.

Article: Generational Curses by Dr. Opal Reddin

https://dividingword.net/Original Sin/Generational curses.html

Dr. Reddin taught at the Bible College I attended. Though I never sat under her. She retired the semester before I arrived.

Imitate

The word “imitate” means to take on the characteristics of someone or something.

The imitation never fully rises to the original’s authenticity but makes that its goal.

In 1 Cor 11:1, Paul writes this encouragement, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

Imitation comes through both words and action.

This could be difficult in Bible times as the written Word of God was partial and not always accessible to the everyday person.

The Jews began the tradition of memorization.

Psalm 119 is the most unique chapter in our Scripture.

It is unique in its format, approach, subject matter, and purpose.

Ezra likely wrote Psalm 119 in the post-exilic era.

Though some do believe that David wrote it.

More likely, it is influenced by David’s writings and his life, but not written by him.

W S Plumer cites Clarke in his commentary, “Several of the ancients, particularly the Greek fathers, have considered it as an abridgment of David’s life…”

I see and hear David throughout this Psalm but recognize that it was written later.

Bishop Cowper calls it “A holy alphabet, so plain that children may understand it – so rich and instructive that the wisest and most experienced may learn something from it.”

The purpose of this Psalm is to learn the Word in an easily memorized format.

Its uniqueness stems from its format, following the Hebrew Alphabet letter by letter, each with eight lines, and each stanza begins with the corresponding letter.

Its focus is unique because it highlights the Word of God in some way in all but 3 or 4 verses.

Matthew Henry states, “This Psalm is a chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links.”

In other words, there is continuity and uniqueness in every stanza.

They do not necessarily fit together as links in a chain.

They are beautiful nuggets meant to inspire and help us fall in love with God’s Word.

Internalizing the Word of God is one of the greatest keys to our imitation of Christ.

Let’s read a few of the 176 verses in this Psalm.

Much of the imagery used in this Psalm connects the Word of God to food.

Just as we need food to sustain our physical bodies, so we need God’s Word to sustain our spiritual bodies.

The Word of God Sustains Us.

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.”

Jesus echoes this idea in His response to Satan’s temptation.

Matt 4:4 “But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The Word of God Matures Us!

Psalm 119:1 “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.”

The book of Hebrews reminds us, “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” Heb 5:12-14

The Word of God Protects Us.

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Peter, writing to Christ’s followers in modern-day Turkey, reminds us that the Word is a foundation for those who follow Christ but is a point of stumbling for those who are disobedient.

2 Peter 2:8 “And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.”

When we are obedient to the Word, we will not stumble but walk confidently in our faith.

The Word Directs Us.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

It helps us see clearly.

As I mentioned earlier, only a handful of verses do not mention some aspect of the Word of God.

The Pulpit Commentary gives us nine topical themes from this Psalm.

V1-24 – The Blessing of Obedience

V25-48 – Spiritual Enlargement

V49-72 – Comfort in Affliction

V73-96 – Human Need and the Divine Sufficiency

V97-120 – Knowledge and Action

V121-136 – Looking to God

V137-160 – Earnestness

V161-168 – True Things

V169-176 – God’s Salvation

We desperately need to fall in love with the Word.

Here, the Psalmist expresses a deep love for God’s Word by reading, meditating, and praying through it.

Too often, followers of Jesus want to be more like Him; they want a Word of encouragement from Him, and they want to be used by Him but are unwilling to live in His Word.

The Word of God is where your discipleship begins and continues until you are with the Lord.

We can only imitate Paul as he imitates Christ if we live in the Word as they both did.

This morning, many in this room are desperate for peace, joy, answers, or direction.

Your path to finding those things begins when you sit at Jesus’s feet, with His Word in hand and your heart open to hear the voice of the Spirit.

Psalm 119:12 encourages us with this simple declaration and prayer, “I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.”

Let us strive to imitate Christ.

All Scriptures are NLT.

This blog is an adaption of the sermon I preached at C3AG, Louisville, August 8, 2024.

A Happy Little Ditty from Hell

Fear is real! Fear is rational. Fear is irrational. Fear causes pain. Fear causes anxiety. Fear is a part of life. It can raise its head without warning…one phone call…one conversation…one moment can shift us from a place of peace to a place of fear. God does not want us to be controlled by fear, as it is the opposite of trust. Still, it is a normal emotion that we all deal with.

Let me say from the beginning that if you deal with uncontrollable fear, seek help. It is OK to have a Pastor and a counselor. Just as our bodies can be broken and need medication, so can our minds.

When I was little, 4 or 5, I had an irrational fear of storms, likely from growing up in Tornado Alley, the plains of Missouri. I was also petrified of the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz. Whoever decided this was a kid’s show needs to be flogged. In that scene, Dorothy tries to find shelter from an impending tornado. Eventually, she is knocked on the head by something.  When she opens her eyes, her home is in the twister, and she sees the people from her life pass before her. That includes the evil neighbor, Ms. Gulch, riding on her bike. She becomes the Wicked Witch.

As if this scene were not scary enough for kids, they added a song that intensified the moment’s emotion. Once my older brother realized this scared me, he would run around twisting and humming that happy little ditty from hell every time there was a storm. This frightened me even more. Today, I love storms, but I can still remember what that fear felt like.

King Jehoshaphat encountered a situation that brought great fear to him and the nation.

2 Chronicles 20:1-4 reads, “After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help. NLT

The word used here is “terrified,” which means extreme fear. Considering this, you might think Israel would turn and run. They did turn but did not run. They turned to their God. The King called the nation to a time of prayer and fasting. It’s always a great place to start. Israel followed the spiritual leader of their king. They were often running to the gods of other nations. Jehoshaphat was a righteous king who led a great spiritual revival in Israel. So, it is unsurprising that he was willing to turn to God immediately.

Verse 29 of this chapter turns the situation on its head. “When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them.” Israel’s trust in God causes fear to fall on the enemy nations. That’s how God works. When we trust him, He helps us, even at times, placing that fear on our enemies.

The key is our willingness to submit to God through prayer and fasting, asking for His will rather than our own. That is easier said than done, but you must never forget that you are not alone. God is always with you in every situation and place of fear. Turn to him and trust.

So, the next time you are overwhelmed with fear, turn to God, pray, fast, and see what God will do for you!

Cover image created using AI.