Christ leads

At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

Numbers 9:23

God led Israel in the wilderness in the most visibly apparent way. After the tabernacle was completed, God's presence filled the sanctuary, manifesting God's glory by a cloud hovering over the tent by day, and a fire by night. When God desired Israel to move to another encampment, the cloud over the tabernacle lifted. And Israel obediently packed tents, possessions, and family and made the move. They very literally followed the Lord.

It seems from the text that they were not given advance warning. The cloud lifted and they journeyed on, not knowing to where they would go, but confident that God was leading them. It was really quite an arrangement of faith. They still trusted God (albeit He miraculously and visibly displayed His presence) for what they did not know, which was WHERE they would go. And that is the picture of faith that I am reflecting upon today.

Israel did not have it "better" with their cloud and fire visibility of God. They still had to keep the Law and offer animal sacrifice for sin, even if the trade off was emprically verifiable irrefutable evidence of God. I'll still take New Testament faith! Here's why: Jesus is historical. That's a type of visibility. He really lived in human history, just like for Israel an actual cloud and fire hovered over the tent of meeting. I cannot comprehend Him with eyes or ears or hands, but His evidence in history is as irrefutable as the existence of Abraham Lincoln.

And Jesus leads by His Word. It is as accessible to me as a cloud that I could see. Its direction is powerfully clear, so clear in fact that I am kept in line by what I understand of it every day, even if some parts take a little more effort for me to comprehend. What I do know and understand will keep me busy my entire life! And since Christ leads me so powerfully and knowably, I would say tangibly through my bible I hold in my hands, I will trust what He shows me there; I will do what He says because He has freed me from the Law and forgiven all my sin.

words of eternal life

For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.

John 12:49-50

In this declaration, Jesus makes an amazing claim: He only obeyed all that God the Father told Him to speak. His every word is the Word of God. This is why the Father could also testify of the Son, both at His baptism and the Transfiguration: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. All of you... listen to Him!" When Jesus spoke, the very Word of God that made the universe and planet earth, the word that commanded the sun, moon, and stars to appear out of nothing was speaking in Jesus.

Jesus claimed that every word He spoke to the disciples, to the crowds, even to the Pharisees and gentiles, was what the Father commanded Him to speak. So as we read the gospels, we are seeing what God has spoken in Jesus. Jesus said that the outcome of His Word was nothing short of eternal life. So it is true that if we really want to know what it is to live forever, we better listen to and obey the words of Jesus. To seek Jesus is to find life.

Lord Jesus,

Today I seek to hear Your words. And in so doing, I will find You not in a strange internal nudge, or in the dew shining on a flower petal, nor in the smile of a child. I will find You in the Word of God, as You ARE the Word of God, speaking God's Word because Jesus... You are God! The gospels are Your Word to me. They are precious, for in You is my life. You want me to live with You Whose Words are eternal life. And as I trust in You Who died for me so that I may live, I will let Your words guide me to share the good news to a world that needs to know You died and now live again so that we might have the words of eternal life.

Amen

strength to finish the good confession

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

Paul sent these words to Timothy as he labored as a young minister of the gospel, but I find they fit any stage of ministry, and are encouraging not just for new ministers, but also for seasoned old dogs like me! One of the dangers of long-term vocational ministry is settling into complacency. I have to fight it from time to time. It is a great thing to love and serve people faithfully over many years, and I dearly see it as one of the unique blessings of my life. But it is also dangerous. If a person is not careful, they can rely on old actions rather than new proclamation of the gospel. You can catch yourself spending relational capital with familiar people too quickly rather than investing in harder gospel ministries to new people.

Pastors and all Christians who are committed to serving Christ with their gifts must always pursue what is right, seeking to live godly lives, living by faith, loving people, staying steadfast in faithfulness to Christ and His gospel, and gently fighting the good fight! It is in so doing that we hold to the gospel and hence to the good confession we made of it when we first believed. That should never change.

Lord,

I thank You that this admonition to Timothy holds true for me. And help me to model it faithfully, finishing ministry well. I don't want to fade into irrelevancy concerning the gospel. I don't want to burn out, neither do I want to rust out... I want to be known as a man who faithfully, gently, yet passionately held to the good confession of the gospel and in that way fought the good fight.

Amen

what God desires

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6

God wanted His people to respond to Him in a relationship of love. But their desire was fleeting. Like a foggy morning mist, their love for Him burned away quickly after sunrise (Hosea 6:4). They ran after other gods the way Hosea's whoring wife, Gomer, ran after other lovers.

But God was faithful to Israel even if they were not faithful to Him. He sent them prophet after prophet whose messages cut them down, humbled them, and called them to repent so that they would love God again (Hosea 6:5). But they were sinners in the tradition of Adam. They could not keep the covenant. If any change would be permanent, it would have to be the Lord's doing. God promised to restore the nation, not because they were faithful, but because He is faithful (Hosea 6:11)

And relationship with Him is what God gave us in Christ. He poured His grace to us in the sacrifice of His Son because our sacrifices could never restore us completely. He sent His Son, the Word, so that we might see, hear, and know God revealed. In Jesus is the knowledge of God. Since God desires gracious love and knowledge of Him, He sent His Son to die for our sins so that we might know Him and receive His grace. In Jesus I have what God desires.

fearing the LORD

The fear of the Lord leads to life,

and whoever has it rests satisfied;

he will not be visited by harm.

Proverbs 19:23

A life of worship, respect, obedience, and receiving the mercies and grace of God awaits those who fear the Lord. Really, who would NOT want these things? Fearing the Lord leads to life. It begins with an act of faith... believing that Jesus died for my sins, I trust only Him to save me and provide the life perspective that I desperately need. He only is the satisfaction sacrifice for my sins. Jesus only provides abundant life and satisfaction for my soul. I will rest in that.

I have dedicated my heart to trusting this truth from my childhood. It has never let me down. Individuals have disappointed me, my own misplaced expectations have let me down, and occassionally churches have made huge blunders, but all those things occurred from NOT fearing the Lord. Following Jesus has never disappointed me, even as it has challenged me. It isn't always an easy thing, but I do rest quite satisfied to be a disciple of Christ. I don't live in anxiety when I "fear" the Lord.

Lord Jesus,

I thank You for this life that You have given me and to all that fear You. May I live and proclaim Your greatness. Thank You for the rich satisfaction that only comes in and by You. Thank You for the security of forgiven sin, abundant life and eternal life in You!

Amen

generations set free

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

that he looked down from his holy height;

from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die,

Psalm 102:18-20

This is the prayer of every soul in need of salvation. All Christians know that God has done just what this psalm hopes for through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the answer from God for the "prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD" (see the inscription of Psalm 102). God moved from His holy height, sending His only Son from heaven to earth to respond to the groans of those imprisoned by sin and doomed to death!

And the beauty of the salvation the Jesus brings is that it spans generations. My great grandparents on my mother's side came from German Prussia, They heard the gospel preached in German by Mennonite pastors. My grandparents knew the same message from their parents. My parents responded to the gospel call promising release from the prison of sin in a Baptist revival meeting up the road from our home. I first understood it in a children's lesson at Vacation Bible School the summer of 1971. And each generation the Lord saves, He does so through the proclamation of the gospel, so that a people yet to be created may praise His great name.

Lord,

I thank You for salvation in Jesus. The Old Testament saints praised You while longing for it. And in the gospel You brought salvation forth. Generations have been saved from the doom of death. May we be faithful to proclaim it to the next generation.

Amen

Ziklag

Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.

1 Chronicles 12:1

Cornered

     Hiding

          Trapped

Misunderstood, David found a cave

and hidden there God saved

him

Bringing men to him

discontented fighters

who would later lead armies

Hunted

     Hated

          Chased

By Saul declared a fugitive

but God kept David strong and alive

at Ziklag

and as warriors assembled

David confidently led them

trusting God to protect

Growing

     Resisting

          Fighting

Mighty men by God were forged

of steely resolve wanting nothing more

than a king

They fought with David

for his sake sacrificed

and bravely became legend

Grateful

     Loving

          Brothers

David owed his own life's blood

to the men who with him stood

to fight

Devoted to him and David's God

faith fighters

like God's own army