dar334

My mind has been struggling to stay focused on one thing these last couple of weeks and I’ve found myself missing the Lovely Ladies I studied with for so many years. I was reminded of them again this morning when The Upper Room took me to Matthew 3:1-12; John the Baptist Prepares the Way.

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.” – Matthew 3:3

A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh! Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God!” – Isaiah 40:3

One of the studies I led was on the book of Isaiah and it was a hard one. Although I’m sure I was able to store several nuggets in the vault, I’m also sure I would epically fail a pop quiz if presented today. Isaiah was a prophet so he not only wrote about what was happening at that time, but he also prophesied about things to come. He was warning His people. The New Testament fulfills those prophecies which makes it helpful when you learn the writings in both Testaments.

….. and they were baptized by him (John) in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. – Matthew 3:6

My eyes moved over to the footnotes for 3:6, curious about whether or not anybody had been baptized before, a question I remember from the past, but I can’t pull the answer from the vault. There it was suggested that baptisms were derived from the Jewish custom of ritual washings. Jewish baptisms we’re intended to signify spiritual cleansing; John’s baptisms are depicted as preparations for the coming of the Messiah.

The word “baptisms” in the footnote was blue which signified I could find further information if I clicked on it ….. and of course I did. “Though several allusions to baptism exist in the Old Testament, baptism is primarily a New Testament concept.”

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. – Matthew 3:12

In the book of Ruth we also learn about winnowing: So then, is not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he is winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight.” The footnote says, “This image (winnowing) shows that there is nothing arbitrary about judgement: The good, solid grain falls to the threshing floor, while the dry, empty chaff is blown away.” (see Isaiah 64:6)

I hope when it’s time for our winnowing, I’m found to be solid grain. Matthew tells us in today’s reading that the chaff will burn with unquenchable fire. Unquenchable. Fire.

I’ll never forget the moment I realized John wasn’t a Baptist. That earth quaking realization came when some study or some Bible version referred to him as “John the Baptizer”.

This morning I had a few minutes before an 8:00 appointment and with coffee near I opened an email from Focal Point Ministries. For those that have followed my writings it’s no secret I’m a fan of Pastor Mike Fabarez. He has a mega church in Southern California and, in my opinion, teaches the whole truth against the unmeasurable odds he undoubtedly encounters.

I had trouble focusing on my morning prayer before heading to scripture, my mind wanted to focus on the life I now live and the circumstances surrounding it. After three attempts to settle on the email from Focal Point I was able to glean confirmation of something that I wrote about not long ago. Yes, it’s what my itching ears needed to hear, but that doesn’t mean it’s not truth. Pastor Fabarez wrote:

Unless you are living in the perfection of the New Jerusalem, you will not be able to be godly and anger-free. Christ certainly wasn’t. A cursory reading of Matthew 23 or a familiarity with Christ’s temple-clearing rampage will remind us that godliness includes a righteous frustration with the sin and blasphemy that is so ubiquitous in our fallen world. Speaking of “godly,” it is enlightening to note that of the 358 times the words for “anger” appear in the Scripture, over half of them are attributed to God himself. – Mike Fabarez

As I sit here considering the path I’m moving along, I’ve paused on “righteous frustration” and “ubiquitous”. Several recent conversations came to mind when I considered part of the “frustration” I’ve been feeling is due to how I view “righteousness” and I had to go to Google for a better understanding when I read the word “ubiquitous”. (Present, appearing, or found everywhere).

Another point I had to pause at was when I considered “anger” and “hate”. God, as a father, got angry with his children. I don’t immediately recall the Bible telling us he ever hated a child of his, but I do recall reading the word “detest” (dislike intensely) in accordance to some of their actions, and how they were to view some of the actions of others.

I’m not living in the perfection of Jerusalem and being righteous in this ubiquitously sinful world is difficult. God loves me and he will forgive me, but that doesn’t give me a ticket to ignore righteousness. Wrong is still wrong.

I’m not certain if the email this morning was new or if it was the one I didn’t delete yesterday, but either way I’ve found myself back in the book of Job, and for whatever reason Job 19:1-5 has caused a pause. My eyes looked up from the Scripture as I tried to apply it in today’s world so I may somehow benefit from it’s message.

Then Job responded, ….. How long will you torment me ….. And crush me with words? ….. These ten times you have insulted me; ….. You are not ashamed to wrong me. ….. Even if I truly erred, ….. My error lodges with me. ….. If indeed you vaunt yourselves against me ….. And prove my disgrace to me, …..Know then that God has wronged me ….. And has closed His net around me.

I clicked on the little cross at the beginning of the chapter and chose to view all the footnotes. It was there I found my WOD and considered times I might have seen it in my responses. I know in the future I need to be more alert to Satan’s prodding and remember the value of the armor I’ve donned.

19:1-5 He began with the anguished cry that his friends have become “recalcitrant” (having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline) and relentless for mentors, and they have had no effect on dealing with the sin they imagine is present.

Much of what is written in the OT became null and void with the blood of Jesus on the cross. Yet much of what was written in the NT refers back to the OT, indicating it still holds values that should be applied today. It is my observation that “recalcitrance” is alive and well and working it’s way through the world today like yeast works through the bread dough.

An email this morning from RNS contained an article I eagerly clicked on for the latest news regarding an issue that I’ve been following for a few years now. After reading it, I shared it with a couple friends and one of them responded immediately. Although I fully support the decision made and the actions that followed, my heart still hurt for the loss.

I opened the next email from Our Daily Bread and was sent to Colossians 2:6-14. I read through the suggested Scriptures under the heading Alive In Christ and soon realized I was still hungry. I continued on through the entire chapter and started chapter 3. Put On the New Self.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. – Colossians 3:1

My eyes continued on and I was instructed to “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you” and read through the Instructions that followed telling me what those earthly things were. I saw a couple things I have “put to death”, and I saw a couple I need to work harder on.

Rule 39 quickly came to my mind when I considered the first email I read containing the latest news, and then the second one containing Scripture. The fact I needed to read on after finishing the selected verses is where I found the reason my eyes needed more. The proverbial icing on the cake was in Colossians 3:5-8.

On account of these the wrath of God is coming. -v6

On my desk is a daily flip calendar with scripture verses for every day. Some days I’m not at this desk because I’m at the kitchen table of my dear friend. When I’m back at this desk I catch up. As I was flipping through the days to catch up a couple days ago I stopped to rest on May 5 and haven’t flipped past it. The verse that caused this rest was Matthew 5:10.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

My pause was on the word “righteousness”. I have a Bible Dictionary app and I took the time this morning to open it and then to the definition it provided. It listed 5 definitions and I chose #1. “Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary is credited for the definition.

As I sat here looking at the word, pondering what I will glean, I felt the need to don my armor. It didn’t take long at all before Hebrews 13:8 came to mind. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. As I see it, even though it was a 1828 version of Webster’s Dictionary, I don’t feel the definition changed. Definitions generally change to conform with the world, and I believe God doesn’t change to conform.

I found my way back to the Bible after a MS walk in Frankenmuth, then finishing the 1st lawn mowing of the year, and a piece of homemade chicken pot pie for lunch. I opened my first devotional email, it was from The Upper Room. There I was sent to Job 38:1-11.

I always like to start my reading with a quick glance through the introduction, in this case in my Logos app, to pick up a few nuggets that will aid in my understanding ….. maybe. This is what I chose to glean: 1. The book of Job is an honest portrayal of God allowing a good man to suffer. 2. God allowed a test of Job’s faith in response to a challenge from Satan. 3. In the depths of agony he (Job) rested in faith alone.

The chapters leading up to 38 tell us Job, a wealthy man, at the mercy of Satan, lost everything he owned and everything he loved. Property, sons, daughters, sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, servants. Satan attacked his health by striking him with sores from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. The only thing Job had left was his wife, and she gave him no support. Upon hearing of the hardships Job was experiencing, three friends went to visit him. His friends took turns attempting to justify the pain Job had gone through and after each attempt, Job had a reply, but never lost his faith in his God.

Chapter 38 is where the Lord answers Job. When I read it I imagine his voice thundering through the air. He answered Job out of a whirlwind. “Who is it that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you will make it known to me.”

After reading the suggested 11 verses, my eyes made their way over to the study notes in the second column. It was there I found my WOD. “Theophanies, (appearances of God to people) often include displays of the power of nature.”

Since my journey through the Bible started, I’ve found a whole new respect for the power of nature and have even wondered, when the wind and rain are pelting the side of the house, and lightening displays what the darkness once held, as I feel the ground shake and hear the windows rattle, I wonder ……… is this it?

The Upper Room took me to Ephesians 4:17-18 where I found the heading The New Life. I smiled as I remembered Rule 39.

As usual, I didn’t stop reading at v18. The introduction says that Paul wrote this letter while in prison, probably in Rome, about A.D. 60. His goal was to display the scope of God’s eternal plan for all humanity.

In 4:17-32 , Paul urges believers to abandon former ways of living that have nothing to with Christ. He reminds them of their previous life apart from God and exhorts them to discard the old self, since they have been made new in Christ.

✍️ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. -Ephesians 4:17

As I pondered verse 17, I considered Gentiles. Gentiles are described as “a pagan, a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen”. Even though I was once a Gentile, I’ve worked hard, and continue to work hard, at not walking in the ways of my former life. I look at myself as a Christian now, having left my Gentile self in the past.

Picking apart v17, my next stop was at “futility”, described as pointless or useless. I’ve learned the hard way, and have the scars to prove it, that sometimes when I try to explain my beliefs my efforts are futile and I’m labeled a “hater”. Unfortunately, my efforts to negate that label are often futile as well.

I’ve come to another fork in the road where I’ve had to pause, look through my luggage, and discard some things that were too heavy to carry any farther.

In closing, I picked up nuggets from my Logos app and the ESV version of the Bible in this ponder. I believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, and if you don’t, I still love you.

While watching football this dreary Sunday afternoon, I watched as the coaching staff went over plays, gave instructions, and I saw the refs barking out punishment for not following the rules. The players are repeatedly instructed on the dos and don’ts in hopes of beating the opponent and obtaining the win.

Several of the rules were written to protect the players, while others are meant for them to be able to advance. It takes a team; coaches, refs, and players to make it work. They are given a set amount of tries and a set amount of time to reach their goal before the game is over. After the instructions and rules are given, the players then take the field and whether or not they obey is up to them. Some do, some don’t. Some win, some lose.

Then I started thinking about how life resembles the football game. God gave us rules and instructions. He gave us ministers and churches and families to teach us these rules and instructions. He gave us a team. He even gave us an opponent, and that opponent also has a team. When we don’t follow the rules, we are punished and our opponent advances. When we are sent out into the world, we have the choice of whether we will obey or whether we will follow our own desires. We have free will.

God’s rules are meant to protect us, His instructions are meant to guide us so when our set amount of tries and our set amount of time is up, we will get the ultimate victory.

What team are you on?

-dar