I was at a fast food restaurant the other night and happened to be near a table with a group of adults and teenagers. I’m pretty sure they were with a church group of some sort. One of the adults, a man, was speaking with a teenage girl. They were discussing election. The girl was having a hard time with the subject, especially the idea that God would elect some to go to heaven and elect others to go to hell. This is an idea/theory called double predestination. I overheard and eavesdropped upon the conversation. Quite frankly it was hard not to, as I was so close.
The man speaking with the girl obviously believed in double predestination. He stated that the Bible says it is true, therefore I believe it, no questions. The young girl shared that she didn’t understand. This was not a concern for the elder. His only concern was that the “Bible said so,” and that was that. He quoted Romans 9 about how God has mercy on those he wants and hardens those he wants to harden, (paraphrase of his words). I moved on afterwards, (afraid I would interject and act in an unJesus manner), but I had heard enough.
For all of you Presbyterians out there who read this blog, (or probably don’t, as my parents are Presbyterians), please hold off from writing to me and telling me about how true election is, how great Calvin was, or quoting me any manner of Scriptures supporting your beliefs. (Not that anyone has ever written me, but there’s always a first). My point in bringing up this experience is not to debate theology, but rather the manner in which we share it with others.
We must be careful in how we share theology with people who are younger, less mature, or inexperienced in their faith. To wave about the sword of theology like a butcher’s cleaver will more likely leave a bloody mess behind us. Instead we must exercise care, much like the surgeon with his scalpel, so as to bring about healing and growth. Be careful when you share theology with others. The goal is instruction, growth, and learning, not confusion, pain, and anger. A young or uneducated believer, (or nonbeliever for that matter), is likely to need careful instruction, not the brandishing of the whip that says, “Thus saith the Lord.” If we are not careful, we may alienate, anger, and push away earnest seekers of the truth.
Secondly, please, if you have any sense, use caution with the phrase, “The Bible says so.” I know it’s true. I know it’s inerrant. I know it’s authoritative. But more often than not the phrase, “The Bible says so,” is used with pride and authority, rather than humility and compassion. If you are a shepherd of the people of God, use your common sense. Make your goal to serve and teach, rather than beat others into submission with your enormous brain. There may be a time and place for such authority and boldness. Perhaps in debates with men who would destroy the faith. Perhaps with those who are attacking your beliefs. But I don’t believe boldness, pride, and authority are the best means of persuading one within your charge, especially a young believer with honest questions. If we are not careful, we are going to alienate those around us with our pride.
In addition, I think we should be okay with those around us having questions and needing to figure things out. I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with struggling through a difficult question about God, faith, sovereignty, election, etc. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “I don’t understand.” Give folks the freedom to work things out and HELP them in their journey. Don’t whip them in the direction you believe is correct. A person who has had the freedom to search and think on their own will be more likely to cling to the truth than a slave who has been beaten into submission. Let people ask, think, seek. Be a shepherd to them to help them find their way. Don’t be a slave master of theology.
Finally, let’s be honest. Romans 9-11 is one of the most difficult, debated, and confusing passages in the entire Bible. Most of us don’t have a big D for Doctorate in front of our degree. (Even if you do, you probably disagree with others with Doctorates anyways). I’m not saying the passage can’t be studied and understood, but study of the passage involves time, effort, research, and understanding of the context and language of the passage as well as the book. The same could be said for other passages or doctrines of the faith. This being the case, (whatever your take on the issue), please for all that is sensible and not stupid, don’t throw around some quote from Romans 9 or 10, (or anywhere else), out of thin air as if your audience is immediately going to understand what you are speaking about and know the context of the passage you are speaking from. It’s irresponsible and inconsiderate of your audience. Again, if you’re speaking with someone who you know is versed in Biblical theology, feel free. I’m thinking in terms of how we speak and interact with those who are less studied and less mature than ourselves. Think again of the analogy of the butcher’s cleaver. Don’t go waving your theological cleaver through the air. You may end up injuring a helpless sheep.
(I’m proud of that last analogy by the way). Peace out
Feelings not based in truth and morality are worthless...except about cheese
What is wrong with feelings? God gave us the ability to feel and love and they are a beautiful part of our lives. What do you mean by all this Travis...you big jerk?!
Let me explain. The key is not feelings, but feelings based on truth.
What one feels must be filtered through a moral sieve, (think noodles and water). to determine whether such feelings are good or bad/evil. For example, a child molester may have certain feelings, but that doesn't make those feelings okay or permissible. A homosexual may say, "I love my partner and I want to marry him/her" but the feeling itself doesn't make the following action okay. I may feel like blowing my top and screaming at my wife and children after a long day at work, but my feeling itself is not the indicator of what is right behavior. Feelings don't make our actions permissible.
Now some feelings are just preferences, like "I like cheese," or "I enjoy watching football." I suppose the logical question is how do you determine what feelings are preferences and which ones are issues of morality. I'm sure that is a question worth a lot of thought and a longer blog, but for now let's say that we should judge our feelings against the moral law of God. If there is no word of God on the subject, (i.e. whether or not to eat cheese or like football, then do as you please). However, there are some matters which God HAS spoken, so we must pay close attention and filter our feelings through the instruction of God, i.e. the Bible.
One may argue against THE moral standard being the Word of God. Fine then, what is the standard? The majority view of people in a certain area? If that is the case then the Nazis who killed millions of Jews, Poles, gypsies, etc, were not bad people because the majority of Germans at that time thought genecide was a good idea.
Others may argue that there is no moral law or standard with which we are to judge ourselves and our actions. Under that reasoning, right or wrong is up to the determination of each individual and it will be whatever they determine right or wrong to be. Right or wrong becomes relative.
There must be an external standard outside of ourselves that determines truth. That standard, whether we like it or not, is the Word of God. Our feelings themselves do not determine what is acceptable behavior. God does. Judge not your actions and plans by what you feel, rather by the wisdom of the Almighty.
Peace out.
Words, Words, Words
In a scene in Hamlet, (Bill Shakespeare), one of the characters asks Hamlet what he is reading. Hamlet replies, quite humorously, "Words, words, words." Now I'm not a Shakespeare scholar and I don't know the deep significance of the scene. That's not the point. However, Hamlet's funny response is a means for me to segue, (segway), into today's blog about Words, words, and words.
It is easy to say things like, "I'm all about Jesus," "I love Jesus," "I'm devoted to Christ," or "I believe in Jesus." But the importance of words and meanings becomes very important here. What do we/they mean by the word "Jesus"? Do we mean a nice guy, a spiritual man, a lover of the poor, a socialist, a revolutionary, or a forgiver of sins to all mankind, regardless of repentance and faith? To many, when they say "Jesus" they are thinking of one of the men I just mentioned. To far fewer does "Jesus" imply the savior of those who trust him, the savior from sins, the savior by faith alone.
We must be careful about our words and be clear about our meaning. Because many will argue that Jesus Christ was a great man, a friend to others, and an example to follow. But far fewer will submit that he is the Son of God, God incarnate, and the Savior of sinners by faith.
Words, words, words are important. Be careful when you use words of what you mean and be careful when you hear words that you understand what others mean.
It is easy to say things like, "I'm all about Jesus," "I love Jesus," "I'm devoted to Christ," or "I believe in Jesus." But the importance of words and meanings becomes very important here. What do we/they mean by the word "Jesus"? Do we mean a nice guy, a spiritual man, a lover of the poor, a socialist, a revolutionary, or a forgiver of sins to all mankind, regardless of repentance and faith? To many, when they say "Jesus" they are thinking of one of the men I just mentioned. To far fewer does "Jesus" imply the savior of those who trust him, the savior from sins, the savior by faith alone.
We must be careful about our words and be clear about our meaning. Because many will argue that Jesus Christ was a great man, a friend to others, and an example to follow. But far fewer will submit that he is the Son of God, God incarnate, and the Savior of sinners by faith.
Words, words, words are important. Be careful when you use words of what you mean and be careful when you hear words that you understand what others mean.
A ramble about Worship
Worship is a big deal for folks. I suppose it is a big deal for everybody. I suppose we could get into a lengthy chat about how “we all worship something” and how we need to avoid idolatry, but that’s not what I want to talk about. And since this is my blog, I’ll blog about what I want to. So there.
Seriously though, we all know the topic of worship is a sensitive issue. Some folks will almost shoot one another over what is the best way for a worship service to be done in a church setting. The two main groups are formal, conservative worship and contemporary worship. By conservative, I don’t mean in any sort of value sense, just more guarded, liturgical, typically focused on hymns, choirs, or creeds. And by contemporary, I mean any worship service that uses guitars, sound speakers, drums, and other instruments. Such contemporary services sometimes include colored lights and even smoke to further enhance the service. Now I have attended some churches that attempt to blend the two, but for the moment I just want to focus on the two extremes.
Now a disclaimer: I favor the rare blend of the two extremes, contemporary and classic/formal. If you were to put me in a worship service where the leaders played acoustic guitars, a bongo drum and sang classic hymns to contemporary music I would be as happy as a dog in a garbage can. Alas, such a combination is hard to find. However, I share this just to be open about my own preferences. The purpose of this blog is not to support one view over the other, but rather to point out a problem in our view of worship as Christians.
A lot of people don’t care for contemporary worship. The popular and oft repeated theme for that audience is, “if you are really focused on God, it won’t matter what the music or setting is like.” I’m sure you’ve all heard this refrain. Well I think that’s a load of bunk. Look, the fact of the matter is that people are different. Their backgrounds, heritage, culture, and preferences are different. To boil worship down into one flavor that everyone should be able to relate to is foolish and shortsighted at best and selfish and unloving at worst.
Some people grew up in more formal and classical church settings. Because of their history and family culture, they are going to prefer, (for the most part), the same kind of worship setting they grew up in. Some people didn’t grow up in church at all or they came from a more postmodern background. They may prefer a more contemporary worship setting. Each person is going to be familiar with and prefer a different worship style. If you were to put Bob, a formal worship fan, in a contemporary worship setting with loud noises, smoke, and flashing lights, he’s probably going to either a) have a seizure, or b) have a hard time focusing on the Lord. If you put Joe, a contemporary worship fan, in a Episcopal or Lutheran church service, he’s going to either a) fall asleep, or b) not connect with the rhythms and language of that particular service and will have a hard time connecting with the Lord. The point is that different people prefer and relate to different types of worship. Neither person is more or less spiritual than the other. They just connect and relate to the Lord better in different worship service styles.
I have no idea how Christians in China, Africa, or Brazil worship God, but I’m sure each group, (typically), worships the Lord in their own unique way. It seems very foolish to try and boil down the worship of the Lord into a single style and format. (By the way, the folks who typically try to make all worship services into a single format generally favor their style of worship). People are diverse as the colors of the rainbow. Why should worship services have to be black or white?
Look, I don’t like soy milk. I’m told it’s good for me, but I just don’t like it. My parents like and drink soy milk like it was…real milk. This doesn’t mean that they are any better or worse people that me. It’s just something they prefer. Some people really like liturgical worship services. They feel like they can really worship and connect with God in a quiet and formal setting. Some people like loud music and seven different instruments combined to make an awesome, (albeit loud), worship experience. No big deal. To each his own. What I want to warn against is the idea and philosophy, especially for pastors and leaders, is that “we’re going to do worship this way and if you can’t worship God in the style that we do it then you’re not spiritual.” That’s garbage. It’s also hurtful to your congregation and unloving.
A few years back my wife and I attended a church where they had just hired a new, younger pastor. The guy had a lot of energy and ideas on how to revive the church. One of the things he wanted to focus on was changing the worship service from a classic, choir focused, hymn singing, worship service into a contemporary service where a worship leader led the congregation in singing worship choruses. The intentions of the pastor were good I suppose. He wanted to be able to draw in a younger crowd of people who would connect to a more contemporary service. However, the problem was he was changing the worship service into something his congregation didn’t understand or connect with. The only thing they had ever known was hymns and the choir. Contemporary worship was totally alien to them. Unfortunately, the pastor’s philosophy was the same old idea of “you just need to worship God irregardless of the worship style.” As a result of this attitude, some of the pillars of the church, feeling neglected and unconsidered, left the church to find a home where they would be happy.
Worship styles are different and that’s okay. People are different and that’s okay. Yes, we all need to be willing to grow and adapt in our walk with the Lord. No one likes Mr. or Mrs. I Hate Change. However, pastors and leaders need to exercise care not to force people into a black or white choice or style. Recognize the differences in culture, preference, and heritage and be considerate of the differences in your congregation.
Seriously though, we all know the topic of worship is a sensitive issue. Some folks will almost shoot one another over what is the best way for a worship service to be done in a church setting. The two main groups are formal, conservative worship and contemporary worship. By conservative, I don’t mean in any sort of value sense, just more guarded, liturgical, typically focused on hymns, choirs, or creeds. And by contemporary, I mean any worship service that uses guitars, sound speakers, drums, and other instruments. Such contemporary services sometimes include colored lights and even smoke to further enhance the service. Now I have attended some churches that attempt to blend the two, but for the moment I just want to focus on the two extremes.
Now a disclaimer: I favor the rare blend of the two extremes, contemporary and classic/formal. If you were to put me in a worship service where the leaders played acoustic guitars, a bongo drum and sang classic hymns to contemporary music I would be as happy as a dog in a garbage can. Alas, such a combination is hard to find. However, I share this just to be open about my own preferences. The purpose of this blog is not to support one view over the other, but rather to point out a problem in our view of worship as Christians.
A lot of people don’t care for contemporary worship. The popular and oft repeated theme for that audience is, “if you are really focused on God, it won’t matter what the music or setting is like.” I’m sure you’ve all heard this refrain. Well I think that’s a load of bunk. Look, the fact of the matter is that people are different. Their backgrounds, heritage, culture, and preferences are different. To boil worship down into one flavor that everyone should be able to relate to is foolish and shortsighted at best and selfish and unloving at worst.
Some people grew up in more formal and classical church settings. Because of their history and family culture, they are going to prefer, (for the most part), the same kind of worship setting they grew up in. Some people didn’t grow up in church at all or they came from a more postmodern background. They may prefer a more contemporary worship setting. Each person is going to be familiar with and prefer a different worship style. If you were to put Bob, a formal worship fan, in a contemporary worship setting with loud noises, smoke, and flashing lights, he’s probably going to either a) have a seizure, or b) have a hard time focusing on the Lord. If you put Joe, a contemporary worship fan, in a Episcopal or Lutheran church service, he’s going to either a) fall asleep, or b) not connect with the rhythms and language of that particular service and will have a hard time connecting with the Lord. The point is that different people prefer and relate to different types of worship. Neither person is more or less spiritual than the other. They just connect and relate to the Lord better in different worship service styles.
I have no idea how Christians in China, Africa, or Brazil worship God, but I’m sure each group, (typically), worships the Lord in their own unique way. It seems very foolish to try and boil down the worship of the Lord into a single style and format. (By the way, the folks who typically try to make all worship services into a single format generally favor their style of worship). People are diverse as the colors of the rainbow. Why should worship services have to be black or white?
Look, I don’t like soy milk. I’m told it’s good for me, but I just don’t like it. My parents like and drink soy milk like it was…real milk. This doesn’t mean that they are any better or worse people that me. It’s just something they prefer. Some people really like liturgical worship services. They feel like they can really worship and connect with God in a quiet and formal setting. Some people like loud music and seven different instruments combined to make an awesome, (albeit loud), worship experience. No big deal. To each his own. What I want to warn against is the idea and philosophy, especially for pastors and leaders, is that “we’re going to do worship this way and if you can’t worship God in the style that we do it then you’re not spiritual.” That’s garbage. It’s also hurtful to your congregation and unloving.
A few years back my wife and I attended a church where they had just hired a new, younger pastor. The guy had a lot of energy and ideas on how to revive the church. One of the things he wanted to focus on was changing the worship service from a classic, choir focused, hymn singing, worship service into a contemporary service where a worship leader led the congregation in singing worship choruses. The intentions of the pastor were good I suppose. He wanted to be able to draw in a younger crowd of people who would connect to a more contemporary service. However, the problem was he was changing the worship service into something his congregation didn’t understand or connect with. The only thing they had ever known was hymns and the choir. Contemporary worship was totally alien to them. Unfortunately, the pastor’s philosophy was the same old idea of “you just need to worship God irregardless of the worship style.” As a result of this attitude, some of the pillars of the church, feeling neglected and unconsidered, left the church to find a home where they would be happy.
Worship styles are different and that’s okay. People are different and that’s okay. Yes, we all need to be willing to grow and adapt in our walk with the Lord. No one likes Mr. or Mrs. I Hate Change. However, pastors and leaders need to exercise care not to force people into a black or white choice or style. Recognize the differences in culture, preference, and heritage and be considerate of the differences in your congregation.
Heroes...and not the TV show
Who are your heroes?When I was a kid, it was He-man. He was the Master of the Universe after all. (If you're over 40 or under 30, you won't remember He-man).
When I was a teenager, (yes, I was that pathetic), my heroes were Batman and Spiderman. I thought they were awesome.
As a Christian my heroes are William Wilberforce, the British politician who worked the whole of his professional life to end the practice of slavery in England. Another hero is Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor known as the "Prince of Preachers."
My closer to home "heroes" list includes men and women who have modeled a passion for the Word of God and whose lives have been marked with the grace of Jesus Christ. I won't say their names because it would only embarrass them. I hope and beseech the Lord that one day I can be a hero for my wife and daughters, a man who models the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.
Finally, I wanted to give notice to all of one of my modern day heroes, my dad, Mike Hendley. He's a great man and has been a great father. He's a man of incredible patience, wisdom, and maturity. I hope I can be one third of the man my father is. (I didn't want to say half because everyone says half). Today the old man is 60. Happy Birthday Pop.
OIA, Interpretation: Finding the Eternal Principle, and several plugs for Indiana Jones.
Have you ever read a story out of the Old Testament and wondered “How does this relate to me?” Does the context of the story, (sacrifices, camels, and people with beards), seem so disconnected from your world that you can’t see how it connects with you? What about passages in the New Testament that seem weird, like 1 Corinthians 8-10 that talks about food sacrificed to idols? Should you just skip those sections of the Bible altogether? I’ll admit that sometimes it is really hard to see through the contexts and settings of the passages and not get confused. I wanted to try to make a point here that will help you in your study of the Word.
*The ETERNAL PRINCIPLE, or “What is True All the Time, both Then and Now”), is what you are looking for in a passage.*
The ETERNAL PRINCIPLE from a passage, (all caps required), is the principle, lesson, or truth that is applicable both 2,000 years ago when the event happened and today as well. You have to ask yourself, “What is true all the time?” “What is something that was true back then when the story was written and still true today?” The answer is the ETERNAL PRINCIPLE that we can apply to our lives from our study of the Bible.
Let’s look at a passage in the Old Testament and try to find the eternal principle or principles that may be present. 1 Samuel 5:1-5 tells the story of how God Almighty and the god of the Philistines hung out one time. The Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant, (think Indiana Jones), and had placed the ark, (a symbol of the presence of the Lord), in their temple with their god, Dagon. They thought to show
the ark as a trophy of their conquests and a symbol of the superiority of their god above the God of Israel. Needless to say, God was not pleased. The next day the Philistines came in they found Dagon on the floor facing the ark. The day after that, the statue of Dagon had its face and hands broken off. The Philistines freaked out on a Biblical scale, (think Nazis in Indiana Jones).Now what does this have to do with our lives? We are not Philistines. We don’t live in tents. We don’t have the ark anymore, (the government has it in a secret vault somewhere; remember Indiana Jones). We also don’t have little god statues in our homes, (most of us anyways). We live in a different time period and culture. But what would be a true principle from this passage that was true not only then, but now? How about this:
1. God is the supreme God above all other gods.
2. God will not play second fiddle to any idol.
3. Don’t mess with God Almighty.
4. Even when things seem bad, (the ark was captured by a godless nation), God is still supreme.
These things are true both then and now. They are ETERNAL PRINCIPLES that were true for the Philistines and are true for us today.
Next time we’ll talk about the final step of OIA, which is Application. (Observation, Interpretation, Application). Peace out…and remember
Why is Bobby different? Observation part B
The last time in the blog I wrote about "Observation," the first step in studying a passage of Scripture. It's the stage where we answer the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How questions of a passage in the Bible. In the Observation stage we're not trying to find any spiritual principles or apply anything to our lives, we're just getting information.
Now the last part of Observation before we get any further is really important. It's called the "What's different?" stage. What we want to do is just observe, either mentally or on a piece of paper, what's different between the Biblical setting, (then), and your life, (now). You're asking yourself, "What's different between the story I'm reading and my life, time period, culture, etc?"
The reason we do this is because there are a lot of differences sometimes between the Biblical culture/setting and our lives. Sometimes people try to make applications or take lessons from stories where things are taken out of context and they get themselves in trouble. If we can recognize the differences in the stories we're reading it will help us see what part of the story is still relevant for our lives today.
For example. If we're reading out of Leviticus 4, we obviously recognize the differences of:
1. We're not Jewish
2. We're not sacrificing goats, bulls, lambs,
3. We're in a totally different time period culturally and contextually than the Biblical audience.
The list could go on, and it seems dumb or overly obvious to list what I did, but I promise that when we notice the differences, it will help us notice the "true all the time stuff" that I'll talk about later.
And Bobby is different because he doesn't like to wear pants in public. Weirdo.
Tools for Studying the Bible, part 1...OIA, not OLE!
I previously posted an entry about how important it is to study the Scriptures and rightly interpret the Bible. I wanted to give the first tool today to help us study the Scriptures appropriately. Now keep in mind there are other methods I'm sure that are good and helpful. This is not the only horse in the barn, so to speak. This is just one method that I've used. You may find it helpful, that's all.
The method, (which may be similarly used by others under different names), has three parts: Observation, Interpretation, and Application. In other words, OIA. (I wish it came out as OLE, but I just couldn't make it work that way.)
The first step we will look at today and I'll make other postings regarding Interpretation and Application. OLE! (I've decided to say OLE! throughout this blog because it will be fun).
OBSERVATION: This is the first step in studying a passage of scripture. It is basically observing what is in the text. You are answering the question, "What is going on here?" In this step of the process you are not making any decisions or trying to apply any lessons in the passage to yourself. You are just gathering information. OLE! In Observation, you are asking yourself the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How questions of the passage. Not all of the questions may apply, (how for instance does not always apply).
Who - Who is involved? Who is speaking? Who is listening? Who is this happening to?
What - What happened? What significant words were used?
Where - Where did this story take place? Was that significant? OLE!
When - What time period was it? Was this in the Old Testament, New Testament? During the Gospels or after the Gospels? What is the context of the story? *The when of the story very important in helping you understand how the passage applies to you. It's important to help you establish the context of the passage or Bible story.
Why - Why did this story/passage/letter happen? What were the circumstances that caused this to take place?
How - As I said before. This may or may not apply. OLE!
Okay, so that's step one. I'll cover Interpretation and Application in the following entries. OLE!
How much is enough?
Hypothetical conversation between Super Christian Dave and Non Christian John as they discuss the gospel.
John: So you say I need to become a Christian. If so, what do I need to do?
Dave: Well, you need to surrender your life to Christ.
John: How much surrender?
Dave: What do you mean?
J: I mean how much do I have to surrender to Christ?
D: Everything, your whole life.
J: Is that what you did?
D: Yes.
J: But have you ever done anything wrong after you became a Christian? Committed any sins you weren't supposed to?
D: Oh yeah, sure. But Jesus forgives me of my sin.
J: So were you not totally surrendered to Christ if you indeed sinned again?
D: Well, I guess I wasn't in that moment that I sinned but...
J: But I thought you needed total surrender, total commitment.
D: Well yes.
J: So I guess you are not a Christian anymore then.
D: WHAT?
J: You said I needed to be totally surrendered to Jesus to become a Christian, right?
D: Yes, but wait just a minute.
J: No. If I have to be totally surrendered to Christ and a good guy like you can't even stay totally committed, then I'm screwed. I may as well just live it up while I'm alive. This "salvation" you are talking about is basically dependent on me and my faithfulness, isn't it?
D:......
D: Well...what I meant was, you need to be believe in Christ, and surrender to him.
J: Okay, so it's me and Jesus working together then.
D: Yes, that's it.
J: So it's not just Jesus then? It's me and Jesus.
D: Um, yes.
J: Then how much of it is my obedience and surrender and how much of it is Jesus on the cross? Can you give me a percentage?
D: Don't be a jerk.
J: I'm serious. If it's me and Jesus then how can I know when I'm "saved."
D: When you believe that he died for your sins.
J: Yes, but after that, how much of me has to be in the equation to equal salvation.
D: You just have to be faithful for the rest of your life.
J: So if I'm not one day or if I'm faithful until I'm 50 and then I'm not surrendered for a while or not totally obedient I'm screwed?!
D: I can't believe you're being such a jerk. This is totally RIDICULOUS!!!
J: Exactly.
- The word surrender is not in the Bible, nor is the concept when it comes to salvation. Romans 12:1 is directed to believers, not unbelievers. And it has nothing to do with the salvation chapters of 1-5.
"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).
"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith," (Romans 1:17).
"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," (Romans 4:1-3)
"Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:1-3).
Don't let anyone steal the grace of God from you by telling you that you have to surrender so much or obey so much in order to be saved. It's a bunch of bunk. We are saved by grace through faith ALONE.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery," (Galatians 5:1).
John: So you say I need to become a Christian. If so, what do I need to do?
Dave: Well, you need to surrender your life to Christ.
John: How much surrender?
Dave: What do you mean?
J: I mean how much do I have to surrender to Christ?
D: Everything, your whole life.
J: Is that what you did?
D: Yes.
J: But have you ever done anything wrong after you became a Christian? Committed any sins you weren't supposed to?
D: Oh yeah, sure. But Jesus forgives me of my sin.
J: So were you not totally surrendered to Christ if you indeed sinned again?
D: Well, I guess I wasn't in that moment that I sinned but...
J: But I thought you needed total surrender, total commitment.
D: Well yes.
J: So I guess you are not a Christian anymore then.
D: WHAT?
J: You said I needed to be totally surrendered to Jesus to become a Christian, right?
D: Yes, but wait just a minute.
J: No. If I have to be totally surrendered to Christ and a good guy like you can't even stay totally committed, then I'm screwed. I may as well just live it up while I'm alive. This "salvation" you are talking about is basically dependent on me and my faithfulness, isn't it?
D:......
D: Well...what I meant was, you need to be believe in Christ, and surrender to him.
J: Okay, so it's me and Jesus working together then.
D: Yes, that's it.
J: So it's not just Jesus then? It's me and Jesus.
D: Um, yes.
J: Then how much of it is my obedience and surrender and how much of it is Jesus on the cross? Can you give me a percentage?
D: Don't be a jerk.
J: I'm serious. If it's me and Jesus then how can I know when I'm "saved."
D: When you believe that he died for your sins.
J: Yes, but after that, how much of me has to be in the equation to equal salvation.
D: You just have to be faithful for the rest of your life.
J: So if I'm not one day or if I'm faithful until I'm 50 and then I'm not surrendered for a while or not totally obedient I'm screwed?!
D: I can't believe you're being such a jerk. This is totally RIDICULOUS!!!
J: Exactly.
- The word surrender is not in the Bible, nor is the concept when it comes to salvation. Romans 12:1 is directed to believers, not unbelievers. And it has nothing to do with the salvation chapters of 1-5.
"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).
"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith," (Romans 1:17).
"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," (Romans 4:1-3)
"Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:1-3).
Don't let anyone steal the grace of God from you by telling you that you have to surrender so much or obey so much in order to be saved. It's a bunch of bunk. We are saved by grace through faith ALONE.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery," (Galatians 5:1).
Reading the Word...Click here for Money
There's no money...just needed a catchy title. If you're looking for cash, become an auto company and then go bankrupt, ha!
What do you think are the three most important things for a believer to learn? Honestly?
Personally, I'm no pastor, master of learning, theology expert, or person experienced in pastoral care. This is just my humble opinion.
The three most important things for a believer to learn, (particularly a new believer) are:
1. Who God is and what he is like
2. Who the believer is in Christ
3. How to rightly read and interpret the Scriptures
It is the third subject I want to talk about here briefly and hopefully in a few more blogs. How a person interprets the Bible is foundational to every believer's life.
I know someone might ask, (if anyone in fact reads this blog), "You mean we can't just open up and read the Bible?" "What about children? Can they not approach the Bible with a child's heart and learn from God's word?" "Do I have to have a degree from a seminary or Bible school to know how to read the Scriptures?" "How can I give you money so you can buy a fancy sports car?"
To which I answer, in order:
1. We can just "pick up and read" and yes we could still get something out of our reading of the Word. I'm not discouraging in any way casual reading of the Scriptures.
2. Yes, kids can read the Bible and God can still teach them things.
However, considering #1 and #2 together, (this sounds like a bathroom conversation), I have one thought. My first daughter Lillian loves to paint/color/draw. I have several of her creations in my office. They're beautiful to me. She can just pick up a paintbrush, crayon, or marker and make me or anyone else something wonderful. But the fact is she is no Da Vinci or Rembrant. A fancy art museum is not going to come calling for Lillian finger painting # 5, (but I would).
My point is that while casual reading and a child's reading of the Word is perfectly acceptable, there are masterpieces to be found, (not made), if we know better how to rightly read the Word.
3. No you don't have to have a degree from a fancy school to know how to read/study God's Word. One of my closest friends is a bona fide redneck from Gaffney, SC. And he has the sense to know how to read the Word. If he can do it, so can you.
4. Cash...(j/k).
I'm going to try and do a video blog on the site to talk further about this. Just wanted to start out the conversation here and hopefully it will be profitable for our relating to God and his Word.
Peace out for now.
What do you think are the three most important things for a believer to learn? Honestly?
Personally, I'm no pastor, master of learning, theology expert, or person experienced in pastoral care. This is just my humble opinion.
The three most important things for a believer to learn, (particularly a new believer) are:
1. Who God is and what he is like
2. Who the believer is in Christ
3. How to rightly read and interpret the Scriptures
It is the third subject I want to talk about here briefly and hopefully in a few more blogs. How a person interprets the Bible is foundational to every believer's life.
I know someone might ask, (if anyone in fact reads this blog), "You mean we can't just open up and read the Bible?" "What about children? Can they not approach the Bible with a child's heart and learn from God's word?" "Do I have to have a degree from a seminary or Bible school to know how to read the Scriptures?" "How can I give you money so you can buy a fancy sports car?"
To which I answer, in order:
1. We can just "pick up and read" and yes we could still get something out of our reading of the Word. I'm not discouraging in any way casual reading of the Scriptures.
2. Yes, kids can read the Bible and God can still teach them things.
However, considering #1 and #2 together, (this sounds like a bathroom conversation), I have one thought. My first daughter Lillian loves to paint/color/draw. I have several of her creations in my office. They're beautiful to me. She can just pick up a paintbrush, crayon, or marker and make me or anyone else something wonderful. But the fact is she is no Da Vinci or Rembrant. A fancy art museum is not going to come calling for Lillian finger painting # 5, (but I would).
My point is that while casual reading and a child's reading of the Word is perfectly acceptable, there are masterpieces to be found, (not made), if we know better how to rightly read the Word.
3. No you don't have to have a degree from a fancy school to know how to read/study God's Word. One of my closest friends is a bona fide redneck from Gaffney, SC. And he has the sense to know how to read the Word. If he can do it, so can you.
4. Cash...(j/k).
I'm going to try and do a video blog on the site to talk further about this. Just wanted to start out the conversation here and hopefully it will be profitable for our relating to God and his Word.
Peace out for now.
God is holy and it's hard to understand
1 Samuel
6:19-20, "And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow. Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?"
Have you ever seen one of those mobster or cowboy movies where the bad guy just shoots someone just because they looked at them the wrong way? There was no rightness to it, no sense of the killing, just an irritation with the other character. I suppose that is how we must initially feel about the Lord from this passage. However, drawing the conclusion that the two parties are the same would be shortsighted.
First, the context of the story. The ark of God was captured by the Philistines. After God, for lack of a better word, "cursed/wacked" the Philistines, they sent it back to the Israelites. At first, the folks who found this were very happy. Then they got the stupid idea to look into the Ark. Some versions say God killed over 50,000 and this version, (ESV), says seventy.
But why? Was God cold, thoughtless, uncompassionate? Did he just do this on a whim?
No.
The reason why God killed those people was becuase they approached him directly, casually, and without righteousness. They treated God as if he was just like them, not that he was distinct, separate; in other words, holy. He is not a God that can be approached directly without righteousness. Think of the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. They had to be cast out after one sin becuase of the holiness of God. Sin cannot stay in the presence of the Almighty.
Be thankful that we have a God who is separate from us, who is worthy, and who is righteous. Be mindful that we cannot come to God anyway we want, but only through his righteous mediator, Jesus Christ, who provides the righteousness we need to approach a holy God.
6:19-20, "And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow. Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?"Have you ever seen one of those mobster or cowboy movies where the bad guy just shoots someone just because they looked at them the wrong way? There was no rightness to it, no sense of the killing, just an irritation with the other character. I suppose that is how we must initially feel about the Lord from this passage. However, drawing the conclusion that the two parties are the same would be shortsighted.
First, the context of the story. The ark of God was captured by the Philistines. After God, for lack of a better word, "cursed/wacked" the Philistines, they sent it back to the Israelites. At first, the folks who found this were very happy. Then they got the stupid idea to look into the Ark. Some versions say God killed over 50,000 and this version, (ESV), says seventy.
But why? Was God cold, thoughtless, uncompassionate? Did he just do this on a whim?
No.
The reason why God killed those people was becuase they approached him directly, casually, and without righteousness. They treated God as if he was just like them, not that he was distinct, separate; in other words, holy. He is not a God that can be approached directly without righteousness. Think of the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. They had to be cast out after one sin becuase of the holiness of God. Sin cannot stay in the presence of the Almighty.
Be thankful that we have a God who is separate from us, who is worthy, and who is righteous. Be mindful that we cannot come to God anyway we want, but only through his righteous mediator, Jesus Christ, who provides the righteousness we need to approach a holy God.
Break from Interpretation
Taking a break for the week on the Interpretation parts 2 and 3 because I'm not at home where my stuff is to finish parts 2 and 3. I'll conclude next week. I know you're all waiting on pins and needles...
Part 1 of 3 regarding Translations of the Bible
What is the deal with Bible Translations? Why are there so many different kinds? What is the difference between them all? Which one is right for me? Which one is the most spiritual one to use? How can “God’s Word” be in so many different formats? How did the Bible get from God to us?
If you have ever asked yourself these questions, then this paper is for you. It is just a brief review of Bible translations, how the Bible gets from God to us, and which translation may be best for you.
I think we can all acknowledge there are a ridiculous amount of Bibles on the market today. The Archeological Study Bible, Holman Illustrated Study Bible, Life Application Study Bible, Everyday Bible, Bible Experience, Listener’s Bible, Drink Deeply Compact Bible, Student Bible, Maxwell Leadership Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, Quest Study Bible, New Adventure Bible, Grace for the Moment Daily Bible, Nelson’s Study Bible, Women’s Bible, Men’s Bible, Share Jesus without Fear Bible, Baby’s New Testament, Invitation NT, Drill Bible, Everyday with Jesus Bible, Everyone can receive the Gift Bible, Sportsman’s Bible, Firefighter’s Bible, Here’s Hope NT, Police Officer’s Bible, Minister’s Bible, Serendipity Bible, Marine’s Bible, Soldier’s Bible, Teacher’s Bible, Ultra Thin Reference, Light Speed Bible.
The important thing to know is that the translation of your Bible is what is important. Not the marketing. The “Redneck’s Bible” may have some interesting “redneck commentary” or pretty pictures of Jesus shooting a deer or going fishing, but it’s still the same Bible underneath.
Still, with all of these Bibles, how can one know what is the right one to read? Moreover, if your Bible reads differently than the pastor’s or your friend’s, how can you know which one is correct? Even if we cut through all of the marketing, there is still a variety of different translations. There is the TNIV, NIV, ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, RSV, CET, NLT, Message, and so forth. How can you know what Bible version is the correct one or the best one?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am not going to tell you at the end what translation or version of the Bible is the best one. Instead my goal is to help you understand how we get the Scriptures from God to man, help you understand the philosophies behind the various translations, and give you some tools to help you choose a translation for your own study of the Word of God.
If you have ever asked yourself these questions, then this paper is for you. It is just a brief review of Bible translations, how the Bible gets from God to us, and which translation may be best for you.
I think we can all acknowledge there are a ridiculous amount of Bibles on the market today. The Archeological Study Bible, Holman Illustrated Study Bible, Life Application Study Bible, Everyday Bible, Bible Experience, Listener’s Bible, Drink Deeply Compact Bible, Student Bible, Maxwell Leadership Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, Quest Study Bible, New Adventure Bible, Grace for the Moment Daily Bible, Nelson’s Study Bible, Women’s Bible, Men’s Bible, Share Jesus without Fear Bible, Baby’s New Testament, Invitation NT, Drill Bible, Everyday with Jesus Bible, Everyone can receive the Gift Bible, Sportsman’s Bible, Firefighter’s Bible, Here’s Hope NT, Police Officer’s Bible, Minister’s Bible, Serendipity Bible, Marine’s Bible, Soldier’s Bible, Teacher’s Bible, Ultra Thin Reference, Light Speed Bible.
The important thing to know is that the translation of your Bible is what is important. Not the marketing. The “Redneck’s Bible” may have some interesting “redneck commentary” or pretty pictures of Jesus shooting a deer or going fishing, but it’s still the same Bible underneath.
Still, with all of these Bibles, how can one know what is the right one to read? Moreover, if your Bible reads differently than the pastor’s or your friend’s, how can you know which one is correct? Even if we cut through all of the marketing, there is still a variety of different translations. There is the TNIV, NIV, ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, RSV, CET, NLT, Message, and so forth. How can you know what Bible version is the correct one or the best one?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am not going to tell you at the end what translation or version of the Bible is the best one. Instead my goal is to help you understand how we get the Scriptures from God to man, help you understand the philosophies behind the various translations, and give you some tools to help you choose a translation for your own study of the Word of God.
ACTION FIGURE JESUS
I have a doll, excuse me, ACTION FIGURE, of Jesus on my desk. It's a gift from my brother. ACTION FIGURE JESUS says three different phrases, is incredibly handsome, and has a karate chop feature...okay the karate chop part is a lie, but everything else is true. ACTION FIGURE JESUS is also totally ripped. He looks like Arnold Swarztenhaber in his prime, except Jewish.
Bryan got ACTION FIGURE JESUS at Wal-Mart. But I've seen other ACTION FIGURES OF THE BIBLE in Christian bookstores if you're interested. But I digress...
How is this related to serious Bible thoughts? I'm glad you asked.
ACTION FIGURE JESUS, while totally ripped, is nowhere near to a real representation of the Lord. We tend to make God small, friendly, manageable, and understandable. The truth of the matter is, the Lord is none of these things. He's the Almighty, the Creator of all things, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. No one can look upon his face and live. He is surrounded by angels who praise him day and night and say "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory," (Isaiah 6). No one can understand his ways, no one compares to his might, strength, wisdom, and love.
It's easy and comfortable to think of God in small terms. But the truth is better and more soul satisfying. God is "the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades," (Revelation 1:17-18). Check out Isaiah 40, Revelation 4, 19:11-16, and Colossians 1:15-20.
Let's enjoy and worship a God who doesn't need a karate chop feature to be worthy of our praise.
Sorrow, Suffering, Unanswered Prayer and the Sovereignty of God, (1 Samuel 1)
Have you ever wanted something from God so bad that you prayed and prayed, hoping he would answer you? Have you ever poured out your soul before him in prayer, only to have silence as your answer? Have you ever had your heart broken with an unanswered prayer and wondered what the point was of continuing to trust the Lord and seek his face?
Many of us, (unless you’re one of those Super Christians that never have any problems, are always healthy, and never have any doubts), have faced such despair, doubt, and unanswered prayer. I wanted to look today at one such person who faced the bitter disappointment of unanswered prayer, how she persevered, and how God responded. If you are a Super Christian, (mentioned above), please feel free to skip this blog as totally meaningless to your life.
There was a man named Elkanah who had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. (Why a man would ever want two wives is beyond me. Apparenlty Elkanah had never watched the Bachelor before). Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. It’s important to note that the author says Hannah had no children because the Lord had closed her womb, (v5). In those days women were very low members of society. Their purpose was mainly to have sons to take care of the family and themselves in their old age. They did not have high positions in society. They were defined by their ability to have children. In those days there was no artificial insemination, adopting kids from New Zealand, or surrogate pregnancies, etc. So Hannah’s situation is dire.
To make matters worse, Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, would provoke Hannah because she had no children and the Lord had closed her womb. Living with another woman who was able to have children would be awful. But to live with this woman and have her taunt and shame you would be unbearable. Can you imagine such humiliation? And we cannot gloss over verse 7 which says that this torment continued year after year. Hannah suffered her humiliation and shame for years. We don’t know how long, but it was at least several years of such heartache.
Obvious questions arise as we consider Hannah’s situation. Why did the Lord allow this to go on for so long? If he was the one responsible, (“the Lord closed her womb”, v6), then why didn’t he fix it. Why did he allow it in the first place? What were his reasons? How did Hannah cope with such disappointment and shame? And why didn’t Elkanah, her husband, step in between the two women and protect Hannah?
I’ll attempt to give some perspective on these questions at the end. But first things get worse. Speaking of Elkanah…
Verse 8, “And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
This is a lesson to all men of what not to do. Rather than comforting his wife, he tries to explain to her why she shouldn’t be upset. His logic, “He baby, who needs to be able to have children when you‘ve got a catch like me?” He should have just not said anything at all. If you’re a man and you’re reading this here’s the lesson: when your loved one is upset, don’t try to explain why they shouldn’t be upset and certainly don’t point to yourself as the solution to the problem. We as men are more often than not dumb, clueless, and insensitive. We have our bright spots, but they’re certainly not enough to overcome the devastating moments of life.
So Hannah and the family would go yearly to offer sacrifices to the Lord at the temple. While she was there, Hannah was pouring out her soul to the Lord, weeping bitterly, as the text says. She is praying silently, but her mount was moving. Now the priest at the time, seeing this, thought she was drunk and rebukes her for drunkenness. This is not totally unreasonable for a couple of reasons. (1) The spiritual climate of the country at that time was pretty bad. (2) There may have been feasting and celebrating associated with the sacrifices. Either way, it’s another blow to this poor woman who was just trying to cry out to God in her distress.
Hannah explains to Eli that she wasn’t drunk, but that she was just pouring out her soul to God for her pain. Eli tells her to go in peace, “and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him." Hannah goes home and the Lord enables her to conceive. Hannah names her child Samuel, which sounds like the Hebrew word for “heard of God.”
There’s a lot here to consider, but I wanted to come back to some of those questions we listed earlier. We can clearly see that God was in control of all that happened. He closed Hannah’s womb and he allowed her to conceive. He allowed Hannah to suffer like she did for “years and years.” So why? Why did God allow such pain and heartache? Why did he allow such injustice and harsh treatment from Peninnah, the other wife? Why didn’t he answer sooner?
The truth of the matter is we can ask “why” all we want to when we are hurting and suffering, but it won’t help us. We may get an answer this side of heaven and we may not. What we can see is that God did not forsake Hannah. He was with her and answered her prayers in his own time. We will not always know the timing and reasons of God for the pain we experience. What we can know is that we are not forsaken by the Lord in our pain and we are not alone. God is in control. We are not left to the whims of chance. When we pray and it is not answered, when there is only silence, and when our despair grows, we must remember (1) to keep praying and trusting and (2) to know that God is in control and we are not forsaken by Him.
The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say, is that Hannah was exalted as a woman of great faith in chapter 2 where we see an extraordinarily long prayer/praise from her about God’s salvation. The fact that the author and God included such a passage from a woman, (cultural context), shows how highly valued Hannah was in the eyes of God.
“There’s a statue of Jesus, in a monastery knoll,
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold.
And he’s kneeling in the garden, as silent as a stone,
And all his friends are sleeping, and he’s weeping all alone.
And the man of all sorrows, never forgot, what sorrow is carried, by the hearts that he bought.
So when the questions dissolve, into the silence of God,
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not…” From the song Silence of God, by Andrew Peterson
Many of us, (unless you’re one of those Super Christians that never have any problems, are always healthy, and never have any doubts), have faced such despair, doubt, and unanswered prayer. I wanted to look today at one such person who faced the bitter disappointment of unanswered prayer, how she persevered, and how God responded. If you are a Super Christian, (mentioned above), please feel free to skip this blog as totally meaningless to your life.
There was a man named Elkanah who had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. (Why a man would ever want two wives is beyond me. Apparenlty Elkanah had never watched the Bachelor before). Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. It’s important to note that the author says Hannah had no children because the Lord had closed her womb, (v5). In those days women were very low members of society. Their purpose was mainly to have sons to take care of the family and themselves in their old age. They did not have high positions in society. They were defined by their ability to have children. In those days there was no artificial insemination, adopting kids from New Zealand, or surrogate pregnancies, etc. So Hannah’s situation is dire.
To make matters worse, Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, would provoke Hannah because she had no children and the Lord had closed her womb. Living with another woman who was able to have children would be awful. But to live with this woman and have her taunt and shame you would be unbearable. Can you imagine such humiliation? And we cannot gloss over verse 7 which says that this torment continued year after year. Hannah suffered her humiliation and shame for years. We don’t know how long, but it was at least several years of such heartache.
Obvious questions arise as we consider Hannah’s situation. Why did the Lord allow this to go on for so long? If he was the one responsible, (“the Lord closed her womb”, v6), then why didn’t he fix it. Why did he allow it in the first place? What were his reasons? How did Hannah cope with such disappointment and shame? And why didn’t Elkanah, her husband, step in between the two women and protect Hannah?
I’ll attempt to give some perspective on these questions at the end. But first things get worse. Speaking of Elkanah…
Verse 8, “And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
This is a lesson to all men of what not to do. Rather than comforting his wife, he tries to explain to her why she shouldn’t be upset. His logic, “He baby, who needs to be able to have children when you‘ve got a catch like me?” He should have just not said anything at all. If you’re a man and you’re reading this here’s the lesson: when your loved one is upset, don’t try to explain why they shouldn’t be upset and certainly don’t point to yourself as the solution to the problem. We as men are more often than not dumb, clueless, and insensitive. We have our bright spots, but they’re certainly not enough to overcome the devastating moments of life.
So Hannah and the family would go yearly to offer sacrifices to the Lord at the temple. While she was there, Hannah was pouring out her soul to the Lord, weeping bitterly, as the text says. She is praying silently, but her mount was moving. Now the priest at the time, seeing this, thought she was drunk and rebukes her for drunkenness. This is not totally unreasonable for a couple of reasons. (1) The spiritual climate of the country at that time was pretty bad. (2) There may have been feasting and celebrating associated with the sacrifices. Either way, it’s another blow to this poor woman who was just trying to cry out to God in her distress.
Hannah explains to Eli that she wasn’t drunk, but that she was just pouring out her soul to God for her pain. Eli tells her to go in peace, “and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him." Hannah goes home and the Lord enables her to conceive. Hannah names her child Samuel, which sounds like the Hebrew word for “heard of God.”
There’s a lot here to consider, but I wanted to come back to some of those questions we listed earlier. We can clearly see that God was in control of all that happened. He closed Hannah’s womb and he allowed her to conceive. He allowed Hannah to suffer like she did for “years and years.” So why? Why did God allow such pain and heartache? Why did he allow such injustice and harsh treatment from Peninnah, the other wife? Why didn’t he answer sooner?
The truth of the matter is we can ask “why” all we want to when we are hurting and suffering, but it won’t help us. We may get an answer this side of heaven and we may not. What we can see is that God did not forsake Hannah. He was with her and answered her prayers in his own time. We will not always know the timing and reasons of God for the pain we experience. What we can know is that we are not forsaken by the Lord in our pain and we are not alone. God is in control. We are not left to the whims of chance. When we pray and it is not answered, when there is only silence, and when our despair grows, we must remember (1) to keep praying and trusting and (2) to know that God is in control and we are not forsaken by Him.
The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say, is that Hannah was exalted as a woman of great faith in chapter 2 where we see an extraordinarily long prayer/praise from her about God’s salvation. The fact that the author and God included such a passage from a woman, (cultural context), shows how highly valued Hannah was in the eyes of God.
“There’s a statue of Jesus, in a monastery knoll,
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold.
And he’s kneeling in the garden, as silent as a stone,
And all his friends are sleeping, and he’s weeping all alone.
And the man of all sorrows, never forgot, what sorrow is carried, by the hearts that he bought.
So when the questions dissolve, into the silence of God,
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not…” From the song Silence of God, by Andrew Peterson
Man of God
“And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, ‘Thus the LORD has said,”… 1 Samuel 1:1-20
Who are you known as? What words do people associate you with? Businessman? Dad? Mom? Teacher? Friend? Or would people think of positive terms like nice, friendly, strong, servant, or encouraging? Hopefully, you are not associated with negative words like jerk, selfish idiot, gossiper, or that lady who has a severe anger problem that no one wants to talk to because she might go off on me and pull my hair out.
No matter what, when people think of you, a feeling or thought comes to mind, positive or negative. What do you want that to be?
In the verse listed above, a man comes to Eli, a priest, and shares a message from God for Eli and his family. What I wanted to dwell on for a moment is that the prophet who comes is simply called, “a man of God.” No name is given, just the “man of God.” How awesome would it to be known as “a man of God” or “a woman of God?” What would it be like to end your life and be known simply as “a man or woman of God?” What a testimony for your life if that was all that had to be said? “He was a man of God.” There can’t be too many higher compliments for a man or woman in this life. To simply be known as a person associated with the things of God and the things on God’s heart would be awesome.
It must be pointed out that this “man of God” is never heard from again throughout the rest of the Bible. He says what God wanted him to say and goes back to his own life. There are a lot of us who don’t and won’t have major roles in God’s plan. We won’t be a famous preacher, worship leader, or leader for the things of God. But we can be faithful men and women of God in the everyday things of life. We can be faithful friends, mothers, fathers, workers teachers, helpers, and servants in whatever circle we find ourselves. The man of God in the story was only in one chapter in the whole Bible, but he fulfilled the role God had for him and helped accomplish God’s purposes. So too can we serve God faithfully and play a vital part in his plan to glorify Himself and show Jesus to the world.
So what?
1. So who do you want to be and what are you doing to be that sort of person?
2. Your role, whatever it is in this phase of your life is significant. Don’t doubt that God can use you powerfully to accomplish great things, even if it doesn’t seem like it all the time.
3. Are you being faithful to serve the Lord wherever you are?
Father, I want to be known as a man/woman of God. I want to be known as a person who was about you and the things on your heart. Give me perspective to see that wherever I am is where you want me to be and that you can use me to accomplish something significant for you. Amen.
Who are you known as? What words do people associate you with? Businessman? Dad? Mom? Teacher? Friend? Or would people think of positive terms like nice, friendly, strong, servant, or encouraging? Hopefully, you are not associated with negative words like jerk, selfish idiot, gossiper, or that lady who has a severe anger problem that no one wants to talk to because she might go off on me and pull my hair out.
No matter what, when people think of you, a feeling or thought comes to mind, positive or negative. What do you want that to be?
In the verse listed above, a man comes to Eli, a priest, and shares a message from God for Eli and his family. What I wanted to dwell on for a moment is that the prophet who comes is simply called, “a man of God.” No name is given, just the “man of God.” How awesome would it to be known as “a man of God” or “a woman of God?” What would it be like to end your life and be known simply as “a man or woman of God?” What a testimony for your life if that was all that had to be said? “He was a man of God.” There can’t be too many higher compliments for a man or woman in this life. To simply be known as a person associated with the things of God and the things on God’s heart would be awesome.
It must be pointed out that this “man of God” is never heard from again throughout the rest of the Bible. He says what God wanted him to say and goes back to his own life. There are a lot of us who don’t and won’t have major roles in God’s plan. We won’t be a famous preacher, worship leader, or leader for the things of God. But we can be faithful men and women of God in the everyday things of life. We can be faithful friends, mothers, fathers, workers teachers, helpers, and servants in whatever circle we find ourselves. The man of God in the story was only in one chapter in the whole Bible, but he fulfilled the role God had for him and helped accomplish God’s purposes. So too can we serve God faithfully and play a vital part in his plan to glorify Himself and show Jesus to the world.
So what?
1. So who do you want to be and what are you doing to be that sort of person?
2. Your role, whatever it is in this phase of your life is significant. Don’t doubt that God can use you powerfully to accomplish great things, even if it doesn’t seem like it all the time.
3. Are you being faithful to serve the Lord wherever you are?
Father, I want to be known as a man/woman of God. I want to be known as a person who was about you and the things on your heart. Give me perspective to see that wherever I am is where you want me to be and that you can use me to accomplish something significant for you. Amen.
The Crew
