1 Samuel 15 – Saul is commanded to utterly destroy Amalek. God has his reasons. God gives Saul a very big army. Some do not believe these numbers (200,000 in the NASB) could be true. Those people picture a small group of pastoral Bedouins living the hill country. They do not think the number of people living here could be that large or that stratified. I do.
Saul does not totally obey God. He (and the army) keep the good stuff and the king (why the king?). But he utterly destroys the people and the “worthless stuff”.
I am very uncomfortable with commands. I have all ways had trouble with authority, but the being in authority and being under authority.
When someone commands me to do something, there is a part of me that resists, that chafes. Even if they have every right to command me I do not cheerfully respond.
God has every right to command me. As the Father of Jesus my savior God has every right to tell me what to do and I should quickly do it.
Yet I am much more comfortable with a God that gently leads me through giving me desires and putting needs before me that I want to do. That seems more akin to manipulation than commanding.
I think God does work that way out of his great love and mercy. I am not sure it is best. God does reserve the right to command me, command us. He has every right to command us and we to obey, every right. And yet he also expects us to relate as friends not slaves. Jesus tells his disciples that they are friends because they obey him. That seems incongruous really. I think it means that if our hearts are ready to obey we are free to question and even ask why. Not that God always has to explain. But if in our hearts we are obedient we can ask. A good example is Mary who asks how she can get pregnant with having sex. It is a good and natural question. The angel answers patiently.
Perhaps I am more willing to obey than I realize. Perhaps it is the whispering of the accuser I am listening to. Perhaps all this struggle is a part of the human condition, fallen humanity, “the flesh” as Paul calls it.
I have not even touched on the morality of God calling, no commanding Israel to do genocide. I do not know how I justify it. I still believe God loves. God’s ways are not my ways. I think that has to be enough for me. Sadly I know it is not for others.
I think also God can still call down his judgment on people even before death. We think of God’s judgment coming at death. Sometimes people are so evil they are judged before they die. I think/. To hazard a guess as to specifics would be the role of a prophet. Do prophets still exist today? Yet it is God’s right to judge. And I think he still does it today.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Abiding in Jesus
John (1 John 2) is reiterating his theme about abiding. Abiding means to stay near, to spend time with someone. To me abiding reminds me of physical closeness, like snuggling with tour honey. Here though John is talking of abiding with God who we do not see. John no longer sees Jesus either yet he abides with him too, part of the Godhead, sitting at the right hand of God in heaven. And yet He is still present to us very near all the time. John is assured of that.
This letter is to believers. God always abides with us, who have accepted him as savior, by the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus.
John is teaching these Christians what it means to be a devotee of Christ. It is not at all like being a devotee of a pagan temple god like Artemis, for example. It requires more and yet it returns much more. When John speaks of abiding he is telling these former pagans of a new type of lifestyle.
This letter is to believers. God always abides with us, who have accepted him as savior, by the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus.
John is teaching these Christians what it means to be a devotee of Christ. It is not at all like being a devotee of a pagan temple god like Artemis, for example. It requires more and yet it returns much more. When John speaks of abiding he is telling these former pagans of a new type of lifestyle.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
1 John
We can so easily slip into the idea that knowing God means something mental, something intellectual. But John makes it clear "We know we have come to know (God) if we keep his commandments (1 John 2:3)."
He goes on to elaborate: "If I say I know God and do not keep his commands I am a liar and the truth is not in me." Another: "I one says he abides (knows like a friend) ought to walk in the same manner as He walked (1 John 2:6)." And then the more positive: "Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected (completed). Bu this we know we are in Him." This a life conformed to the example of Christ.
John uses three different ways to say the same thing, to inforce his point: know him, abide in him, simply in him. We have to know him to walk as he walked. That requires observing God's behavior, his demeanor, his attitude. We learn those things by abiding.
John loves to keep the tension. He speaks of new commands and old commands. What command does he mean? He never exactly explains. He assumes his readers will know.
"Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment, it is an old commandment. This old commandment is the word from beforehand. What does John mean here? He says it is from the beginning. What beginning? The beginning of time or the beginning of their relationship? "You heard it from the first." What command is that?
Then John says, "on the other hand I write a new commandment to you." Are the new and old one and the same? Are they two sides of the same coin?
The new command has to do with light. Light is a favorite metaphor of John's. The light is shining brighter and brighter. It seems the darkness is passing away.
I think John is saying you obey the old commandment which is to abide in God and live as Jesus lived. As you do that you are more and more changed into the likeness of God. The light is an image. You are a light to a needy and sinful world. You see into the darkness better as you come to experience God's wisdom. You are growing in faith and holiness as you are obedient to Him.
He goes on to elaborate: "If I say I know God and do not keep his commands I am a liar and the truth is not in me." Another: "I one says he abides (knows like a friend) ought to walk in the same manner as He walked (1 John 2:6)." And then the more positive: "Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected (completed). Bu this we know we are in Him." This a life conformed to the example of Christ.
John uses three different ways to say the same thing, to inforce his point: know him, abide in him, simply in him. We have to know him to walk as he walked. That requires observing God's behavior, his demeanor, his attitude. We learn those things by abiding.
John loves to keep the tension. He speaks of new commands and old commands. What command does he mean? He never exactly explains. He assumes his readers will know.
"Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment, it is an old commandment. This old commandment is the word from beforehand. What does John mean here? He says it is from the beginning. What beginning? The beginning of time or the beginning of their relationship? "You heard it from the first." What command is that?
Then John says, "on the other hand I write a new commandment to you." Are the new and old one and the same? Are they two sides of the same coin?
The new command has to do with light. Light is a favorite metaphor of John's. The light is shining brighter and brighter. It seems the darkness is passing away.
I think John is saying you obey the old commandment which is to abide in God and live as Jesus lived. As you do that you are more and more changed into the likeness of God. The light is an image. You are a light to a needy and sinful world. You see into the darkness better as you come to experience God's wisdom. You are growing in faith and holiness as you are obedient to Him.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Devotional book suggestions from Whitney Kuniholm
Whitney Kuniholm’s Top Ten Devotional Books for 2011
1. Understanding the Bible by John Stott. This is the best one-volume summary of the background and context of the Bible that you're ever going to find, written by one of my heroes. First published by Scripture Union nearly 40 years ago, it's a classic that should be on the shelf of every Bible reader. Great starting point in our little course.
2. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Somewhere along the way every Christian asks, "How do I know the Bible is true?" This slim volume focuses on the New Testament (because that's the target of most doubters) and nails the answer. Reading it will make you a confident defender of the Bible.
3. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. Once you understand the context and reliability of the Bible, you need some perspective on how to interpret the different kinds of writing it contains--narrative, laws, psalms, prophecy, Gospels, epistles and so on--plus a grasp of some basic hermeneutical principles. This book delivers all that in a readable format.
4. Shaped by the Word, by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. Pastors and preachers often say, "God's Word changes lives." This book, by one of my mentors, helps us understand how that happens. It zeros in on the role of the Bible in the spiritual formation process.
5. Life with God, by Richard J. Foster. Understanding that the Bible is key to spiritual formation is step one. Step two is "re-learning" how to read the Bible so that spiritual transformation is possible. That's what Foster helps us do in this book.
6. Eat This Book, by Eugene Peterson. The author of The Message tackles an important question: how can Bible reading and prayer become a genuine dialog with God? If you're hungry for a Bible engagement experience that's more than just informational, this is the book for you. I love this book!
7. Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, by Chris Hall. God's people have been reading the Bible for centuries. My friend Chris Hall adds depth to our understanding of Bible engagement by introducing us to how Athanasius, Chrysostom, Augustine and many other Church Fathers approached it. Those guys were good.
8. The Blue Parakeet, by Scot McKnight. To balance our historical perspective, we need to listen to some contemporary voices like McKnight's. His book steers around both liberal and conservative biases so we can catch a fresh vision of the big story of the Bible.
9. Hearing God, by Dallas Willard. How specifically does God speak to us through the words of Scripture, or through any other means for that matter? This book is the best answer to that important question that I've ever found, by one of the great spiritual writers of our day.
10. The Holy Bible. Of course, the best Bible engagement book ever is the Bible itself. No matter how many books you read and study about the Bible, there's no substitute for this: pray it in, live it out, every day. "That's what Bible engagement is all about, Charlie Brown."
1. Understanding the Bible by John Stott. This is the best one-volume summary of the background and context of the Bible that you're ever going to find, written by one of my heroes. First published by Scripture Union nearly 40 years ago, it's a classic that should be on the shelf of every Bible reader. Great starting point in our little course.
2. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Somewhere along the way every Christian asks, "How do I know the Bible is true?" This slim volume focuses on the New Testament (because that's the target of most doubters) and nails the answer. Reading it will make you a confident defender of the Bible.
3. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. Once you understand the context and reliability of the Bible, you need some perspective on how to interpret the different kinds of writing it contains--narrative, laws, psalms, prophecy, Gospels, epistles and so on--plus a grasp of some basic hermeneutical principles. This book delivers all that in a readable format.
4. Shaped by the Word, by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. Pastors and preachers often say, "God's Word changes lives." This book, by one of my mentors, helps us understand how that happens. It zeros in on the role of the Bible in the spiritual formation process.
5. Life with God, by Richard J. Foster. Understanding that the Bible is key to spiritual formation is step one. Step two is "re-learning" how to read the Bible so that spiritual transformation is possible. That's what Foster helps us do in this book.
6. Eat This Book, by Eugene Peterson. The author of The Message tackles an important question: how can Bible reading and prayer become a genuine dialog with God? If you're hungry for a Bible engagement experience that's more than just informational, this is the book for you. I love this book!
7. Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, by Chris Hall. God's people have been reading the Bible for centuries. My friend Chris Hall adds depth to our understanding of Bible engagement by introducing us to how Athanasius, Chrysostom, Augustine and many other Church Fathers approached it. Those guys were good.
8. The Blue Parakeet, by Scot McKnight. To balance our historical perspective, we need to listen to some contemporary voices like McKnight's. His book steers around both liberal and conservative biases so we can catch a fresh vision of the big story of the Bible.
9. Hearing God, by Dallas Willard. How specifically does God speak to us through the words of Scripture, or through any other means for that matter? This book is the best answer to that important question that I've ever found, by one of the great spiritual writers of our day.
10. The Holy Bible. Of course, the best Bible engagement book ever is the Bible itself. No matter how many books you read and study about the Bible, there's no substitute for this: pray it in, live it out, every day. "That's what Bible engagement is all about, Charlie Brown."
Thursday, January 6, 2011
James 4:17
James 4:17 “So for one who knows the right way to do and does not do it, it is sin.”
This is a definition of sin. I think there are others in the Bible but I cannot remember where. But this is a good one, really.
This definition gives me encouragement and it should you too. We do not know much. No, I’m not talking about stuff we pretend not to know. This gets us into lots of trouble.
We do not know much. Don’t worry about what you do not know. God is in charge. If you need to know, God can make it happen. You can trust God.
Be concerned about what you know and be obedient. There you are. Easy isn’t it? NO! It’s not. Being responsible for what we know is all we can handle. We certainly cannot handle worrying about what we do not know. If we concern ourselves to try to figure out if we are sinning ignorantly we will make ourselves a nervous wreck.
Here is encouragement. It is all right. God is compassionate and merciful (James 5:11). Even with this seemingly easy requirement we will sin a lot. We can trust in his mercy and ask his forgiveness, determining not to be discouraged. God is compassionate.
God will reveal many things to us who wait on him, who read his word, who abide in his presence. We should aspire to be closer to God. But then at times our unbelief will cause us to sin. We will not do what we know that we should. We can know we are just like all the saints before us, even James.
There is a lot in the spiritual realm that we do not know. We cannot see spiritual things. Even with earthly things that we can see we do not know a lot. How much more with spiritual things of God that we cannot see! We do not need to be so concerned with them. We need not worry if we are sinning without knowing. God will reveal what we need to know.
James 4:17 If you know what is right and do wrong, you are sinning. It seems simple enough. But in the midst of living it is not easy.
This is a definition of sin. I think there are others in the Bible but I cannot remember where. But this is a good one, really.
This definition gives me encouragement and it should you too. We do not know much. No, I’m not talking about stuff we pretend not to know. This gets us into lots of trouble.
We do not know much. Don’t worry about what you do not know. God is in charge. If you need to know, God can make it happen. You can trust God.
Be concerned about what you know and be obedient. There you are. Easy isn’t it? NO! It’s not. Being responsible for what we know is all we can handle. We certainly cannot handle worrying about what we do not know. If we concern ourselves to try to figure out if we are sinning ignorantly we will make ourselves a nervous wreck.
Here is encouragement. It is all right. God is compassionate and merciful (James 5:11). Even with this seemingly easy requirement we will sin a lot. We can trust in his mercy and ask his forgiveness, determining not to be discouraged. God is compassionate.
God will reveal many things to us who wait on him, who read his word, who abide in his presence. We should aspire to be closer to God. But then at times our unbelief will cause us to sin. We will not do what we know that we should. We can know we are just like all the saints before us, even James.
There is a lot in the spiritual realm that we do not know. We cannot see spiritual things. Even with earthly things that we can see we do not know a lot. How much more with spiritual things of God that we cannot see! We do not need to be so concerned with them. We need not worry if we are sinning without knowing. God will reveal what we need to know.
James 4:17 If you know what is right and do wrong, you are sinning. It seems simple enough. But in the midst of living it is not easy.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Jesus in the temple at aged 12
My resolution is to blog more. I strive to get a blog done every day. But I know that it not going to happen. But I hope for more maybe five a week. I promise to do my best to get good blogs and more of them.
Luke 2:41-52 This story is only told in Luke. Why is that? My guess is because Luke must have spent a lot of time with Mary hearing her remembrances. This must be one of the things she remembered about the boyhood of Jesus.
Jesus' parents sound just like any other parents who lose their boy, are afraid for his safety. They are relieved and angry at the same time. Jesus' answer is equally blunt isn't it? "Don't you know I must be about my Father's business?"
Even at age 12 Jesus knew who he was. He knew his identity. He knew he was special. He had a unique role.
Yet in the next sentence we are told that he went home with parents and was obedient to them. Staying behind seems less that obedient. Yet I think again we have the remembrance of Mary. "Jesus was a good boy. He was obedient to his parents."
Jesus at twelve was already a teacher. Of course he was God so he knew God better than the priests and teachers of the law. Yet it seems he responded in a question/answer dialog sort of fashion. As a child he had to be respectful to his answers. He could not directly teach them. Yet he still felt a need to teach them. These are men who would teach others. He wanted them to teach correctly. So he tried to leave them with provocative ideas. This was doing his Father's work.
Luke 2:41-52 This story is only told in Luke. Why is that? My guess is because Luke must have spent a lot of time with Mary hearing her remembrances. This must be one of the things she remembered about the boyhood of Jesus.
Jesus' parents sound just like any other parents who lose their boy, are afraid for his safety. They are relieved and angry at the same time. Jesus' answer is equally blunt isn't it? "Don't you know I must be about my Father's business?"
Even at age 12 Jesus knew who he was. He knew his identity. He knew he was special. He had a unique role.
Yet in the next sentence we are told that he went home with parents and was obedient to them. Staying behind seems less that obedient. Yet I think again we have the remembrance of Mary. "Jesus was a good boy. He was obedient to his parents."
Jesus at twelve was already a teacher. Of course he was God so he knew God better than the priests and teachers of the law. Yet it seems he responded in a question/answer dialog sort of fashion. As a child he had to be respectful to his answers. He could not directly teach them. Yet he still felt a need to teach them. These are men who would teach others. He wanted them to teach correctly. So he tried to leave them with provocative ideas. This was doing his Father's work.
Happy New Year
A D Players did themselves proud. We kept Christmas season and prayed in the New Year after going to eat at Ouisie's Table on San Felipe.
Thank you God for your faithfulness.
We sang some Christmas carols between one act plays. That was great but also challenging since Abby led us, without the words into the second and third verses of some carols. Some I knew a little some not at all. There was one song where it seemed that Abby Barbara and I were the only ones singing. Must have been more but I could not hear them.
The ending prayers as midnight came were very cool.
Praise God!
Thank you God for your faithfulness.
We sang some Christmas carols between one act plays. That was great but also challenging since Abby led us, without the words into the second and third verses of some carols. Some I knew a little some not at all. There was one song where it seemed that Abby Barbara and I were the only ones singing. Must have been more but I could not hear them.
The ending prayers as midnight came were very cool.
Praise God!
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