What is it that we mean when we say everybody?

In most cases when we think we are referring to everybody, some people will be left out.

When we cast a vision, for what the ideal world would look like, the ideal family would look like, the ideal church would look like, the ideal community would look like. We see the world through certain spectacles that are going to influence our view of what is ideal.

What about all the people who might not fit in what we call ideal? People from different cultures, homosexuals, the old people, the mentally ill? What do we have for them?

There is only one God, and one truth. Most of the ideals that we create are actually based on our upbringing, not from what we read in scripture. Scripture is universal, relevant for all. Soo I want to suggest that when people are rejected, or feel that way, it is not God's fault, but man's fault. So I want to suggest that when people go against what the Bible teaches, they are actually rejecting the way Bible believers have wrongly applied the passages, and brought condemnation on different people groups such as: women, people of color, homosexuals, the poor.

After a class I took yesterday focusing on all that, I realized that sometimes we really do think narrow! When we hear of a theology different than our own, we just want to dismiss it, call it unbiblical and move on. But what about all the hurt that was involved in the development of this new theology? How did it come to be? Why haven't they just simply accepted orthodox theology? I think the answer is that they were mistreated, in a way Jesus would never approve of. I believe that instead of just calling these people heretics, we must befriend them, get to know them, and through our love, allow them to have a personal encounter with the living God!

1 Cor 9 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Devotional Challenge Day 6 - Pride n Humility

1 Sam 2:2-3 ​​​​​​​​“There is none holy like the LORD; ​​​​​​​there is none besides you; ​​​​​​​there is no rock like our God. ​​​ 3​​​​​​​​Talk no more so very proudly, ​​​​​​​let not arrogance come from your mouth; ​​​​​​​for the LORD is a God of knowledge, ​​​​​​​and by him actions are weighed. ​​​

We see that Hannah, is a great example for us all, in the story of Samuel's birth. First, she makes her request known to God (1 Sam 1:11), she wants a son, and she wants to dedicate him to the Lord. This is a noble request.

She has Samuel: 'I have asked for him from the Lord' - Samuel's name shows her dedication to the Lord.

1 Sam 2 begins with a prayer from Hannah. Some comments she make about humility/ Pride are fascinating!

We often feel the we have something to boast about. Hannah articulates it so well, when she give the reason for not being proud, first being that: The Lord is a God of knowledge! Who are you trying to convince that you are good? God knows already! And secondly, most of the time we look around us, at other people, to make ourselves feel better, but God is the one who will weigh our actions. His standards are so much better than ours. Proper humility, properly placing our confidence, having an acurate perception of reality, leads to us to the praise of God, rather than ourselves!

Devotional Day 5 - True Repentence

1 Samuel 7:3 “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Real repentance must be with your whole heart. You heart cannot be separated, it must be pure. You can only pursue one thing at a time. No one can serve two masters (Mat 6:24). Serve only him!

We need to examine how we spend, our time? and how we spend our money? Often this will reflect what our priorities are. What other thing than God are we serving in this life? Is there anything we need to do? Anything we need to get rid off? This is a very personal issue, but nobody has probably got it right yet, there will always be room for improvement. And so I say to all... Good Luck! It is worth it. Through Christ, we can find the wisdom to be more obedient to this commandment, and through his power better at keeping!

Devotional Challenge Day 4

Judges 6:13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?

This is it! One of the questions everyone has in their lifetime. It is said that the first reason people give for not believing in God is the Evil in the World. If God was all good, and all powerful, there would be no evil. So because there is evil, then there can be no God.

Because we see this question in the Bible, we know that evil in the world is therefore not incompatible with the God of the Bible. It is really hard to explain why God allows some evil. Essentially how I can make sense of it, is in terms of freewill. Do I want to be free? Or do I want to be a robot? Free! Of Course! Freedom means, I am able to do good, but also able to do evil. If I have this freedom, then so does everyone else. When different people's freedoms collide, we harm each other, there is evil!

I also like making the case, that suffering is God's mercy. He makes us realize that evil/sin is a reality, pointing us to our own need for a savior. Christ, came into this world of brokenness, he knew no sin, but became sin, dying on the cross reconciling all things to himself, that we might become the righteousness of God, blameless, and without reproach before him! (2 Cor 5:21, Col 1:22).

Whenever we doubt the existence of God because of of our pain, a hopeless situation, we can remember Giddeon. At a time when Israel was handed over to the Midianites for 7 years. He had not hope. In the beginning of the Story, he was just hiding. We can identify with him here. God is still sovereign, and able to do anything, as we see later in Giddeons story, as they defeats Midian with a small army of 300 soldiers!

Devotional Challenge Day 3 - Importance of Testimony

Joshua 24 - the chapter gives a summary of Israel's History. Everything that the Lord has done for them, starting through Abraham, making him the Father of many, leading Israel to Freedom out of the Land, bringing them to the promised land and conquering many... This might have been close to his death (Josh 24:29) he is also reflecting back on his life, and the Story of his ancesters and he gives everyone the choice:

Who then will you choose? Other gods? Or the God of Israel?
He concludes with a firm: As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. (Josh 24;15).

It is good when we are doubting our faith, to remember the things of the Past. What has God done? We can look at this from different levels; The Bible gives us the Story of Israel, and the Jesus, and the early church. We then have church History, to see how faithful God has been throughout the ages, then we might have family, and close friends who are believers, what has God done in their lives? And then our own life! How has God saved us? What has he been doing? How is has he changed us? How is it to have his Spirit in us on a day to day basis?

And then make a decision: who is it that you will serve??

As for me, I will serve the Lord!!

Devotional Challenge take 2

When does it become our Problem!? It is when it starts to concern us?! Or whenever it concerns anyone, by extension as caring people it concerns us as well?

As Hamam is plotting to kill the Jews, Mordecai, warns queen Esther, that just because she is married to the King, does not mean that the killing of the Jews will not reach her (Esther 4:13-14). She then is convinced to risk her life (Esther 4:11), by appealing to the king for her people.

In Genesis 40, Joseph is in prison, and both Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker are thrown into prison. They both needed Joseph's help understanding dreams. The chapter ends with the cup bearer forgetting about Joseph once he was no longer in trouble. 

In the beginning of Germany's conquests before the second world war started, England and France were really slow to attack Germany, probably because they did not feel concerned.

The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, seemed like they were being selfish, when as soon as the first conquests were made in they wanted to settle down. The easy way out, stop down, settle in your land, and let the other who do not have land yet fight for it! This is probably the attitude we have too often. As soon as we are satisfied, we forget those who brought us to where we got, and really just care about ourselves. These tribes then see the problem in their ways. And realize that they must keep fighting until, every tribe is able to settle into the land. They stick to this until the end, and we see at the end of the Conquests in Joshua (22) that they are able to go home. 

Let us all have this mind set, not just thinking about our comfort! Remembering those who have helped us. When we are satisfied not just thinking about our own interests, but if things are well for us, and we might be in a position to bless someone else, to do just that!

Devotional Challenge

So I've decided to write a devotional per day, for 7 days!

Number one:

A struggle I have been having recently, is concerning the OT. There are so many precious verses, that people love quoting, but it also seems that straight after the verses might be terrible and just unquotable! Involve God asking terrible things of their people.

So how does that part of scripture relate to us? Specially thinking of Jesus words - Mat 5:17

 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them

A lot of the commands given to Israel, seem to be given with the expectation, that the following generations would be keeping them forever and ever!! Say Exodus 31:16 concerning the Sabbath

Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 

As one living in this busy busy society, where their are always things to do! Assignments to be handed in, money to be earned to pay the bills while I don't have class on the weekend, and can be really easy, for me, to not get any breaks at ALL!! The Sabbath does not seem like it would fit in my lifestyle. Specially it seems like Jesus is a lot more loose on the Sabbath, in the New Testament. So What up??

The day of Sabbath was given to the Israelites before the Ten Commandments. When God promised them manna, on the sixth day they were told to keep twice as much in order that they would not have to work on the Sabbath - Exodus 16:23

23 He told them, “This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.”

We find that straight away, the Israelites disobey! They do not trust in God good gift of the Sabbath, and go out the seventh day to find mana. 

As much as the Sabbath is a command, Moses clearly stresses that his people must realize that it is also a gift! - Exodus 16

29 They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you.

I have realized that my busy lifestyle, is also starting to bear negative consequences, like a few signs of a burn out!! Lack of motivation, finding it hard to get excitted about much. I am in a bad mood more often than usually! I have some pain in my stomach, which I think is psychological!

So I have decided to take this seriously, and try to find more rest! Trusting God with the time he has given me, and also, taking a break too, trusting that God will allow me to do what he has for me, if I trust him. 

How I have already started putting this is practice, is that I had planned on going to sleep at 11 last night, it was already 10 past 11, and realized I had to write my devotional for the day... and decided, how about I put in practice this devotional even before writing it, and Go to sleep, enjoy my God given rest, and let me be better organized tomorrow to do all the things that God will have for me then!!!

May God bless you! And keep you! May his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, may his face turn towards you, and give you peace!

Find that time to rest everyday!!