Emptied

On June 6, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Philippians 2: 7

[He] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Jesus was, and is, and always will be. He was with God at the creation of the world. He sat in the high places with God, and He was God. And yet, he emptied Himself of His deity and came to earth in the form of a bond-servant. Why?

No one less than the very Son of God was good enough for God to send into the earth for the redemption of each and every one of us. And what is amazing is that Jesus willingly gave up everything to come to this world as the sacrificial lamb. He gave up sitting on His throne in paradise to come into this broken world to fix all that was broken.

Sometimes we forget that when Jesus came here, He gave up being God to become a man. Sometimes we think that it was easy for Him to perform the miracles that He did because, “After all, He is God.” Yes, He is but he emptied Himself of all of that so that He could be the perfect sacrifice. He had to empty himself of his divinity in order to be that perfect sacrifice. He had to become a regular person in order to redeem people. He took on our form so that He could stand in our place before God. Now His perfection and His blood speak for us because He is standing before the throne in our place. When we, therefore, go to our God, we have the testimony of Jesus Christ as our garment, our robe.

Never underestimate how important you are to God or how glorious Jesus’ sacrifice was. You are God’s precious child. You were the prize Jesus desired. He was willing to sacrifice everything for you.

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Who killed Jesus?

On April 15, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

 

Acts 2: 23         NLV

“With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.”

It is fascinating how much resentment and anger people carry towards others in this matter, and how much recrimination goes with it. However, the legal maneuvering of Jesus’ trials and conviction is quite interesting to study and there are some interesting things that come from it.

For example, it is interesting to me that it took the ruling authorities of both the Jews and the Romans to crucify Jesus. Here is my take on this, both the Romans and the Jews were complicit in the death of Jesus. This was so neither future generations of Gentiles nor future Jews could feign innocence. The blood that saved was for everyone, but it is also true that everyone is responsible for that precious blood having to be spilled. The uncomfortable truth is that the person responsible for crucifying Jesus is staring back at me in the mirror. This is the truth that breaks our hearts, but it is also the truth which sets us free, because it was for our sins that Jesus determined to go to the cross. He saw the prize and considered it worth the price. Jesus looked into the future and saw you and saw me and then turned his face towards Calvary. That is amazing.  It is beyond words. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you Father. We will never be able to thank them enough.

Let us allow this epiphany to swell and grow because there is another important fact we must acknowledge. The truth is that no one killed Jesus, no one could. Remember that when they went to arrest him that all he did was speak, and they were all knocked off their feet. He had to wait for them to regain their feet and their senses before they could arrest him (see John 18). Also, read in the eighth chapter of John where people picked up stones to stone Jesus, but he disappeared from right in front of them. Most importantly, consider this from Jesus himself, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again, for this is what my Father has commanded,” (John 10: 18). This is the big truth, the glowing reality.

It was for this season that Jesus came to earth. Without regard to what the Jews did, or what the Romans did, the die was cast as soon as Jesus came to earth. Early in his ministry Jesus, “began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise from the dead” (Mark 8: 31) and yet they were surprised when the time came for him to go to the cross. They couldn’t hear the truth and sometimes, neither can we. When we read that he had to go to the cross, we still wish it wasn’t so and entertain denial in our own minds even though we know what happened. The truth is sometimes a bitter pill, but ultimately it heals and sets free. And this is that castor oil; if you were the only person on earth, Jesus would have still chosen the cross. You are that important to him. It was his choice to be the perfect sacrifice so that we could spend eternity with him and with our Father and his.

The beauty of Easter is not only that he is alive. That is, obviously, fabulous news. It is life to us. But this Easter, I thank God that he gave His only child and I gratefully worship Jesus for his sacrificial choice. He chose the cross so that I might live. I find that amazing and worth celebrating.

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To Jerusalem

On November 3, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 11: 16

People from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek the Lord God of Israel followed the Levitical priests to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors.

I wrote last week that my impression of Solomon’s offerings to the Lord were a sign that he sought the Lord and His wisdom. Today’s verse seems to support that idea. I am not suggesting that we need to buy the Lord’s favor, not at all. None the less, I also tire of people who want everything for free. I find this particularly true in the church. It seems to me that God and ministers should be honored in a tangible way. The people in today’s verse sought God with their hearts, their feet and their gifts.

The people referred to in today’s passage left their homes and travelled to Jerusalem to seek the face of their Lord. They did not arrive empty handed though. Do you think this is just an Old Testament idea? Maybe we don’t have to give good gifts to God anymore now that He has poured out Jesus for us. Or, do we need to make greater gifts because Jesus has been given for us? I truly believe it is the latter. I don’t think God requires it of us in the sense that He won’t meet our needs or answer our prayers, but I do think it matters to Him. I am sure He likes to be appreciated and honored for all He has done. Praise is more than words lifted up or a nice song. Praise can be very tangible. It can be a gift.

Today’s verse says two things to me: seek the Lord and give good gifts to Him. We fall woefully short these days. Why has the church come to this point? So, few people tithe? Why is that? The church is getting weak and many ministers are afraid to tell their congregants that giving is part of the faith. They do you an injustice and steal from you because giving is part of your livelihood. Look what it did for Solomon. God honored Solomon’s gifts by appearing to him in a dream and granting Solomon’s desire. Is it any mistake these two acts coincide? I don’t think so.

I want everyone who reads the Word of the Day to become very good at giving because I want to revitalize and strengthen the church. If we spend all our money on “stuff” instead of supporting the ministries, we deprive ourselves. It’s true. Giving is a way of life and an important part of serving our Lord. I would love to see the church rise up and show itself generous and loving. This is the way to change the world. We can be like the people in today’s passage who followed their pastor and made sacrifice to their King. They honored God and fed the priests all as a part of seeking God. What a beautiful example.  Why can’t we be like them?  What would it take and what would be gained?  I am sure it would be good for us.

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Leadership Altars

On October 28, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Kings 3: 3 – 5, 15

Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David. . . And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there . . . Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and held a feast for all his servants.

The point of this story is the bookends. The story begins with Solomon’s sacrifices to God. Then, God appeared to him in a dream offering to grant any wish of Solomon’s desire. Then, at the end of the story, Solomon appeared before the Ark of the Covenant and made more offerings and threw a feast. It is a story of honor and sacrifice, of devotion and blessing. It is also a story of leadership. The two points I wish us to take away from this story is first, the relationship between offerings and sacrifice and God’s outpouring and two, Kingdom Leadership.

I have to believe that God showing up and speaking to Solomon in the dream was directly related to Solomon’s sacrifices and offerings. The offerings reveal Solomon’s earnest seeking of God’s wisdom. He was overwhelmed by his responsibility as the leader of the nation. Knowing it was a monumental responsibility, he sought God, making offering upon offering, humbling himself before his God. And God responded to Solomon. What would you ask for if God told you He would grant your desire? Solomon asked for the wisdom to rule God’s people justly. Wow! Not what I would have thought of.

Solomon’s leadership position drove him to prayer and to seeking God. There is no leadership teaching more impactful than this truth. Leadership should mean seeking God’s face on behalf of one’s flock. Second, in Solomon’s seeking, he made offerings to God. He laid thousands of gifts upon the altar believing that the God of Israel would honor his sacrifice. He was right. Third, Solomon’s response to God’s grant was to give more offerings and to throw a party for his servants. He blessed his servants with the blessing God gave him. He both honored God and blessed his people.

God gave Solomon what he asked for and much more besides but on both ends of this enormous blessing we find Solomon filling the altar with gifts to his King. Is it coincidence?

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Sacrifice

On February 28, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hosea 6: 6

For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

I have been thinking about Lent a lot this year. Often, we think about what we might give up for Lent. Some people give up a particular food. For others it might be giving up a sport or recreational activity or even television for a time. Those sacrifices are about moving things out of the way which may interfere with devotion.

In the same vein, but perhaps the other side of the coin, I have been thinking about what we might pick up rather than what we lay down. I very much believe this is the wind of the Holy Spirit and the calling He is issuing to us. I have had several people speak or write to me about their Lent experience for this year and it is exactly what I have been thinking about. So, let’s think about what we can pick up for Lent this year.

The first thing many of us will think about is an increase in prayer. Prayer not only changes circumstances, it changes us, and I very much believe it is an extremely healthy activity.

Second, maybe in your time with the Lord you feel Him leading you to spend more time in the Word. Oh, hallelujah! You know I love that. I know that when you spend meditative time with the Word, it grows you. Problems receive answers. In fact, you might even find answers to problems you didn’t even know how to pray about. The Word is restorative and invigorating.

Third, speaking of meditative time, I hope you will consider spending some quiet, meditative time with the Lord every day. It is how you hear from the Lord. It is how I find out what to write about and what to write. When you give time to hearing the Lord, it is amazing how loquacious He can be.

How about singing or writing. Journal what you hear the Lord speaking or write to Him your thoughts. It is very fun to record your dialogue. When you begin to write your thoughts, He chimes in and directs those ruminations. Write that down! Sing a song to Him. Did you know that Dad and I have a song? Do you remember when you were young and falling in love? Most couples have a song that became important to them during the courtship. Imagine my surprise when one day Dad told me to sing “our” song. I said, “I didn’t know we had a song.” Immediately a song came to my mind and my response was, “Oh.” If you and Dad don’t have a song together, get one. Which one do you want to sing to Him?

I am sure you can find other ways to pick up something for Lent that will serve your relationship with the Father. As you see from today’s verse, He really is not looking for sacrifice but rather relationship. He wants you to get to know Him better and better so that you can trust Him fully. That is what we can take away from Lent this year.

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Not Taken, Given

On December 6, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 7: 30

They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

John 10:14-15

I lay down My life for the sheep.

Some people debate and rage over who killed Jesus. These become very passionate debates. Some say the Romans killed Him. Some say the Jews. When we really understand the passion of Christ, then we can finally let go of this debate. The only one who had power over Jesus’ life was Jesus.

In the seventh chapter of John, those who hated Him tried to seize Him so that they could put Him to death. But Jesus’ hour had not yet come so they were unable to take Him. Jesus just slipped away as He did at other times. In the tenth chapter of John the crowd was going to stone him. The scripture says in verse 39, “Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.” Notice that the verse says they were seeking to seize Him again. This wasn’t the first time and it was not to be the last, but Jesus had a say in what was going to happen to him. The temptation in the garden of Gethsemane wouldn’t have been so difficult for Jesus if the end was a forgone conclusion and he did not have any power to affect the outcome. No, it was because He had to willingly go into captivity and to the cross that the temptation was so great. He had the power to walk away but made the choice to stay.

Only when Jesus’ time had come was it possible to capture him. Even then Jesus had to practically help the soldiers arrest him. When they came with Judas to arrest him, they all ended up falling to the ground under the power of God. Read John 18: 3 – 11. Jesus waited for them to recover and then, again, identified himself for them. Peter drew his sword to defend Jesus but Jesus told him to put it away. Jesus said, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” Jesus had chosen to follow God. He had chosen to lay down his life for the sheep. That is the only way they could have ever put him on the cross, through his choice. In John 10, verses 17 and 18 Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves Me because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” Jesus was saying that no one had the authority to take his life from him. Only he had the ability to sacrifice his life. And that he willingly did for us.

If you ever hear people debating this question again you can answer, “It wasn’t the Romans that put Jesus on the cross; it wasn’t the Jews. It was love that put him there. Love for you and me. As Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends,” John 14: 13. And that he did; laid down his life for us. It was his to give and freely he gave it to us.

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Come, Gather

On April 29, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 50: 5

“Gather My godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

By now, most Christians have embraced the idea that God called us to Him so that we might be in relationship with Him. That relationship is one of kinship, it is a bond that is sacred to God. He seeks those who have covenanted with Him through sacrifice, forged a bond through sacrifice and He gathers those to Himself.

When we read the word “sacrifice” in the Old Testament, we usually think of lambs and bulls and goats offered on the altar. In verse fourteen we find that the sacrifice God was looking for was not the blood of animals but rather a sacrifice of Thanksgiving. In the Old Testament, there were prescribed offerings, but it isn’t the meat or the unleavened cake that God spoke about in this verse. He was looking at the thankfulness with which a person brought the sacrifice to the altar. The sacrifice is an offering of being grateful and expressing that thankfulness. In the Old Testament, that offering was not words alone but an actual offering that was taken to the temple and laid upon the altar. I personally like the outward expression. In other words, “Father I will tell you how thankful I am for what you have done for me but let me show you as well.” A sacrifice without an accompanying sentiment is empty. It is dead works. However, words can be empty too. I like an act being tied to our words and our sentiment of thankfulness. In modern times our offerings tend to be money. There are other ways to make a thanksgiving offering. If we gave something else of value, that would be a memorial before God too. The key is that it is an offering that means something to us.

There is a New Testament idea that we can drape over this covenant by sacrifice concept. It might be that when you hear the word “covenant” you think of the term “blood covenant.” A blood covenant is forged in blood and shows the serious intent of the parties as well as its immutable nature. It is a blood covenant that New Testament believers share with the Father, a bond so strong that it cannot be broken. The lamb was slain upon the altar and the blood from that unblemished, innocent lamb binds the Father to us in tethers which no one, not even God Himself, can sever. That sacrificial lamb, his flesh, his blood binds God to those who receive it as their thanksgiving offering.

If you think about it, the debate about who killed Jesus is resolved here. I sacrificed him; you did too. We are the ones who shed the blood of the innocent lamb and through him made a blood covenant with the Father. We are the ones who come to the altar and reap the reward of the thanksgiving offering. We are the ones who claim that blood. We put him on the altar as our thanksgiving that the Father loves us and was willing to slay the lamb in a joint act in order to forge that imperishable covenant bond between us. The blood of the lamb isn’t only a sin offering and a guilt offering. That perfect lamb is the thanksgiving offering of a grateful people. God gave us the perfect lamb so that we could come into spotless, unblemished union with Him, so that we would enter and enduring covenant with the Holy One.

Now, daily, the Father gathers His beloved to Him. He calls to those who, through sacrifice, have made a covenant with Him. So, there are two ideas I would leave you with. Gather to the Father. Hear His call to you for fellowship and togetherness. Second, don’t forsake the act of giving a thanksgiving offering. I think you will find it fulfilling. You can always give one just to memorialize the perfect sacrifice made for us, but you may also like to send Father a special thanksgiving offering just to express your thanks when something has gone well for you. I think it will touch the Father’s heart but just as importantly, it will boost your heart so that you will answer the bell which is ringing, calling us all to gather around Him.

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