THE LORD SPOKE (February 06)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 35-36

What a fantastic story. Even without the surprise ending, it is a great inspiration. The way the people joined in and were so willing to give to the cause is a thrilling motivation. Five times it says, “everyone who was willing...gave”. Men and women alike (Ex. 35:22), particularly those with special skills (Ex. 35:26 and 36:2), came to make their contributions. The leaders were involved (Ex. 35:27 but it was ultimately “the whole Israelite community” that got into the act. The key descriptor was “everyone who was willing” (Ex. 35:21,22,26,29; 36:2).

As the pile grew higher and higher, “the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work” (Ex. 36:4) sent a commission to talk to Moses. “All the shelves in the warehouses are full - we don’t have any more space,” Their complaint? “The people are giving too much.” Maybe they began to think, “We’re going to have to carry all this stuff on our journey to the Promised Land.”

So then comes the punch line: “the people were restrained from bringing more” (Ex. 36:6). It’s the opposite of the preacher who said, “We didn’t get enough the first time around so the ushers are going to pass the offering plates again.” In this case it was, “No, we’re not going to pass the plates again. We have too much already. Stop giving!”

Granted, this was a one time project. People tend to rally to such a need. After all, they were already tithing to the General Fund. But the impression you get here is not that any special plea went out. The need was made known (Ex. 35:4-10) and the people started to give.

“God’s work will never lack God’s supply.” But the way that works is through you. God’s work should never lack supply, so long as God’s people have the means to supply it. Paul’s word to the church at Corinth is instructive to us on this point:

Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. (I Cor. 16:1-2)

It all boils down to a willing heart.


New Testament: Mark 9

Q&A time! Wouldn’t you love to have some with the Lord? Do you have your list ready to ask Him when you’re in His presence? What a day that will be.

Q&A time. Jesus never avoided it but Mark 9:30-31 tells us that He wanted to get away from the crowds for awhile because of His desire to have some teaching time with His disciples. They almost blew it. Just look at the questions they ask and the things they’re arguing over in Mark 9. Good ol’ Peter...even when he didn’t know what to say (9:6), still had something to say (9:5) and God had to say to him “shut up and listen for a change” (9:7). Aren’t you glad all your faux pas aren’t recorded in a bestseller and translated into hundreds of different languages for everyone to read for the next 2000 years?

Jesus asked some questions of His own in this chapter:

• Why must the Son of Man suffer and be rejected? (9:12) - He’d already answered that for them more than once.
• What were you arguing about with the teachers of the law? (9:16)
• How much longer can I put up with you? (9:19)
• How long has this situation gone on? (9:21)
• What do you mean, if I can help you? (9:23)
• Now what were you arguing about? (9:33)
• If salt isn’t salty, how can you make it salty again? (9:50) i.e. aren’t you supposed to be different?

Do you hear some frustration in His voice? That frustration only grew as He approached the Cross. It went right on through Gethsemane, through the courtyard of Caiaphas’ house, and through the three days before the tomb was emptied. It must have seemed hopeless at times. He had such poor material to work with.

But He didn’t give up and it paid off. That same motley crew hit the streets of Jerusalem after the Resurrection and, from there, turned the world upside down. They made a permanent difference in the world.

Spending time with Jesus will do that.

THE LORD SPOKE (February 05)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 33-34

The “tent of meeting” was a place for asking questions (Ex. 33:7-11). Moses would receive the answers from God and then relay them to the people. But Moses had a question of his own, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

The answer came in Exodus 34:10. God said, “I am making a covenant with you.” Later the Lord instructed him to “write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Ex. 34:27). In that context, Moses asks the Lord to instruct him. “Teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.” (Ex. 33:13)

And He did! We have many chapters of content in response to Moses’ plea but Exodus 34:6-7 give us a remarkable statement of the nature of God:

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness,
Maintaining love to thousands,
And forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;
He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers
To the third and fourth generation.

That passage is often quoted in the Old Testament (e.g. Num. 14:18; Ps. 86:5; Ps. 103:8; Joel 2:13; Neh. 9:17; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:2,7) to encourage repentance. And it does! It’s an encouragement to us to experience God’s abundant love and faithfulness. We too can cast ourselves upon His compassion and grace. Aren’t you glad He’s slow to anger?


New Testament: Mark 8

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38

Do you want to follow Jesus? The way is plain but it isn’t easy. It’s tight and narrow and most people can’t figure it out (Mat. 7:14). There are lots of ditches to fall into and plenty of temptations to turn back. The Devil will make sure that you’re tempted to take every possible detour along the way.

Jesus tells us that if we’re going to follow Him, we have to die to ourselves first. We must lose our life in order to obtain His. The life He gives can’t be bought (“what can a man give in exchange”, Mk. 8:36). You can’t barter for it. It’s not a trade off. You must release your own claims. You must give up trying to do it on your own. You must give up!

The words Jesus uses to express this are: you must deny yourself and take up your cross to follow Him (8:34). A cross is not some heavy burden you must carry. Some people think, “Well, I’ve got this problem - I’ll just have to carry it for the rest of my life.” No, a cross is something to die on! You really have to come to a full stop in your own efforts. You must die to your self. You must “cast your burden” onto the Lord.

You’ll have to give up your sin - especially your adultery (flirting with the world and its pleasures is spiritual adultery against God). There are some habits and thought patterns that will have to go. You have to step boldly out on a new path - the one that follows Him. But He has promised to help you. Like the prodigal son, the Father will meet you more than half way.

Even that “half way” part doesn’t involve self effort. Once your heart changes direction (this is called “repentance” from the Greek word metanoia) the rest of you follows. It all begins with an inner call of the Holy Spirit to submit to Him.

He’s calling. Are you listening?

THE LORD SPOKE (February 04)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 31-32

He should have at least hesitated. You’d think that, as a spiritual leader, Aaron would have tried to dissuade them. Not a word of that is mentioned. When the crowd whined about “this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt”, Aaron was a little too quick to offer a suggestion (Ex. 32:1-2).

And what a wicked suggestion. “Give me your gold and I’ll make you an idol.” His plural term “gods” may have been nothing more that the common plural reference to God (Elohim) but, still, everything he did was in flagrant violation of the second commandment just given. And what right did he have to call a festival to Jehovah (Ex. 32:5) without a word from Jehovah?

And then there was his stupid explanation to Moses, “they gave me their gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf” (Ex. 32:24). It’s utterly amazing that God had any use for Aaron thereafter.

But He did. It’s just an amazing example of God’s grace! It makes you wish we had more details of the story here. Did Aaron repent and confess his sin. He surely must have, for God told Moses that He would punish those who sinned and He did just that (Ex. 32:34-35). We have to conclude that Aaron repented off-stage and experienced God’s marvelous, amazing grace.

How is it with you? Is there some sin for which you’ve been forgiven and experienced the cleansing, liberating mercy of God? Or is there some current sin in your life that you need to confess right now in order to be loosed from that horrid bondage? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I Jn. 1:9)

Come, every soul by sin oppressed;
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His Word.

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

- John H. Stockton


New Testament: Mark 7

“Tradition is the living faith of those now dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of those still living.”
- Jaroslav Pelikan

We have many traditions - some good, some not so good, and some very bad. In most cases, these practices originally were born of a desire to honor God but somehow they have gotten lost in traditionalism. In the words of Isaiah: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. (Isaiah 29:13)

And Jesus adds: You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.... You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! (Mark 7:8-9)

You may not think of yourself as wrapped up in traditions. After all, it’s Tevya and the Jewish people that sing that song the best. But consider the following traditions that are quite common in many of our churches:

• Sunday School (the Church didn’t do this for the first 18 centuries of its existence)
• communion once a month (every evidence seems to point to a weekly observance)
• for that matter, how about Sunday observance itself (there’s no NT command to do so and only scant evidence to support it)
• standing throughout the song service while using songs on PowerPoint (or before that, singing from a hymnal and always skipping stanza three)
• prayer meeting on Wednesday night
• the Ladies’ Missionary Society (in the book of Acts it was the men who led this)
• robes for the choir and white robes for baptism candidates
• a Christmas tree in the foyer and a nativity scene on the front lawn, complete with wise men at the manger
• bunnies laying chocolate eggs on the church lawn

Okay, not everyone does all of the above. Some of those practices are perfectly good ones and came about for all the right reasons. Some are keepers!

But we better be sure we’re still doing them for the right reasons. Otherwise, we will fall into the trap of dead traditionalism. How about getting creative and starting some new traditions?

THE LORD SPOKE (February 03)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 29-30

Four times in Exodus 30 we’re told that God clearly gave instructions to Moses. From the time of His conversation with Moses when He promised, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Ex. 4:12) this phrase has been recurring with frequency. The formulaic phrase “then the Lord said to Moses” occurs 48 times throughout the book with many other references to “the Lord replied”, “the Lord spoke”, etc.

“If the Lord spoke to me like that, I’d listen too.” you might say. In fact, He has! And much more. Every page of Scripture contains God’s words to you. Are you listening? Are you doing anything about it?

Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou has sought, so let me seek
Thine erring children lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

O strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.

O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.

O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,
Until my very heart overflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

O use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessèd face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

- Frances Ridley Havergal


New Testament: Mark 6

Josephus fills in one historical detail. The beheading of John the Baptist took place at Machaerus. Another of the sumptuous palaces of Herod the Great, it was located near the NE corner of the Dead Sea. Set back a short distance from the sea but situated on a prominent, defensible knoll, it offered a magnificent view and would have been the ideal setting for a birthday bash for all the “high officials and military commanders and leading men of Galilee” (6:21).

But this wasn’t Herod the Great anymore. He’d been gone for over thirty years already. After his death the Romans had divided his kingdom into four parts so no one person would ever have that much power again. One of the “tetrarchs” they established was his son Herod Antipas, giving him the regions of Galilee and Perea. That’s how he happened to convene this banquet at Machaerus. Machaerus is in Perea.

Though Mark calls him “king” (6:14), he didn’t officially receive the same title as his father. All four successors had been demoted to “tetrarch” but the Galileans commonly referred to Antipas as their king because he was so much like his father and ruled for such a long time - from 4 BC to AD 39. Rome let it go by as long as it was to her benefit and Antipas knew where his bread was buttered.

Salome’s dance probably wasn’t a waltz. We learn her name from Josephus, along with a few other sordid details. Later on she married her granduncle Philip (son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra) who ruled in the northern territories and built up Caesarea Philippi. She was just following her mother’s example. Herodias, a granddaughter of Herod the Great, had been married to her uncle Philip (son of Herod the Great and Mariamne) who lived in Rome. During a visit to her home, Antipas (son of Herod the Great and Malthace) had seduced her and taken her off to his kingdom.

Confused? Any wonder that God says He hated divorce? Any wonder that Jesus called Antipas “that fox” (Lk. 13:32). Any wonder that John the Baptist spoke out against Herodias’ ugly sin? It’s also no wonder that Herodias “nursed a grudge” (6:19) but it is a wonder that Antipas caved in so easily if he really knew John “to be a righteous and holy man” and “liked to listen to him” (6:20).

Application? This is going to sound way off the wall but here it is: stop watching all that TV junk. Most of what you see there is just some variation on the house of Herod. The scriptwriters must have Josephus’ books permanently checked out. It’s mostly wickedness (TV is) and has no place in the heart of a believer. Even the good stuff (and there is some) is usually pretty inane. You may not end up beheading someone but you may do even worse. TV will make you lose your first love for the Lord.

THE LORD SPOKE (February 02)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 27-28

Twice it says that the tunic and the turban were intended to give Aaron and his sons “dignity and honor” (see Ex. 28:2,40). The priests were set apart by special clothing that also included a sash and a headband. The High Priest had more. The ephod and the breastpiece served functional purposes as well.

Should pastor’s today wear a robe or some other distinguishing dress? A case could be made from history but here’s what John Ploughman (aka Charles Haddon Spurgeon) had to say about it 150 years ago.

A good horse cannot be a bad colour, and a really good preacher can wear what he likes, and none will care much about it; but though you cannot know wine by the barrel, a good appearance is a letter of recommendation even to a ploughman. Wise men neither fall into love nor take a dislike at first sight, but still the first impression is always a great thing even with them; and as to those weaker brethren who are not wise, a good appearance is half the battle. What is a good appearance? Well it’s not being pompous and starchy, and making one’s self high and mighty among the people.... If the priests of Rome suppose they get the respect of honest men by their fine ornamental dresses, they are much mistaken, for it is commonly said, “Fine feathers make fine birds,” and “an ape is never so like an ape as when he wears a Popish cape.”

I would say, let fools wear fools’ caps and fools’ dresses, but men who make no claim to be fools should not put on fools’ clothes. None but a very silly sheep would wear wolf’s clothing.... Except a duck in pattens, no creature looks more stupid than a Dissenting preacher in a gown which is of no matter of use to him. I could laugh till I held my sides when I see our doctors in gowns and bands, puffed out with their silks and touched up with their little bibs, for they put me so much in mind of our old turkey when his temper is up, and he swells to his biggest....

...If I speak too plainly, please remember that an old dog cannot alter his way of barking, and he who has long been used to plough a straight furrow, is very apt to speak in the same straightforward manner.

From John Ploughman’s Talks, or Plain Advice for Plain People
(Chapter 3: “On the Preacher’s Appearance)


New Testament: Mark 5

Two thousand pigs! Even if the market was down in the first century, that represents a sizable investment. Maybe that’s why the locals wanted Jesus to leave the region (5:17). He could be bad for the economy.

Were they also afraid of One who had such power? They knew about power. They’d seen the wild ravings and super-human strength of the demon possessed man. But chains would hold him for at least a little while (5:4). This One was different. The demons cowered before Him. To Him they said, “Yes, sir. No, sir. Anything you say, sir.”

The demons were disturbed. They thought they were tormented. Their lifestyle was about to change drastically. By the way, this passage is no justification for carrying on conversations with demons, finding out their names, and things like that. You’re not the Lord and you’re no exorcist either. Stay far away from such things unless God clearly puts you into such a situation and then you better trust Him tooth and toenail! You don’t have the strength to do it yourself.

There’s one very happy individual in this story. The demon possessed man is gloriously freed. No longer does he have to hang around smelly cadavers. His naked shame is now covered and he can stop bleeding all over things. Now he’s seated instead of raving, dressed instead of naked, and in his right mind instead of drooling crazy (5:15). And the band-aid box isn’t always empty.

No wonder he’s quick to tell everyone. And not just in Gerasa (5:1) but all over the ten cities of the Decapolis (5:20). Wouldn’t you do the same? If Jesus freed you from painful bondage to selfish habits, from debilitating chains of sin, and from ugly hidden secrets, wouldn’t you want to go and tell everyone about Him and what He’s done for you?

So, why don’t you?

THE LORD SPOKE (February 01)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 24-26

Seventy-five men saw God and were not struck dead. A lot of strange things had been happening of late but this was beyond imagination. The plagues were fearsome, the deliverance from the Egyptian army at the Red Sea crossing was terrifying, standing on the edge of the desert was unnerving.

But now! Now they were called up on the mountain. The very mountain they’d just been told not to touch. God had said, “Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.” (Ex. 19:12).

Now God had told Moses to bring Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel up on the mountain. Moses alone was supposed to approach further and there he heard “all the Lord’s words and laws” (Ex. 24:7). It was then that God allowed the other seventy-four leaders of the Israelites to see Him.

The term is unique. Our translations say something like “leaders” or “nobles”. Literally, the term is “corners” or “corner supports” - it’s only used one other time in the whole Old Testament (Isa. 41:9). These men were allowed to see a sapphire-blue manifestation of God and live. It says “they ate and drank” on the occasion (Ex. 24:11) - not something you’d need to do if you were dead or turned to stone.

There was even more in store for Moses. He continued to proceed into the presence of the Lord by invitation. While the others apparently descended (Joshua and Hur are also with them now - Ex. 24:13-14), Moses entered the cloud of glory. To those below it looked like a consuming fire (Ex. 24:17) but they’d seen so much of late that they must have understood it to be the presence of God Himself. Sadly, they soon forgot.

Not Moses! By invitation (again), for the next forty days and nights he is in the presence of the Lord on the mountain. He doesn’t come down again until chapter 32 and it’s not a pretty sight when he does.

Have you spent any time on the mountain top? Have you had a glimpse of the Lord? Not, to be sure, quite like what is described here but very real nonetheless. We have a standing invitation to join Him you know?!


New Testament: Mark 4

How could He sleep through it? The disciples were afraid of drowning and He was sleeping. Sleeping on a cushion (4:38), no less. Other translations use the word “pillow”.

Two kinds of boats plied the waters of Galilee in the first century. One was a small, flat-bottomed and rather shallow boat that the fishermen used as a sort of working platform to cast their nets. These little boats were usually manned by one or two fishermen as they worked in and out of the little bays along the north shore where the warm springs coming into the lake attracted fish.

The other type of boat, probably the kind mentioned here in Mark 4, was larger. Full, it could carry 12-13 passengers (sound significant?) though it was often used by 3-4 fishermen and piled high with nets. It was equipped with both sail and oars, in case the winds were still or contrary. It had a deck on both the front and the back from which the fishermen could work.

How do we know so much about it? One of these boats was found by two kibbutzniks in 1986 buried in the mud off Magdala on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was excavated and restored and is today on display at the “Man in Galilee” museum at Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar.

Not only did the decks give the fishermen a work stage, they also provided some limited shelter from a storm and a covering over the “pillow” of the boat. That consisted of a large burlap or leather sack full of sand or small stones which provided ballast for the boat.

So, that explains where Jesus was probably sleeping in the boat. But why? He was tired. In fact, he was probably exhausted after long days of dealing with the crowds. He’d been healing and preaching non-stop. Even when He could pull away for a little while, He was constantly explaining everything to His disciples (4:34). There was hardly time to catch His breath. He was tired.

Aroused from slumber, He quickly sized up the situation. A few quick words took care of the storm on the outside but it would take more to calm the fears and the storms on the inside (4:40). The great storm became a great calm and the disciples were left wondering about this great Man.

“Even the wind and the waves obey him!”