Focusing Forward and Real Leadership

Caleb is mentioned in several places as being someone who wholly followed God.
(Numbers 14:24, Deuteronomy 1:36 and others) He was one of the 12 spies that were sent to scope out the land God promised them. Along with Joshua, Caleb was one of the only two spies that came back with glowing words. They were ready to take it on.  The other 10 spies did not feel the same way. They were full of fear.

Fear is a corrosive negative quality. It corrodes relationships with people as well as God. We don't ever need to be scared of God. God is love and only wants the best for our lives. Our relationship with God cannot be based on fear. Unfortunately, certain religious circles utilize fear to try and motivate people towards their particular theology. We've all been exposed to this kind of thinking in some form or another. Wherever fear is, it permeates everything. This doesn't do much for people to people relationships as well. It causes lots of problems.

We all know and recognize difficult relationships. Sooner or later it gets back to some basic fear that is involved that eventually shows itself. Perfect love displaces fear and replaces it with power, love and sound thinking. Caleb must have been a great person to be around. He had great trust in God and it showed in his peace and determination.

Caleb did not fear.  He stayed focus on God and prepared himself to eventually receive the promises of God. It s true when they didn't listen to his spy report, Caleb had to do the wilderness walk with the others for 40 years! At 85 years old, he got his opportunity and he had kept himself strong so that he could with God's help obtain his piece of the land for his family. He knew it would come. Actually the name 'Caleb' means 'full-hearted'.  He had no place for fear in his life, not one little cubbyhole! He was successful! He had no fear to move onward when the time came to do so.

Joshua and Caleb are true leaders. They didn't have to read books or go to conferences on leadership, they moved forward and were out in front naturally because of where their focus was. They were leading from the front and did not turn back to look at who was following them. Full-hearted people don't lead from behind.

God is Faithful 100%

In Deuteronomy 1, Moses reflects on the journey through the wilderness. The context of Deuteronomy is Exodus and Numbers in which the history of the travel out of Egypt to the edge of the promised land is recorded. Leviticus belongs with this group also. The chapters devoted to Israel's history in Leviticus is written in chapters 8-10. The rest of Leviticus is about a just God wanting to live among His people.

The main purpose of Deuteronomy is to explain their relationship with God. Both Numbers and Deuteronomy refer to the 40 years in wanderings thru the desert and preparation for entering into the promise land of the younger generation.

26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of theLord your God: 27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. 

32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God, 33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day. Deuteronomy 1:26-33

God took care of them through all of the 40 years. Yes, they had trouble that emanated from their own minds and actions, but God stayed with them through all the complaining. Moses wrote that 'the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son'.  That is beautiful. The comparison helps people relate to God. There is no greater father than God.

The problem of the older generation eventually caught up with them as they continued to rebel and do things that God could not help them with. God shows them how arrogant they were when they went after the Amorites at a their own choosing. It hurt them because they walked themselves (1:44) into the bee's nest and they ended up suffering for it.

God is absolutely faithful, He desires the best for His people, but sometimes people put themselves in a bad situation and still don't humbly ask God for help.

God wants a relationship with His people. In the New Testament, every individual can have a relationship with God.  Jesus Christ showed us the way. We can't just sit back in a pew and take it all in, we need to go for the full right of having access to God. It starts by trusting, asking, listening and then carrying out God's word.

Deuteronomy

The name 'Deuteronomy' means second law. The people of God had reached the edge of the promised land after spending way too much time trekking around the wilderness both physically and spiritually.

1 These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.) 3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them; Deuteronomy 1:1-3

It took them 40 years! They sure did mess around and take their own 'sour' time. Fear and doubt were the beacons of their darkness, so they became subject to an abundance of failure and frustration. There is nothing new under the sun, this same chaos is going on all around us. Humans will trip on their own two feet when they rely on their own balancing act.

Before Moses died, he spoke to the younger generation among the sojourners about what God was all about and he gave then some detailed guidelines about their relationships to God and to each other. Deuteronomy is not a scary book like some say, it is a book of love. The first four chapters of deuteronomy recap what God had done for them in the journey. In chapters 4-26, Moses further explains the law with greater details and examples. Chapters 27-30 delve into the God's covenant with man. The book ends with the final words from Moses.

People often view God from their own perspective and fail to see God's perspective. God is the designer of the universe. He knows how it works. He sees the full picture. Above all of those accomplishments, He loves and that love is woven through all that He made.

Another perspective that many people don't consider is the opposition's perspective. Some people don't even think there is an opposition. It is in this misunderstanding that people attribute evil to God.

God led His people through the wilderness with a pillar of fire and a cloud and yet when it came to going into the promised land, they needed to send people in to figure out the best way in. H-m-m.

Despite man's pride and mistakes in not listening to God, God continues to love man. After seeing in Leviticus the basic desire of God to be among His people, to the frustrations of wilderness living in Numbers, there are rich principles in Deuteronomy to mine to help people understand how to live the kind of life God desires for people.

Active Expectation

We always want an instant fix. Human nature is generally impatient regarding God's abundant grace and peace. It is like sitting down to dinner without shopping, cooking or setting the table. Spiritual success is absolutely available, but it takes some effort.  I'm not talking about 'works' or 'earning it'. It is about acknowledgement and active expectation. It is important to note that the responsibility for the effort is individual.

In Ephesians 6:17,  there is wonderful allegory on tapping the power of God:

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking (analambano-receive by seizing) the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take (dechomai- welcome, receive) the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:14-18

It all starts with the 'truth'. Truth is necessary to protect ones thinking, confidence and rest. 'Truth' offers protection, soundness, and provides the necessary tools to ward off evil. Truth is light. In this allegory the belt girds up the tunic to keep from tripping. It has a sheaf for the sword to have it readily available.  The belt holds the breastplate in place so as not to flop around. Who needs ones righteousness flipping and flopping around?

The main effect of evil is to darken the light. It is easier to recognize light and dark when the switch is suddenly pushed, but sometimes Christians have dimmer switches and are hardly aware of what is happening around them. The key is to focus on the light.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (katalambano-seized) it not. John 1:5

When I go to bed and turn off the light, initially I can't see a thing. It is pitch dark.  If I keep my eyes open for a while, the pupils adjust by opening to whatever light actually exists. It takes time but no matter how little light is around, it helps us to move through the darkness.

Critical Thinking

It amazes me how often people disparage 'faith' and almost equate it with 'thoughtlessness'. In the world of thought in our culture, oftentimes 'critical thinking' is described as 'scientific' and separate from a belief system. Critical thinking is found in the bible! In Hebrews 4:12 there is a beautiful example:

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This, in my opinion, is the ultimate goal for thinking critically.  It is the basis for making sound decisions. The context for this verse in this section of Hebrews is 'entering into the rest'. God desires rest and peace for His people and it requires thought, intent and energy that comes from God.

God designed the human mind to think, feel, motivate, and stimulate action. In Ephesians 6:17, we are told to "take  the helmet (why the helmet?) of salvation (wholeness) and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God"! The result of putting this all together is the true rest.

Trusting, Expecting and Loving

The group of people to whom the book of Thessalonians is addressed to were a remarkable group. Despite pressure from the status quo of that time, they stood out 'like a healed thumb'. They were not 'tide riders' or 'crowd followers'. When Paul shared the word with them he did not use flattery nor power positioning to pull people to his way of thinking. Paul loved them and he gave them the simple truth in so much that how these people acted as a result was widely reported.

9 For they themselves (people who observed) shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols (faith) to serve the living and true God (love); 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (hope), whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Paul himself said of them:

3 Remembering without ceasing your work (effort) of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 1 Thessalonians 1:3

 The three 'virtues' mentioned here: faith, hope and love, are all active and  are exhibitions of trust. They occur together in several passages. Interestingly enough, faith is usually listed first. Trusting God is what is primary in hoping and in loving (all 'ing' verbs).

Hope, in our culture, is often describes as 'wishful thinking'.  Biblical hope is not wishful thinking.  It is active, visible (Paul saw it in the way the Thessalonians lived) and assured, more like an 'expectation'. When we invite someone over for dinner and they accept our invitation we don't wish they will show up, we expect them to come. We prepare for their visit. We don't sit around fiddling our thumbs; we are busy. We turn away from the idols of this world to enter into an expectant rest which is not passive in any sense of the Word.

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast  the profession of our faith without wavering (hope = active expectation); (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Hebrews 10:22-24

Love is very active and true love reflects God love.  It is productive  and fruitful. Love is a stimulant. It is the right word at the right time with the right truth that explodes and starts a domino effect with everyone it touches and that is why it is the greatest:

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

"Droptrine"

In Deuteronomy 32:2, the word 'doctrine' is used for the first time:

2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rainupon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:  Deuteronomy 32:2

This verse paints a refreshing picture of the effect of the word of God on us. As one focuses on each of the phrases the simile dances beautifully and melodically in the mind.

When rain is used to describe 'doctrine' or 'good teaching', several thoughts come to my mind. Rain falls out of heaven to earth as 'doctrine' falls on man from God. It falls on the 'just and unjust alike' (Matt 5:45) and usually spreads out evenly over a large area. It falls where it is sent and more so. It cools, refreshes moistens, softens, revives and produces fruit.

Dew is moisture that condenses from the atmosphere when the temperature drops below the dew point. In the region where Israel is located, there isn't much rain during April through July. Dew is, therefore, very important for their crops. As dew condenses on certain plants with trough-shaped leaves, the water trickles down to the base of the plant. The shade of the leaf will slow down immediate evaporation from sunrise and water will seep into the soil to a shallow root system to be utilized by the plant. Israel considered dew as a reminder of God's constant and unfailing care.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. Hosea 14:5

Sometimes it amazes me how refreshing the Word of God is at the right time and moment; especially when things seem weird and chaotic. It is like jumping into a long cool shower at the end of a hot summer day or, like dew, it seems to come out of nowhere to shower the brain cells with a cool, softening mist. God is so good to us as He blesses us with His infinite wisdom and grace. I am always blessed  and revived when I think of James 3:17-18:

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3:17-18

My Unfavorite Holiday!

Today is Halloween! Of course it is cold, rainy, and dreary. Cute little munchkins will be knocking at

our door for the usual concoctions of fructose, glucose and whatever else is mixed in. Whole Foods is selling organic candy (?) for the healthy-minded parent.

The phrase: 'Trick or Treat', will resound everywhere. In essence it means: "Hand over the goods or I will do something bad to you".  Lawns will be decorated with gravestones, spiders, cobwebs, headless horsemen and snarling pumpkins.

A third aspect of Halloween is that children dress up in a costume.  I understand that superheroes, Starwars characters, and pirates are among the most popular costumes this year. There  will also be witches, ghosts and goblins and current Disney stars.

Thank goodness this holiday is not tied up with some religious event (like Christmas and Easter); or is it? Actually October 31 is Reformation Day celebrating Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg. October 31 also is know as All Hallow's Eve or ALL Saints Day Eve where people honor dead saints.

I guess I'm a holiday scrooge, but its not like I will walk up and down the streets with signs protesting fructose and glucose. But I do a lot of thinking as to the 'how and why' these things developed in our culture.

There is a superhero we all need to recognize and he is not a dead saint. He is not a fantasy, he is real and alive. He had a birth (but he doesn't wear a red suit) and he died and was resurrected (no eggs and bunnies involved) and he ever lives to make intercession for the saints:

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Love Produces Fruit

Recently in current events there has been a lot of discussion about what love is and what love isn't. Whose responsibility is it to define love? For me it is God who designed a creation that never ceases to exhibit love. God is the designer, creator and definer of who He is. God is the creator, we don't define love, God does. John 3:16 says:

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God so loved that he gave. God has loved everyone in this world, no exceptions. How? By providing life through His son, that whosoever believes in Him has certain rights with God. This involves a choice. God provided man with choice. Love involves offering something without force.

I Corinthians 13 has a few things to say about God's love:

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

You would think prophesy, tongues, all knowledge, all faith would be the ultimate in godly actions. These things are nothing without God's love involved. The life in them is the source of energy behind them.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Wait!  Feeding the poor and being a martyr for the cause seem like great examples of unselfish giving.  Without the love of God, these activities are more flat than flat.

4 Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: I Corinthians 13:4-8

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

The love God pours into our hearts is distinct,  clear, unmistakeable and satisfying. The love of God helps us focus less on ourselves, comparisons, and pride. It produces right results no matter how complex the situation. There is no law needed in the presence of the fruit of the spirit. It will flood every nook and cranny of where God sends it. It absolutely never fails!

Dumb Idols

I Corinthians 12:1-3
Now concerning spiritual gifts (pneumatikos = spiritual matters), brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) 

What does it mean to speak in the 'spirit of God'? God is spirit and He has given us holy spirit to walk alongside our hearts in order for us to thrive in this world. So when a man or woman speaks by the spirit of God he/she is speaking what God has placed in the heart.  That is also how Jesus Christ can be Lord in our lives. We believe God about His son and that he is the head of the church. The relationship between God, Jesus Christ and us is a vital, living  and dynamic relationship.

I John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

  Idols are anything someone depends on and worships. It could be self, other people, technology, education, money, world issues and even religion. Now contrast I John 1:3 with the following verses about dumb idols.

Jeremiah 10:2-52

Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Habakkuk 2:18

18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

Isaiah 46:1-7 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: 4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. 5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

Is there really any choice? 

Don't Know What To Pray For?

Recently, I got to thinking about the word 'intercession' in Romans 8:26:

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

As I read through the verse,  the word 'helpeth' jumped out and I looked up the Greek word and found 'sunantilambano'. Old Greek is a great language. We can gain a lot of insite into a word by examining its roots. 'Sunantilambano' is made up of 3 word parts. "Sun' means 'together with'. "Anti' means against. 'Lambano' means to take hold of something.

If I were to rewrite this first part of the verse with these parts in mind it might look like this:
Likewise the Spirit also works together with us to take hold  and move against something that is causing some problems....

It is magnificent to think that the Spirit can move together with us in such a way to take care of things we have no idea how to straighten out. So often the idiom 'the devil is in the details' is an actual reality and can cause headaches and confusion in figuring things out.

The gift of holy spirit that has been given to us works with us. It does not work independently of us. The spirit does the searching of the fine details and heart factors, none of which is readily visible. As we recognize its work in us, the way out starts to become visible one step at a time.