I will not be blogging again until Tuesday, Sept. 7

Genesis 18.

Geneis 16

I find it humorous that Sarai has the idea of her maid servant Hagar bearing a child for her. When Hagar becomes pregnant she taunts Sarai. Sarai's response, blame Abram for this mess. I think it would have been funny to watch Abram's the moment Sarai blames him. Of course, if they hadn't become impatient with God's timing this problem would have never happened. Do you ever become impatient with God? Expect God to act more quickly?

Genesis 15

Abram has questions. God has made a covenant with him about becoming a great nation, yet Abram does not have a child with his wife Sarai. He has questions for God of what is to become of his family.

There are moments in which everyone has questions about God, life and faith. Often we are ashamed that we have such questions. However, I believe that such questions are a natural part of of the life of faith. Faith pushes us to live at the edge of life. To believe when we struggle with the direction of life, to believe when we struggle to see the future. The issue is not whether or not we will have questions, the issue is how will we deal with the questions we have.

Genesis 14

Melchizedek enters the story rather unexpectedly. In the first 13 chapters of Genesis there has been nothing about a priest of God. Not only is he introduced but Abram recognizes who he is and gives an offering to the Lord through him. Melchizedek offers a blessing over Abram.

The insertion of Melchizedek is a reminder that God is always working in ways that we had never imagined. God has brought Abram to this new country, but God has already been at work in the country.

Genesis 13

The size of Abram & Lot's herds force them to separate. What is interesting is that Abram lets Lot choose what land he wants. Lot chooses the best land and leaves the hills for Abram. What I find so fascinating is that Abram is the uncle, the leader and the one called by God. By all rights he should have chosen first and told Lot where he was going. He didn't claim the best. He allowed Lot to choose the best.

Of course in response God tells Abram that all he sees will ultimately belong to his family. But that promise came after Lot chooses.

Genesis 12

This chapter is perplexing. In the beginning of the chapter Abram shows amazing faith in following God. That faith seems to disappear as he begins to enter Egypt with Sarai. Abram has the faith to leave everything to follow God, but when the first challenge arises his confidence in God is gone. It is amazing how quickly fear can overcome faith. Maybe the greatest moment of faith is when we are afraid, yet still act in faith.

Joshua 1

Moses has died and Joshua takes his place in leadership. In reading this chapter I was struck by how God repeatedly told him to "be strong and courageous". Leadership is never easy. Leadership seems easy when someone else is in the leader's role. When someone else is leading we can second guess their actions and think about what we would do. There is no pressure when someone else is leading. When we step into the leadership role, there is an entirely different feel. There are moments when doubt and fear take over. It is little wonder that God repeatedly tells Joshua to "be strong and courageous". God knows Joshua will have difficulties. He will experience moments of fear. What God wants of him is to stand firm in his faith and do the right thing.

Deuteronomy 34

Moses got to see into the promised land, but he was not able to enter the land. Can you imagine how he felt when he saw the land after leading the people of Israel for so many decades through the wilderness? I wonder if he was content in dying once he saw the land? Was the idea that he had lead the people to the edge of the land enough for him?

Pray for Erma's health today.

Deuteronomy 33

We have fast forwarded in the story of Moses to drawing near to the promised land for a second time. Moses is very old now. The people have wandered in the wilderness for a second time. Before his death, Moses never gets to enter the promised land, he blesses the people. He recounts experiences and different tribes in pronouncing the blessings.

We have the opportunity to bless people every day. The words that we speak can build people up or tear them down. It is our choice what we say and how we use our words.

Pray for college students as they move to their campuses.

Numbers 15

The Israelites are given instructions on how to present an offering to the Lord. The offering is given to ask for forgiveness of their sins. Through the work of Jesus we no longer must present an offer to receive forgiveness. We are forgiven as we simply ask.

The story about the man breaking the Sabbath caught me by surprise. I had forgotten that a man was put to death for breaking the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the day set aside for rest and worship. The man worked by gathering wood on the Sabbath. If you think about it, the Sabbath is probably the most neglected of the 10 commandments in our culture. But it is listed right along with adultery, murder and the others. God takes it very seriously. The irony is that it is a commandment that is very much for our good. God created us needing rest, so God commanded that we take the rest. We tend to think we have too much to do to obey God.

Numbers 14

What an amazing discussion between Moses and God. God is fed up with the disobedience of the people. Moses seeks to change God's mind and save the people. God relents but determines the consequence of their disobedience is that they will not enter the promised land. Those over 20, excluding Caleb and Joshua, will die in the wilderness. There is consequence to their sin.

We are forgiven our sin. But the forgiveness of God does not mean all of the consequences are removed. If for example, I become angry while driving and have an accident. God will forgive my anger, but I still have to deal with the consequence of having an accident. Or if I say something inappropriate to someone, I can be forgiven but I still have to deal with the person.

Sandra Tate's surgery went well yesterday. Please pray for Rich today as he struggles with bone marrow transplant.

Numbers 13

It is fascinating that God has led the people of Israel through the wilderness for years. God has provided food and water. Yet, when they come to the land that God has promised them, the spies think it is up to them. All thought of God seems to have vanished. We are really no different. It is very easy for us to forget God when we face challenges. That forgetfulness leads to fear. Whenever I get afraid, I have to remember that I am not alone. God is with me.

Pray for Sandra Tate this morning as she has surgery.

Genesis 11

Two thoughts about this chapter.

1. Amazing how quickly humanity moves away from God. The story of creation is followed by the story of Adam, Eve and the serpent. The story of Noah's ark is followed by humanity being totally disconnected from God and wanting "to make a name for ourselves". We are not much different. We drift away from God very quickly if we are not intentional in life.

2. Notice how the length of the life spans begins to drop rapidly. As humanity moves away from the story of creation, their lives shorten.

Genesis 10

The list of names gives a history of the countries that develop around ancient Israel. Over the centuries they fight and battle each other. But they are all related and connected back through Noah. They are all family.

Genesis 9

Humanity gets a new start but there is immediately a problem with Noah and his son Ham. The flood gave humanity a fresh beginning but sin is still part of the human condition. We continue to feel the consequences of sin on our lives. We experience the consequences of our own sin and the consequence of the sin of others.

A temptation we face is to blame the consequences of our sin on God. For example, let's say that someone has a destructive personal habit. The consequence of that habit is cancer. The temptation is to ask "why would God allow me to have cancer?" As a pastor I hear such comments on a regular basis. We want to blame others, even, God for the consequences of our actions.

At the heart of Christianity is the willingness to confess our sin. To acknowledge that we have done wrong. The power of such confession is that it opens the door to God's forgiveness.

Genesis 8

Chapter 8 concludes with God's promise to never destroy all the creatures of the earth again. But God has intervened on behalf of humanity many times since the flood. Through Abraham, the prophets and finally in Jesus.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus is the ultimate intervention of God on behalf of humanity. The theological word we use for God's act in Jesus is incarnation. Incarnation means that God took the form of a human being to be in our midst. Through the incarnation God shared life with us and showed us how we are to live.

Genesis 7

I wonder what it was like for Noah to wait for the flood to come. He had staked his whole life on building this huge ark. I imagine that at some point questions started to arise. Did he really hear God? Did God really say to build an ark? What if I am wrong? I imagine it was a huge relief when the water did come.

I think it is natural to have questions in the midst of faith. When obedience takes us to the edge, there are questions that arise at the edge. It is in the midst of those questions that faith is defined in our lives. When we follow through in the face of questions, that is the time of our greatest faith.

Genesis 6

"Noah did everything just as God had commanded."

Noah was an obedient man. He followed all the directions that God gave him. How are you with obedience? I don't thing obedience is easy. It is an act in which we decide to deny what we want to do. I tend to want to tell God what God should do, rather than listen for what God would have me do. How about you?

Acts 14

The man in Lystra can't walk. The the power of God the man is healed. The crowd wants to give credit to Paul & Barnabas. Paul & Barnabas reject this credit, they know that by the power of God the man was healed. The odd thing about this story is how quickly this crowd is turned to stoning Paul and leaving him for dead.

Have you ever noticed in the bible how the crowd seldom does the right thing? Whether it is stoning Paul or calling for the crucifixion of Jesus, crowds can quickly turn. The question we face is how often do we get caught up in the crowd? How often do we make choices on the basis of what others are doing?

Acts 12-13

The description of Barnabas & Saul's journey is rather amazing. They encounter a sorcerer & false prophet, darkness comes over the sorcerer's eyes, they preach the gospel and multitudes respond, and they are expelled from a region. I have never been on such a journey.
What amazes me is the courage of these men. To walk into a city in which there are no Christians and begin proclaiming Jesus as Lord is a very courageous act. At times I get nervous telling just one stranger about my faith. I can't imagine walking into a city where no one believed. Could you do that?

Acts 9

Saul's reputation proceeds him. The Christians are leery to be with him. Their caution is easy to understand. Once he starts preaching, the Jewish leaders seek to stop him. The persecutor becomes the persecuted. This must have been an odd transition for Saul. The Christians aren't very welcoming and the Jews are against him. But Saul just keeps moving forward. His life is not about what others think of him.

Acts 7-8

Stephen's final word's of forgiveness are rather amazing. That Saul, who becomes Paul, is there and gives approval to his death is a dramatic way to introduce a man who becomes a great leader in the church. A couple of thoughts about this introduction:

- I appreciate that the bible never hides the flaws of its characters. Nothing is written here to make Saul appear better. We see his behavior clearly.

- If Saul can convert anyone can. When we have loved ones who are far from God, we can keep praying for the opportunity for them to draw close to God.

- Everything about Saul is dramatic. He approval of Stephen's death. The appearance of the Lord to him. My life never seems so dramatic! I am glad.

August 2

Acts 4

This week the scripture passages will focus on the story of how Barnabas and Paul/Saul are introduced into Acts and how their lives intertwine. But before we get to Barnabas' introduction, there is line about Peter and John. In a description of Peter and John it says in verse 13, "that there were unschooled, ordinary men". Most of the early leaders of the church were ordinary men. What makes them extraordinary is their willingness to follow their faith. We may look at ourselves and say how could I do that? That is exactly the point. It is not about us. It is about God working through us.

At the end of the chapter Barnabas is introduced. His name is really Joseph but the apostles give him the name Barnabas. His name means "Son of Encouragement". That gives us a glimpse into his character. What phrase would others use to describe you if they were giving you a new name?