Mission Faithwalk

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-33)   Today’s passage is another New Testament use of the quote about marriage from Genesis. Marriage between two people isn’t just marriag

  “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”                “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”                Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”      The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”            Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were bor

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned ! (Galatians 1:6-9)   I’m not sure Paul should have been so astonished. The Israelites went from “We will follow You!” to “Let’s make an idol” in less than forty days. How many days passed between the conquest at Jericho and the failure at Ai? Joshua’s farewell address to the Israelites was estimated to have been given in 1375 BC, which is the same year that Micah and his mother (Ephraimites) made an idol of silver. Have you noticed the comm

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)           Apparently, yesterday was a good day for seeking. Since the predicted rain failed to show, I left for Presque Isle State Park before 7 am seeking whatever creatures I might find. Usually, I have at least a little success with birds. I was also thinking about the type of praying that I shared here yesterday. I tend to say, “Let me see a __________” (the list tends to start with a Bald Eagle but I’m learning to be flexible .) Today, I said, “What do You want to show me?”            It didn’t take long for the answer to come, “I want you to see Me.”           I know, it’s like William Blake said, “ To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven i

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27)          Every month, the Erie Times News asks for Readers’ Reflections to a question in their Religion section. I generally provide an answer. This month’s answers were published this morning. The question was if our prayers have been answered and what we did if the answer wasn’t what we wanted. There were lots of good answers. Here was mine:           My prayers seem to be answered “no” more often than “yes.” I returned to Erie praying about the direction for the next six months. A place I’d like to work isn’t taking applications. I hurt my knee recently, which makes my plans harder It’s not the way I wanted my summer to begin, but it is direction:

This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ For this is what the LORD , the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword in the fight with the Babylonians: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness. “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor befor

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD , “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD , “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)           This proclamation was made to the nation of Israel while they were in Babylon. I like to think that it applies equally to individuals. Most people assume it does. It’s a well-known, well-loved declaration. God, the Omniscient One knows. Really? What a surprise. What does He know? He knows the plans He has for us. Plans require planning, which means consideration and thought. Good plans include influences of other fact

  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)             Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:8)              Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (Matthew 4:10)          Understanding the temptations we face is important. Understanding how to respond is even more important. You’ve probably heard that Jesus’s responses to Satan’s temptation were quotes from Scripture. The first is from Deuteronomy 8:3. [1] The second is Deuteronomy 6:16. [2] The third is Deuteronomy 6:13. [3] Two things should be noticed. All come from what Moses told the Israelites after they had been wandering in the desert for forty years. They are warnings about what they were to do and not do when they entered the Promised Land.           The commandments Jesus quotes are parap

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13)      The other day, I saw a complaint on Face Book asking how in the world someone who is only paid eight dollars per hour is supposed to be able to buy a new house and a new car, and pay for an education or get married. I responded with the question of why this person thought that new houses and cars were necessary and pointed out that getting married doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Of course, I didn’t get a response. The truth is, I’m just as silly. There are things that I consider necessary to contentment. Many of them don’t cost as much as a house, a car, an education or a wedding, but that doesn’t mean that they are within my means. My Christmas and birthday presents this year were mostly spent b

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3)   “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ (Matthew 4:6)   Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)             If you read Luke 4, you’ll see that the doctor reverses the order of the second and third temptation. This is not a contradiction or an error. Eastern literature is not obsessed with linear time the way we are. In whichever way they took place, they both took place none-the-less.           You’ll note that the first temptation is about food and you’ve probably been told that this is a parallel to Genesis 3.

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”    "Which ones?” the man inquired.  J esus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’”  "All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”    When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:16-22)      “ I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor w

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?      So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)           I have some friends, and some friends of friends, who need this word right now. Truth told, I need this word right now, and at least every other second of every day, even when life isn’t especially hard. But I have some friends, and friends of friends, for whom life is hard right now.           Joshua had been anointed as leader of the Israelites. They had mourned Moses and it was time to cross the Jordan and begin to take the Promised Land. The people had told him to be strong and courageous. Now God has commanded him to be strong and courageous. He had five Canaanite nations to destroy but more importantly, he had to build Israel at the same time. Israel, the nation that built an idol and an altar at the foot of Mt. Sinai while God was in the cloud at the top of Mt. Sinai talking to Moses. Israel who rebe

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)             This is one of my favorite benedictions and it fits nicely with yesterday’s passage. Imagine that – Scripture dovetailing with Scripture! God is able to keep you from falling. God is able to present you before His glorious presence without fault. God is able to present you before His glorious presence with great joy. God is able. When I start whining that I’m such a failure (and I am), God says, “I am able!”            When the Nebuchadnezzar in your life looks down from his throne and says, “…But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”              God says, “No sweat, I’ve done it before. I

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:4-6)             How can we have joy when times are tough? Paul said that he prayed with joy for the Philippians. Things back then weren’t pretty for Christians. The government hated them. People of other faiths hated them. Once again, Dell Tackett’s admonition to “Look on the face of God” comes to mind. We can have joy, and pray with joy for people facing tough times because God is omnipotent. Nothing can stop Him from carrying on the good work He began in us. He doesn’t get tired. He doesn’t take vacations.            We can have that joy because God is omnipresent. He doesn’t have to stop working on His work in me so that He can take some time to go work on you. He could work on both of us even if I’m in Erie and

Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown. Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD , contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD . (Leviticus 9:23 - 10:2)   One of the challenges of reading Middle Eastern literature is that time isn’t always documented. We aren’t told how much time passed between chapters nine and ten. Given the fact that the Israelites made the golden calf while Moses was receiving the commandments from God , I can believe that the two events happened at about the same time. Something else about Nadab

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy . (Psalm 45:7)           Sometimes, I think an official website might be useful. I’m not sure who would be responsible for it, but it would contain the official lists: All that is considered good All that was good within the last six months but is now considered either unhealthy or sick All that was good within the past year but is now considered nearly wicked All that is considered wicked All that was wicked within the last six months but is now considered either sick or unhealthy All that was wicked within the last year but is now considered alternative All that has within the past week become good. All that must be tolerated All that must no longer be tolerated These lists should be updated daily and those that are likely to move from one list to another flagged, because that’s how quickly things change when p