Mission Faithwalk

                 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:7-12)                  I’m not sure exactly how to characterize the verses from yesterday’s post, but today’s verses are all about character and strength. The person who helps others or at least doesn’t attack them with as much force as they could will be blessed because others will generally show them some mercy, too. That doesn’t happen all the time, but normal people are more inclined to give someone a break who gives others breaks.

                 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:3-6)                  Today’s passage is the first four verses of the Beatitudes. They’re part of a sermon Jesus gave, and He probably preached the same sermon, with slight variations on verbiage, more than once or twice. I had thought to go through each verse separately, and I probably did so at one point, but looking at them today, these four clearly belonged together.                The first thing that these verses have in common is need. One of the things both Dallas Willard and John Ortberg talk(ed) about a lot is need. Maslow developed what he considered to be a hierarchy of needs. [1] At the lowest levels were physiological needs (things like oxygen, water, food, and shelter) and sa

            Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for . (Hebrews 11:1-2)             Let’s get my pet peeve with these verses out of the way. Some people say that these verses define faith. They say faith is confidence and assurance. Well, what are confidence and assurance? Some would say, “Trust.” OK, what is trust? “Well, faith.” Using another word that means approximately the same doesn’t really define the term. I love these verses, but they don’t really define faith. Fortunately, the rest of the chapter illustrates it so we see what it looks like even if we don’t understand what it is.           And as I’ve spent yet another half day bouncing from one task to the next without getting much done, I asked God to talk to me about faith while I made a Strawberry-Zucchini loaf, because I have to use those up! As I dumped this and that into a bowl and used beaters to mix them together, God asked

                 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:1-2)                  Christianity is built on the foundation of Jesus’s atoning sacrifice for our sins. We couldn’t gain freedom from our sin on our own. By ourselves, we are forever trapped in sin. But as this passage clarifies, we are not abandoned, not left alone to stand before God in our shame. Jesus acts as our Lawyer, and while it’s not mentioned here, elsewhere, we are told that the Holy Spirit is our Counsellor and Teacher.           I don’t know whether this is a universal, an introvert thing, or just me, but I don’t tend to think of having others around as freeing. When I’m around others, I’m on display. I’m at work. It might not quite be “me against the world,” but a part of me te

               Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10: 19-22)                  If I remember correctly, this passage inspired my taking salads to a breakfast Bible study, with the idea that the women in the study with me would learn to associate salads with the various things the writer of Hebrews said, “Let us…” about. I doubt it worked, but it was fun. For me, it worked in reverse. Whenever I read the passages, I think of salad. Some of you are probably glad you don’t have to spend time in my head.                Returning to the issue of freedom that we’ve touche

                   Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)                  If you lift something heavy – especially repeatedly – there are two things that are likely to happen. The first is that your muscles will get stronger. The second is that you’ll strain them, possibly even tearing them so that your muscles aren’t attached to the bones anymore. That might be an oversimplification of things, but it’s a picture of what happens when we suffer under heavy burdens. It can make  us stronger or break the bonds that hold us. We think they hold us together, but sometimes, they are shackles. We may feel like we’re falling apart or dying, but we’re gaining freedom.                The problem is that gaining freedom isn’t comfortable, easy, or (usually) fast. It requires persevering through suffering and developing character. The result is freedom because hope i

                 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 6:1)                  I don’t remember what I was thinking about, but I suspect it had to do with upcoming changes and how my life is abnormal. Things would be easier if I’d just settle into a normal routine, get a normal job, normal hobbies… a normal life. And while this verse didn’t come to mind, the idea of this verse did. I’m free.               I saw a cartoon strip  eons ago of a woman standing on one side of a pit. I don’t remember the progression exactly, but it moved generally from I can’t…can I?...I can’t…I will… and eventually she leaps to the other side. She raises her hands in victory. “I did it!” In the next panel, she’s buried her face in her hands as she weeps, “What have I done?”                We’ve probably all heard the claim that some ex-cons commit crimes to get put in prison, because they discover t

                 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)                 " You shall have no other gods before [1] me.” (Exodus 20:3)                  Yesterday, I did a little debating with an atheist. His argument had three basic points: He believes in one fewer god than I do, People are basically good, The differences between us were “just really philosophical.” I’ll quickly note that my response to people being basically good because (he said) most of us lead normal lives and aren’t murderer or rapists focused on the definition of good as meaning not committing murder or rape is too narrow, and that psychological studies are showing how quickly and easily people do evil things, and how often people lie. And my response to the notion of “just really philosophical” was to note that how we see the world and what we believe is far more significant than our skin color. So dismissing philosophical differences is naïve.                Bu

                   Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12:8-10)                  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13)                  “God will never give you more than you can handle.” That might not be the exact quote, but it’s close. Even if it’s not quite right, it doesn’t matter because it’s pure nonsense. It’s based on the second passage quoted above, which talks only about

                 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13)                  This passage brings to mind the whole of the Law, which was given to the people of Israel. It said, “If you obey, this is what will happen. If you disobey, that is what will happen.”  The Israelites told Moses that they were afraid to hear from God anymore and that he should speak with God and then tell them. And God gave them their request. Those two facts may not seem to go together, but both may be seen as God giving the Israelites control of their relationship with Him. Obedience brought blessing. Disobedience brought curses. Simple.                But God didn’t generally bring the curse immediately. And often, He seemed to go through the parent’s routine of “I’m going to count to three, and then you’re going to get a spanking! One…Two…I’m warning you

                 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)                  Unwholesome: not characterized by or conducive to health or moral well-being                  Don’t use God’s name in vain. Don’t use terms that are crude, lewd, or obscene. Don’t talk dirty. Don’t curse. If we say “Rats!” instead of dropping F-bombs, or “Sugar!” instead of “Shit!” or “Darn!” instead of “Damn!” have we fulfilled the requirements of this verse? What if we also get rid of the snide or sarcastic comments and the “witty repartee” that we tend to think adds some spice to an otherwise bland conversation? Or, what if we dedicate ourselves to speak only positive things, will doing all that finally fulfill the requirements of the verse? And what is left that we can do other than quote Scripture at random?                The problem is that getting rid o

                 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)                  Why do I make things harder than they are? Or is it “why do we…"? In my case, there’s a tendency toward codependence and all-or-nothing thinking. If I am to love others or look out for their best interests, that tends to involve taking over their lives, even at the cost of pieces of mine. Codependence? I wouldn’t be surprised. Over-thinking? Undoubtedly. But underthinking isn’t any better.                As I considered this passage this morning, I thought briefly about some Old Testament laws. If their neighbor’s animal fell into a pit, they were required to get it out of the pit (or at least help.)  The parable of the Good Samaritan also comes to mind. The Jews were at fault because they didn’t help the injured man. In our day, there are

                 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,   making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.   Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  (Ephesians 5:15-17)                  “ Making the most of every opportunity.”  They used to talk about opportunity knocking. It might not have been a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but if you didn’t open that door, it would stride away and you’d never have another. And there are opportunities that may never come again, but the truth of the matter is that opportunities are all around us, all the time. Most are tiny. They might not be trivial, but we tend to treat them as if they are. We have the opportunity to breathe and to live this second. If that opportunity were taken away, we’d very quickly realize how important they are.   Most of the time, we don’t pay attention. And that’s one of the problems. We need to open our eyes and realize that there are opportunities.  

                 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)                  While this isn’t a dictionary definition, wisdom is the ability to observe life, the universe, and everything and act in accordance with how life, the universe, and everything is. For instance, you can eat the stalks of a rhubarb plant but not the leaves. That makes no sense to me. A botanist could explain it, but wisdom involves not eating the leaves. Wisdom involves distinguishing between Queen Anne’s Lace and Water Hemlock before you start handling or eating either.                Every now and again, I see someone online ridiculing Christians as fools. After all, Christians believe in this invisible, all-powerful being who doesn’t exercise his omnipotence in the way one might expect. The interesting this is that I can see why they think what they think. If one accepts their premise, I can walk throug

                 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (I John 4:16)                  “God is love.” How can that not be the focus of any discussion of this verse, and yet, what more can be said about that short statement? Instead, it’s the sentence before it that catches my eye, especially after yesterday. We know ? We rely on the love God has for us?                I’m reminded of a video in which someone explained that marriage isn’t a 50/50 thing. He(?) said that there are days when one of the people in the relationship will come home and say, “You know what, I’m at ‘30’ today. It’s been a rough day.”                And the other person will say, “That’s OK. I’m at an 80. I’ve got you covered.”                  There will be other days when both will be at a 30, and then they need to figure out a plan for dealing with things.                What this speaker was describing, at least in part

                 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.                “You shall have no other gods before me.                “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.                  “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:2-7)                  A little while ago, I decided I would lie down while the tomato paste was in the canner. It’s not unusual for me to pray for a short time while I’m resting, but today I seemed to be in an especially foul mood, probably because I wa

                 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (I Peter 3:8)                The first thing that came to mind as I read this verse this morning is “Wait!” – Peter’s admonition to them isn’t to go out and win the world for Christ. It’s not to perform miracles. It’s just to love one another. Everything else fits into that. And why did they need to be reminded about that? Because contrary to the opinion of some, the First Century Church was not some marvelous commune in which everything was practically perfect in every way.                I frequently hear comments about how hypocritical the Church is. And I’m sure there are hypocrites in the Church. But I have to wonder to what those venting their spleens mean. A glance through the New Testament will make it clear that the Church was never the perfect thing some people seem to think it is.                Where that might help us is in our realizing that we’re n

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo

                 A song of ascents.                I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)                  The commentaries I have don’t explain this verse very well. In fact, that make it clear that they don’t quite know what to make of it. Does the psalmist lift up his eyes to the mountains in fear of the mountains? After all, there might be thieves, or a mountain slide, of beasts of prey. In joy? In longing? Might the psalm have been written during the exile, in which case the psalmist is longing for “the mountains of home”? For many people, the mountains and hillsides were places where sacrifices to other gods were made, and armies tend to like to hold “the high ground.” What is clear is that the mountains were not the place that the help he wanted came from.                As we look around our world, things are a mess. We clearly need help. I’m even in one of my “knight

                 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.                  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.                Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.                Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, no

                 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 143:10)                  I like level ground. I can stitch plastic canvas or crochet while I’m walking on level ground, with no potholes in which to twist my ankle. Ask the folks where I live in the winter – lovely roads in my park. It’s when the road isn’t smooth and level that I trip and crack a tooth or deeply bruise a knee. When level paths are mentioned in Scripture, I tend to think of paths that don’t go up or down hills, but Jerusalem is in the mountains. Yes, hills can be hard.                When I was jogging, I noticed it more. Jogging up a hill was hard work. I usually had to slow to a walk. Jogging down a hill wasn’t hard work, but it was anxious work. I was afraid I’d fall. This idea is why trucks have to stay in the righthand lane going up mountains, and why they have run-away ramps on the downward slope. I remember Dad driving down the Rocky Mountai

                 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23)                  What would it be like to have the Father and the Son make their home with you? The two things Jesus mentions will likely give us pause: loving and obeying God. That gets in the way of “It’s my life” and “It’s my body!” In other words, it’s rather like living in a family.  You have to take the wishes and preferences of others into account. And while we always assume that all of the residents in the household have equal authority, but that’s never really the case, and ultimately, we wouldn’t want it to me. For example, if someone in the household was an expert in carpentry, would you really think the carpenter should look to your guidance on the construction of something? Oh, there might be some discussion of the aesthetics, but when it comes to what works and what doesn’t, a wise person will bow to t

                 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand . (Matthew 13:13)                  The following is probably poor handling of Scripture, but there’s a phrase that has been haunting me for the past several days and this is the verse that comes to mind that might connect to it – a little. One of the many groups I’m part of on social media focuses on homesteading for new folks just getting started in the subject. For those who don’t know, “Homesteading” is basically play-farming. I’m not using the word “play” disparagingly. They are very serious, but it’s not “business farming” with hundreds of acres and a thousand dairy cows. It’s home gardens, chickens, and making your own soap. I’m at the edges of these people because I don’t want to raise animals, and my property is too tiny to do all I want it to.                But, one of the things I sense from quite a few of the folks who say that they

                 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (II Timothy 1:13-14)                  Some people love every new thing that comes along. Whatever used to be accepted is thrown aside on the firm belief that the new is better. When it comes to the Church, sometimes, there’s an interesting twist on this. It’s the idea that somehow, the “new” thing is actually closer to what is described in Scripture. Today’s church is found wanting, and this new church returns us to what the Church was meant to be while simultaneously being just the new approach needed to reach people today.   They use terms like emergent, authentic, relevant, and missional as their way of saying “new and improved.” And then there are other folks who are just as adamant about never making any changes of any sort to anything they have accepted as

                 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)                  Today’s verse was recommended by Biblegateway.com, but it’s a time of year when I tend to whine at God a little more often about the way in which I’m going. It’s an obvious turning point in one’s life when one moves from one place to another, even if one cycles through two basic locations. As at least one person tells me, I’ve done it before. I know the routine. But that’s part of the problem. Am I doing this because it’s just what I do or am I engaged in the process. Is God involved and leading, or is that just an assumption on my part?                There are always questions. Should I be doing this at all? Should I stay where I am? Move permanently? If so, where? Closer to family so I can burden them more actively? To a place I think I’d like to live? If I’

              The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees . (Psalm 119:64)                  Yesterday, we considered why we love God. Today’s verse from Biblegateway.com turns the tables. God’s love fills the world. As we look around the world, two uncomfortable questions come to mind:                Is this what love looks like? The place is a mess!           The place is a mess! Why should God love it?           This is an old problem. If God is good and omnipotent, why is there suffering or evil? The fact that there is suffering and evil means that God is not good, or not omnipotent, or neither. If He loved us, He’d make everything just the way we think it should be. And, as noted yesterday, part of how it should be may well involve our being able to hold our heads up and meet with Him as equals. Why wouldn’t He want us to be His equals?           Whether or not He might want to, He can’t. When we say God can do all things, we’re talking about things t