Mission Faithwalk

                 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect . (Matthew 5:48) Has this command ever bothered you? Be perfect? Be as perfect as God? Jesus gave us an impossible task. Of course, some would claim that our heavenly Father isn’t perfect because He doesn’t do everything precisely as they think He should. That may be one thing we should keep in mind. Our being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect doesn’t mean that we’ll be perfect from everyone’s point of view. In fact, we need to be careful, because our own ideas of perfection may not be perfect. According to one resource, the Greek word used is teleios , which “conveys a sense of maturity, completeness, or attaining a goal.” ( What does it mean to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)? | GotQuestions.org ) I’ve heard it described that a well-made screwdriver is a perfect screwdriver because it drives screws effectively,...

                   Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26)                 There’s an old ad. I don’t remember what it’s about, but an animated figure throws a world class, melodramatic hissy fit about something. I wish I could remember it to share it because that’s what comes to mind here. Please don’t be offended. I’m quite sure Asaph was in circumstances that justified such a cry. And I’m sure I’ve whined or otherwise expressed sentiments to God or about God that probably sounded over the top. Chances are fair that you’ve done the same. Or perhaps you’ve expressed some sentiment about someone or something else that sounds equally overboard. And looking at it from the outside or back through time, it might seem a...

                   Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.   And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.   Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,   and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (II Timothy 1:23-26) This is one of those passages that can easily be misquoted. People may go as far as “not resentful” and stop. This leads to a false impression of what the Lord’s servant is to be like. Don’t ever say anything that might be considered quarrelsome or unkind, and don’t ever be resentful, period. In other words, the Lord’s servant has to keep his/her big mouth shut at all times. Never mind that Jesus didn’t do this If ...

                Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.   Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (II Timothy 2:16-19) Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)                 As we noted on Thursday, not quarreling about words doesn’t mean not discussing important or difficult ideas...

                 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth . (II Timothy 2:15) This verse is daunting. Present myself as one approved? Approved ? The rest doesn’t get any better. I mean, the whole point in Genesis is that man tried to earn approval on his own merits. We tried to be “like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4) But then Jesus came, died, and rose again so we could live by faith. Paul taught that we were to live by faith. But in today’s passage, he seems to have gone back to the old ways, in which we had to struggle to live according to the impossible standard. One of the rules for correctly handling the word of truth is to keep the idea in context. This letter was written to Pastor Timothy. His job was teaching others. If you’re a carpenter, your job involves correctly handling wood. You have to know how to mani...

            Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.  (II Timothy 2:14) But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (I Peter 3:15) He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. (II Peter 3:15) This is amusing, because Peter was known for foot-in-mouth disease and for his emotional outbursts, and Paul, while capable of emotional outbursts, was known for his high-brow argumentation. Yet in today’s verse, Paul warned Timothy not to quarrel about words (which might be s...

                 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (II Timothy 2:3-7) It doesn’t matter what you are, there will be inconveniences for the good of that thing that will get in the way of life. Soldiers, athletes, and farmers are great examples, but if you’re a student, an employee, a member of something, a dog owner, or a parent, you know the same sense of demands that require focus and self-denial. Connection with anyone or anything has strings attached, and we would be wise to consi...

                 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (II Timothy 2:1-2)              If you read Scripture, you’ll notice a theme of education and discipline. It’s a pattern for the development of individuals, communities, and nations. It’s a theme some of us would prefer to ignore for one reason or another.  One reason is our history. We haven’t fared well with community. We assume it’s our fault, and it might be. But we have learned that we “run with scissors and don’t play well with others.” Sometimes, it’s that we’re doers. It’s easier to step in and just do it rather than teach someone else. It might be more convenient. Others may not step forward when they should and take the responsibility that i...

                 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10)   “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’   But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22) When Paul discussed love in 1 Corinthians 13, he listed many words that described what love does or doesn’t do. When he discussed love in Romans 13 (memory a...

                 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished . (Proverbs 17:5) Mock: tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner Mockery runs rampant in our society. Some would justify themselves with the notion that they don’t mock the poor . They mock stupid people who think to highly of themselves. They mock the “Kool-Aid” drinkers, the sheeple, the evil and idle rich…you know, Those folks. The ones who deserve to be mocked, shamed, ridiculed, isolated, relieved of their children, sterilized, forced to do what’s “right,” and perhaps locked away. Those aren’t the poor. Aren’t they? Are they not, in the eyes of their mockers, lacking the essential currency that would make them acceptable? If they are not the equals or the betters of those who mock them, are they not poorer, no matter what category of poverty the mockers might want to establish? And...

                 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20  So then, you will know them by their fruits.   “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.   Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I ...

                   What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.   Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  (Romans 8:31-35) The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!   For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5) John Or...

                  Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2 NSAB1995)                   Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (3 John 2 NIV)                 Same verse, two versions. Normally, I share NIV, but I learned this verse with the word prosper in it, and it seems to be missing something without it. I have to begin by saying that I’ve been experiencing this verse for the last seven to ten years. I will admit that I have prospered, at least according to the judgment of some, but I didn’t feel prosperous. It always felt as if I were under someone’s heel or thumb. I won’t bother with the d...

                 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63) Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!"   (Acts 5:29) If you don’t know the story, King Nebuchadnezzar had built a statue of himself, and issued an irrevocable command that anyone who didn’t bow down to it on command was to be thrown in a fiery fu...

                   This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:10)                 Two ideas come to mind about what this verse says. The first is the idea of the dying god. There are a number of supposed gods who died and rose again, including Adonis and Osiris. For this reason, some dismiss Jesus’ death and resurrection as Christianity stealing an overused trope as a means to power. This idea faces two problems. In the stories of the other dying gods who rose again, it was not as a sacrifice for anyone’s sins. If it was associated with anything, it symbolized the seasons. Like the plants, the god died and returned in the spring. That made life more convenient for people, but it didn't change anyone's eternal fate. In addition, the deaths and resurrections w...

                      Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.   For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5...

                  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) (James 2:19)                 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder . (James 2:19)                 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)                 Like just about anything popular, I’m not fond of this verse. It’s not what it says, I think, as the sense that so many people seem to treat it so exceptionally. Or maybe part of it is because it’s one of those all-inclusive vers...

                 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (I Corinthians 13:6-7) And today, love isn’t red but continues in black before – thankfully – turning white. Love does not delight in evil. And today, that’s a huge problem. We do evil. I would go so far as to say that we are evil. We may struggle against it, but when the day is done, it’s highly doubtful that any of us got through it without doing anything evil. And we tend to want others to accept and approve of our evil. We may say they should forgive our evil, but in reality, it’s not about forgiveness. It’s easy to claim things we (or our loved ones) do are not evil, and give ourselves permission to delight in them, but that’s not love. But, ahh. We finally turn from everything that is not love or loving, or that love is or does not, to things love does. Rejoices with the truth. Always ...

                 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (I Corinthians 13:4-5) Ah, love, as I said yesterday, not a definition, but a description, and at least in today’s description, it’s mostly about what love doesn’t do. It begins with being patient, which for some of us is a negative word. It means that it doesn’t give up on its object, but gives its object time to do whatever the lover wants. There are times in disagreements with others when they say they’re done or that they won't answer my question. They are taking command and ending the discussion because I’m not worth their effort, and they’ve run out of patience. Sometimes, that’s the answer I get as soon as I disagree with them. Since I wasn’t seeking their love, that’s OK. It just occurred to me that this is what’s going...

                 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3) This is a tough one, because people are divided, and both sides have far to many people who claim to be Christians, but who read this verse and effectively say, “Yeah, you worthless piece of roadkill that claims to be a Christian, you talk big but where’s your love?” So, I’m going to begin with a clear statement: I am nothing. I will probably always be nothing. I will gain nothing. Because I can probably guarantee that you’ll decide that I don’t love unless I live according to your dictates. If I d...

                 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”   He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. (Matthew 12:9-14) We tend to think that Jesus didn’t minister to the Scribes and Pharisees and that He disapproved of them. After all, His words sound (to put it mildly) negative. But the first point is that the Scribes and Pharisees considere...

              While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50) Jesus was creating a stir. The authorities weren’t happy with Him, and His family decided to step in to fix things. I wonder what Mary thought of this intervention. Maybe, as with the wedding at Cana, she thought a little push might produce some good results. Maybe she thought He was stepping on too many toes and needed a vacation and some advice to complete His mission. Maybe she was trying to convince His siblings that they needed to back off and came along ...

                 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness . (Matthew 10:1) Oh, that would be the life… to have God call me and tell me, “Go here, do this marvelous thing in the following manner” (not included above). What we likely would find coolest about it is the authority. But God had reasons for doing things that way at that time. He has reasons for doing things differently now. There are, however, two things are clear. The first is that He sent them to minister to people, and not just people, but people who were the last sort of people they (or we) are likely to have wanted to visit: the possessed, the broken, and the sick. This wasn’t about their classification. It was about their need and about the disciples' comfort zone. They were, in short, to be Good Samaritans who didn’t need an innkeeper to help them. And again, I struggle ...

  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.   Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.   Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38) Have you ever tried to point out a bird or other small object to someone? Or looked at an optical illusion and tried to explain to someone what you see, and they don’t? Being able to point helps, but this is the problem Jesus saw as He went through the land. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Romans, and even His disciples seemed to see the virtual people who weren’t what they wanted. When Jesus saw the crowd, He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. Not a flock of sheep, which would be the coll...