Blogs
Our King
September 19, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Our King The older I get the more moved I am when reading of the stately, regal presence of kings. Where does this innate, at times emotional, honor come from? Why am I so drawn to Aslan as the rightful King of Narnia? To Aragorn, King of Gondor, as he steps down from his throne to honor Frodo, Pippen, and Merry? To prince Kardia as he rids the realm of the evil sorcerer Hocoino? When I think of kings I do not think of evil kings, though there have been far more evil kings than beneficent kings in the history of the world! Why do really good kings reside primarily in the minds of men longing for the reign of a righteous ruler? Perhaps because we have a “heart image” of the perfect King in Christ Jesus. This perfect King was promised by God to come from King David’s lineage (you can read about it in II Samuel 7) For several hundred years the kings of Israel proved that they were incapable of fulfilling the hope of the people that “this might be the one!” The prophet Isaiah wrote his 66 chapters with this king theme as a primary focus and gave us this amazing truth: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” Is. 9:2,6,7 Some 700+ years later this prophecy was fulfilled! “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Lk. 1:31-33 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Mt.2:1,2 The narrative of Jesus birth is filled with O.T. references to this future king who would fulfill the promise of God to have a righteous King on the throne of David. None of the kings in Israel’s history proved to be the picture promised by God – while there were a handful of good kings who “…did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…” even these often reverted to sinful, selfish leadership. Ultimately, the ministry of Jesus provoked the religious and civil authorities to see him as a rival king and have him crucified. Even in this mock trial and his subsequent crucifixion his real identity surfaces. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” Mt 27:11 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Mt. 27:37 And so, the only truly sinless King offered himself as a sacrifice for man’s sin. As a righteous, compassionate, and gracious King he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord!” Completely!! Just as the prophetic literature was fulfilled in Jesus first coming it speaks clearly about his second coming. He will return, not as the lamb of God, but as the Lion of Judah to restore his creation and subjugate all the rebellion and evil against him. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Rev. 17:14 “On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev. 19:16 Those who serve other kings and refuse to honor him will ultimately be confronted with the Truth “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:10,11 Yes, we should get goose bumps and choke back tears as we envision the rule of our future righteous King. He comes to conquer evil, to establish justice, and to fully restore his creation. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Real Marriage
August 23, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Real Marriage Written by: Larry Elliott Marriages often travel through three stages over some period of time. The new couple may well begin infatuated with each other and, over time, with the realization that this person has flaws and issues, the relationship may move to one of disenchantment. Healthy relationships move through these stages on to maturity and genuine love. How do we get to this maturity stage without getting derailed by anger, bitterness, or apathy? What could we identify as the disciplines and practices that are the marks of a healthy relationship? What sets us up for success or failure? What should I do to prepare myself for a healthy marriage? Is there anything I can do to turn a troubled marriage around? Hundreds of books, sermons, and seminars have been written and presented by wise, skillful professionals on this topic. As I read my random list of questions, I must confess there is no way I could possibly answer them in the next six hundred words! 😉 Or six hundred pages for that matter! What follows here are two grossly oversimplified truths that I believe give the greatest prospect of success in marriage! Forgiveness is the most essential element of any healthy relationship. Consider: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:31,32 “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” I Peter 3:8,9 I know, to some these are just words on a page – what happens when my raw emotions are introduced into the equation? But what if we actually predetermined to forgive as God in Christ forgave, to extend a blessing instead of reviling? Can anger, bitterness, and evil survive in such an environment? No, it cannot. As Christ followers, do we really have the right, the audacity, to ignore the commands of scripture? Do I get to pick and choose what parts I believe and practice or are they all “God-breathed?” What if I am genuinely hurt and feel rejected? Am I still to forgive and give a blessing!!?! Yes, you are. The real out workings of these truths are hammered out in open, candid, sometimes excruciatingly difficult communication. Which brings us to our second grossly oversimplified truth. You would do well to read the book of Proverbs and highlight every time this wisest of all men talks about communication (words like heart, lips, words, speech…). Consider: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Pr. 12:18 The topic of communication is addressed multiple times in nearly every chapter of Proverbs. Listen to the byproduct of negative communication according to Solomon: poverty, destruction, foolishness, regret, strife, corruption, hatred, separation, contention, shame, crushed spirits… This is the short list, but it is a sampling of what you can expect if your communication is negative and destructive. Listen to the byproduct of positive communication according to Solomon: wisdom, understanding, delights God, sweetness of life, honor, patience, protection, caring, healing, truth, peace… This also is the short list, but the contrast should be more than apparent. We have great power in speech and forgiveness - power to destroy and tear down or to heal and build up. The fact that any marriage survives is due to the goodness of God. How can two sinful, broken, selfish people ever hope to come together in such a way as to portray the good purpose of God? Observing and obeying his truths of forgiveness and communication allow us to become men and women who possess the power of God to calm, heal, and preserve life. It’s a good start!
Messiah in the Psalms
July 7, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Messiah in the Psalms The Psalms are filled with references to the “anointed” one and to many of the things that Jesus went through and said in his earthly ministry. How is it that literature dating back, in many cases, more than a thousand years before Christ could so accurately and specifically relate to the ministry and life of Jesus? Just before his ascension Jesus states clearly how this could be: Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44) The Old Testament was not a random collection of writings about the Jewish people but a supernatural treatise on how God was planning to rescue man from sin through the work of Messiah Jesus. Jesus was saying that all that was preserved in the ancient writings foretold his life. Consider Psalm 2, written in four strophes likely about David but clearly representing the ultimate King to come. In the first strophe, the nations are seen as raging or “noisily assembling” against the king. They meditate on evil as the godly man in Psalm 1 meditated on the law of the Lord. “Why?” the Psalmist inquires, would the nations devise such futility? In the second strophe we see God’s response of derision because he has established his king and it is utter folly to think they can so easily dismiss his authority. They have deceived themselves about who they are and the power of this king! David was God’s anointed and essentially the representative of the Messiah. The third strophe makes the statement, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Brown, Driver and Briggs, O.T. Hebrew scholars, describe begotten as “formally installing the king into theocratic rights.” God had anointed David as King and he would do so with Christ as well. This king holds office by divine appointment! The final strophe is a warning to all who “plot in vain,” taking their stand in opposition to the king. Their only hope is to “serve the king with fear” or perish in the king’s wrath. The parallels to King Jesus are unmistakable and there are dozens more woven throughout the Psalms. Consider a few of the most readily recognized (not in any order). --“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 22:1 --“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” 118:2 --“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 22:7,8 --“…a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 22:16-18 --“Into your hand I commit my spirit” 31:5 --“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage.’” 2:7,8 --“You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” 110:4 --“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” 41:9 These are but a selected sampling of what Jesus must have instructed the disciples in as he “…opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45) By some counts there are over 90 prophecies in the Psalms that are fulfilled in Christ! Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (that covers the whole of the O.T.) spoke of Jesus and he wanted the disciples to know that he was ultimately the subject of all of the sacred Hebrew Scriptures!
Being a Sanctuary
June 30, 2021
Being A Sanctuary Written by: Pete McClanathan Our journey through Psalm 73 has brought us to a turnaround point for Asaph. He describes it as a time when he “went into the sanctuary of God” (Ps. 73:17). New observations began to take root in his mind and in his heart. The remainder of the psalm describes a flood of new understandings that led to resolution of his lament. We’ll visit the remainder of the psalm in a later article, but there is something we don’t want to overlook in the transition of verse 17. Exactly what is the “sanctuary of God,” and how did it make a profound impression on Asaph? Recall our discussion in the previous article. As a music director and a prophet, Asaph was quite familiar with temple worship even during the period of his lament. Yet for some time he had not found resolution. It seems safe to conclude that the act of going into the temple was not itself the source of his new perspective. We’ve speculated that there must have been something in that particular time that spoke to Asaph. Words of personal encouragement, a slightly new approach to the Book of the Law, a message in the songs, are all possibilities. The important information for us is that something did occur. And we would do well to explore what it tells us about our own conduct in the body of Christ, for it does make a difference. Consider that several groups participated in the temple worship. Most obvious were the regular circumcised Hebrew worshippers (whom we might in today’s church refer to as “the committed”). The others were biological Hebrew and Gentile participants, people who had not been circumcised into the Hebrew faith but were interested. They were called “God-fearers” in their time. We would refer to them today as “seekers.” And of course the persons in each group brought with them whatever spiritual or personal concerns that might be touching their lives, just as all of us do. This is not going to be a discussion of church strategies. There is an abundance of good material available for church leaders to explore questions of church growth and church health. Instead we are going to dive into the broad topic of how those in the body of Christ are told to behave toward others, inside and outside of the church. What should be the biblical values, goals, and tools that guide this conversation? This discussion over time will take us to many places in the Word of God. Some of them will make us uneasy. That’s not a bad thing. Accepting the challenges of scripture is a core part of biblical change and Christian growth. Let’s begin in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” There is a lot in this verse on topics of redemption, transformation, identity, and security. We’ll deal here with one particular phrase, “that you may proclaim,” four words that tie the parts of the verse together in a clear statement of purpose. How are we to serve that purpose? How ought we to present and conduct ourselves so as to be welcoming and healing sanctuaries? The New Testament of course is well-stocked with instructions on these matters. We’ll be discussing many of them as we go forward. Let’s first take another look at 1 Peter 2, this time in vs.12: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” We learn from these scriptures an obvious but often-ignored fact: People are watching us, both outside of the church and within. Those who claim the name of Christ as their Savior and Lord inherit an important, yet difficult, assignment. Though we are told that we are set apart and chosen, aliens in the world and citizens of a heavenly kingdom, the fact remains that for this time we live in the world. And we will be affected by the people, values, and events of that world. The call to conform to the world’s system of values is relentless, and it can be overwhelming at times. There arise so many opportunities to flirt with the world, to compromise, to convince ourselves that a taste of unrighteousness will not offend God or matter in His kingdom. And if that were not enough, we also carry the responsibility of being salt and light to the world. People outside of Christ (the New Testament parallel to “the Gentiles” of Peter’s letter) typically do not understand what we are, or why. Their own beliefs and experiences are the only framework for their understanding. We cannot expect them to “get it,” or to conform right away to the standards of belief and conduct that we embrace. The world’s only way to measure what Christ means to us and has done within us is what they observe us to be. People are crying out for encouragement, love, wisdom, and truth. I expect that many actually want or hope to find it in the same place we found it, that is among the body of Christ. That is the “sanctuary” that corresponds to Asaph’s experience. It does make a difference, often a significant one. We are not perfect of course, but the task obviously becomes more difficult if we display anything that might be seen as self-righteousness, pride, or a judgmental spirit, or hypocrisy in speech or behavior. Chapter 2 of Peter’s first letter again provides pointed instruction: “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy, and envy and all slander.” (1 Peter 2:1) This call is serious, and one we can find easy to disregard in day to day moments of living. How do we deal with difficult people or conflicted relationships in or outside of the church? When the actions of church leadership are not as we would wish, what should be our response, if any? What about our conduct in difficult matters? Are we forthright and honest in our business and financial dealings, in our tax filings, in our parenting, in our social interactions? Do we welcome people into our fellowship as they are, or do we filter our acceptance through our opinions of appearance, conduct, background? Is the glory of God and service to others prominent among our goals in all situations? Does a bitter, complaining spirit accompany us into our transactions and relationships? Are our responses too often affected by our own needs to be right or to be recognized? Patience, looking toward the interests of others, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, confession of our own faults . . . they all are contained in the New Testament descriptions of love and ministry. How are we doing? I think we’ll stop here and let the words of the scriptures speak to us. We’ll take a look at some practical everyday challenges soon in a later article. Meanwhile, would you do us a favor? It would be helpful to know how much readership is out there for the Park Hills blog. We’d be so grateful if you would post your comments regularly (you may have more to say than you think). As with any blog, it’s most effective when it grows into a discussion group, and I know that many of you have knowledge, wisdom, and experience that would be welcome and helpful. If you don’t wish to do so, you may consider contacting the church office (email, phone, stop by) to tell us your thoughts about what the blog is (or isn’t) doing in your life. Or mention it to any of us on a Sunday morning, at a small group meeting, or any time. Many thanks.
Prophets of Weirdness
June 17, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Prophets of Weirdness With all due respect, these guys are really weird! Why would God want the very people who are said to be his “mouthpiece” to be so strange, so anti-social, so bizarre? Don’t believe me? Consider: --Isaiah walking around naked prophesying --Jeremiah hiding his underwear under a rock by the Euphrates --Jeremiah wearing “yoke-bars” as he spoke to the nation --Hosea marrying a prostitute and naming his children weird names --Jonah running from God and ending up in the belly of a great fish for 3 days --Ezekiel eating a scroll, laying on one side for 390 days, cooking his food over a fire of manure, prophesying over dry bones that come to life --Habakkuk confronting God on his seeming inactivity --Balaam riding a talking donkey There are others but these are perhaps the most remarkable. The prophets were, indeed, a strange lot but God chose them and used them to speak his truth often to people who were utterly disobedient or others who didn’t even know him! Though we often think of prophets proclaiming visions of the future, far more of their speech had to do with daily living and how God expected his people to reflect his character to the world around them. There are 4 Major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel (though some would consider Daniel as one of the historical books) and 12 Minor prophets. Major because of their length and breadth of subject matter and minor for their comparative lesser size. The OT words define prophet as visionary or seer but most commonly as “one who announces” or declared the words of God. Prophets were quick to assert that God had spoken to them – “thus sayeth the Lord.” Their collective voice declares a unified message that the nation had violated their covenant with God, that there would be discipline but, in his mercy, God would forgive their sin and restore the relationship at his future intervention in history. These prophets spoke this unified truth for several hundred years and then after Malachi the prophets fell silent. For 400 years no prophet spoke in Israel! Then John the Baptist (clearly poured from the prophetic mold – replete with camel’s hair clothing and locust snacks!) and Christ were born, and the prophetic ministry was renewed, the silence was broken, the prophet’s message was vindicated, and a host of prophetic truth was fulfilled. Christ continued the bizarre and disruptive legacy of the prophets. Miracles, redefining the Law, complete control over the physical and spiritual realms made Jesus a marked man in a long line of weird prophets. Here was the ultimate prophet, the One who spoke truth and was the Truth and would give his life, not as an illustration, but as the actual and effectual atonement for sin!!! We must not dismiss the actions of these men as eccentric, goofy, and bizarre! They spoke the very words of God. They were living object lessons given to incite the people to follow the truth of God. They were overt demonstrations of the life transforming power of God’s word. There were no movies, no snapchat, no animation, no you tube to illustrate the serious nature of man’s sin and rebellion. In the prophets we see a picture of man’s sin, the coming Messiah, Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God’s holiness, his intention to restore his people, his wrath, grace, and mercy. In his wisdom God used these men to awaken his people and to preserve for us a picture of his eternal plan! Bizarre to us? Yes! Unimportant? No!!!!
Light Breaks Through: The Sanctuary of God and a New Perspective (Psalm 73)
June 2, 2021
We’ve moved slowly through the first half of Psalm 73, noting Asaph’s lament over the prosperity of the wicked. And we’ve sought to extract truth and wisdom to apply to today, in our own lives and in our observations of others. My wish is for this to have been a fruitful journey. Asaph was a sensitive, introspective, and wise man. A musical leader in the temple and a prophet. His descriptions of the apparent success and leisure of persons who openly ignored or defied the Lord make for a classic lament. One that touches many of our experiences and emotions. We’ve dealt in detail with the similarities between Asaph’s lament and today, some 2,900 years later. We’ll not revisit them here, but it might merit another reading of the past several articles to bring us to a wise place as we move forward. We’ve observed Asaph’s frustration develop into anger and despair. And, true to the literary form of the biblical lament, we’re about to witness a dramatic turnaround. Asaph has reached the bottom of his emotional dip, and will soon climb out of confusion and misery. His upward journey is relatively quick, glorious to behold, and filled with core understandings for us to embrace. “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I discerned their end.” (Ps. 73:16-17) Asaph identifies a time and an experience that parted the clouds of his despair and allowed the appearance of fresh understanding and refreshment. He describes the event rather plainly… “until I went into the sanctuary of God.” What are we to make of this declaration? We begin with the obvious. Asaph clearly is referring to an experience at temple worship, probably a Festival Service. But let’s not oversimplify. In his roles as worship leader and prophet, Asaph likely spent the majority of his time in the temple or its surrounds. We know that Asaph’s ministry extended over several decades under David and Solomon. So he would have been well-acquainted with the people and manner of temple worship. And just as clearly, he appears to have struggled with the aspects of his lament for some time. It seems we can conclude, then, that it was more than the act of entering the temple that led to his newfound peace and understanding. So what might it have been? The fact is, we don’t know and can’t know precisely. But as we speculate, there are clues to help us. And though it may seem a relatively small part of the psalm, the idea of the “sanctuary of God” represents a crucial turning point for Asaph. And it can do likewise for us. The term “sanctuary” has several uses, in and apart from the Bible. Common uses include a place of refuge, a holy gathering place, and a place where grace and wisdom can be found. Traditionally many churches have referred to their auditoriums or worship centers as sanctuaries, a use that is fading a bit but still conveys the sense of refuge, worship, frace, and wisdom. Let’s take a look at some of the many scriptures that apply the word or its meanings to various aspects of life. “O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.” (Ps. 26:8) “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” (Ex. 25:8) “Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.” (Ezek. 11:16) “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” (Heb. 9:24) “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1Cor.. 3:16) “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12: 1-2) We’re observing a rather clear teaching here. In Old Testament times, under its covenant, God directed the building of a place where His Glory and His Spirit would dwell among His people. That place became the wilderness tabernacle, and later the temple in Jerusalem. Each in its time housed the ark of the covenant, God’s dwelling place on earth. At that place God chose to meet His people in ways He had set forth. The system of sacrifices, the various feasts and festivals, the worship music and readings, all were ordained by God as elements of worship, confession, justification, and edification. All were directed and mediated by the priestly order. This is not to say that God was not concerned with the ongoing lives of prayer and obedience among His people. To the contrary, God supplied prophets in various locales to inquire of the LORD on behalf of the people. And the Old Testament scriptures are filled with God’s laments and warnings over the people's conduct and their indifference toward Him. Yet the Old Testament term sanctuary appears to refer to the presence of God’s Glory and Spirit in a physical location. And Asaph was deeply a part of that sanctuary, as a leader and participant. He knew the scriptures well. His insightful mind had learned to blend their content wisely with the questions of human life. We know this as we study the eleven psalms which he authored. But we also observe that Asaph’s regular temple worship had not brought resolution to his lament. Something occurred in his mind and heart that day which reversed his lament and opened the way for joy, praise, and eagerness for ministry. How did it occur? We still can only speculate but we do so now with better understanding. The sanctuary of God is not identified merely by a physical location. It is a place in the mind and spirit where transaction occurs with God’s Spirit, and change takes place. Was Asaph experiencing some “a-ha” moments as the Book of the Law was read? Did the music (which may have been his own) weave itself among his mind and emotions in a fresh way? Did his fellow worshippers appear especially sincere that day, or perhaps did one or more of them stop to share concern and wisdom with him? Had he already begun to sort out his lament, and this worship experience served as confirmation and encouragement? Was he just generally in a receptive and engaging state of mind that day? Any or all of these, and others, are possibilities. What we do know is that Asaph emerged with an entirely new point of view and an excitement we had not seen. The presence of God is no longer confined to the tabernacle and the temple. The New Testament describes the features of a new covenant, one in which the Holy Spirit indwells the individual believers in an ongoing way. But let’s not miss an important lesson in all of this. We do not worship alone effectively. We learn from each other, are encouraged by each other, and strengthened by observing each other. We receive the personal ministry of others that can bring focus to our struggles and offer the promise that we are not alone. All of these things and more are presented in the New Testament gospels and epistles as functions of the Body of Christ. We’ll get on with Asaph’s story soon, but for the next article we’ll linger on the question of sanctuary and the church. It is important.
Reading the Bible without Snoring
May 14, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Reading the Bible without Snoring It has been suggested that we give some thought to reading the Bible out loud as we have opportunity – family, small groups, Sunday school, before supper, after supper, before bed, when you can’t sleep, when your child can’t sleep… Let’s consider why this would be a good practice: --“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” Deuteronomy 6:5,6 --“…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2 --“Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29 --“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Colossians 3:16 --“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16,17 --“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12,13 This is only a sampling of perhaps hundreds of places in scripture where God notes the power and importance of his word. Let’s just agree that the practice of reading, studying, and meditating on God’s word is not an optional discipline for those who desire to grow in faith and be transformed by the Spirit of God. I suppose the read aloud concept changes depending on the type of literature read. The nation of Israel sang many of the Psalms and some as they walked toward the temple. If your family is musical this might be a joy. Husband and wife or members of a small group could take turns reading a passage or book. Read for as long as you want and then the next person picks up. Read one sentence and then the other person picks up. Read alternating paragraphs. Have one person read odd verses and the other read even verses. There are many parts of scripture that are narrative and lend themselves to divided “performances.” Proverbs 7, a narrator, and the adulteress. Portions of Job, a narrator, Job’s friends, and Job himself. Many of the prophets and patriarchs have discussions with God and/or the people of God that could be read in parts. So, for our purposes we will consider I Peter as we try to be creative about reading the Word of God. I Peter has 5 chapters – one for each of the five days of the week. If you are doing this individually, get alone, read continually, engage your cognitive function, enjoy the beauty of the words, perhaps read standing up, refresh your soul with truth, stop at natural breaks and pray concepts/truth back to God, ask yourself what you learned/heard. Use a Bible that has no chapter or verse markings if possible. For I Peter, find a time to do this starting with chapter 1 on Monday and conclude with chapter 5 on Friday. For a family, ask children who read to join in. Maybe divide a book like I Peter into paragraphs and let everyone draw a specific part out of a hat and then read their part – keeps everyone paying attention as they await their turn. 😅 Read quietly, read loudly, read directly to mom or dad, sister, or brother. Parents could ask kids to listen for a specific word. Listen for faith, or hope, or precious, or perishable and/or imperishable – give a Hershey Kiss if they raise their hand when the word is spoken and then define for children from the context. I just read chapter 1 out loud – 4 minutes. Maybe it takes you and the kids 15, OK it just prolongs the fun!
Yes, It Can Happen Here. And It Has. (Psalm 73)
May 14, 2021
Yes, It Can Happen Here. And it Has. (Psalm 73) Asaph served and wrote during the years of King David’s reign in Jerusalem (1000-962 B.C.), and in part of Solomon’s reign thereafter. By and large these were good years for the nation. Times of military success, growth of the national economy, the building of Solomon’s temple. But Asaph observed troublesome things appearing amidst the veneer of prosperity. Personal and societal values were being tested and weakened. The very terms used by Paul in his letter to Timothy are found in Asaph’s lament roughly 1,000 years earlier. Pride, disdain, oppression, violence, hypocrisy, disregard of God. The most troublesome aspect for Asaph was that these things were occurring among God’s people and their leaders. A man of stature in the nation, Asaph would have mingled among the wealthy, the powerful, the famous. And his status would have brought him close to the very ones he deems “wicked.” Prideful, successful business people, religious leaders, and government officials who were bending the rules for their own personal gain. And wholly in disregard of the nation’s purpose … to bear witness to a righteous and holy creator God. One can understand Asaph’s confusion and frustration. This is not what God intended nor approved. Take a look, then, at the following four centuries of the nation’s life. The Bible describes a succession of kings who did not follow the Lord. Leaders who practiced and promoted idol worship in its various wicked forms. Officials consumed with personal gain at the expense of the people they were called to serve. Even the few righteous exceptions were followed by other ungodly leaders. And by and large the people supported and followed these leaders, maybe even encouraged them. Do we ever wonder what led to this apostate behavior within a nation founded by and upon the Lord? One clear answer is that sin will overtake even well-meaning people as they turn their hearts and thoughts away from God and toward the world’s promises of success. We see it occurring quickly and repeatedly in the nation’s history. The same concerns ought to be in our minds as we live now. And not merely for “those out there” whom we observe practicing ungodly behavior and encouraging others to do so (Rom. 1: 32). How do God’s people become hardened so as to disregard His purposes? Why would those purposes fade to the background of the personal and national priorities? Perhaps because society as a whole began uncoupling from godly values, and God’s people carelessly watched and then followed. Why would such uncoupling take place? Perhaps because for a long time the importance of biblical truth increasingly had been neglected or dismissed in families, in communities, and regrettably in many churches. Recall one of the notable acts of Josiah, a righteous king, who retrieved the Book of the Law from its hidden place of disuse and reintroduced it to the people. And ask, how did it fall into disuse and be placed in storage? Coming back to the present time, we find the same pattern. The Word of God and the pursuit of Christ have become marginalized, even mocked or forbidden in parts of the American culture. And, as in Asaph’s time, the disappearance began when many churches and their people failed to study and teach its true content. The behavioral choices and public policies of the ensuing years reflect that void. We’re now living in the outgrowth of that era, and the upheavals we’ve experienced show no sign of abating. We may long to reverse this tide, but that longing itself exposes the fallacy of thinking that good is measured by what once seemed better times. Those times held serious shortcomings of their own, ones which contributed to the growth of national indifference and apostasy. There are core truths that we disregard at our own peril. Each person who ever lived was born into a battle already in progress. One involving beings and themes that we know only barely and understand even less. We leave ourselves, our families, and our culture exposed to all of the fallout of that battle if we fail to study, teach, and live by God’s Word. And this is not a new thought. Note that the primary theme of the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ warnings to the people to do just that, for their own protection and purpose. The message of these past two articles is that indifference and carelessness do carry significant risks of serious consequences. To conclude on a positive trajectory of hope, we can embrace the fact that these struggles are not new. We are not alone, nor without direction. We draw encouragement from words such as these: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, …” (1 Tim. 4:1-2) “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Tim. 4: 1-4) “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Ps. 119: 11) “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” (Ps. 119: 37) “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness … But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.” (Gal. 6: 1,4) “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Mt. 7: 24-27) It can be tempting to project these words of scripture into an end-times scenario where the wicked are about to be judged. That may or may not be what we’re now seeing, but may I encourage us to look beyond that possibility and examine our own lives and purposes. The clear message for us, the people of God, is to persevere. To reject those things in us that are built on sand. To gather our lives around the foundational rock of Jesus and to find our joy and strength in Him. Meanwhile we ought to consider the futility of yearning for better times past, or comparing ourselves pridefully to the wickedness in our generation. Both will deceive us when we allow them to be a measure of our own lives. Our calling is to fill our minds with God’s Word, to submit ourselves to Him, to be content with His provision, and to carry on our assigned task of being salt and light, a city on a hill, moment by moment. Salt and light are not found in pursuit of personal ease and pleasure. Nor in prideful condemnation of others, privately or publicly. They’re demonstrated in the harder work … study, knowledge and wisdom, humility, courage, self-control, and love. Well, no surprise. Aren’t these the very traits to which the people of God have been called throughout human history?
How is Good to be Measured? (Psalm 73)
May 12, 2021
How Is Good To Be Measured? (Psalm 73) (Author’s Note: In this article we’ll be sharing observations and offering conclusions about some serious matters of life. We’ll be challenging things that some may have held dear. In doing so I do not intend offense. I may not even be completely right. But I believe the conversation needs to take place). Asaph’s Psalm 73 lament understandably is magnified by what he observes among his own people and their leaders. He finds them, the chosen people of God, drifting away from God’s Law and often adopting heathen practices. And worse, he feels alone and isolated on account of his own role as prophet and leader: “If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’ I would have betrayed the generation of your children.” (Psalm 73: 15) Asaph may have felt alone and discouraged, but his resolve stood strong. He was not going to allow his confusion and discouragement to be observed. People look up to their leaders in ways the leaders may not always realize. Their faithfulness is a beacon to those who follow. Any doubts we may have had about Asaph’s character are answered in this selfless act. And therein is also a warning for those in leadership. Yet Asaph still was troubled, discouraged by the absence of truth and obedience among many of the people and leaders. But he seems to have understood a crucial fact … people will display their hearts and values by how they behave. And if those hearts have not been developed in obedience to God’s Word, then ungodly behaviors can be expected. We can extract this truth and apply it to our own times. And we will find that though the times and situations are different, the same problem has raised its head again and again. The term “cultural Christianity” has been used, accurately in my opinion, to describe large segments of American life over the past century (and likely before). A time when goodness was measured by one’s appearing to live morally, going to church, being generous in prosperity, and avoiding “major” sins, at least publicly. This ethic became woven into our society’s thinking, conduct and values. Apart from some notable exceptions, personal pursuit of biblical knowledge and obedience were largely missing in the culture. Church became part of the path to acceptance in the community, or a source of sentimental support, or the price of feeling right with God. The practice of acknowledging God consciously in the decisions of life was negligible, or at best invisible. In that setting it should not be surprising that cultural values and their systems would erode, as they did in Asaph’s time. And it was at first so subtle as to be unrecognized. The postwar euphoria and energy of the 1950’s appeared to be heralds of a bright future, and in some practical respects they were. Many even felt that the Allied victory of World War II signified God’s blessing on the American way of life. As a symptom of the national mentality, some may recall the early Superman television shows which proclaimed the hero as a champion of “truth, justice, and the American Way.” But the foundation would prove to be shaky. Based as it was on a trust in personal abilities and a system of societal status symbols, the culture was ill prepared for the emergence of conflicting points of view in the 1960’s and 70’s. Cultural Christianity proved to be no match for a growing secular intellectualism that rejected what it saw as prideful hypocrisy in the halls of business, government, church, and the family structure. I realize I’m treading dangerously close to some deeply-held beliefs, so let me clarify. I have great respect for the generations of the first half of the 20th Century. Whether fighting world wars in 1917-18 and again in the 1940’s or surviving the Great Depression of the 30’s, and in many other ways, they battled obstacles and performed tasks that I would not choose to undertake. My father worked his way through the Depression and later served on an Australian cruiser dodging Japanese kamikaze planes as part of a Naval fleet during the battles for New Guinea and the Philippines. Having navigated the perils of war and the depression, that generation cannot be faulted for seeking peace, comfort, and satisfaction, and finding it in economic success and social status. But time and human nature began to expose cracks in that foundation. The pursuit of financial security came to express itself in materialism. Success became defined by symbols of prosperity. In various ways homes, cars, dress, education, reputation, the proper affiliations, the investment portfolio, came to measure life’s value for many people. The value was in what those represented … a feeling of accomplishment, a place in the community, a secure future. Not necessarily bad things in themselves, but ones that effectively crowded out a sense of need for more solid anchors. And the celebration of material success brought with it some seriously costly byproducts. Many children suffered the absence of consistent parental concern or involvement in their struggles and emotional lives. Parenting often was filled with expectations, demands, and punishment, and short on encouragement. The “nurture and admonition of the Lord” was largely unknown or neglected as a parenting goal. Seriously mixed signals such as cocktail parties and alcohol-laced dinner dances became the staples of entertainment for the business and professional groups (the very ones who proclaimed themselves to be the guardians of American values and the gatekeepers of society). Gossip and public opinion played a major role in one’s acceptance or rejection by the “right people” (not unlike the power of today’s social media). The rates of alcoholism and divorce rose. And though it was rarely acknowledged, things once suppressed … pornography, street drugs, sexual experimentation, all were established in the culture by the mid-1960’s. I do not question that the material and parenting behaviors of mid-20th century Americans were in large part well-intentioned. But life can be difficult to understand and harder to predict. What was thought to be generosity and opportunity too often found realization in a confused society of young people (my generation). Call them spoiled, ungrateful, arrogant, lazy, or just plain stupid (charges which were merited in some cases), the generation that came of age in the 1960’s and 70’s too often displayed an absence of meaningful grounding in personal and societal values. Meanwhile the biblical foundations of American Christian churches were eroding, and in many cases the erosion occurred without real knowledge or concern because we missed the signs. Under assault from European philosophies that emerged in the 1800’s and arrived in American seminaries around the turn of the 20th century, churches and entire denominations lost or abandoned their moorings. Biblical truth and the gospel of Christ were shed in favor of a false gospel of right living, good deeds, and social action. This false gospel blended well with the mood of the times, one of self-sufficiency, American progress and might, and celebration of materialism and social standing. Most citizens considered themselves to be Christians because, it was widely thought, Christianity is about moral living and good deeds. As the “good life” flourished, there was little call for serious acknowledgement of the Bible, nor of sin, and certainly not of repentance and salvation through true faith in Christ. There was a positive side to this phenomenon, in the growth of the evangelical movement. Begun in the 1950’s, evangelical Christianity in its various forms has proven effective in defending and proclaiming biblical truth. But overall the spiritual landscape has continued to devolve into forms of universalism, spiritism, and humanism … forms which have no underlying truth and no power to guide a society or answer humanity’s fundamental questions. Is this not precisely what the Bible calls “an appearance of godliness?” One devoid of genuine trust in God’s Word, or yielding to His Spirit, or submission to saving faith in Christ. One that replaces truth with forms of religion, or ignores it altogether. “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. … always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5, 7) This article is not about identifying the last days or the details of end-times prophecy. We simply need to take a look at Paul’s warnings, and compare them to the times of Asaph, to understand that humanity in all eras has displayed these behaviors. The danger is great for peoples to drift away from the truth of God and pursue the lies of the culture. All it takes is for good people to relax and place God aside ever so quietly, and to turn their pursuit of significance toward things of man and the world. Asaph warned against it, as did the Old Testament prophets, as did Jesus, Paul, and committed Christian scholars and preachers through the centuries. Yet we can be so resistant to learning. Next article, we’ll pull these thoughts together and seek to find direction.
Systemic Rebellion Pt. 2
April 30, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Systemic Rebellion II It seems I have written too many blogs on rebellion. Unfortunately, rebellion is a significant story line in the OT. From the divided kingdom after Solomon’s death to the Babylonian captivity covered over 400 years. In that span of time Judah and Israel had a total of 39 kings, only 8 of them, all from the southern tribe of Judah, “…did what was right in the sight of the Lord.” There was not one (1) good king from the northern tribes of Israel! Not a good batting average. Scripture is replete with stories of the overt evil that plagued the nation both before and during this time. Outright evil and pervasive disobedience were the order of the day. Both men and women continue to rebel, impoverished and wealthy, educated and not, prestigious and not, popular and not, intelligent and not, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, religious and irreligious, all nations, and all races continue the rebellion!!! One simple, yet profound, observation as we consider this rebellion story is the obvious conclusion that leaders frame the trajectory, for good or for ill, of the nation and whether it will follow God or, in more modern times, a nation’s policies and moral direction. This is also true for institutions and families and individuals. Is it possible to be a part of this rebellion and eventually turn to follow God? Does God give us any examples of this kind of story and its outcome? He does indeed, but there are far more stories of those who do not. Consider, first, the eight good kings of Judah: Asa, I Kings 15 Jehoshaphat, I Kings 22 Joash, II Kings 11-12 Amaziah, II Kings 14 Azariah, II Kings 15 Jotham, II Kings 15 Hezekiah, II Kings 18-20 Josiah, II Kings 21-23 Four of these good kings followed bad kings and often blatant corruption. What caused them to follow a different path is unique to each of them and not subject to their predecessor. This should provide us some hope in God’s gracious plan. It does not matter what your parents or siblings believed or how they lived, the dysfunction or trauma of your past, under God’s dispensation every human being gets to choose to follow him or to embrace a world bent on destruction. Every human being has the option to break the generational pattern of disbelief and rebellion. We are not destined nor obligated to repeat the godless direction of our ancestors or the world. The prophet Jeremiah said it like this, “What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me, and walked after worthlessness (emptiness, NASB) and became worthless (empty, NASB)?” THIS is among the reasons God forbid idol worship; the nation who was to represent him, must not look just like all the other nations. Do I think any differently, act any differently than the world around me? What biblical characters come to mind who were successful in this transition from rebellion to truth? Perhaps Abraham, Rahab, or Esther in the OT? The prodigal, Saul or, Onesimus in the NT? There are, no doubt, many others and millions who simply lived a quiet, godly life and never graced the pages of scripture. When the story is told about who you followed, who/what was the object of your worship, what will be said? Your choice.
When the Past is a Trap (Psalm 73)
April 26, 2021
When The Past Is A Trap (Psalm 73) “All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.” (Psalm 73:13) And so it has come to this. Our friend Asaph, a godly man and leader, confesses something that is hard for us to believe. Does he truly mean that he views his life with some regret? That he may have missed some things along the way? That his well-intentioned choices may not have paid off? That he would do differently if given the chance? By the end of the psalm we’ll see that is not what he truly believes. But his cry ought to be familiar to us. Memories of things past, and the yearnings and comparisons they bring, can snag us in traps. Traps that will freeze us emotionally in past times, places, and experiences. And lead us to question God’s sovereignty and goodness as well as our own wisdom. A number of years ago during an interim pastor season, I was challenged by a longtime church member at a congregational meeting. This man’s complaint was that I was preaching too much about “salvation”. He claimed that instead I should be focusing on battling the cultural changes around us. “People need to know what things were like 50 years ago,” he said. I politely replied that what he termed “preaching salvation” was an intentional effort to stir hunger for God and His Word among the people with a variety of subjects and scriptures. The discussion went no further, and I believe this man and I still share mutual respect. But the phrasing of his comments has lingered in my mind. I’ve observed that these ideas are not at all uncommon. And I believe they may reveal important things about us. There is no question that time brings changes, and in many ways change can be uncomfortable American culture today is clearly different from that of the mid-20th century. And I would not disagree that the widespread changes have been unsettling, even overwhelming to many. Not to mention the changes we encounter within ourselves as life moves us along. I’ve experienced such feelings myself in many ways. This angst does not arise merely from having to navigate new forms of culture and technology. Or from changing seasons of life. The evolution of social practices and moral values, often in a troubling direction, certainly has contributed significantly to stress and distress. I dare suggest, however, that the truth may reach beyond the events of yesterday or today. In times like these, there can arise a desire to pull the world around us back toward a time and place which seemed to make sense. The desire is understandable. But in reality, clinging to past experiences as an ideal for the present and future can prove to be a losing game. The reasons go beyond the fact that the past is difficult to recapture. I’m asking that you explore some of these matters with me. And lest you believe I don’t really understand, I’ll let you in on some of my own personal thoughts and struggles. I am one who wrestles continually with the regrets, losses, and what-ifs of life. I admit to carrying my own idealized memories of an analog world that no longer exists. Tears of longing can appear as I review youthful years from the late 1950’s into the mid 1980’s. And there can arise a wish to be transported back. Back to times when I would find our city’s downtown commercial area thriving with dozens of small retailers and department stores. Local bus service and daily newspaper. Full-service gas stations abundantly placed around the city. Local employees staffing locally-owned businesses. Land telephones that were simple to use and understand. Hobby shops, sandlot football and church league basketball. AM radio, downtown restaurants and bowling lanes. My best friend beside me on stage with his guitar as our band played at various locations in the area. The complexities of internet privacy and social media were unheard of, as were the stresses they can bring. And there seemed to exist a fairly polite and respectful code of community conduct (usually). And I have to mention the trains. Oh, my. The streamlined Land O’Corn and the nocturnal Hawkeye passenger trains of the Illinois Central Railroad. The Stephenson Street depot where they came calling twice each day. The Iowa to Chicago express meat trains. Wallace Yard filled with freight cars and diesel locomotives. The Milwaukee Road ‘s secondary mainline winding through the eastern parts of town, and its East Stephenson Street station. Branchlines from Freeport north to Madison and south to Dixon and beyond. The underdog Chicago Great Western across the southern part of the county. Local freight agents at every small town station who gave a glad greeting and could be counted on to provide expected train times. And the glorious transcontinental passenger trains passing through Ogle County on their way to or from Chicago. Magnificent creatures bearing delightful names such as Empire Builder, City of Los Angeles, Twin Cities Zephyr, City of Portland, City of San Francisco, North Coast Limited, Western Star. All have disappeared into the past, and longings can be hard to avoid. Sometimes I feeI I’d give a great deal to travel back for several weeks in the late summer and early autumn of 1965 (or 1967, or 1969), with a digital camera and unlimited battery and storage capacity. But what would I find myself doing and feeling? I doubt it would prove to be what I wish for. And am I not coming dangerously close to Asaph’s thinking, that there are treasures I’ve missed and would like to revisit? The past attracts us not so much for what it was, but for what we believed it promised. As warm as such thoughts may feel (and they do), in truth they are merely selective and idealized memories. The tough times, even the unremarkable grinds of daily living, seldom appear in our reflections. And the good times rarely fulfilled the promises they seemed to hold. And so we come to two thoughts. We first must recognize and admit that what felt like the good seasons probably weren’t all of what we think we remember. Treasured experiences and ideals of the past can deceive us because they seldom reflect the realities of life. By their nature they magnify what seemed pleasant and hopeful, and conceal the hidden personal and spiritual struggles that existed behind our shiny memories. The longing for better times involves yearnings. And because time can’t be reversed, yearnings have no other place to go than to stir feelings of personal loss, regret, even guilt. Those yearnings can be deep and relentless. No one is completely exempt. Asaph knew. I know. And they risk something more serious. Clinging to treasured memories of what we think were calmer and better times can lead us to a faulty understanding of God’s character, His purposes, and His provision. Yearnings reveal the troublesome truth that underneath lies a bed of sadness or discontent in our lives. And so long as that pain is being medicated by thoughts of what was, or what might have been, we remain tossed by feelings of loss and regret and we block the road to healing. So what can we do? Recall the Stop, Look, Listen process from earlier articles? Let’s apply it to this painful subject and see what we find. The first step calls us to Stop. Stop what? Stop the dysfunctional reflections on things of the past. Stop massaging the longings for things to have gone differently, (“If only…”). And stop measuring today’s life by things of another time. The trains won’t be coming back, nor will the band, nor my friends, nor the elusive college years, nor will she. Why the need to Stop? For our very own protection. Left unchallenged, these memories and yearnings can settle into places in our minds that can be difficult to dislodge. We can find ourselves paralyzed emotionally by second guessing, what-ifs, and oceans of regret. And we can run ourselves perilously close to a subtle but serious form of idolatry. Longings such as we have described always relate to things of the world. And as we crave things, people, places, or experiences, whether present or past, we become part of humanity’s pursuit of that which cannot satisfy. Remember, idolatry consists of giving value and worship to persons or things in the world that rightfully belong to God alone. And is that not precisely what Asaph is doing in vs. 13, though he may not realize it? His words suggest he longs to rewrite his life, this time without the restrictions that righteousness can bring. And we hear a yearning for experiences and joys he feels he has missed. “The whippoorwill roosts on the telephone pole as the Georgia sun goes down; It’s been a long time but I’m glad to say that I’m going back down to my hometown. Going down to the Greyhound station, gonna buy me a one-way fare; And if the good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise, tomorrow I’ll be right there.” (Joe South, Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home? Copyright 1969) How many of us have been trapped by such a view of life? Has it brought peace and fulfillment, or ongoing regret? Like Asaph, we can find ourselves meeting life at a painful crossroad where the present feels empty or burdensome and the hope and promises of the past shine as incomparably better. The temptation is great to direct our minds back to what seemed to hold such promise. But experience tells us, if we’re honest, that there is nothing there. Nothing other than questions, regrets, and the inevitable sadness tha comparisons bring. “But there’s a six-lane highway down by the creek where I went skinny-dipping as a child; A drive-in show where the meadow used to grow and the strawberries used to grow wild. There’s a drag strip down by the riverside where my grandma’s cow used to graze; Now the grass don’t grow and the river don’t flow like they did in my childhood days.” (Joe South, Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home? Copyright 1969) If you, like me, frequently find yourself with troubled longings for things past, remember that they are gone or changed forever. The yearnings come from faraway dreams that seem uncompleted, not from an accurate view of life as it is. It will require awareness, courage, and a well-grounded faith to begin the climb out of this prison. So as we stop, what then? We Look. Look for what? How about all the good that is around us? Things we might not see easily in the midst of difficulty? Intentionally seeing things as they really are. Refusing to ignore or dismiss the people, places, and experiences that God has provided, then and now. This is not a call to wishful thinking or prosperity gospel, far from. It’s a practice that recognizes the pain and difficulties of life and directs us beyond them, to a sovereign God who has held all of our days in His hand. And we also Listen . . . to what the Word of God tells us about Him, about life, about trust and restoration. That subject is deep and wide, and we’ll pick up there in our next article. Meanwhile, here are two fortresses we can camp within: “Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” (Eccl. 7:10) “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing, how it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:18-19)
Why Should the Rantings of the Wicked Matter?
April 23, 2021
Why Should the Rantings of the Wicked Matter?: Psalm 73 Digs Deeper Written by: Pete McClanathan We’re seeing that Asaph’s lament in Psalm 73 arises from what he perceives as the “prosperity of the wicked” (vs. 3). Note his observations of the wicked. They seem prosperous, healthy, successful, at peace with themselves and their lives. That alone would justify Asaph’s lament, but as we continue we find something else, something more menacing. So far Asaph’s lament has consumed but two verses of the psalm (vs. 4-5). It will require seven (vs. 6-12) to express his further outrage. Asaph is about to show frustration beyond the material prosperity of the wicked. We’ll allow his own words to direct us down that road: “Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. And they say, ‘How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?’ Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.” (Ps. 73: 6 -12) Asaph is sharing some serious thoughts. Not only is he troubled by the material success of the wicked. We find here that their attitudes toward life, toward God, and toward others are equally troubling. Perhaps even closer to the center of his struggle. Can we lay these thoughts before us and take an honest look at ourselves? I suspect there are things at work in our hearts that we would do well to understand. Recall our discussion of envy in the previous article. The subject of many biblical warnings, we found that envy can reveal something unsettling about our own thinking. The root of jealousy and envy lies in some measure of dissatisfaction with ourselves and the life around us. This of course should not be surprising. Dissatisfaction arises from insecurity, and there are so many sources of insecurity in our world. How do I look? How am I dressed? Can I compete for the attention I believe I need? What is missing in me that makes attention seem so important? Am I interesting enough for people to enjoy my company? Do I have skills that will earn a secure life for my family? How is a secure life measured? Are my parenting and ministry work up to expectations? Whose expectations? Why does any of this matter? God is offering us a jewel of wisdom in these observations of Asaph. For they track closely with our own. And we can suffer discouragement not unlike that of Asaph. As Asaph discovered, discouragement is magnified when the behavior of the prosperous includes rejection of values that we treasure, and pursuit of opposing values. Our reaction is, “Where are you, God? Why are the wicked granted prosperity in spite of their godless behavior? And why is prosperity allowed to express itself in vulgar ways?” Let’s pursue this idea deeper. Why would Asaph, or you or I, care about what is going on in the lives of people we have little contact with or likely never will know? We can try to sanitize it by noting that their behaviors and attitudes are repulsive to God. And we’d be right. Asaph scans the landscape of the world and calls out a string of troublesome matters. Leading the list is pride. The attitude that in certain ways I may be better than others. This discovery is not surprising, but why does pride of the wicked trouble us? The simple answer is that it challenges our sense of order, our feelings about how the world should operate. As if to say, “It’s bad enough when the wicked behave in ways that are offensive to us. But to do so with swagger and no remorse is just intolerable. They’re not only trashing behavioral norms but unapologetically showing disdain for fundamental standards and values. Why is God not rebuking them?” But a more complex answer would direct itself back at ourselves. Why would these things be a source of such despair in Asaph, or in you and me? Is there some subtle pride in operation within us also? Does something in us suggest that we deserve prosperity more than those we deem wicked? Are we perhaps a bit jealous of them? Or afraid of them setting agendas for government and society? And on what basis would we believe that we’re more deserving? Is there in us a remnant of the age-old falsehood that our lots in life should correspond to our “goodness?” Are we seeking affirmation of our values by the world? Could it be that we’re secretly yearning for some reward or assurance that we’re on good terms with God? Does the comfort of our faith depend on what we see around us? Does inconsistency between what we believe and what we observe rattle the walls of our faith a bit? Asaph set those troubling questions before us in vs. 2 with the cry, “my feet had almost stumbled.” The truth is that none of these questions stands up to biblical scrutiny. We risk serious error when we shape opinions and draw conclusions about what God’s activity should be. Think that through for a moment. It does not mean that there are no standards, or that we shouldn’t speak up for them. We may be quite biblically correct on the issues we observe. But feeling “right” is far from the measure of our responsibilities in God’s Word. Our place in the body of Christ compels much more. We’re called to see bigger things, to ask deeper questions, to speak more wisely, to respond more carefully. Let’s consider what Asaph’s attitudes may be costing him. Asaph is allowing himself to be overrun with a flood of conclusions and charges, most of which are at best simplistic and at worst incomplete (recall the trap of assuming that something which seems real is in fact the whole truth). His words are direct and descriptive. But as he continues the lament, we see his troubled spirit groaning more and more deeply. Verse 6 suggests that pride can be a fellow traveler with violence, and human experience would agree. It can be common for persons in positions of wealth and success, if they have no clear moral compass, to dominate those around them. To criticize, exclude, discourage, disrespect, even destroy others whom they consider useless or in the way. Similar charges appear in vs. 8: scoffing, malicious words, and threats. And vs. 7 speaks of follies, the pursuit of worthless or destructive things. Arrogance and defiance reappear in vs. 9, parallelling the cries of vs. 6 and vs. 8, and will be repeated in vs. 12. Then in vs. 10 is Asaph’s troubling observation that God’s own people, their family members or friends, can be seduced to value or follow the wicked. A familiar lament in our time, is it not? And vs. 11 describes the outrage of defiance and mocking of God. Who among us would not agree that these things are worthy of condemnation? Or that they are poisonous and dangerous to individuals and society? We could linger and develop long and thoughtful discussion over any or all of them. I’ve noticed that some in the body of Christ often do so. It can be easy and somehow comforting to point out the outrages in the world and to speak a biblical contrast. But what really is gained other than scratching a personal itch? Unless we have the courage, the studied wisdom, the self-control, and a proper forum to confront the wicked personally, or to warn and encourage the body of Christ corporately, are we really doing anything other than gossipping or “preaching to the choir?” It is far more tempting to criticize the world than to do the hard work of conforming our hearts and lives to Christ. We can allow the comforts of Christian fellowship to insulate us from clear biblical instructions. What about my own pride? My spiritual self-righteousness? My compassion, love, caring, generosity, self-control, pursuit of godly wisdom? My forgiveness, my critical spirit, my self control, my concern for the interests of others, my willingness to engage even to an extra mile, my presentation of myself to God as a living sacrifice? Admiration for the man Asaph protects from accusing him of intentionally destructive words or conduct. His lament is written as a personal cry. There is no indication it was intended for temple worship or public use. Yet the familiar topics of his anguish do inspire our understanding, and a measure of sympathy. It is clear that Asaph’s thoughts are sensitive and sincere. But he is fighting the wrong battles. Struggles that do little good and can only lead to a troubled and embittered spirit. That is about to change, as we’ll discover in the second half of the psalm. But there is one more treasure to be mined from his honest laments. It’s found in vs. 13, and we’ll dig into it in the following article.
From the Heart of Pastor Chris
April 21, 2021 • Chris Stukenberg
When George Floyd was killed this summer, I was horrified by the footage I saw. I mourned and reached out to a number of friends of color and also friends who serve in law enforcement. Not a person I talked to thought that what they saw was okay. Everyone was concerned about how our nation would react and were even more deeply saddened to see the violence that ensued. I will never fully understand why people would respond violently to violence, but I understand pain and know that "hurt people hurt people." Many of us began praying for and actively seeking a solution. We as a nation are a long way from being a place of peace, but I feel that today the right decision was made. Derek Chauvin was found guilty. However, we must be clear: this verdict was not reached because of violent protests or because politicians made their voice heard or because justice is blind in America. I think we've all questioned these things. This verdict was reached because a jury of Derek's peers found him guilty. This is how our justice system works. It doesn't always get it right. It never fully can, but today it feels like justice was served for George and for his family. I hope this is true and I pray that justice will continue to be impartial in the days ahead. This is hard for us all. We don't always know what to say or do, and these feelings are understandable (and okay). However, we need to keep longing for better. We desire a world in which justice prevails. Christ will bring proper justice upon His return (Revelation 19+20). We hope for that day. In the meantime, we as followers of Christ can desire it here and now (Amos 5:24). Will you join me in praying for the family of George Floyd? While they likely feel that justice was served, this will not bring him back. Lord have mercy on them and help us (the global church) to love them well in the days ahead. Will you join me in praying for Derek Chauvin? May God draw him to Himself and may this new reality for him cause him to want to follow Christ and seek Him out in new and fresh ways. May he seek God's mercy and one day seek forgiveness for what he has done. Will you join me in praying for Minneapolis? They have been trying to manage this case with mixed results. Let's pray for peace and for joy to return to a city that has been working through significant pain for the past year. Will you join me in praying for America? May this be a first step in becoming the nation we want to be. May my brothers and sisters of all races and nationalities feel more confident that justice will be served. May we walk together towards solutions that allow us all to have safer communities and feel that the voices of truth will be heard more clearly. May we all be more cautious with our words/actions and seek to see a better tomorrow together. We are a long ways away from being the nation we collectively would like to be. I do not feel joy about this verdict, but I do feel a temporary peace. A man is dead and another will likely spend most of his remaining days in jail. A city needs to rebuild and more cases like this will come (and indeed already have happened over the past few months). Let's put politics and prejudice aside. Let's seek better. This is why Pastor Mark and I drove around Freeport praying for our city when the violence was beginning this summer. This is why Pastor Rich and I had no problem participating in a peaceful protest. This is why we continue to grow and learn from our friends who long for equal footing with white people. I'm thankful today for a verdict and praying for a less contentious tomorrow. I'm hopeful and I hope you are too.
The Prosperity of the Wicked: Asaph's Lament (Psalm 73)
April 12, 2021
The Prosperity of the Wicked: Asaph’s Lament (Psalm 73) We’ve watched our friend Asaph set the foundation for his Psalm 73 lament. He has proclaimed steadfast trust in God’s goodness (vs. 1), and shared deep doubt and despair over something he can’t reconcile (vs. 2). We now learn what it was that troubled Asaph: “For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Ps. 73: 3) Many decades ago when a problematic friend acquired a Honda Super 90 motorcycle, another friend lamented, “why do the jerks always get the cool things?” Asaph would relate. Well. Where do we start? Is this not a common struggle of mankind, one that takes various forms and intensities throughout life? Is there anything that can be said that would be new? Fortunately this subject appears often in the Bible. If we set before us some of the scriptures that address envy, we’ll discover that the topic is a serious one: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” (Prov. 14:30). A sober description of the unseen costs of envy, resembling Asaph’s own cry (“my feet had almost stumbled”). “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.” (Job 5:2). Strong words to describe those who allow themselves to be consumed by envy. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.” (Prov. 23:17). The very struggle where Asaph found himself to be. “Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:17). Quite an inclusive list, one that addresses a wide segment of the idolatries we face today (lust, materialism, greed, competition, self-respect, success). There are many more scriptures warning of envy. We need look no further than Gen. 3, where we find the tempter stirring in Eve some dissatisfaction with her own lot, and a curiosity for more. And in Gen. 4, the dangerous fruit of envy and anger is manifested in Cain’s murder of Abel. Clearly the struggle has been common to mankind since the fall, and its danger would seem to explain the many warnings in scripture. Asaph, a prophet and a leader in the temple worship, would have been familiar with such words. Yet we find him succumbing to envy nevertheless. How does this happen? We can begin to take this difficult question apart by considering the meaning of envy. It involves many things, but they each can be reduced to this: some form of dissatisfaction with one’s life. And from there, the thought that something more, or something better, can bring greater satisfaction for me. And then the selfish belief that we deserve those things as much, or more, than some other persons. The belief that there is something about me that is particularly worthy or needy of whatever may be the coveted prize(s). And then follows the chorus of why’s. We may as well be honest with ourselves, for each of us wrestles with thoughts of why, despite our knowing the many warnings. Here are some I’ve faced over the years. Yours will be different yet similar in nature. Why did a childhood friend receive a popular toy or gadget that I felt I wanted? Don’t my parents love me? Or am I being denied on account of something I did wrong? The other kids seemed so prosperous. (Note how juvenile self-absorption can generate feelings of unworthiness and shame over very unimportant things. I was provided well, but it’s very common to want something just because someone else has it. Tragically, those feelings can take root at a very early age and lead to distorted understandings of life that can be lonely and painful). Why had I not been given greater athletic ability? I loved playing and following sports but never could hope to play on the school teams. And truth be told, I envied the attention and praise that the jocks received. Especially troubling were the arrogant and obnoxious ones, who seemed to be in the majority and seemed so prosperous. (Of course the jocks themselves had their own insecurities but it was difficult to believe such could be the case). Or while we’re on the subject, why did it seem that girls flocked toward guys who were athletic or just obnoxious human beings? That form of prosperity seemed cruel and unfair. It easily can create the (false) belief that “there must be something badly wrong with me.” But in reality such insecurities arise from distorted ideas of value, based on perception not truth. The girls and the jerks had their insecurities as well; they simply tried to hide them behind a social clique. And really, what a stupid way to measure value anyway . . . allowing perceived group opinion, bad or good, to shape one’s view of self and others. A sure sign of insecurities all around. But as we know, those messages can leave emotional scars. And they will challenge our trust in God, in much the same way that Asaph describes. When we observe or experience things that simply don’t fit our understanding of God, our faith is the next target. And why wouldn’t it be? Our spiritual enemies may find entertainment in disrupting our physical lives, but their real goal is to separate us from fellowship with God. My own experience tells of rejecting God as a result of some very difficult times in junior high and high school. Apply the psalm’s words to your own life and you’ll find a flood of questions. Why was I bypassed for a promotion, or why was I terminated when others who seemed less qualified were not? Why does a child drift from the Lord and embrace the values of the world? What do I make of my illness, or those of family members who have followed Christ closely? Make your own lists; the material is plentiful. The Hebrew word which is rendered as prosperity in vs. 73:3 is the familiar term shalom, often translated as peace in various parts of scripture. The term in fact carries a broader meaning in the Hebrew culture. It seeks to describe wholeness, satisfaction, contentment, a sense that life is secure and in good order. The word is used often to describe true fellowship with God, where life is understood to be under His protection and provision. Man was created in perfect shalom with God. Sadly the events of Gen. 3 broke that union, and the entire Bible is the story of God restoring that fellowship in Christ. But we need to be reminded that full restoration will not be accomplished until a later season in God’s economy when heavens and earth will be destroyed and replaced. Meanwhile the believer in Christ owns a form of the new life through reconciliation with God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5: 17-19). Yet because sin continues to be present in the world, we too are required to deal with the confusion and temptations that it brings. (Rom. 6: 5-10). And so we return to Asaph and his lament. These confessions from the heart and pen of a godly man demonstrate the struggles that flow from measuring life’s value by standards of the world around us: “For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.” (Ps. 73: 4-5) Don’t miss how closely these laments of Asaph resemble those in our lives and of people through history. Comparison of one’s life with that of others is a sure blueprint for feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction. They encourage longing for the prosperity others seem to enjoy. And longing can bring us to wondering, questioning, and doubting. Pay attention to our use of the word “seem.” It describes that place where the actual is hidden by the apparent, and reality falls victim to perception, imagery, and opinions. Did the “wicked” in Asaph’s time really have no physical, economic, or emotional ailments? Of course not. Life does not arrange itself so, however hard we may try to bury actual weakness or struggle from the view of others. Did the people who seemed popular in school actually have more quality, more confidence, more promise? I suppose it depends on who you'd talk with, but I’ll take a stand on no. Security reflected from the opinions of others is a precarious foundation indeed, one that is vulnerable to many things beyond our control. And it extracts tremendous cost and energy trying to measure up. Truly scripture is proved correct when it tells us that “the fear of man lays a snare.” (Prov. 29:25) Much to think about . . . the lies we embrace, the false prosperities that we envy, the unstable places of refuge we choose. But for now we leave Asaph pondering his questions and crying out for answers.
My Feet Had Almost Stumbled: Psalm 73 (part two of several)
April 8, 2021
My Feet Had Almost Stumbled: Psalm 73 (part two of several) Hold on to the strength we discovered in Psalm 73:1 as we move forward into the lament of Asaph. His next statement seems less encouraging: But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped...” (Ps. 73:2) Asaph doesn’t sugarcoat his feelings. He has fallen into a dark place of confusion and despair. Things were occurring around him that seemed inconsistent with his understanding of God. And he had been wearing himself out trying to reconcile that understanding with what he saw. This experience should be familiar to anyone who might be reading with us. In so many ways, small or large, the events of life can appear not to fit our concept of a powerful, wise, and loving God. If we take a walk down that road, we might be surprised at the clutter strewn along the way. Why is there human suffering? Why would God, who has control of all natural and human events, not intervene to prevent disasters, disease, crime, or wars? What possible purpose could there be for God’s allowing the murder of unborn children? Or the existence of birth defects? Or infertility among those who long to be parents? Why child abuse, sexual assault, bullying, betrayal? Or famine, poverty and homelessness? Why do Christian families experience conflict and destruction? Why do children suffer or die? Why are missionaries killed or kidnapped? Why was Josiah, the last of Israel’s righteous kings, killed in battle? What sense can be made of rejection, isolation, depression, suicide? Why would God continue to populate the earth with people destined to experience such things? What we’re dealing with is a popular topic in academic circles, called the Problem of Evil. It is cited, often arrogantly, as evidence that God does not exist. The argument runs like this: 1) If an all good God exists, then there can be no evil; 2) There is evil in the world; 3) Therefore, God cannot exist. I recall a college philosophy professor condescendingly telling the class that he was “sorry” to conclude this to be the case, but reason compelled him to do so. I did not then have saving knowledge of God, Jesus, or the Bible, so I didn’t comment. Shortly after coming to Christ several years later, I began to see easily the many flaws in this “logical” argument. In a similar way, a longtime friend has stubbornly resisted my efforts to acquaint him with the content and truth of God’s Word. His reply has remained consistent through the years. Paraphrasing, he will say, “no good God could create a system that’s this messed up.” Or, “if this is what the world is under God, I want no part of Him.” I’ve placed before my friend an answer, one we’ve discussed in our earlier articles and one which I wish I’d been able to assert in that classroom many years ago. That answer is: God did not create the world as it is. And it wasn’t supposed to be this way. If you’ve been following this blog for awhile and thinking along with us, this will not be a surprising statement. The entire biblical account describes the distortions in humanity and nature caused by the fall, along with the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption. Sadly, my friend refuses to discuss further. But you and I should know better than to be shaken by the cynical conclusions of the Problem of Evil. Maybe we do know better in some ways on some levels, but on others it can seem we do not. Like Asaph and other biblical writers, if we’re honest we have to admit to our own questions and doubts. Usually well hidden behind walls of good biblical knowledge and Christian experience, they have a nasty habit of rising up and rattling the doors of our faith during times of confusion or distress. And the effect is to magnify the uncertainty and discomfort already present. There’s a good chance you’ve observed a similar challenge in yourself, or your friends or family members. Asaph describes it with these troubled words in vs. 2, “my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had almost slipped…” That place can be chillingly familiar. We see a man whose strong faith is being shaken to its foundation by events he cannot understand. But he doesn’t stop there. As the psalm continues we see Asaph develop a new perspective, with understanding and encouragement for the reader. We’ll watch that new perspective emerge over the next several articles. As we do, let’s remember the building blocks we’ve covered: 1. Vs. 1: “Surely God is good…” The cornerstone: God’s character and His promises. Here are just a few of the scriptures we can hold on to: “The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Ps. 34:10) “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” (Ps. 37: 1-3) “The Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him." (Nahum 1: 7) 2. Vs. 2: “http://...my feet had almost stumbled…” The encroachment of discouragement or doubt in the face of things that are not easily understood. Here is how we deal with that: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is. 55: 8-9) “I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33) I find it useful to keep a catalog of scriptures that speak to troubled thoughts, and to add to it as we go. You’re welcome to follow that idea, or to create your own.