Lent 2020 - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent 2020 | Day 32: “Deliver”

There is something powerful about the way God prepared, equipped, and sent Moses that has always been a source of comfort and challenge.

The movie The Ten Commandments may be the reason I love Moses and the story of the Exodus. But, there is something powerful about the way God prepared, equipped, and sent Moses that has always been a source of comfort and challenge.

In Exodus 3, we find the exchange between God and Moses at the burning bush. It was a miraculous event. In that moment, Moses’s life was forever changed. He encountered the one true God, and that God gave him a mission to accomplish.

The crazy thing about this is that while Moses was the physical representation of deliverance, it was God who was bringing about. In verse 8, God tells Moses this is exactly how it was going to happen.

⁷Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, ⁸and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…” (Exodus 3:7-8a ESV)

There are several quick ideas I would like to highlight.

First, God was not blind. He tells Moses that he has come because he has seen the affliction of his people. In times like we find ourselves, I find this comforting. God does not have to remove the source of affliction for us to know he knows what is going on.

Second, God knew that suffering was taking place. Therefore, we can know that God knows that suffering is taking place now. God’s knowledge of suffering is a reminder to us that he is compassionate. God does not delight in suffering and he is not guilty of evil when he permits it. Our inability to understand the purpose of our present circumstances is not an indictment on God’s goodness.

Third, God had a greater good in mind of his people. God is a good God. He is also a good Father. He is not blind to our predicament and he is not indifferent to our tribulations. What we have to keep in mind, maybe even force ourselves to remember, is that whatever discomfort we feel (even if it includes death) pales in comparison to the promised blessings that await us. This is difficult in the middle of dark times. However, it is never too late to put our hope in God’s love and mercy, in his faithfulness and provision.

As we move steadily toward Easter, I would encourage you to take heart. We have not been abandoned. Our deliverer is nearer than we realize.

Lent 2020 | Day 31: “Innocent”

In the cross of Calvary, God’s judgment has fallen and the verdict has been given. The penalty of sin is death and Jesus has died for the guilty.

In the cross of Calvary, God’s judgment has fallen and the verdict has been given. The penalty of sin is death and Jesus has died for the guilty. The verdict was punishment and in the shedding of Christ’s blood, those who deserve damnation are adopted and given an inheritance.

This is the mystery of the Christian faith. The just God justifies the wicked and ungodly, declaring them innocent.

I can honestly say that even after all of my years as a Christian, when I think about this exchange is just doesn’t make sense. It is does not make sense for a holy God to do this. But then I remember he is also good.

The wrath of God is truly terrible. And yet, his grace is able to cover the sins of the entire world.

The perfect balance of all of these attributes within the Godhead is a mystery that cannot be properly understood. That none of these characteristics of God’s character are in conflict with each other is beyond comprehension.

Everyday I struggle to be consistent. To be even tempered, sober minded, kind, and gracious. And every single day I fail. Why? Because my sin nature is in competition with the new nature given to me by Jesus.

And still, God look at me through the filter of Jesus blood and does not condemn. God does not look at any of us and throw up his hands in disgust. The verdict has been given and God will not go back on his word.

We didn’t deserve, and we may even find reasons for why God should revoke his grace, but he never will. We have been declared innocent even though we were guilty as sin.

Hallelujah!

Lent 2020 | Day 30: “Release”

I don’t need as much as I thought I did. I don’t want as much as I thought I needed.

Our word today is “release.”

As we have made some adjustments in our home about how to handle our children being home and maintaining a semblance of routine, I have found myself realizing a couple of things.

First, I don’t need as much as I thought I did. Second, I don’t want as much as I thought I needed.

There is a simplification of life happening for me. I know that there are many who are still required to work. So, my thoughts are a reflection of the situation I have been put in. That being said, I have been surprised by how being forced to spend more time at home has reduced by carelessness in consumption. When I had access to anything, I could take advantage of that freedom and go and get it. But now that I have to stay at home, I realize that I don’t need those things. They are nice, but I don’t have to feel deprived or denied if I don’t get them.

The other thing that I have noticed is that now that I am not just getting stuff, my desire to have it is also going down. My awareness of this has peaked in the last couple of days. But I think it’s a lesson that I will take to heart.

I did not expect either of these realizations. But I am thankful for them.

What is something you have learned during this time of social distancing and quarantine?

Lent 2020 | Day 29: “Answer”

Thinking you know the answer does not mean you really do.

As we continue trying to navigate living in a world surrounded by an invisible enemy, I am reminded of something I learned many years ago. It is a principle that my father taught me about how to study the Bible. The principle is this: For every physical principle there is a corresponding spiritual one and vice verse.

What this means is that whenever we find and learn a principle in one area, if we take the time to plumb its depths, we may gain insight into the other.

One of the best examples of this is the idea of seedtime and harvest. All throughout scripture, and particularly in several of Jesus’ parables, the principles of agriculture are used. The purpose of these comparisons was to help his listeners understand the principle that governed a higher spiritual reality.

The problem is that if we do not understand the ideas and concepts that make up the examples being used, it will be difficult to understand the spiritual principle being taught.

This reality came into sharp focus when I served a small, rural church in a farming community while in college. One of the members had been a farmer his entire life. And his family had been farming in that area for three or four generations. During one of our bible studies, Jesus’ words in Luke 9 was the focus of discussion.

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (9:62)

I asked the “logical” question. Why is this true?

The seasoned farmer something like this (because I don’t remember exactly), “Because if he looks away from what’s in front of him, he can’t make a straight line.”

Was going to make some spiritual sounding point about commitment to the task, but a man who had plowed more fields than in his lifetime than I ever would saw the wisdom in the command.

I asked him to explain further. He went on to say that every farmer, before the time of tractors and GPS, would place a pole or marker of some kind at the end of each row. It was the plowman’s job to keep his eye on the marker. By doing this across the entire field, he would make straight rows that made it easier to plant and harvest. But it would also maximize the usage of the field.

Let’s just say my mind was blown. And so was my understanding of what Jesus was saying. By using a physical principle, Jesus was making a powerful statement about those who have been called into service in the kingdom. Thinking you know the answer does not mean you really do. This exchange taught me this valuable lesson.

As we continue our journey toward Easter and continue to practice the recommendations of our medical and civic leaders, I want to remind us all that there is still much work we can do. We can continue to redeem the time that we have been given for God’s glory, our edification, and our neighbor’s good.

Lent 2020 | 5th Sunday in Lent: “Celebrate”

Today’s the 5th Sunday in Lent. Every Sunday in Lent is not technically a part of the season of Lent. It serves as a reminder of the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ because every Sunday is a celebration of what the gospel proclaims. So this Sunday, and every Sunday in the season of Lent, we will celebrate what it means to have been saved. So, rather than an extended devotion, I would like to offer you a song that can help us to focus our attention and to give worship to God for the sacrifice, ministry, mission, and purpose of His Son our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we celebrate the renewed life that we have in him. Let us celebrate today, for He is good and in all things he is faithful to us.

This was recently shared by Natalie Grant and her husband Bernie Herms.

Lent 2020 | Day 28: “Believe”

No one can believe for you. We all have to believe for ourselves.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In the scene, Indiana Jones must decide if he believes in his own worthiness to accomplish the quest. he has to ask himself if he believes that there is a way across. All the options are removed except one: take a step. So he does.

I know all the theology is not “right” in the scene. And while I don’t subscribe to the view that Biblical faith is a blind leap, the scene does help us understand everyone has to reach their own point of decision. No one can believe for you. We all have to believe for ourselves.

Lent 2020 | Day 27: “Heard”

You don’t have to be a religious person to have your belief system built up or destroyed. All it takes is for you to accept what someone says as being true for you.

In the midst of this global crisis, I have found myself looking and listening to voices that are focused encouraging others.

The Bible reveals a power principle related to the way that every person develops faith. Let me start by saying something about faith. We are too often tempted to define faith as only religious belief. This is not an accurate understanding of faith.

Faith is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Every single person who lives on this earth is shaped by what they believe. And how to come to those beliefs impacts how they will behave.

You don’t have to be a religious person to have your belief system built up or destroyed. All it takes is for you to accept what someone says as being true for you.

Here is the principle: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Let’s take both sides of this in turn. First, Faith comes by hearing.

There is something about the way we are made that when we hear something we are not able to stop what we feel or think about it. The externality of the spoken word is received before we can restrict its entry. This is why what we say to one another can have such powerful effects.

Solomon said “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Proverbs 18:21 ESV). Why? Because we can’t help but hear what someone says. Once those words escape our lips they will enter into another persons ears and mind. If we are constantly cutting people down they will eventually begin to believe they are worthless. But, if we are encouraging and building each other up, then we begin to believe that too.

I am not talking about saying things that are not true. We can’t lie to others or ourselves. If we do, when we are confronted with reality we will find ourselves wrecked by the lies we believed. And the reason we will be discouraged by those lies is because we will have based our lives on something that is not real or true.

The second part of the principle is that the hearing we do must be by the Word of God.

Let me say this simply. The Word of God is the surest and truest thing anyone can ever hear. There are no substitutes. And nothing is more potent.

To hear and believe the Word of God is to ensure that what you hear will correct and not crush; encourage and not cause to despair; to give life and not death.

As a Christian and a pastor I have to remember that my words, ideas, and concepts are not what give life to a hurting and lost soul. Only God’s word can do that.

As we draw ever closer to Easter morning, I want to ask you one simple question: What have you heard from God’s word today?

Lent 2020 | Day 26: “Live”

The great challenge of life on this world is discovering early that while life on this earth may come to to an end, there is still another chapter to be opened.

There are times in life when we are confronted with the realization that life has an expiration day. However, unlike the products we buy in the supermarket or the cars we drive, we know that eventually our trips around the sun will come to an end.

The great challenge of life on this world is discovering early that while life on this earth may come to to an end, there is still another chapter to be opened. As a Christian, I believe that life does not end. I believe that on the other side of death there is another life. A life that will either be lived with God or without him. And the time I have been given to make how I will live is now.

As I was thinking about this reality, the words “choose life” came to mind. So I did a quick search and found that these words are found in the book Deuteronomy. Let’s look at them now.

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-20 ESV)

God is calling his people to obedience. He is reminding them that he has made promises and that to reap the benefit of those promises we had to recognize what was at stake. What is interesting is that God puts the choice in terms of “life” and “death”. It is not comfort and suffering. Not peace or war. Not riches or poverty.

From God’s perspective (and his is the only one that really matters!) the choice we all will make will be between obedience and disobedience. Between life and death. This just mind-boggling. And yet, this is the reality we have to confront today.

Do you want to live? Then obedience is the only wise and prudent choice.

Do you want to enter into the land of promise? Then obedience is the only wise and prudent choice.

Do you want to experience the experience the fullness of God’s blessing? Then obedience is the only wise and prudent choice.

To live is Christ. That’s what the Apostle Paul said.

To live eternally is to die to self and surrender to the purposes of God.

As we draw ever closer to the glorious commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection, I am challenged by the fact that in the end, there is only one choice we must make. Will we choice life? Will we choose to live?

Lent 2020 | Day 25: “Go”

The irony of today’s word focus is not hard to notice!

The world has virtually stopped. What was once hustle and bustle has now become still and quiet. This is the world ruled by an invisible adversary.

And yet, in the midst of all of this God has called us to be a people who go. Go the extra mile. Go for the sake of others. Go into the highways and byways of the world. God to the least of these.

Just because we have to be more aware of the threats around us does not relieve us of the charge to go. We may have to get more creative. We may have to do things we never thought we could. We may even have to step far outside our comfort zone. But the admonition to go is about making an assessment of our own hearts. Are we willing to consider others before ourself?

It can be quite challenging to serve one another. It can even be down right difficult to serve a stranger. But, the call to go is at its core a call to serve. What many of us don’t realize is that we will discover the assignment or task when we get moving. Not before.

God wants to see us get up and move. Then he can see if we are being serious. Not everyone is ready to take a step like that. But, I think only difficult step is the first one. After that I just becomes a habit.

Until we see that the biggest issue with going is in the heart, we will find ourselves worried about the where we will be sent. Don’t worry about it. If God is in it, you will never be alone.

Lent 2020 | Day 24: “Awaken”

The act of hearing is not just allowing the sounds hit the eardrum. The idea is that we are supposed to be engaging our ability to reason.

On several occasions as Jesus taught, he would say to the people, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15).

The act of hearing is not just allowing the sounds hit the eardrum. The idea is that we are supposed to be engaging our ability to reason. In the process we are able to learn, to reason, to make sense of what we have heard.

As we think about our focus for today, this was what came to mind. We live in a world that has been working on us. Trying to create a lifestyle of distractedness. Of not focusing on what matters. Of not paying attention to choices we are making or the life we are building.

Into this environment God is calling us to awaken. He is calling us to get up out of our slumber and engage in the world we live in. We are not supposed to allow live to happen to us. We are supposed to live our lives. Filling each moment with life. This is an active reality. It is something we must do intentionally. If we don’t, something will come along and try to take it for its own purposes.

As we continue are march toward Easter morning, I don’t know what is causing you to be distracted. But, I know this. You must ask God to help you snap out of it. I believe that God desires for us to be awake, alert, and making ready for the return of his Son.