Believing is Not Seeing

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.   ~1 Corinthians 4:16

Sight is humans most powerful sense, and yet it is sight that hold us back from seeing God. We see what's right there in front of us and all to often we miss what God might have for us.

It all started in the beginning with Adam and Eve.  Eve saw what was there hanging from the tree and she took it thinking it would be good.  Then Adam, seeing Eve, took the fruit from her hand.  They walked with God in all his glory and still their sight failed them.

Paul is telling us two key things in this passage.  The first is to renew our inward man day by day. How many times does God tell us to do this. To meditate on His Word. To pray daily to Him. To pray daily for others. To help each other. Renewing our inner man while the outer man fades because it is our inner man that is eternal.

Secondly, Paul tells us to do what is so hard to accomplish. He tells us to focus on the eternal. To focus on the unseen. Our afflictions, whether they be physical or mental, are but fleeting things that have no meaning in eternity. How often do I not do this!

"I would read my Bible today, but..."
"I tried to pray everyday, but..."
"Fasting!? I've thought about trying it, but..."

My list could go on and on. How long would yours be? How often do you focus on the seen and not the unseen. If you believe the saying that seeing is believe, then your belief lies in the temporary and not in the eternal. Put away our most powerful sense and let God do a mighty work in you!

Easier said than done, I know. But I will be praying that we can see God without our sight and put our faith in the unseen, the eternal, and renew our inner self day by day.

Sin, Revisited

You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.                    ~Genesis 4:7

This verse came up in my devotional today...it it made me revisit an earlier post on Cain and sin.

God brought to light the very life of sin. Sin is not passive. Sin is not waiting. God wants us to understand this, just as he wanted Cain to understand it.

He gives us an image of sin. Something crouching and waiting to pounce. Something attacking and pursuing that must be subdued.  Sin can be mastered, but we have to be aware of it. A tiger crouches before it attacks its prey because it doesn't want to be seen. Here, God tells us that sin crouches...and I believe it is for the same reason.


If we are not on constant vigilance for sin, then it will be on us. Many times without us even knowing.

There is a question begging to be asked, "How do I keep vigilant and keep on the lookout for sin?"

The answer is so simple that we often don't do it. We simply keep our eyes on God. Much like the Israelites when they were stuck between a rock and a hard place, we look to God and everything will be okay. We look to God and we can see sin coming from far away because He will warn us.

God, help me to keep my focus on you so that sin cannot creep up on me.

  

                     

Rock...Meet Hard Place--Exodus 14

There are times in life where we are stuck between a rock and a hard place with seemingly no where to go.  Here, the Israelites were stuck between the Egyptian army (the rock) and the sea (the hard place).

Not much choice on which way to go is there?

And what did God's people do?...

They prayed and asked God to help them and deliver them! Ummm...
     wait, no they didn't do that.

They actually lamented the fact that God saved them from slavery.

"It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."  (vs. 12)

Their eyes were looking around at the situation they were in.  They were not looking to God, the author of their salvation.

We read about these silly little Israelites and we think, "Those Silly little Israelites. God has brought you out of slavery and shown you the way to go with a big pillar of cloud and fire.  How much more should you believe than me?!" (It's funnier if you say it out loud with a French accent...just sayin'.)  Funny how we can look from the outside and think that way.  We know the ending and what had in store.  They didn't.

But how many time have I looked around instead of looking to God?  How many times have I not trusted and been overwhelmed by my situation, even though I knew that is where God had led me?

Is God thinking, "That silly little man, if only he knew what I have in store for him!"

Life is hard and sometimes it's hard to trust to God.  You may follow Him and keep all your focus on Him when things are going well, but where does your focus go when it looks like there is now way out of a bad situation?  Where is your focus when you look one way and there is an angry army and then you look the other and there is a huge body of water?

I need to always keep my focus on God, no matter what is going on around me.

God, with You as my focus I know You will deliver me and keep me safe.  Thank you.

 

Joseph and the Amazing Ego

"…And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

Okay...so I think I just read Genesis 37 in a new light.  My entire life I have always looked at Joseph as the victim.  The poor younger brother getting picked on by all the other brothers.  Poor Joseph...

But wait!

First, in verse 3 we see that "Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons."
Then, Joseph has not just one but two dreams about his brothers and parents bowing down to him.

Um, Joseph already knows that he is the most loved and that his brothers "could not speak to him on friendly terms" (vs. 4).  What was he doing telling everyone about these dreams?  I think Joseph was a little bit spoiled rotten.  His brothers couldn't stand him and maybe rightly so.  God sent him off to Egypt to find favor and become powerful, but before that power came there were many trials to endure and dark times to suffer through.  God had to knock Joseph down a peg or five.

But why relate this story of Joseph?  Was it just to tell the history of the rise of the nation of Israel?  No...well, yes...but in reading this I can't help but ask myself if I am need of a few trials.  Have I become haughty in God's favor?

Confession time...I tend to be a little (maybe a lot) arrogant at times.  I'm confident, like Joseph seemed to be.  I'm also often arrogant, like Joseph seemed to be.  I like to showoff when I think I know or have accomplished something.  I like to show others my pretty new multicolored coat.  But I know that no matter how accomplished I think I might be, God is bigger and expects me to humble myself before him and before others. (James 4:10)

God, please give me the endurance to withstand trials and give me the openness to learn from them.  Show me my arrogance and give me the wisdom to push it far away.

Question to ponder: What does humility look like?  Any thoughts?

While there is no 12 step program to becoming a more humble Christian, this is a wonderful (and brief) article on humility--WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...HUMILITY?

To Be Alone...

First let me say that I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world.  We have only been married for a few short months and since our wedding day we have spent all of our time together...literally.  There has not been a moment we've been apart. What about work you ask? Well, we even work together.  Yes, she is in another part of the building so I don't get to see her all day.  But when I get the chance I take a short break and go visit her to reenergize my soul.

And that leads me to tonight...

She recently signed up for a sewing class. I'm so proud of her because this is a whole new world in which she has very little experience. This is something she has wanted to do for a while and she is braving these new waters to learn something once unknown, and that is one of the many reasons why I love her so.

Her class last for four hours and as I type she is currently in hour four and I find myself lost.  I find myself longing for her presence, just to be able to look over and see her beautiful face sitting next to me. I find myself missing her voice and her laughter. I find myself missing knowing she is but a breath away from me.

How God has blessed me.

I am not deserving of this blessing but I pray that I am the man of God she needs and the leader of our family God has called me to be. Thank you Lord for such a woman that it hurts to miss, even for such a short period of time.

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,

Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."

~NeedToBreathe

To Circumcise or Not To Circumcise...Is It a Question?

Okay...so I've often wondered about circumcision.  I understand it is a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, but I wonder if ol' Abe would have agreed so quickly if he knew.  I've also contemplated on why it had to be in this particular place...

As I read Genesis 17 with my wife last night (BlessedGirl)  she made a very intelligent, and God-enlightened, point.  She said, in so many words, that maybe God chose circumcision because the covenant with Abraham was about making him the father of countless descendants.  It would always be a reminder of God's promises and the fulfillment of those promises, and maybe that's why we continue to do it today, much to many babies chagrin...

Thank you www.jewcy.com for the image.

"I will establish My convenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you." ~Genesis 17:7

There are many now that state that circumcision is a pointless procedure and there aren't any real health benefits.  I've even heard many christians make this argument.  "We live in New Testament times and we are no longer bound by the old covenant."  

It would not hurt to remember the old covenant and the promises that God made to us.  That promise still stands today just as it stood with Abraham, God made that same promise to us.  I feel it is vital that we as christians continue to keep that covenant with God.  Circumcision is a symbol, a reminder that God promised to be our God and to give us many descendants to spread His word and the good news of Jesus to all nations.  Health issues aside, this is a covenant that should not be taken lightly and should not be so easily broken (vs. 14).

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,

Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."

~NeedToBreathe

Silence is Golden--1 Samuel 10:26

  Do not be rash with your mouth,       And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.       For God is in heaven, and you on earth;       Therefore let your words be few. 

                                                     ~Ecclesiasties 5:2


Silence is golden.  It's a phrase we've all heard but few actually heed.  Throughout the Old Testament we are told that the wise hold their words and think through what they have to say.  The wise are not rash with their words.  


We find five of the most powerful words at the end of 1 Samuel 10:26..."But he held his peace."


What if we all were to follow Saul's example?  What if we all just took a breath before we spoke?  How would our world be different?


Saul was a man appointed by God and Saul understood that God was in control.  His rash and angry words would only worsen the situation.  So Saul held his tongue like a true man of God.


This is not to say we are to hold our tongues when we witness wrongdoing or injustice.  But our words should be spoken with prayerful consideration.


Lord, help me to hold my tongue and not speak rashly.  Help to know that you are in control and my many words only show a lack of trust in you.  Give me strength and patience as I attempt to walk in your light and on your path.  Thank you God for all you have given me.  Amen

Only Noah Was Left--Genesis 7

What sacrifices have to be made in order to follow God's directions and commands?


The answer to this question is different for everyone.  I guess the real question I'm asking is...


How many times has the idea of making sacrifices caused me to not follow God's directions?


Look at Noah's life.  He was livin' his life, talkin' to God, and then God lays down the boom.  "The end of all flesh has come before me...make for yourself and ark..." (Genesis 6:13f).  God gave a command and Noah followed.
     But what sacrifices did Noah have to make?
          -livelihood
          -family
          -respect


And then when the floods came Noah and his family climb aboard the ark while the rest of the world dies around them.  What kind of emotions must have they been growing through?  People they knew well, people they grew up with, people they called their friends all perishing right outside the door.  But they made those sacrifices because God commanded them too.


Am I willing?  Do I have it in me to sacrifice when God asks it of me? Can I hear the voice of God when He speaks? Can I make a complete fool of myself because I trust in what God has asked? ...

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,
Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."
~NeedToBreathe

Can You Hear?--Genesis 6

Okay...I know it's been a while.  But the main reason I'm struggling to write this post is due to the whole "God speaking" thing.  Through the first six chapters of Genesis we read about God speaking, and the tone of the writing suggests that God is speaking in an audible voice to His creation just like I would speak to you.

For many reasons this is simply blowing my mind.

In this chapter we find that all creation is filled with evil intent and unrighteousness.  God is pretty much starting over with the all races, human and animal alike.  And he still finds one to speak with...Noah.

As it happens Noah is the great-grandson of Enoch.  What a lineage!  Unfortunately Enoch was taken into heaven before Noah was born, but I'm sure, with it being such a close relation, that many of Enoch principles were also Noah's.  Noah was found righteous, and maybe because of his great-grandfather God saved the human race through him...
          and God spoke to Noah.

How many times have I said the statement, "If only God would speak in an audible voice it would be so much easier."  How totally wrong and backwards is that statement.  God speaks...will I listen?

God, please open my ears to hear your voice.  Speak to me through whatever channel you so choose and give me the faith and resolve to follow what you would ask of me.

What do you think?  How does God speak to you?  Do you take the time to listen?
twitter: @mjedallen  #ot2nt

"Leave your hurting on the road behind you,

Let the wind go with you 'til the morning comes."

~NeedToBreathe

...and he died (Genesis 5)

Notice the pattern...(I italicized just in case you didn't catch it!)


⁵ Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.


⁸ Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.


¹¹ Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.


¹⁴ Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.


¹⁷ Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.


²⁰ Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.


²⁷ Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.


³¹ Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.


It's interesting to me that these men lived all these years and the last thing that was said about them was that "he died."  Well, all except for Enoch...


²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.


Now there's something to put in your obituary.  Could you imagine reading that...


   "He lived a full 75 years and had three wonderful children.  He was a strong    Christian who walked with God closely.  According to witnesses he was taken into heaven after a giving his wife a tearfully happy good-bye kiss."


...I mean c'mon.  How many of you would believe that?


But Enoch, Noah's great grandfather, was simply just taken away by God.  I'm not sure I know what that kind of relationship with God feels like...and honestly that makes me a little sad.


Lord, I want to know you today more than I knew you yesterday.


Goodnight and Godspeed

A Thought on Cain--(Genesis 4:1-15)

Was Cain as evil as we tend to make him out to be?  I know, I know...he killed his brother.  But I must admit, there have been times where the thought crossed my mind also.  Of course I would never follow through and those times were because he was being mean to me or wouldn't let me hang out with him (and of course  I was only 7).


But let's take a quick look at Cain.  He was the first born of God's first humans...no pressure there.  He had all the attention of both his earthly parents and heavenly Father...until Abel comes along.  He brings his offering to God first and then tag-along Abel copies his older brother and Abel does it better.  I'm sure there were some (or a lot) of jealous feelings.


Then look at the beginning of verse 8 after God talks to him (wow moment there--to speak directly to God!) about sin.  "And Cain told Abel his brother."  He went to talk to Abel about what God said.  How did that conversation go?


Then sometime later Cain killed Abel...


The one thing Cain was lacking...righteousness.


      ¹²not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.  ~1 John


Here we go again with human beings having a direct, audible, and physical contact with God.  And still letting sin take hold.  How much more must we protect and guard ourselves against sin!


In reading this passage I've had to ask myself, "What are my intentions?"  We are human, we are prone to wander as the song says.  But, no matter our intentions, we must always come back to God; because, as He was with Cain, God is always there seeking us out and looking for repentance so that we may experience His love in the fullest.


Brothers and sisters in Christ...please don't let your deeds be evil, but be full of righteousness that we may truly experience who and what God is together.


Goodnight and Godspeed

Shhh...Did You Hear That?! (Genesis 3)

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day... (Genesis 3:8)


Adam and Eve just committed the first sin ever.  They purposefully disobeyed a direct command from God.  Not a command sent down on a tablet through a mediator, but a command straight from the Big Guy himself!  


(Side note: Sometimes we think it would be easier if God would just talk to us in an audible voice, but would it really?)


But despite this direct disobedience God still came to commune with His creation, and Adam still heard the sound of God...(insert awestruck moment here).  Adam sinned, God sought him out, and Adam heard God...and so can I.


Sin is direct disobedience to God's commands, but I still do it.  Fortunately we have an all powerful God (see Genesis 1-2) who sees these bad choices we make and still looks to commune with us.  It is up to us then to hear God and answer when He calls.


God, thank you so much for loving me and still wanting to spend time with me even though I've made, and continue to make, bad choices.


I was wondering about a time when you you heard God.  What was it like?
Also, what did God say to you as you read Genesis 3?
(Remember, keep the conversation going by commenting here and on Twitter using #ot2nt.)


Goodnight and Godspeed

In the beginning... (Genesis 1-2)

Courtesy of Radical Reformation

This journey begins where all other journeys begin...it the beginning.

Looking at the creation account there are so many things one can glean from these 56 verses.  So many sermons, Sunday school lessons, and midnight Bible studies have used these two chapters as their subject matter.  Why?

I believe because this account, whether you believe it to be allegorical or factual, is the basis to who we know God to be.  He is the one who created what we know as our existence...our very life.  He is the one who was there at the beginning of time and the one who cares for us so much that he would give us other people to live out and share our lives with.


As I begin this journey from the Old Testament through the New Testament I pray that these two chapters give me a looking glass to see God through.  A litmus test to judge what I'm thinking was given to me by God or of my own conjuring.  If you have decided to join me in this journey I implore you to read these two chapters over several times before moving on and begin to understand the might and power that God possesses.  


(And yet he still cares for us as individuals...wow.)


This is a new step in my walk with God.  I have never read the Bible through from cover to cover.  And understand that it is not my goal to do this in a year, it is my goal to allow God to guide me through this reading and speak to me as He will.  If that means I only read two verses in one day...then that's what I do.


I hope you will join me on this journey and read with me.  Let's converse together through comments on this blog and on Twitter using #ot2nt to keep up with the conversation.  It is my prayer that this journey will bring me closer to God and, prayerfully, you also.


Goodnight and Godspeed