But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:20
“You are welcome at my house,” the angel said. (Judges 19:20) Was he an angel? What is it about him? Or is it Him? He threw His arms around me and kissed me. (Luke 15:20) I all but disappeared in his (His?) giant embrace.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said warmly. Why this tremendous being is interested in me, I can’t fathom.
“Well,” I started tentatively. “I feel like I’m kind of young to be here.”
“I get that a lot,” is all he said. “Where have you come from? (Job 1:7) Tell me about your life on earth.”
“I, um, I grew up in…” I spent an hour or so sharing with him all of my life story. The longer I spoke, the more I became aware of a loving quality about him. By the end of my story it seemed that his love was palpable, I could feel it exuding from him. Just then the thought entered my mind, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” (1 John 4:16)
It was Him. I was sure of that now.
After I thought I had told Him all of my life story, at the end, after the description of how I died in the car accident, that’s when he asked the big question.
“So how did you spend your time on earth?” He asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked right back. “I just told you my life story.”
“Yes, of course you did,” He didn’t react at all to my defensive tone. “You grew up, you had to work to support yourself, you had certain obligations to family and friends, you needed time for rest, you died. Your time on earth is a finite resource, I understand. Since the fall, that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’s the rest of your time that I’m interested in.”
“The rest of my time?” I asked. Just then the thought “As for man, his days are like grass…” passed through my mind. (Psalm 103:15)
“Yes, the rest of your time. How did you spend it?”
“Hmmm, let’s see, on Sunday mornings I went to Your house, to church.”
“Thou hast well said.” (John 4:17 KJV) You did go to my house, to a church that teaches My word, My whole word from cover to cover. Good choice. And you were there on many Sunday mornings. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:18)
I swallowed hard. Many Sunday mornings, He had said. That was a generous way to put it, I knew. In reality I was there mostly when a close friend, who was much more devoted than I, talked me into going. I had attended church on Sunday less than half of the time.
“How else?” He asked. “How else did you spend your time?”
“Well, socializing, I said. Visiting with friends and family.”
“Ah,” He smiled widely, a great and wonderful smile. “Socializing, with a generous dose of loving people. Truly a great and wonderful use of your time – loving people.” His smile made my heart soar. I was filled with joy to the point where I thought my chest would burst. The look of pleasure on His face was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen by far. I heard the words in my mind, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)
“And how else?”
I thought for a moment but couldn’t come up with anything else I’d done that was of, well, of any value to anyone in this place. I heard in my mind, “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”(Luke 16:15)
Suddenly without warning I heard myself saying out loud, “Watch TV.” I didn’t want to say it, I didn’t mean to say it – it just seemed to come out. And it was true. Most days I spent at least a couple of hours watching TV.
“You’ve answered well again. And what did you watch?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. The expression on my face must have said it all, for nearly everything I watched had no redeeming value.
I wasn’t ready for what happened next. A look of sadness washed over His face. His face, looking like that, looking so very sad. I suddenly felt altogether unhinged – I felt sick. I averted my eyes. “Anything but,” I thought. “please, anything but that look. I don’t ever want to see that look again.” I was reminded of how I felt when I saw the look of disappointment on my best friend’s face, that day I let him down. Only this was infinitely more painful. My sorrow was so great that it hurt. The pain was so intense that I thought I would perish, but somehow I knew that that couldn’t happen here, not in this place. I was struck by how One so magnificent could look so hurt. He looked wounded. The words entered my mind, “these are the wounds I was given at the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)
Very softly, very gently, He asked, “What else, my child?”
“The computer,” I said, barely audible.
Without warning the images and sounds of every television program I had ever watched, every website I had ever visited, every song I had ever listened to, every thought I had ever had was before me. And before Him. He was showing me how I spent my time. I said, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1)
I don’t know how I got there but I suddenly found myself in His arms. I was sobbing with my face buried in His chest. “Mercy, mercy,” I was repeating over and over and over. “Mercy,” I thought. I was completely and utterly at His mercy. “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” I thought. (Job 13:15)
Then God’s hand touched me and instantly the words came into my mind, “A hand touched me and set me trembling…” (Daniel 10:10) He wiped every tear from my eyes and gently turned my head to see Another coming. (Revelation 21:4) And when I turned I saw …someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Revelation 1:12, 13, 16)
“My child behold, your Champion,” God said of the Other. “My Son and My lamb.”
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)
Then my eyes were opened and I recognized him who came. (Luke 24:31) It was Jesus. I felt my heart swell because I was very afraid yet filled with joy that was almost unbearable. (Matthew 28:8)
In an instant, and without knowing how, I was walking next to my Lord. He was telling me, graciously and gently telling me, how the time God gave me on earth was one of His most precious gifts, and how I chose to use it was of the greatest importance.
“Time,” He said. “Use it well. Store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20)
Invest your time in eternity.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And a voice said, “Come up here.” And there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
(Revelation Chapter 4)
I couldn’t help but join the chorus. But I felt a great longing for something. Something was missing.
“The elders have crowns but I don’t. Am I not permitted to have a crown?” I asked aloud.
An angel appeared next to me and said, “But you are permitted to have a crown.”
“Then give me a crown that I may lay it before my Lord.”
“But you must earn your crown,” the angel said.
“How can I earn a crown?” I asked.
“While on earth you earn the crown of life by persevering under trial or even by martyrdom,” (James 1:12) the angel said.
The angel continued, “While on earth you earn the shepherds crown by taking great care of those God has entrusted to you, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-4)
“While on earth you earn the soul winner’s crown by bringing souls to Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 2:19) he said.
“While on earth you earn the crown of righteousness through your longing for Christ’s appearance.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
“And while on earth you earn the victor’s crown by mastering your flesh that you can move in the spirit.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
“But I have no crown,” I said with great longing, for I never before wanted anything more than to have right now what I could lay before my Lord while He sat on His throne.
“While on earth…” Was all the angel said.
There was silence between us for a few moments. Still I didn’t understand.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The angel sang the words, in such a way as to make me think he was answering my question. But still I didn’t understand.
“For His pleasure you were created,” the angel said. “But you lived for your pleasure. By His grace and His great work on the cross you are here, you’ve been saved. But you will not be counted among those with a crown.”
Of course I knew his words were true. I began to sing again in wonder at His grace and mercy toward me.
But I had nothing to lay before Him.
References:
Bible Gateway
Photo from Inside Out
Jon Courson
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Life is Short: Genesis 11:27-32
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.
Genesis 11:27-32
God’s Focus
In chapter 11 we see God bring His focus down from all of mankind to the family of Terah. You may recall that back in Genesis chapter 2 God moved us from an overview of creation to the account of man by rotating His telephoto lens from wide angle to zoom, so to speak. In chapter 1 of Genesis God’s word is at wide angle focused on all of creation — in Genesis chapter 2, verse 8 the Bible zooms in to record that part of God’s creation that is mankind. (bennett’s blog Genesis 2:4-7)
Now in Genesis chapter 11 we’ll see God narrow His focus even further until we will find ourselves reading the story of Abram and his descendants.
As God’s focus narrows we learn about Abram’s father Terah’s family, which provides important background to several of the stories we’ll read later in Genesis.
Nahor is Abram’s brother. From the descendants of Nahor and Milkah (Milkah was Nahor’s wife) will come the wives of Isaac and Jacob. (See Terah’s Family Tree at the bottom of this post)
Abram’s other brother, Haran, the father of Lot, dies unexpectedly. Lot was apparently under Abram’s care in the absence of Haran. Abram appears to be involved in his nephew Lot’s life right up until the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (verses 27-28)
Friends Leave Unexpectedly
Haran’s unexpected death reminds me of two friends of mine John and Gale. Both firefighters known for their physical strength. Both blessed with beautiful families. Both known for their sense of humor. Both talented firefighters, veterans who were savvy at surviving the dangers they faced at work fighting fire. Both loved by their firefighter friends.
One day, on a day off, they decided to take John’s two seat Polaris RZR ATV onto some nearby mountain trails. Finding a trail through a large but steep meadow they decided to attempt to make it to the top. They were both confident that they’d be OK. They were skilled at negotiating such terrain, and besides, the ATV had seatbelts to hold them in their seats.
Up they went, the tires of the ATV slipping at times but mostly biting into the dirt and rocks, carrying John and Gale up and up and up until they reached the end of the purely vertical part of the climb.
Then at the end of the vertical part of the trail they bore to the right which took them along the top of the meadow. Not as easy as it looked, side hill and uphill at the same time, but they were handling it, continuing up until they were almost 1,000 feet above their starting point.
At which time–their left front tire hit a rock. A rock about the size of a bowling ball half submerged in the ground. The left front of the ATV bounced and lifted up until the ATV rolled over. Not so bad at first, strapped in, rolling. But as they continued down the 1,000 foot vertical meadow they gained speed. They rolled and they bounced. More speed–they bounced higher and further. Even more speed–they flew through the air. The forces from the impacts exerted upon their bodies were more than any human being could withstand, even two human beings like John and Gale, known for their physical strength, and skilled at surviving the dangers of fighting fire.
They finally came to rest against a tree.
Like Haran, they died–unexpectedly. (To learn more about John and Gale, go to MedfordFirefighters.com)
Daughter Departs Without Warning
On a rainy day, on a curvy road, my friend’s young daughter who was also my family’s baby-sitter, died in a car accident right in front of me. That same friend lost his wife in a car accident a few years earlier.
A Simple Flu Bug
A few weeks ago another friend’s teen-age son died suddenly and unexpectedly–of the flu.
Living for What Counts
While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died… (v. 28)
The fact is none of us knows when we might die. If you think you’ll get around to focusing on your relationship with God later, well… think again. Not one of us knows the day of his death.
It could happen tomorrow.
So invest in that which will will have value when you’re living in eternity, because each of us will spend eternity living with the consequences of how we spend our time and energy here, now, in this life.
Just for today, just one day, just this day–live for Christ.
You’ll spend eternity glad that you did.
References:
[Hour glass image via: bhermans – Creative Commons]
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
MedfordFirefighters.com
Matthew Henry
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: Volume 1
Whiffs of the Bread of Life
Faith and Family Man Blog
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Posted on March 26, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Abram, Genesis 11, Haran, life is short, live for Christ, unexpected death
Genesis 11:10-26 Abram
Biblical Chronology Genesis 11
There are 10 generations mentioned in this passage but only one person’s life story is recorded in detail. Think about this a minute. Have you ever heard the name Arphaxad kicked around in conversation? Have you ever heard or read anything about Reu? Neither have I.
It’s Abram (later renamed Abraham) who we read about, who we hear about, and who we talk about. I believe there are two reasons for this. 1) Abram/Abraham had faith in God. 2) God blessed Abram with a life that was filled with adventure.
A famous comedian once said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die.” This speaks toward how you and I perceive adventure and stress. The great difficulties we see in the lives of others we tend to perceive as adventure but the same or even lesser events in our own lives we tend to perceive as stress.
Stress is a terrible thing, we think. Something to be avoided we say. We’re always looking for ways to reduce it.
We’re always seeking ways to make life,
…easier,
…more convenient,
…more comfortable.
Living like this just makes sense, right?
To the degree that we can, let’s take a look from God’s perspective. What does He think of stress? What were the lives like of those who’s stories He tells in His scriptures? People like Abram, David, Joshua, Joseph, Noah, Moses, Samson, Paul, and Jesus.
Let’s take just one of these men and examine his life a bit. Let’s talk about David, the man who the Bible says was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) Other than Jesus Himself, who might God want to give a better life to than David, the man after His own heart? Let’s see what God sent David’s way.
Apparently God had in mind for David’s flock to be attacked by bears and lions while providing David with only a sling for defense. (1 Samuel 17:34) David’s people were attacked by the giant Goliath and God chose David as the one to defeat him — again God, and David’s, weapon of choice was a simple sling. (1 Samuel Ch 17) David’s king, who David loved, pursued him with resources from the king’s army in a relentless attempt to end David’s life. (1 Samuel Chapters 18-26) A band of raiders kidnapped the families of David and his men and stole everything they had at Ziklag. (1 Samuel Ch 30) And there’s plenty more beyond these adventures — read 1 and 2 Samuel if you’re interested in hearing more.
There’s no disputing that God loved David dearly, yet He sent a myriad of adventures David’s way. And He recorded David’s story in detail.
Now here’s a bit of news for you: God has the same thing in mind for you and for me.
He’s writing His story of your life and of my life as He allows us to go through difficulties and trials. It’s not a matter of if you’ll go through trials, it’s just a matter of when. We’ll all experience failure, we’ll all be touched by serious health problems, we’ll all experience the death of people we love. All of us. It’s when not if. And keep in mind that this is just a partial list.
Knowing this, how are we to handle our adventures? A couple of thoughts:
1) Your Perception
G.K. Chesterton said, “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.” When we perceive something as a negative we reduce our capacity to handle it. Recognize that problems and challenges in life are part of God’s design. God has it in His mind to send you adventures. So in your own thinking and speaking, call them what they are: adventures.
2) Your Sabbath
God tells us to practice the principle of the Sabbath for a reason. Adventures won’t break you but failing to create sufficient waves of recovery can. High levels of adventure without recovery can be lethal but high adventure with relief is not only manageable but will actually strengthen you and your faith in the Lord. Had David’s flocks not been attacked by bears and lions it’s doubtful that he would have had the strength to defeat Goliath.
“You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
(1 Samuel 17:33-37)
3) Your Physicality
The young man sought from his dad an opportunity to borrow the car. The young man’s dad saw an opportunity for his son to get a hair cut.
“Tell you what,” the dad said. “I’ll loan you the car if you get your hair cut.”
“But what about Jesus,” the son countered. “He had long hair.”
“Jesus walked everywhere He went,” the dad replied wryly.
Paul tells us that physical training is of some value. (1 Timothy 4:8)
I once heard Woodburn Fire Chief Kevin Hendricks tell the story of his involvement in the response to the tragic December, 2008 terrorist bombing incident that “killed Senior Trooper William Hakim, who worked as a bomb squad technician for Oregon State Police, and Capt. Tom Tennant of the Woodburn Police Department.” http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/police_identify_colleagues_kil.html When Chief Hendricks arrived efforts were being made to set up a command post across the street from the bank that was now in ruins as a result of the bomb. Hendricks was horrified because he knew the victims personally. In spite of his depression and stress he managed to think clearly enough to realize that no one had taken into consideration that there might be a secondary explosive device. Chief Hendricks directed emergency personnel to move the command post to the Woodburn Fire Station, a twenty minute walk, up the street. Only problem was, in his effort to get everyone out of the hot zone, Hendricks missed his ride so he had to walk. Hendricks recalled, “I’ll tell you what, that twenty minute walk did my head more good than I would have imagined.”
While experiencing an adventure it’s important to take time to do something physical. God designed us to be physical. We weren’t designed to be sedentary.
4) Your Refuge
Instead of succumbing to your anxiety, come to God. Surround yourself with the body of Christ — your brothers in Christ if you’re a man, your sisters in Christ if you’re a woman. Fellowship with Jesus at church. Read His word. Pray. Know where to go when things get tough.
Resist the urge to succumb to your emotions, or even worse, alcohol or drugs. In Matthew 6:27 Jesus asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?”
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-7)
Say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:2)
5) Your Actions
Of course it’s essential that we pray for God’s direction in everything, however also notice that in every one of David’s adventures, David took action. With God’s help, David fought the bear, the lion, and Goliath. With God’s help David encouraged himself at Ziklag, rallied his men, and recovered their families and belongings. Notice also that these actions often involved helping others. David was defending the flock when he fought the bear and the lion. David was rescuing his family and friends at Ziklag. And David defended all of Israel when he defeated Goliath. Wherever you can, make your actions count on behalf of others.
Without God you can’t, but without you God won’t.
After prayerfully considering your adventure, it may be time to take action.
6) Your Thanksgiving
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Give thanks for your adventure. Find the blessings that God has wrought from the adventure that you’re experiencing. I’ve never experienced or heard of a life challenge that wasn’t also lined with blessings from God.
What a difference thanksgiving makes.
7) Your Story
Keep in mind that people are watching. As you go through the trials and challenges that God allows in your life, people are watching to see how you handle it. It’s essential to remember that your story and my story are for God’s glory. God in His sovereignty has decided to allow the various trials in your life so He can provide a testimony of His greatness to those around us.
References:
Bible Gateway
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Posted on March 19, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
After Terah had lived 70 years he became the father of Abram Nahor and Haran, Christian living, Genesis, Genesis 11, Genesis 11:10-26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, This is the account of Shem's family line
The Tower of Babel: Let’s make a name for ourselves–Genesis 11:1-9
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:1-9
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. (v.1) The descendants of Noah are those who are populating the earth and at this point in history they’re all of one language.
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks…” (v.3) Man builds with bricks. Bricks that flake, chip, and crumble. 1 Kings 6:7 and 1 Peter 2:5 both tell us that God builds with stones. 1 Kings 6:7 says that, In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. When God had Solomon build His temple all the stone blocks were hammered into shape at the quarry and then transported to the temple site so that the noise of the sculpting of the stones would not have to be heard.
It’s the same in life with you and with me. Here on earth God allows us to be hammered into shape by the people He surrounds us with. It’s part of His plan to have you and your in-law rub against each other — in order to knock off your rough edges. It’s part of His plan to allow that person at work to chip at me — in order to hammer me into the shape that God wants me to take. We can get so emotional over relational friction in life but it’s friction that causes furniture to be sanded smooth and made beautiful. So relax — it’s normal, it’s intentional, it’s part of God’s plan. As long as you’re this side of heaven God will continue to allow people in your life that rub off your rough edges. It’s your job, and it’s my job to pray through it and to show as much love and grace toward these hammers and chisels as we possibly can. Recognize that you and I, we’re in the quarry.
At the temple site, the stones of God’s temple were among the largest and most perfectly fitted in the history of architecture. In fact the stones of the temple fit together so perfectly that no mortar was used whatsoever — it was completely unnecessary. When God allows us to go through difficulties in our relationships He does so, so that when we’re in heaven we’ll fit together perfectly without any of the noise associated with our rubbing against each other so to speak. All the noise from the chipping and sculpting is happening now, down here, in the quarry that we call life on earth.
1 Peter 2:5 tells us directly that you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (v.4) It appears that making a name for themselves was one of the purposes of building the great tower. This was a trap for them, and is for you and for me as well. Whenever we set out to make a name for ourselves we’re flirting with the sin of sharing glory with God which is the very same sin that brought Satan down. (Isaiah 14:12-14) We also see in this verse an apparent act of rebellion in that God directed them in Genesis 9:7 to replenish the earth but the idea here in chapter 11, verse 4 is to avoid being scattered over the face of the earth. It’s probably not coincidence that these two sins are found together in the same verse. Watch people in rebellion against God long enough and you’ll often see them attempt to make a name for themselves in some fashion. And watch someone who is trying to make a name for themselves long enough and you’ll often see them turn to rebellion against God. God lead us away from both of these.
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. (v.5-6) Verse 6 is true. Speaking the same language enables mankind to accomplish amazing things. In a way, today we’re living in an age when once again we all speak the same language, the language of binary code. Using combinations of 1’s and 0’s nearly every computer in the world has the capability of communicating with every other computer in the world. And because of that, what we’re accomplishing today is amazing. But along with that capability comes a cost. The evil imaginations of man are so very readily available to us that it’s causing people to fall into sin at an alarming rate. I have several friends who would never buy a pornographic magazine yet their lives have been damaged by pornography on the internet. Like me, you probably know of someone, or several someones, whose marriage has ended because of a relationship that started on the internet. And I’m not even counting just plain old wasting of time with first person shooter games or RPG’s. Imposed limitation usually carries with it a negative connotation but if you think it through, limitations are often positive. God in His mercy and grace won’t hesitate to limit you or me if He knows that without limitation, what’s to come will be destructive to us. He’s much more concerned with our eternal condition than He is with our short term comfort. I thank God for that. I thank God that He hasn’t given me everything I’ve prayed for over the years.
“Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (v.7) Notice that the plural us is used here in verse 7. Who is God talking to? I believe this to be another reference to the Trinity. He’s communicating with His Son and His Holy Spirit.
So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (v.8-9) The good news is that we see this reversed in Acts chapter 2 when the mixed crowd that included Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Cappadocians, Asians, Phrygians, Egyptians, Libyans, and Romans were amazed because they each heard the disciples speak of Christ in their native tongue. This was made possible by the disciples seeking and receiving the Holy Spirit. Asking God to pour out His Holy Spirit upon you is the key to unity in Jesus Christ. Jesus commanded us to “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) But without His Spirit we’re powerless to carry out Jesus’ command — at least I know I am. Without God’s Spirit we’re but dust.
In God’s Spirit is where…
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Ray Stedman
JonCourson.com
Matthew Henry
The Top-50 Megaliths:(The largest cut-stones of all time)
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Posted on March 13, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis, Genesis 11:1-9, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Now the whole world had one language and a common speech, Pentacost, tongues, tower of Babel, who was god talking to when he said let us confuse there language
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
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Posted on March 9, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study
Dave Mazzella, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, John 1:1
Drunk and Naked–Love Covers a Multitude: Genesis 9:18-29
Love Covers a Multitude of Sins by {studiobeerhorst}-bbmarie
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (v.20) Noah spent most of the last 120+ years as a carpenter. He built the ark and, presumably, he built his house after the ark came to rest. He spent more than a year as a zoo keeper during his time in the ark with the animals. Yet verse 20 tells us that Noah is a man of the soil. It’s interesting how God sometimes gives us our work assignment for a season, then the season changes and we’re to work in a different field. If you’re not working at your church consider Noah’s seasons of carpentry and zoo keeping. He didn’t build forever — he built for a season. He didn’t care for the animals forever — he cared for them for a season. If you’re reluctant to volunteer in the children’s ministry at your church because you don’t want to be locked in, look at it as a season. Volunteer for a year or a month. See how it goes. It’s not forever. It’s just for a season. Noah’s season of carpentry saved all of humanity. Your season of ministry will also bear fruit. Noah helped for a season and was used by God. Help for a season and see how God uses you.
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (v.21) I’m currently reading a book about Billy Graham titled The Preacher and the Presidents. This is a fascinating book about Graham’s considerable influence on every president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. As I read I’m blown away by two seemingly contradictory messages. The first is how mightily God used the man Billy Graham to influence the world for Jesus. The second is how human Billy Graham is. I won’t share any of the humanity of God’s annointed. And Mr. Graham certainly never fell into drunkeness. Yet he had his frailties and faults just like the rest of us. If you’re interested in learning about the remarkable life of Billy Graham and his relationship with the presidents check out The Preacher and the Presidents by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy.
In verse 21 we see Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time,” we see Noah, the one who “walked faithfully with God,” we see Noah: sin. (Genesis 6:9) Noah, the great man of God drinks in excess. The one who avoided the temptation to drink in excess while living among a people who likely indulged in drunkeness, now, separated from the debauch influences of the pre-flood society, falls into sin. Sometimes, just when we think we’ve successfully navigated through the season of temptation is when we’re most vulnerable. That’s an important time to keep in mind how much we need God’s help to walk the path God has in mind for us.
And notice that as a result of Noah’s drunkeness he lay uncovered. That’s how it always is with drinking. No one disputes it. People are uncovered when they drink. Inhibitions are reduced when under the influence of alcohol. People say things, people do things that would make them blush were they sober. The likelihood of sin increases proportionately with the amount of alcohol we consume. The Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong to drink but from this point forward the Bible says it’s wrong to be drunk. It’s undeniable that where alcohol abounds sin abounds in greater measure.
Both the account of Billy Graham and the account of Noah are a source of great hope for you and for me. Here are two men who were mightily used by God. And you and I have something in common with them both: we’re human, we sin, we fail. Perhaps God will use you and I mightily as well, for all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:11) I pray God’s Holy Spirit will determine to choose you, and to choose me to be used by God.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (v.22) The King James Version puts it this way And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. (v.22 KJV) Some scholars believe that the words saw the nakedness are used as a euphemism for a sexual act as similar words are used in Leviticus 18:6. Others believe that it’s more along the lines of what’s described in Habakkuk 2:15, Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies! What’s not in question is that there was some type of sexual sin committed here on the part of Ham. Something damaging happened for verse 24 says that Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him.
Then we see that Ham follows up with a proclamation of his father’s nakedness. Ham told his two brothers. But why? Why did Ham feel compelled to talk about his father’s nakedness? Why do you and I feel compelled to talk about the weaknesses and shortcomings of those who are close to us? It’s our sin nature surfacing. “But I see it so clearly,” we think. “I just need to get this off my chest,” we say. “Others need to know the truth,” we reason. But oh the damage we do when we share about the weaknesses of others. We experience damage to relationships. We even experience damage to the trust of the person we’re sharing with. Because if I talk about the weaknesses of others who’s to say that later I won’t talk about the weaknesses of the one I’m sharing with. Exposing the problems and weaknesses of others is damaging on so many levels.
Lord keep us from the temptation of gossip.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (v.23) In contrast to Ham, Shem and Japheth went to the trouble of taking a garment, laying it across their shoulders, then walking backwards to avoid looking upon their father’s nakedness. They didn’t want to look upon their father’s nakedness as Ham did. And they desired to cover their father so others wouldn’t see his nakedness as well. This is love in action. This is 1 Peter 4:8 being lived out by Shem and Japheth before 1 Peter 4:8 was written. God tells us above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8) When a loved one sins we have choices to make. We can join them (as Adam did with Eve), we can expose their sin to others through talk (or texts, or emails, or . . .), or we can, like Shem and Japheth, turn our face the other way so we won’t see the weaknesses of others. We can, like Shem and Japheth cover the weaknesses of others. Shem and Japheth chose to cover their father’s sin. And as we’ll see, they were blessed for it.
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (v.24) Before we see Shem and Japheth blessed, we see Ham cursed. “But it’s Canaan, Ham’s son that’s being cursed,” you might say. I don’t know about Ham, but I’d rather be cursed myself than have one of my sons cursed. That’s how it is with sin. We might think that when we sin we’ll bear the consequences on our own but one of the many problems with sin is that it doesn’t just effect the sinner. The sin of Ham resulted in the culture of the Canaanites becoming one of the most debauch and perverse in the history of mankind. And as we’ve seen in the previous post Because You Have Done This the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) There was death to the relationship between Ham and his father. And ultimately death to the entire Canaanite culture as they were wiped out due to their strangely perverse society.
He also said,“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (v.26-27) Would you like to be associated with praise to the LORD like Shem? Would you like to see your territory extended like Japheth’s? Then live out 1 Peter 4:8 and cover your brother, cover your sister, cover your father and mother. Speak of peoples’ strengths. Cover their weaknesses. Over time people will notice. Over time people will associate you with God’s love. And over time your territory of influencing others for God’s kingdom will increase. Who doesn’t want that?
References:
Newly released book by Kurt Bennett, now available on Amazon!
Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)
Love Like Jesus begins with the story of how after a life of regular church attendance and Bible study, Bennett was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote this book for himself as much as for others.
Love Like Jesus examines a variety of stories, examples, and research, including:
With genuine unfiltered honesty, Love Like Jesus, shows you how to live a life according to God’s definition of success: A life of loving God well, and loving the people around you well too.
A life of loving like Jesus.
(Kindle, hardcover, and paperback now available on Amazon.)
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Posted on February 26, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 9, Ham cursed, Jesus, love covers a multitude of sins, Noah drunk, Shem Japheth covered, shem Japheth garment
God and Noah–The Rainbow After the Flood: Genesis 9:1-17
“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
“Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made mankind.
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
Genesis 9:1-17
In the last chapter we saw that the first thing Noah did when he got off the boat was to bless the Lord by building Him an alter. (Genesis 8:20) At the beginning of this chapter we see God blessing Noah. (Geneis 9:1-17) No one’s future is without trial however the surest way to continue in God’s blessings is to thank Him for those you’ve already received. God provides Noah protection from the animals of the earth, he approves the eating of meat as long as there’s no blood in it, and God blesses Noah with dominion over all the earth and everything in it. God makes a covenant with Noah, the animals, and all mankind — a covenant that came with a sign.
The Covenant is called the Noahic Covenant and there are three parts to to it: Menu, Government, and Mercy.
Menu:
“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.” (v.4) Meat is on the menu, though the blood is not to be consumed. It’s to be separated from the meat out of mercy to the animal, that the animal will not be consumed while still alive, and in recognition of it’s purpose in sacrifice. Noah’s life and our life is sustained by the life of the animal given for meat. Later when the law was given, the sacrifice of animals atoned for the sins of the Jews. And now that the blood of God’s Son has been given we can have eternal life, as long as we choose to receive Him.
Government:
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. (v.5) A study conducted by the University of Zurich found that “At the age of three, children were almost completely selfish.” (Nature News Article) No kidding? Anyone with children could have attested to that. Everyone of us is born into sin. In the last chapter we heard God say that every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. (Genesis 8:21) For this reason, in chapter 9, we see God declare what is the foundation for government from this point forward. He demands that “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” (v.6) Over the last ten years or so a number of studies have shown that capital punishment does in fact deter murders. In fact the recent studies “count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.” (CBS News article)
The New Testament also acknowledges and endorses capital punishment. For Paul wrote, For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:3-4)
Even if you don’t happen to believe that capital punishment is a deterrent we see the reason for it at the end of verse 6: “…for in the image of God has God made mankind.” Because man is made in God’s image, God demands the life of any man or animal that takes a human life.
“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (v.7) Obviously in order for their to be government, there has to be people to govern so the Lord gives Noah the directive to be fruitful and multiply. I believe this directive still applies to us today. If you’re a follower of Christ, if you’re doing your best to be the salt of the earth, if you’re stable in your walk with the Lord then have kids! I heard about this movie where the intelligent people of the earth stop having children because they want to focus on their careers. As a result the earth becomes populated with morons. A cryogenically preserved man of average intelligence is then brought to life and is made to be president because of his dazzling intellect. Later in the movie the people remove him from office because every policy he wants to adopt can’t be understood by the people. Isn’t that what we do spiritually, when we selfishly decide to have 1.87 children? All else being equal, the more children we have the more we can influence the world for God’s kingdom!
Mercy:
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (v.13) Here we see God’s mercy for he knows that every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. (Genesis 8:21) Yet He says, “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (v.15) God’s kept that promise. There will never come another flood like this. Verses 8 through 17 cover God’s covenant, God’s promise to show mercy. Notice that this is the longest part of the Noahic Covenant. The first part dealing with menu. The second part dealing with government. And the third part dealing with declaration of His great mercy. This is the longest part of God’s Noahic Covenant because this is where God’s emphasis is. His emphasis is on His great mercy.
References:
[Image via: ehfisher – Creative Commons]
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Matthew Henry
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Ray Stedman
Jon Courson
Children Learn Rules of Equality by Age 8
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Posted on February 19, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Be Fruitful, Capital Punishment, Genesis 9, God and Noah, Menu Government Mercy, Noahic Covenant, Rainbow, Sign of Convenant
Matthew 6:20 — But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
“You are welcome at my house,” the angel said. (Judges 19:20) Was he an angel? What is it about him? Or is it Him? He threw His arms around me and kissed me. (Luke 15:20) I all but disappeared in his (His?) giant embrace.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said warmly. Why this tremendous being is interested in me, I can’t fathom.
“Well,” I started tentatively. “I feel like I’m kind of young to be here.”
“I get that a lot,” is all he said. “Where have you come from? (Job 1:7) Tell me about your life on earth.”
“I, um, I grew up in…” I spent an hour or so sharing with him all of my life story. The longer I spoke, the more I became aware of a loving quality about him. By the end of my story it seemed that his love was palpable, I could feel it exuding from him. Just then the thought entered my mind, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” (1 John 4:16)
It was Him. I was sure of that now.
After I thought I had told Him all of my life story, at the end, after the description of how I died in the car accident, that’s when he asked the big question.
“So how did you spend your time on earth?” He asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked right back. “I just told you my life story.”
“Yes, of course you did,” He didn’t react at all to my defensive tone. “You grew up, you had to work to support yourself, you had certain obligations to family and friends, you needed time for rest, you died. Your time on earth is a finite resource, I understand. Since the fall, that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’s the rest of your time that I’m interested in.”
“The rest of my time?” I asked. Just then the thought “As for man, his days are like grass…” passed through my mind. (Psalm 103:15)
“Yes, the rest of your time. How did you spend it?”
“Hmmm, let’s see, on Sunday mornings I went to Your house, to church.”
“Thou hast well said.” (John 4:17 KJV) You did go to my house, to a church that teaches My word, My whole word from cover to cover. Good choice. And you were there on many Sunday mornings. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:18)
I swallowed hard. Many Sunday mornings, He had said. That was a generous way to put it, I knew. In reality I was there mostly when a close friend, who was much more devoted than I, talked me into going. I had attended church on Sunday less than half of the time.
“How else?” He asked. “How else did you spend your time?”
“Well, socializing, I said. Visiting with friends and family.”
“Ah,” He smiled widely, a great and wonderful smile. “Socializing, with a generous dose of loving people. Truly a great and wonderful use of your time – loving people.” His smile made my heart soar. I was filled with joy to the point where I thought my chest would burst. The look of pleasure on His face was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen by far. I heard the words in my mind, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)
“And how else?”
I thought for a moment but couldn’t come up with anything else I’d done that was of, well, of any value to anyone in this place. I heard in my mind, “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”(Luke 16:15)
Suddenly without warning I heard myself saying out loud, “Watch TV.” I didn’t want to say it, I didn’t mean to say it – it just seemed to come out. And it was true. Most days I spent at least a couple of hours watching TV.
“You’ve answered well again. And what did you watch?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. The expression on my face must have said it all, for nearly everything I watched had no redeeming value.
I wasn’t ready for what happened next. A look of sadness washed over His face. His face, looking like that, looking so very sad. I suddenly felt altogether unhinged – I felt sick. I averted my eyes. “Anything but,” I thought. “please, anything but that look. I don’t ever want to see that look again.” I was reminded of how I felt when I saw the look of disappointment on my best friend’s face, that day I let him down. Only this was infinitely more painful. My sorrow was so great that it hurt. The pain was so intense that I thought I would perish, but somehow I knew that that couldn’t happen here, not in this place. I was struck by how One so magnificent could look so hurt. He looked wounded. The words entered my mind, “these are the wounds I was given at the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)
Very softly, very gently, He asked, “What else, my child?”
“The computer,” I said, barely audible.
Without warning the images and sounds of every television program I had ever watched, every website I had ever visited, every song I had ever listened to, every thought I had ever had was before me. And before Him. He was showing me how I spent my time. I said, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1)
I don’t know how I got there but I suddenly found myself in His arms. I was sobbing with my face buried in His chest. “Mercy, mercy,” I was repeating over and over and over. “Mercy,” I thought. I was completely and utterly at His mercy. “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” I thought. (Job 13:15)
Then God’s hand touched me and instantly the words came into my mind, “A hand touched me and set me trembling…” (Daniel 10:10) He wiped every tear from my eyes and gently turned my head to see Another coming. (Revelation 21:4) And when I turned I saw …someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Revelation 1:12, 13, 16)
“My child behold, your Champion,” God said of the Other. “My Son and My lamb.”
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)
Then my eyes were opened and I recognized him who came. (Luke 24:31) It was Jesus. I felt my heart swell because I was very afraid yet filled with joy that was almost unbearable. (Matthew 28:8)
In an instant, and without knowing how, I was walking next to my Lord. He was telling me, graciously and gently telling me, how the time God gave me on earth was one of His most precious gifts, and how I chose to use it was of the greatest importance.
“Time,” He said. “Use it well. Store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20)
Invest your time in eternity.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And a voice said, “Come up here.” And there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
(Revelation Chapter 4)
I couldn’t help but join the chorus. But I felt a great longing for something. Something was missing.
“The elders have crowns but I don’t. Am I not permitted to have a crown?” I asked aloud.
An angel appeared next to me and said, “But you are permitted to have a crown.”
“Then give me a crown that I may lay it before my Lord.”
“But you must earn your crown,” the angel said.
“How can I earn a crown?” I asked.
“While on earth you earn the crown of life by persevering under trial or even by martyrdom,” (James 1:12) the angel said.
The angel continued, “While on earth you earn the shepherds crown by taking great care of those God has entrusted to you, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-4)
“While on earth you earn the soul winner’s crown by bringing souls to Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 2:19) he said.
“While on earth you earn the crown of righteousness through your longing for Christ’s appearance.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
“And while on earth you earn the victor’s crown by mastering your flesh that you can move in the spirit.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
“But I have no crown,” I said with great longing, for I never before wanted anything more than to have right now what I could lay before my Lord while He sat on His throne.
“While on earth…” Was all the angel said.
There was silence between us for a few moments. Still I didn’t understand.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The angel sang the words, in such a way as to make me think he was answering my question. But still I didn’t understand.
“For His pleasure you were created,” the angel said. “But you lived for your pleasure. By His grace and His great work on the cross you are here, you’ve been saved. But you will not be counted among those with a crown.”
Of course I knew his words were true. I began to sing again in wonder at His grace and mercy toward me.
But I had nothing to lay before Him.
References:
Bible Gateway
Photo from Inside Out
Jon Courson
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Posted on February 16, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal, Eternity, Heaven, Invest in heaven, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:20, prioritize time
Genesis 8:10-22 — Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it
When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! (v.11) As we saw in the last post, the raven, a symbol of living life in the flesh, never returned with anything. (see previous post: He Sent Out a Dove) The dove, a symbol of living the spirit filled life that God desires for you, returned with an olive leaf, a symbol of peace. If you’re interested in having peace in your life, ask God for His holy spirit. Just ask. (see special post about living the spirit filled life)
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.” (v.15-16) Isn’t it interesting that we see in verse 13 that on the first day of the first month Noah saw that the earth was dry. Yet Noah remained in the ark until he heard God’s word on the twenty-seventh day of the second month. Noah was a man who lived his life in obedience to God’s word. He saw how listening to God’s words had saved him and his family so he waited. He waited to hear from his Lord. From the time he heard God’s instructions to build the ark until the time his feet hit the ground Noah heeded God. Today it’s the same for you and it’s the same for me. If you want to live, if you want to survive life’s floods, if you want your family to live, listen to God’s word.
We’re inundated with information today, primarily because of the internet. The internet is an amazing resource, a great and powerful tool. With it we can learn practical wisdom, we can find distraction in the form of entertainment, we can communicate with friends and family like never before. But all of that is no substitute for God’s word.
He’s waiting to speak with you. His scripture is there, available to you. Wisdom from the Faithful and True One. (Revelation 1:11) Wisdom from the Almighty Most High God. (Revelation 1:8, Hebrews 7:1)
He waits for you — in His Bible.
Even as Noah enjoyed life as a result of obeying God’s word, you too can enjoy life in such greater measure if you listen to God’s words.
Just open the book.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. (v.20) This verse provides for us a wonderful lesson in giving. In my own flesh I would have said, “I have just seven sheep here, should I take the seventh and make a sacrifice? I have to populate the whole world from this diminished tiny herd. Doesn’t it make more sense to wait until the animals have multiplied before sacrificing to You Lord?”
R.G. LeTourneau began life as a man of modest means. But when he started his business, a manufacturer of earth moving machines, he decided to tithe 90% of his profit and keep only 10% for himself. Incredibly, his business exploded to become the premiere giant earth moving equipment manufacturer in the world. He was the first to build giant equipment of this kind. I mean giant equipment, the type with tires twice as tall as a man. He became rich beyond what I can even comprehend. He himself said the money just came in faster than he could spend it. Speaking of his practice of giving 90% of his income he said, “I shovel it out and God shovels it back, but God has a bigger shovel.” Research his story, it’s amazing. Or read his biography, Mover of Men and Mountains.
In the words of Matthew Henry, “Serving God with our little is the way to make it more; and we must never think that wasted with which God is honoured.” Obviously Noah had a good grasp of this truth.
Now imagine with me that you’ve been cooped up in an ark with thousands of animals (and with all of the sanitation issues that that implies). You’ve been cooped up like this for more than a year! For 377 days! What’s the first thing you want to do when you get out? Celebrate? Throw a party? Play some frisbee football? Go for a long walk just because you finally can? Build a house for yourself? That’s what I’d want to do but that’s not what Noah did. Noah built an alter and sacrificed to his Lord. Noah gave thanks!
This is such a key in our walk with the Lord — recognizing that everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. (1 Timothy 4:4) Paul was talking about those on whom God’s wrath falls when he said in Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Thanksgiving is a pleasing aroma to our God. (Genesis 8:21) The flood didn’t eradicate the problem of sin as we see in verse 21 that still every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. But it was Noah’s sacrifice that prompted God to say, “…never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.” (v.21) Our Lord’s sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice is what prompts God to show us mercy in spite of our sin today.
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Jon Courson
Ray Stedman
Matthew Henry
North Shore News
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Posted on February 12, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 8, giving, Jesus, R.G. LeTourneau, tithing
Genesis 8:2-9 — he sent out a dove
Dove Over Water by Joseph Miller http://www.josephmillersculpture.com/images/dove-over.jpg
…on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (v.4) After the Jews were delivered from Egypt, the seventh month became the first month of the Hebrew calendar. (Exodus 12:1-5) It was on the fourteenth day of the first month, the day of Passover, when Jesus was crucified. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead. Three days after the fourteenth day was, of course, the seventeenth day. (Luke 23:53-56)
So it happened that the Ark came to rest on the same day that the resurrection came to pass.
Even as the ark came to rest, you and I can rest in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection is the validation that Jesus is who He says He is.
“…we want to see a sign…” the Pharisees said, unbelieving. Jesus replied, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:38-40)
…God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. (Acts 10:40)
Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. (v.6-7) The raven, sent out into the world, never came back. Perhaps finding the floating bloated bodies of the dead animals that succumbed to the flood, the raven did as ravens do, and tore into the flesh of the carrion. The raven here represents your flesh and my flesh. Our desire to feed on things that are dead in God’s economy, things that are dead to the eternal. The raven never returned to Noah, the raven never brought anything back as we’ll see that the dove does in the next post. Acting in the flesh, in our own energy, apart from God’s spirit, like the raven, results in nothing of eternal value in return. Acting in the energy of our flesh results in a life without love.
The story is told of the Drill Sergeant who received a phone call informing him that Private Johnson’s mother had died. The Sergeant, being a can-do-git-er-done-and-move-on kind of guy, simply walked up to Private Johnson at morning line-up and told him straight out, “Johnson, your mother died.”
Johnson, who was horrified at the news, broke down and cried in front of the whole platoon. Later it got back to the Sergeant’s superior who called him in for a reprimand. “You can’t just come right out and tell someone that their mother died! Next time, you have to break it to them gently.”
The Drill Sergeant took his reprimand like a man, humbly nodded his understanding, and went his way.
Sure enough a week later the Sergeant received a phone call informing him that someone’s mother died, this time it was Private Jones’.
That morning at line up the Sergeant started toward Jones, but, suddenly, remembering the words of his superior, the Drill Sergeant stopped and barked, “Everyone with a mother take one step forward…”
“…not so fast Jones!”
Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. (v. 8-9) The dove, a representation of the Holy Spirit in scripture, provides for us an insight into God’s heart for you and for me. Even as the dove ranged throughout the earth looking for a place to perch, 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth looking for someone He can strengthen and use. God’s eyes range throughout the earth looking for someone to bless with His Holy Spirit. Someone He can pour out His Spirit upon to strengthen and use.
Lord help me to be that person. In today’s world we’re inundated with the opportunity to do more. Home has become an office away from the office. Family and friends text and email and call your cell phone and post on facebook and water your plants on Farmville. “What kind of person am I?” we think, if we don’t respond to the emails from work, if we don’t reply to that text message, if we don’t answer the cell phone, if we don’t return the favor on Farmville.
Fast internet
fast food
fast forward
move fast, fast, fast!
Scripture points to a problem with the rapid pace lifestyle many of us are living today – a lack of love. The dove released by Noah, is the symbol of God’s Holy Spirit, and the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22 – see previous post) When we become caught up in the rapid pace of life a disconnect with God’s Holy Spirit often creeps in. Yes we may be connected with family and friends, yes we may be more productive at work, yes our Farmville farm may be expanding, but this is all for naught without the fruit of the Holy Spirit, without love.
We might be more productive than ever in terms of accomplishing tasks, but when we’re in the can-do-git-er-done-and-move-forward mode, like the Drill Sergeant we can leave out the most important ingredient in life:
Love.
1 Corinthians 13 tells us that of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest. (1 Corinthians 13:13) And the same chapter of scripture tells me that when I’m buzzing about, accomplishing much, pushing myself to the limit in the energy of my flesh, gritting my teeth and pressing on, I can be drained and disagreeable: I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Less really can be more! When I’m pushing myself, when you’re pressing forward too hard, we often fall into a pattern of moving through life without love. This is contrary to what God wants for us! Jesus said that we would be known as belonging to Him by our love! When I push too hard, I can push God’s love right out of my heart. (See related post: Rest)
In scripture, is Jesus ever seen buzzing about? Is Jesus ever seen in a hurry? Never. Not once. You and I must live the same way. Avoid the trap of doing just a little bit more. Be rejuvenated, rested, and ready to love people.
Leave a place for the dove to land.
Leave room in your life for love.
See related post: Rest
References:
Bible Gateway
Jon Courson
Ray Stedman
Illustration by Joseph Miller
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Posted on February 6, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 8, Genesis 8:1-9
Genesis 8:1 — God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark
God Remembered by danN
God spoke with Noah when He told him to come into the ark. (See post on Genesis 7:1-5) After that, we have no record of God speaking with Noah for another three hundred and seventy-seven days.
Just last night I learned the story of Temple Grandin. By the time she was four years old she still hadn’t spoken her first word at which point doctors diagnosed her with autism. Temple’s mother, Eustacia, was told that she may never speak at all. Her doctors recommended that Temple be institutionalized. Eustacia was completely flooded with confusion and doubt. What had gone wrong? She had another child that was completely normal. How could she possibly cope with all that came with having an autistic child? Temple’s mother decided on a different course of action from that recommended by the doctors. She decided to work with Temple herself, at home, on the basics: learning words, learning manners, being in the same room with people. Anyone who’s life has been touched by someone with autism knows that this is an incredibly tedious grind. In Temple’s case this travail lasted for years and years.
Had God forgotten about Temple Grandin?
After years of hard work Temple was eventually able to attend school. School was painful, Temple was often ridiculed for her awkward way with people. But while in school it was discovered that Temple’s mind worked in pictures which in turn, led to the discovery of special abilities with spatial perception and mechanical design. Temple Grandin could do things that ordinary people couldn’t do. Incredibly she went to college and received her Bachelors degree from Franklin Pierce College, her Masters from Arizona State, and her Doctorate from the University of Illinois. On her aunt’s ranch it was discovered that in addition to her mechanical design abilities she also had a knack for working with livestock. Combining these gifts she published articles in ranching magazines and eventually published a book titled Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior.
Today McDonalds and several other of the largest processors of beef in the United States use Temple Grandin’s designs in their processing plants. Today Temple Grandin is an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University.
God remembered.
Is your world flooded with problems right now? Flooded with debt? Flooded with illness? Flooded with heartbreak?
Has it been three hundred and seventy-seven days since you’ve heard from the Lord? Are you starting to wonder if God has forgotten about you?
Listen, God will never forget about you. The same God who loves you so much that He sent His only Son to be tortured for you, to die for you, is the same God who will never forget you. It’s not rational for an omniscient God who has gone to the extreme of sacrificing what’s most dear to him on your behalf to forget you. It doesn’t matter if you think you haven’t heard from Him in three hundred and seventy-seven days, three hundred and seventy-seven weeks, or three hundred and seventy-seven months, He won’t forget you. He can’t forget you. He loves you too much.
And just as He was with Noah, He wants His very best for you.
Sometimes that means waiting.
References:
Bible Gateway
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Vol. 1
Encyclopedia of World Biography
Temple Grandin on Amazon.com
Temple Grandin, the Movie
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Posted on January 29, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark and he sent a wind over the earth and the waters receded, Genesis, Genesis 8, Genesis 8:1, God remembered, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Romans 5, Romans 5:3-4, Temple Grandin, we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance character and character hope
Death and Noah’s Ark–For 40 days the flood kept coming: Genesis 7:17-24
What we find in this passage of scripture is that God can not only require the life of a person, but God can also require the life of a whole civilization. The people of Noah’s day continued on in their lives without regard for God, as though everything would continue as it was. (Genesis 6:5) But the day came when the door to the ark was shut and the people of Noah’s day had no recourse. They must have found the highest ground they could but it was to no avail because verse 20 tells us that the water rose to a height of 15 cubits above the highest mountain tops. As the water rose, and rose, and rose they must have thought about God’s provision for escape that they had seen under construction for the last 120 years or so. But by then it was too late, the water remained for 150 days providing for no chance of survival. Verse 22 tells us that everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. It was up to the people of Noah’s day to repent before the flood came.
A friend of mine was recently told that he has less than 5 years to live. He’s sought second opinions about his illness, including one from one of the top hospitals in the United States. Lamentably, they all give the same answer: less than 5 years. All of us will die of course and as Jesus has told us, it’s true that God could allow for any one of us to die tonight. (see Luke 12:13-21) Like the people of Noah’s day, the great questions of eternity are asked of us not during the judgment but during our day to day lives. These questions are asked of us quietly, almost inaudibly. What the people of Noah’s day experienced during the 120 years leading up to the flood, you and I are experiencing right now! It’s up to you and it’s up to me to live for God before the day of judgment. Like the time of the flood, deciding to live for God during the judgment will be too late! It’s up to you and it’s up to me to enter into the ark of our salvation, Jesus Christ, before the judgment comes. (see So Your Life Is Falling Apart)
My friend who’s dying is a believer and I’ve been tremendously blessed to watch him during his trial. You know, people are seldom influenced for Christ by our success. It’s when you’re demonstrating courage, courage from faith in Christ, courage in the face of difficulty, that’s when people find themselves drawn to God. My friend continues to work hard in his job as a firefighter, he’s kept his sense of humor, he’s kept his love for people. He continues to show grace and God’s love to others, just as he always has. That’s how it should be for any Christian during a trial. When the waters rise and increase greatly, when trouble comes and increases greatly, like the ark, we should be lifted up.
May our hope be in Him.
References:
[Image via: labguest — Creative Commons]
Bible Gateway
Blue Letter Bible
Matthew Henry
Jon Courson
Institute for Creation Research
Ray Stedman
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Posted on January 22, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
death, depression, for forty days, Genesis 7, Noah's ark, Salvation, The waters rose
Genesis 7:11-16 — Then the LORD shut him in.
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month… (v.11) Even for Noah’s day, Noah was an old man when the flood waters came. The longer we live, the more likely we are to see tragedy. Those who die young are blessed in that they’re often spared the trial of observing tragedy, or at least the experience of tragedy in this world is mercifully reduced. (2 Kings 22:20) It seems that God sometimes reserves trials of great magnitude for his saints that have walked with Him faithfully and are on toward the end of their time on earth. The lesson here is for you old saints to never give up but to persevere in doing God’s work right up until that glorious day you leave your worn flesh and join Him on the other side.
Never give up.
Artesian Well
…on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. (v.11) The great deep burst forth speaks of a water source in addition to the great rains that fell. Today we see water pressure and volume from underground aquifers so great that in some instances it can be used to pump water to upper floors in multi-story buildings. These are called artesian aquifers. The artesian well in the photo is from a USGS article on artesian water sources. (USGS) The same God who separated water from water (Genesis 1:6), the same God who let the water under the sky be gathered unto one place (Genesis 1:9), allowed the water to cover the earth.
Precisely how he did that we don’t know but from Genesis 7:11, it appears that God used a great underground reservoir of water, in addition to the rains, to create the great flood.
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. (v.12) Forty is a number in the Bible that signifies trial and chastisement. The rain fell for forty days. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2-5) Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days. (Mathew 4:2)
On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. (v.13) Dr. John D. Morris and others make the case that before any of his children were ever born, Noah began to work on the ark. Noah is also mentioned first in verse 13, indicating that he was first on board before his family. That’s how it is with you and with me. If we desire to see our family members come on board with Jesus Christ, the first and most important step toward that end is for you and for me to commit. To commit to daily prayer. To commit to reading God’s word, daily. To commit to showing up at God’s house regularly. To commit to Him. The example of you, living out your faith before your family, is one of the most powerful influences you can have on them. It may take time but fruit will be born of it.
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. (Titus 2:7)
Then the LORD shut him in. (v.16) In the last post we saw that in verse one of Genesis chapter 7 God directed Noah to “come” into the ark with his family, indicating that God was already in the ark. And we saw that Jesus Christ, the ark of our salvation, asks us to come unto Him. In verse 16 we see that the LORD shut him in. God Himself shut the door. God shut them in. No one could make them more secure. That’s how it is with our salvation. By God’s hand Jesus conquered death on the cross. By God’s hand Jesus rose again. By God’s hand Jesus’ work on the cross seals our salvation. Jesus said,
Then the LORD shut him in.
Period.
References:
Bible Gateway
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Matthew Henry
Ray Stedman
Jon Courson
USGS
Institute for Creation Research
Lead Photo courtesy of Faith and Inspiration
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Posted on January 16, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Genesis
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights, Genesis, Genesis 7, Genesis 7:11-16, In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth and the floodgates of the heavens were opened, Jesus, Jesus Christ, On that very day Noah and his sons Shem Ham and Japheth together with his wife and the wives of his three sons entered the ark, Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark, The animals going in were male and female of every living thing as God had commanded Noah, Then the LORD shut him in., They had with them every wild animal according to its kind all livestock according to their kinds every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind
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