Searching for Cows & Kings

In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old... Amos 9:11

If you haven't heard, there's a big commotion in the religious community, especially among Jews. There's a statute in the Old Testament (Torah) that makes priests do a certain type of sacrifice in order to be clean enough to serve the temple.

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come... But if he does not cleanse himself (with the ashes of the sacrificed heifer)on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him. Numbers 19:1-13

So, this is a big deal to them because they're really wanting to build the "third temple" in order to fulfill the prophecy that when they do, Israel will finally be unified and safe from people usurping them from their sacred land (which they consider Jerusalem). They believe this will usher the coming of the King promised in the Torah.

Well, a red heifer has been born, and so far, it meets the specifications for many rabbis, despite it being born from a North American red angus embryo implanted into an Israeli domestic cow. Here's the reason I'm shaking my head about it, take that as you will.

Let's go back to the first temple.

After King David moved into his new house the Lord gave him some relief from all of his enemies around him. King David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a fancy house made of cedar wood, but God’s Holy Box is still kept in a tent!”

Nathan said to King David, “Do whatever you want to do. The Lord will be with you.”

But that night, the Lord’s word came to Nathan:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in. I did not live in a house at the time I took the Israelites out of Egypt. No, I traveled around in a tent. I used the tent for my home. I never told any of the tribes of Israel to build me a fancy house made from cedar wood.’

“You must say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: I chose you while you were out in the pasture following the sheep. I took you from that job and made you the leader of my people, the Israelites. I have been with you every place you went. I have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you one of the most famous people on earth. And I chose a place for my people, the Israelites. I planted the Israelites. I gave them their own place to live so that they will not have to move from place to place anymore. In the past, I sent judges to lead my people, but evil people gave them many troubles. That will not happen now. I am giving you peace from all of your enemies. I promise that I will make your family a family of kings.

“‘When your life is finished, you will die and be buried with your ancestors. But then I will make one of your own children become the king. He will build a house for my name, and I will make his kingdom strong forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips. But I will never stop loving him. I will continue to be loyal to him. I took away my love and kindness from Saul. I pushed Saul away when I turned to you. Your family of kings will continue—you can depend on that! For you, your kingdom will continue forever! Your throne will stand forever!’”

Nathan told David about that vision. He told David everything God had said. 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Notice, it wasn't really God's personal plan to have a temple at all. This was David's idea because he was uncomfortable with the idea that God's "home" was a tent while he lived in a grand place.

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.” 1 Samuel 8:4-9

It wasn't really God's personal plan to have a king over Israel. God being God, He allows people to deal with the natural consequences of their actions. They wanted a temple, and God saw that it was out of the goodness of David's heart, so He gave them a temple. They wanted a king, which God saw as NOT out of the goodness of their heart, but He gave them a king. He turns all things to good in the end.

However, we aren't progressing further into a future that looks more like man's vision of a holy kingdom. We're progressing further into a future that looks more like God's vision of a holy kingdom. That doesn't include a human king or a physical temple. But, you may be asking, what about the temple even Jesus talks about building? What about Ezekiel's vision of a temple? What about the other many times the Bible mentions a future temple?

Concerning Ezekiel, who existed and prophesied before the age of Jesus, there is much speculation. He lived after the first temple was destroyed, and described in detail a grand temple prophesied to be the second temple. One thing to notice is the context and timeframe he's speaking in. Also, there's such a thing as a conditional prophecy. If this, then that. If not, then that won't occur.

Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple” Ezek. 43:10–11

Very few Jews turned back from Babylon and returned to rebuild the second temple after the first was destroyed. Therefore, the temple built was not to Ezekiel's scale. Whether Ezekiel's temple vision is conditional or not, there's one thing for certain, especially if you believe in Jesus' salvation through blood.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. John 2:19-22

Jesus was talking about returning God's vision of His kingdom. No one understood at the time what He was actually going on about. The Jews at the time thought they were still waiting on Israeli royalty to show up and raise Israel to glory. They are still waiting for Israeli royalty to show up and raise Israel to glory. That's why they're so excited about the third temple.

Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT." These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. John 12:14-16

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?"

Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?"

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."

Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?"

Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 18:33-37

What is God saying in all this? He's saying that He is the temple and the King. You don't need stones and human rulers wearing crowns. Those are shadows of the real kingdom of God.

What is the purpose of a temple? It once was considered the "home" of God, a place to perform sacrifices and worship. First of all, we don't do sacrifices anymore because Jesus finished sacrifices with His death on the cross. If you believe we still need sacrifices for our uncleanness or sin, then you don't believe that Jesus' death meant anything.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’ ”

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, Hebrews 10:4-12

If you believe we need one man-made building for worship, I got news for you. In the time of David, the Jewish population was about 600,000. In the time of Jesus, depending on the source, swelled to about 3 million; out of them only about 1 million were able to trek to Jerusalem for various feasts and holy days. Now, if look at populations today, well that figure is about 10 million for Jews alone. Now, we mix Christians into it, which number about 2.3 billion, and we're looking at an impossible place for central worship. Unsurprisingly, Jesus said something about that.

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4:19-26

What is this Spirit?

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper who will be with you forever. That helper is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it doesn’t see or know him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be in you.

“I will not leave you all alone. I will come back to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. You will live because I live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me and that I am in you. Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.” Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus, “Lord, what has happened that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will go to them and make our home with them. A person who doesn’t love me doesn’t do what I say. I don’t make up what you hear me say. What I say comes from the Father who sent me. “I have told you this while I’m still with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you. John 14:16-26

So, if we seek a temple, you see it looking in the mirror. Just as God's Spirit stayed in the tabernacle long, long ago, He sits within us now.

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:17

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? 1 Corinthians 6:19

God doesn't need a temple made by human hands. He made a temple for us.

You are the "third temple," as the body of Christ. You were raised, booth of David, and you have been repaired. You are clean and forgiven. You have the Holy Spirit within you. Go and do your work in love.




Sources other than Bible:
https://www.thepathoftruth.com/teachings/third-temple-physical-spiritual.htm
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/113476/temple-institute-certifies-red-heifer/
http://www.equip.org/article/making-sense-ezekiels-temple-vision/
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe/

God's Voice

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27

Hearing God's voice doesn't just come in the prophetic variety, and you may never hear a literal, direct voice from God. No, God's voice comes in a variety of ways, through His Holy Spirit. You may encounter Him speaking through a book, a TV show, a butterfly, a sunset, a difficult experience, the wind against your skin, etc. He's just not limited in communication as He's in control of everything. He tailors how He speaks to how you'll more likely listen.

You may be wondering how you'll know you're "hearing" God and how you can hear from Him more often. Anytime we have a question about God, we should look to the Word for the answer.

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5

I like lists, so I'm numbering this for both of us. Some ways you can know God's voice:

1) Before you can hear God, you must be listening. Don't say that God isn't speaking to you if you haven't opened His love letter lately. Reading the Bible with purpose and praying in earnest will open your eyes and your ears. He speaks to you on every page!

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 1 Samuel 3:10

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2) Sometimes, God wants you to call out to Him before He'll speak. Sometimes, He's speaking, and you need clarity. He wants a relationship with you; He wants you to desire connection too. If you want a conversation, call out to Him!

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

3) Plus, if you ever have a moment when you think God is speaking through any means other than the Bible, make sure it's consistent with His Word. He put it there so you can also test anything else you may hear for truth.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:1-6

4) Anything He says is for your (or others') good, but it's not always rainbows and sunshine. God is love, sometimes tough love, but always love. So, if you think you hear God's voice and it's hateful, harmful, destructive, dishonest, or inconsistent, then it's NOT FROM GOD.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

5) If you ask for guidance, be willing to take it. This is a tough one, I know. Sometimes, you don't ask for fear of the answer, and then if you get an answer, you're afraid to take a first step. Tell God about that too. Sometimes, He does answer, but His answer is "no" or "wait." However, if you certainly heard God tell you the right path to take, and you don't take it, why are you asking?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Psalm 32:8-9

6) Sometimes, it will feel like He's not answering. You need to remember that worship and speaking with God doesn't always "feel" a certain way. I say that because I know some people are looking for a skin-tingling moment or to feel overwhelmed with some spiritual emotion when God speaks. Sometimes, yes. Most of the time, nope. If you still think He's not answering, keep calling out to Him because He's waiting for the right time to speak to you. He many times comes into your life at the most unexpected moments and in the most unexpected ways.

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, [there came] a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 1 Kings 19:11-13

7) If you're a disciple of Jesus and a child of God, yes, you have the ability to communicate both ways with God. No, you're not the odd man out. No, you're not so sinful or so inept that God doesn't wish to speak with you. He wants to so much! He wants a deeper relationship with you because He loves you, and He wants to guide you through the dark pathways of life.

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. John 15:26-27

8) Some will not understand God's voice or Spirit, your belief that you can actually communicate with Him, and the paths that He may guide you on. That's okay. This is between you and God. This wasn't between you and them, anyway.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

Open your ears, eyes, mind, and heart to God, call out His name, and listen for His answer. It may not be immediate, but He'll speak.

Love y'all!

How Jesus forgave Judas

What does Judas, the notorious betrayer, show us? He teaches us how God handles sinners and how He loves them. Jesus died for ALL sinners: you, me, your Sunday school teacher, your child, the rapist in the county over, the murderer on death row, and the unrepentant terrorists you hear about on the evening news.

You can read that again if you think you saw the wrong thing, but I mean every word. Even more importantly, God meant to live and die for everyone of them. He is God. He knows who will choose salvation and who won't. He knew when He suffered that He was going through it for those who would never be grateful and never love Him. He knew.

He would also do it all over again.

Why would He do such a thing? God makes commitments to those He loves, and He doesn't make a commitment He's unwilling to carry out.

He committed to His twelve disciples just like He committed to us.

"Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" John 6:70

It's hard to say how many chances Judas was given to bring his darkness into the light and confess the fact he'd been stealing from their money (John 12:6) or had plotted against the man who repeatedly stated He loved him. In fact Judas, someone Jesus knew was a thief, was in charge of their moneybag. He was given trust for this purpose. Then, Jesus gave him another chance that He knew Judas would still not take.

"After He had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus answered,“It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night." John 13:21-30

Breaking bread has been a symbol of friendship, solidarity, and trust since forever. Here, Jesus offers friendship to the man He is saying (though the others don't understand)is the beginning of His end. Another Chance.

When it states that satan entered Judas' heart, it doesn't mean Jesus put satan there, it doesn't state this was the start of Judas' betrayal, or even that something strange and supernatural occurred with the bread. It means that this is the moment Judas finally gave up on love entirely. He'd committed to what he was about to do.

Jesus' heart must've been breaking when He told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly." It's even more heartbreaking that Judas did. Such a strange thing God's love is; it's not our natural way, and it's definitely not the easy way.

Time passed and the plot came to fruition.

"While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend." Mark 26:47-50

Have you noticed something? Jesus still called Judas friend. Can we take a moment here to recognize that Jesus is showing us not only how to love others but how He loves us? This is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow. I'd have a hard time portraying this level of love to someone like Judas. Yet, here there are, swords at the ready, betrayal of a beloved friend who stands before Jesus, mocking Him with kisses as He is led to His death. Jesus calls Him friend at the end.

Judas still had a chance to ask for forgiveness, but he wouldn't before Jesus' death. Yet, someone else at death's door did ask for forgiveness, which illuminates exactly what Jesus would say to Judas.

"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”"

Dying, the one thief confessed and asked for forgiveness. This, Jesus gave without hesitation. He even asked the Father for the forgiveness of the ones who were killing him! So, what happened to Judas?

"When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said." Matthew 27:3-4

Judas became ashamed, confessed his sins, and didn’t want the money he’d done it all for.

If you are in any doubt that God forgave him, would you re-read this post? Even better, open the Bible and see for yourself. He betrayed himself in the end; he was in such intense pain over what he had done.

To the very end, the very end (I have to say it more than once), God loves you and will forgive you. It's NEVER too late. He knew your sins before He created you. He made you anyway. He never walks away from us; we walk away from him. Yet, the moment we turn back to see His face, He calls us friend and invites us back home.

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Sources other than the Bible:
https://www.taize.fr/en_article4572.html

Jesus Wept

The shortest sentence in the Bible, at least in English translation, is the iconic, "Jesus Wept." John 11:35

This phrase is encapsulated in the crux of the full Bible story. So, why did He cry, anyway? As always, let's start at the beginning...

of mankind.

" - God has said,'You must not eat of it (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) or touch it, or you will die' 'You will not surely die,' the serpent told her." Genesis 3:3-4

Spoiler alert: they ate it, and they died... eventually. Some speculate that since death is used as a term to indicate both spiritual and physical termination, they both experienced an immediate spiritual death. What is spiritual death? Separation from God. When they began to cover themselves and hide in order to avoid God as He walked through the garden, it was a sign the relationship they once had with Him was broken. What about physical death? Ah, many believe that humans were immortal before this time, and the spiritual death initiated the death process. In other words, the moment they betrayed God, Adam and Eve began to age, which would continue genetically through their descendants. As time went on, humans deteriorated faster and faster, living shorter and shorter lives. Either way, that snake lied.

So, what was God's reaction to this betrayal? I'd venture to say sadness and definitely anger. He cursed all three of them vehemently in the following verses.

Why though? Didn't He know what was going to happen?

Thousands of years later, when the Son of God walked among their descendants...

"Now a man named Lazarus was sick... When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”...

After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Then Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days...

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go." John 11:1-44

Some may be confused why Jesus would have cried at all, seeing as He was capable of raising Lazarus from the dead. He mourned not for Lazarus but for everyone else. He didn't wish for them to be in such pain, and as Isaiah 53:4 states, "-surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrow."

However, there was more than sadness expressed in these verses. Twice, it states that Jesus was "deeply moved" and "troubled," which are the words ἐνεβριμήσατο and ἐτάραξεν respectively.

"Deeply moved" translates to "I snort as with indignation and anger." Troubled translates to "agitated." Now, anyone familiar with grief will find that it involves more than just sadness. Sometimes, anger, fear, and other emotions are combined. This phrase was repeated more than even the fact that Jesus was saddened. He was angry... but why?

Go back to the beginning, when Death was first introduced into the world. He's angry that it exists. He's angry that we have to grieve. He's angry that our lives, spiritually and physically, are cut short due to the sins of this world. The reason this is such an important story concerning Jesus is because THIS IS WHAT HE'S HERE FOR. He's here to make His followers believe in His divinity, His ability to save. He's here to die so that we may live.

Our spiritual death was immediate in the Garden of Eden, but physical death was simply introduced into the human genome so that we would no longer physically live forever. When Jesus came to Earth, He saved many souls immediately and some bodies immediately. However, He wants to save everyone, eventually, in both ways. It is my belief that the seed of physical salvation has also been released into the world from Jesus, and it will come to fruition when the entire world has joined the Kingdom of God.

In the meantime, He grieves for what we must suffer.



Sources other than the Bible:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/jesus-wept--2
Strong's Concordance
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_709.cfm
https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/adam-and-eve/why-didnt-adam-and-eve-die-the-instant-they-ate-the-fruit/

Fear is a Liar

I confess that I once believed fear and the things it would tell me in the darkness.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

It says "do not fear" hundreds of times in the Bible, one of God's most frequently repeated commands.

Almost every person spoken of in the Bible faced terrible fear, and it's very possible even Jesus was overwhelmed with this feeling in the Garden of Gethsemane.

"Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

When Jesus says that He is troubled, that is the Greek word ἀδημονέω, which can be translated as heavy, feel fear, or lack courage.

Why would the Bible say multiple times that we should not fear, and then show Jesus, a perfect being, as fearful? Well, probably it's because God understands that most of us will be afraid when facing pain or possible death. The point is not let fear determine our actions nor let it incapacitate us. Jesus showed us what to do when afraid. He turned to the Father and prayed, nonstop. He asked for companionship with fellow believers. Sometimes, though, we are alone in our darkest hour, like Jesus was, and others don't stand by our side. In that case, let there be no doubt that we need no companionship more than the one with Father God. He will never leave your side.

"Do not fear" is not a command to switch our fears off like a light switch, which is impossible. It's a comforting phrase to remind us that God is in control always.

"But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you." Psalm 56:3

When, not if, I am afraid, I will trust you God. All of us will be afraid at some point. What will you do with it?

Fear is spoken of often in the Word because it is a universal spiritual battle.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear is not from God. It has touched us all in some form, and it is very powerful. However, it's important to remember that God is more powerful, and with God, you are more powerful.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22

“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper.” Psalm 118:6-7

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25

We could go on all day with these verses, but I think you get the point. Let me tell you a more personal story.

I've dealt with anxiety all my life. I didn't always understand why I would feel so uncomfortable going to the store or going to tae kwon do classes I'd been going to for years. I didn't always get that my chronic nightmares were a product of unrecognized emotions. I just avoided things that made it happen when I could. One night as a child, God planted a seed in me that I needed later.

I was relaxing in my safe bedroom when I became unreasonably afraid. Now that I look back, I'm not sure if I just got the creeps for some reason or if it was an anxiety attack. All I know is that I went on high alert, and I couldn't move from my spot to tell anyone. All I could do was whisper to God from underneath my blankets. So, I did, and I sang to Him for at least an hour.

Slowly at first, the invisible claws that squeezed my heart in fear released until they disappeared. When I say I became unafraid that night, I don't mean that I simply felt normal again. I felt so without fear, brave, confident in my safety that I was literally smiling as I finally fell asleep.

"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.
“It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them:
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,
“Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.
“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying,
“Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33

Note that Peter said, "tell me to come to you on the water." He asked for God to help him face his fear. He wanted to experience the fear with God at his side.

Anytime I've felt afraid again or anxious in anyway, I try to make it a point to face the fear. Sometimes, I'm unsuccessful. However, I know that the feeling can be overcome with God's strength, so I pray to myself or aloud in that moment.

Never let fear be the reason you do or don't do something. Be smart. The emotion is there as a warning signal that there "might" be danger. Don't walk into a fire or jump off a building because you aren't acting on fear, obviously. However, if you feel fear when the future is uncertain, don't act on that fear. The fear will build a wall to block life out. Tear down those bricks; hide under a blanket and say a prayer. Focus your sights on God. Then, come on out and face the world.

God's got you.




*This article is dedicated to Erin Vincent, a friend who is currently undergoing her own "walk on water" situation.*

Sources other than the Bible:
https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/christian-trends/what-gideon-in-the-bible-can-teach-you-about-overcoming-fear.html
https://biblicalwoman.com/overcoming-stronghold-fear/
https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/33-verses-to-remind-us--we-do-not-have-to-fear.html

Turn the Other Cheek: Rebellion Tips by Jesus

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil: If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. And if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile with him, go two. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you . . . . Love your enemies, for if you love only those who love you, what merit is that? . . . Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. 5:38-42, 46, 48)

Ah, the verses of peace, forgiveness....weakness? Of course Jesus supported whole-heartedly a life of forgiveness and love, but was He condoning abuse or being a doormat? Please, take another look at the context in which He spoke the above words.

Let's first look at turning the other cheek. In the times Jesus lived in, the Roman government ruled over several other peoples, including the Jews. If a Roman soldier gave orders that a Jew disobeyed, it was typical of the soldier to backhand him or her across the face. The slap became known as a symbol that they looked at the Jews as inferior. Since most people are right-handed, if they backhanded someone, their right hand would strike a right cheek. However, if a soldier was ready to strike an equal, he would usually punch, which would strike a person's left cheek. This practice of slapping was so pervasive that Jesus gave Jews advice on how to deal with it.

Don't fight them and don't meekly accept their behavior. Turn the cheek. It was a sign of passive defiance. It's saying, "I demand to be treated as an equal." It forces the soldier to either hit them as an equal (instead of as a superior) or at least take a moment to realize how they are treating another human being.

Next, what about handing over a coat when a person only sued you for the shirt off your back? Basically, that's a way of saying that if someone sued you for a great sum, voluntarily give them literally everything. Why on Earth would we do this?

An outer coat also served as a poor person's blanket, and it was illegal to take someone's coat overnight as they would be possibly exposed to the elements. It was inhumane. Also, by the way, if they had your shirt AND your coat, you were left naked. Nakedness was taboo in Judaism, and if creditor actually went through with causing a debtor to be naked just to repay his debt, it made the creditor look bad. It was a peaceful way to expose the evils of their greed and corruption. It flipped the humiliation to the other party as the debtor stood unashamed.

Now, concerning going two miles when you're forced to go only one: Roman soldiers had to travel many miles for various reasons, and to make that work without wearing out the soldiers carrying heavy equipment, they could force Jews, or any foreigner, to carry their backpacks and belongings for a mile, legally. A person being forced to do this had to stop whatever else they were doing and take time to walk a mile there and a mile back. However, Jesus is exhorting people to "go the extra" mile.

There's actually a good reason the soldiers needed help with carrying things, but Jesus didn't want the Jews to act like this was a pain to help. He wanted Jews to recognize that even in their protests, they were reflecting their God. He wanted them to go above and beyond. In this way, the soldiers saw they weren't going the extra mile because they were legally forced to but because they had genuine desire to assist others. Maybe in this way, the soldiers would see beyond their own pre-conceived prejudices and superiority complexes and see the good that came from God's people.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is a cycle that never really ends. Violence begets violence and vengeance begets vengeance. Yet, paying back evil with good is the way of God, and it's a form of glory and peaceful protest. I believe Jesus was saying that you should never stand for being abused or subjugated, but you should never react violently either. Your rebellion will be heard better when you stand above the cacophony of anger and revenge.


Sources other than Bible:

https://www.reenactingtheway.com/blog/turning-the-other-cheek-jesus-peaceful-plan-to-challenge-injustice
https://www.thorncrownjournal.com/timeofchrist/romans.html
https://www.cpj.ca/defiance-not-compliance-turning-other-cheek
https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=06-03-023-v
https://dustinfjames.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/if-someone-asks-for-your-cloak/
http://storage.cloversites.com/makinglifecountministriesinc/documents/What%20does%20going%20the%20Second%20Mile%20mean.pdf

Learning to be Love(d)

I've written a lot about how to love others and what God expects from us, but as the saying goes, "You can't pour from an empty cup." You must yourself be filled before you can be expected to fill others. This world is constantly changeable and unreliable to take care of this need for you. You can find joy in the love of other humans, less so in temporary joys, but you need a strong source of water to quench your thirst or you'll be running after puddles in search for satiety. There is only one source of love and joy strong enough to sustain you, only one that will never fade or disappear or change.

The desire for love is a spiritual thirst. It's one built in us by God. Let's start with some verses about God's love for us.

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." Deuteronomy 7:9

"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Psalm 86:15

"Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever." Psalm 136:26

"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." John 15:9-17

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:7-8

These are some of the great multitude of verses in the Bible about God's love. Did you know the Bible mentions love, depending on the translation, between 419-766 times?

Here are some stumbling blocks that keep us from receiving God's love:

1)Some of us see God through our experiences with other people, so if we see Him as a father, we may think of our own dad, or if we think of Him as a friend, we think on our own friendships. Here's the thing: God is not human, and He's not a god in the sense of the Greek or Roman gods who stumble over their own feet and get caught up in mistakes and emotions. He is a perfect being, whose ongoing purpose is love. There's nothing and no one to compare Him to, and that leads us to the next point.

2)Don't be a stickler for legalism nor think that God is in any way. Oh, don't get me wrong. God is order in the chaos, and He has laws and ordinances. Unlike the Pharisees whom Jesus continually ridiculed, you shouldn't use the law as a weapon but as a tool and that includes toward yourself. There's the rule and there's the spirit behind the rule. For example, if you were told not to touch the cookie jar as a child, as your mother was cooking dinner, does that mean you'll never be able to touch the cookie jar? Does it mean you'll never have cookies again? No, the spirit behind her telling you that was because she didn't want you fill up on empty calories when she has something nutritious coming up soon. God's rules are foundations for the larger truth. Don't think of God as an authoritarian dictator ready to condemn you on every mistake. You may have had authority figures in the past who've acted that way, but God is not them. God is the ultimate leader.

3)Sometimes, we feel it's difficult to accept love because we have no sense of self-worth. God thought of you, knew you were going to make many mistakes, and made you anyway. He LOVES you the way you are, in all your unique quirky ways. He just wants the best for you. You're thinking, yeah but what about... yes, that too. God loves that part of you too. You are not what you do. You are not your sins. You are a beloved Child of God, which leads us to the last point.

4)You're not quite sure if you're saved or not. I used to think all the time that I really hoped I made it heaven cause death is scary, but I was never really sure if I would. Now, all alone, I'd definitely be sent to the fieriest parts of damnation, but we're talking about salvation here. Do you believe in God and love Him? Do you? If you can ask that as a yes, then yes you're saved. Let's not live our lives in doubt and fear. God isn't fear. He's saved you, and you should live knowing that with the utmost confidence. Now that you've put that behind you, live your life spreading the joy of your salvation.

So, what does it mean that God loves us? Let's ask God.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.'” Isaiah 43:2

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Romans 8:28

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Revelation 21:4

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Isaiah 43:1-3

“If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” Philippians 4:13

"The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” John 16:33

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Isaiah 43:2

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:5-8

Knowing God loves you is one thing, feeling it in your soul is quite another. Feel God's love for you as He will never let you go.