"Tell her to leave" they said, "She is bothering us with all of her begging." Mt. 15: 23
Oh those disciples! From where they are sitting Jesus is too good, too important to be bothered. Come to think of it, they are getting a little annoyed with all of this begging. Just go away! But Jesus, seemingly ignoring her, is smiling on the inside. Beckoning her to continue her petition. He knows her heart and it is in DESPERATE need of a savior. Oddly, He strengthens her faith by telling her "I can't help you, I was sent to help my people."
She could have responded the way I would. Guarded. "I knew it! You don't care the way you claim to. All this talk of compassion and the sick needing the doctor and here you are rejecting me! I knew you were too good to be true, you Jesus, are just like everyone else." But instead she shows her confidence in Jesus and how small she truly is and says, "Even the dogs get the crumbs."
There are three sets of eyes here: The disciples-"We are here with the savior, we have no need, get rid of the pests." Jesus-"I am about my Father's work, strengthening the weak in faith." The Gentile woman- "Even a dog gets crumbs from the master's table."
Who is the weak in faith?
(Matthew 15:21-28 "The Faith of a Gentile Woman")
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Make a Wall
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
This has prophetic messianic implications: And I sought a man among them (Jesus)who should build up the wall (The Church) and stand (Intercede) in the gap (The breach caused by sin) before me that I should not destroy it...(the land)
From my earliest memory this passage has also been interpreted as the Lord seeking men/women to intercede in prayer on behalf of God's people. But this morning a phrase in a preceding passage jumped out at me that suggested an expanded interpretation, at least for me.
V. 26 "Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar". The untempered mortar represents the false and unrighteous teaching claimed by the prophets to have come from the Lord. What struck me was the word "them" being the "people" of course, but more importantly the people represent the "wall" being plastered with untempered mortar (held together by false teaching). In this context it appears God is searching for a man (or men and women) who will build a wall (a group of people held together with righteous teaching from the Lord) who will stand in the gap (the breach that allows evil to invade) before God in the land, so he would not destroy it (the land).
In this passage I see a symbolic picture of the church carrying on the intercessory work of Jesus as His Body. It also suggests a "challenge for leaders" to rise up in the church...God is looking for a man (or a woman) who will build up the wall (mobilize God's people) to stand in the gap (not just hold back, but now overcome the invasion of evil due to Adam's sin by reconciling people to God, made possible only by the sacrifice of Jesus).
This has prophetic messianic implications: And I sought a man among them (Jesus)who should build up the wall (The Church) and stand (Intercede) in the gap (The breach caused by sin) before me that I should not destroy it...(the land)
From my earliest memory this passage has also been interpreted as the Lord seeking men/women to intercede in prayer on behalf of God's people. But this morning a phrase in a preceding passage jumped out at me that suggested an expanded interpretation, at least for me.
V. 26 "Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar". The untempered mortar represents the false and unrighteous teaching claimed by the prophets to have come from the Lord. What struck me was the word "them" being the "people" of course, but more importantly the people represent the "wall" being plastered with untempered mortar (held together by false teaching). In this context it appears God is searching for a man (or men and women) who will build a wall (a group of people held together with righteous teaching from the Lord) who will stand in the gap (the breach that allows evil to invade) before God in the land, so he would not destroy it (the land).
In this passage I see a symbolic picture of the church carrying on the intercessory work of Jesus as His Body. It also suggests a "challenge for leaders" to rise up in the church...God is looking for a man (or a woman) who will build up the wall (mobilize God's people) to stand in the gap (not just hold back, but now overcome the invasion of evil due to Adam's sin by reconciling people to God, made possible only by the sacrifice of Jesus).
Thursday, July 17, 2008
I Will Wait
James 1:1 Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Isa 30:18 ...He will be exalted that he may have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
God has the power to prevent trials, temptations and suffering, so why does He allow it? James reminds us our various trials lead to maturity and wholeness which lead to life. Having God's perspective changes how we react or respond to our circumstances. We learn obedience, humility and love, these aren't traits we're born with. Adam and Eve hadn't developed these yet, and failed the testing of their faith, as I have, over and over again. I'm so thankful I live under incredible grace, purchased by the blood of Christ, and I abide in His love and count on His mercy to sustain and deliver me.
"Counting my trials as Joy" isn't an emotional reaction, but a deliberate intelligent appraisal of the the situation from God's perspective (Jack Hayford). God is proving my genuiness, pruning and purging that which is false and producing obedience, maturity and love in me. Patience isn't a passive resignation, but a positive stefastness that endures. Patience waits for God!
In remembering some of my greatest trials, temptations and suffering I think of the times I failed to wait for you, and the destruction and even greater pain that followed. Thank you Jesus, that you suffered and endured in obedience for the joy that was set before You. You have proven time and again that you work in and through my circumstances and I will wait...with patience...knowing you are doing something BIG!
Isa 30:18 ...He will be exalted that he may have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
God has the power to prevent trials, temptations and suffering, so why does He allow it? James reminds us our various trials lead to maturity and wholeness which lead to life. Having God's perspective changes how we react or respond to our circumstances. We learn obedience, humility and love, these aren't traits we're born with. Adam and Eve hadn't developed these yet, and failed the testing of their faith, as I have, over and over again. I'm so thankful I live under incredible grace, purchased by the blood of Christ, and I abide in His love and count on His mercy to sustain and deliver me.
"Counting my trials as Joy" isn't an emotional reaction, but a deliberate intelligent appraisal of the the situation from God's perspective (Jack Hayford). God is proving my genuiness, pruning and purging that which is false and producing obedience, maturity and love in me. Patience isn't a passive resignation, but a positive stefastness that endures. Patience waits for God!
In remembering some of my greatest trials, temptations and suffering I think of the times I failed to wait for you, and the destruction and even greater pain that followed. Thank you Jesus, that you suffered and endured in obedience for the joy that was set before You. You have proven time and again that you work in and through my circumstances and I will wait...with patience...knowing you are doing something BIG!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Stay Centered
I Timothy 1:4-10
Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, "deepening faith and obedience. The whole point of what we're urging is simply love, uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.
So many issues we discuss and pursue as Christians have the potential to cause us to digress from the center of Jesus' commandments to us, which is love working itself out in deepening faith and obedience.
If I keep this simple truth at the forefrunt of my mind and make it the plumbline for the teaching I hear, I will avoid wandering off and taking others with me. Paul warns that when we are diverted from the heart of Jesus' message we're in danger of shipwrecking our faith. I'm concerned about the current movement of seeking signs and wonders as we are given clear warning that this is one way God will test our hearts to prove our faith and obedience is focused on His commandments. 2 Thess 2:11 warns that because people didn't receive the love for the truth, God will send a strong delusion that they would believe a lie. In Mark 13:11 Jesus warns that false prophets will rise up performining many signs and wonders that if it were possible, even the very elect should be deceived.
Thank you for your Word and your Spirit that leads us to the truth. Enlighten my darkness, and if there be any thought or way in me that isn't true, I ask you to reveal it to me.
Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, "deepening faith and obedience. The whole point of what we're urging is simply love, uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.
So many issues we discuss and pursue as Christians have the potential to cause us to digress from the center of Jesus' commandments to us, which is love working itself out in deepening faith and obedience.
If I keep this simple truth at the forefrunt of my mind and make it the plumbline for the teaching I hear, I will avoid wandering off and taking others with me. Paul warns that when we are diverted from the heart of Jesus' message we're in danger of shipwrecking our faith. I'm concerned about the current movement of seeking signs and wonders as we are given clear warning that this is one way God will test our hearts to prove our faith and obedience is focused on His commandments. 2 Thess 2:11 warns that because people didn't receive the love for the truth, God will send a strong delusion that they would believe a lie. In Mark 13:11 Jesus warns that false prophets will rise up performining many signs and wonders that if it were possible, even the very elect should be deceived.
Thank you for your Word and your Spirit that leads us to the truth. Enlighten my darkness, and if there be any thought or way in me that isn't true, I ask you to reveal it to me.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 21, 2008
1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicals 4
These passages are about the building of the temple. The passages are too long to write but alot of work went into building and constructing of the temple.
Oh Lord the temple Solomon built for you by its description was glorious and incredibly beautiful. Lord it takes hammering, molding, fireing, cooling, reheating, cutting, sanding, carving, preserving, and many more things to create a temple as beautiful as Solomons. How much more are you doing in our lives everyday creating a beautiful temple our of our lives.
Lord help me to remember that you are building me into a place for your glory to dwell. I desire to cooperate with you and not squirm under pressure, not move while you are carving, staying still while you are molding, or when I am set aside while you are cooling and casting me into your image.
All of this takes time and Iwait for you to complete it.
These passages are about the building of the temple. The passages are too long to write but alot of work went into building and constructing of the temple.
Oh Lord the temple Solomon built for you by its description was glorious and incredibly beautiful. Lord it takes hammering, molding, fireing, cooling, reheating, cutting, sanding, carving, preserving, and many more things to create a temple as beautiful as Solomons. How much more are you doing in our lives everyday creating a beautiful temple our of our lives.
Lord help me to remember that you are building me into a place for your glory to dwell. I desire to cooperate with you and not squirm under pressure, not move while you are carving, staying still while you are molding, or when I am set aside while you are cooling and casting me into your image.
All of this takes time and Iwait for you to complete it.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Encourage one another
8But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Paul is telling us to have self-control, to put on faith and love as a brestplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. These things are for protection against life that comes our way. Arrows that harm us. Sometimes these arrows make us fall and we get discouraged and think that we can't make it to the end. But the next sentence tells us that God didn't appoint us to wrath. Thank you Jesus. Your wrath is for those who don't or won't choose you. Not for us who seek and sometimes fall because we have been hit by arrows. Our weapons are defensive and offensive. These that he tells us to put on are defensive. We must put them on daily.
Paul is telling us to have self-control, to put on faith and love as a brestplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. These things are for protection against life that comes our way. Arrows that harm us. Sometimes these arrows make us fall and we get discouraged and think that we can't make it to the end. But the next sentence tells us that God didn't appoint us to wrath. Thank you Jesus. Your wrath is for those who don't or won't choose you. Not for us who seek and sometimes fall because we have been hit by arrows. Our weapons are defensive and offensive. These that he tells us to put on are defensive. We must put them on daily.
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