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1 Samuel 17:1-11

28 May

17 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

1 Samuel 17:1-11

Dear God, I guess the question I have is why did they accept Goliath’s terms of battle? Obviously, I don’t understand war tactics from 5,000 years ago. I don’t completely understand the war tactics of trench warfare from World War I. But the idea that they would entertain this offer in a fair fight is somewhat silly to me. Why would they limit themselves to this offer when the advantage is definitely to the Philistines?

Maybe they were used to being the Philistines’ servants and this would just return things to the status quo. Maybe they didn’t want to die in a battle. Maybe they were scared. Maybe the option of sending one dude out to die (maybe Saul?) and then the rest of them just agree to live but serve the Philistines wasn’t the worst offer on the table. Maybe the devil they knew was better than the devil they didn’t know, with the devil they didn’t know being possible death.

Are there times when I’ve given up and just accepted a less desirable fate because the compromise was better than my fear of the unknown? Hmm. I need to really think about that. Have I settled in some area because I was afraid to break out? I guess I actually have an example of when I faced this fear, stepped out in faith, and took a chance on a path that could have led to disaster. It was almost 23 years ago when I prayerfully decided to leave a stable but awful job for what you had next for me. And the next three years were hard. 2003, 2004, and 2005 were challenging years from an income and career standpoint. My wife and I have said that if we had known how hard those years would be we might not have had the courage to do it. But I can say it was worth it. I stepped out and into an eventual career and also a life outside of my career that has really brought me a lot of joy and enabled me to serve you in unique and fulfilling ways. Life hasn’t been perfect. Life still isn’t perfect. But I know that when I stepped out in faith in 2003 it was the right thing to do.

Father, open my eyes to anything in my life right now that I am cowering before. Help me to see where I am settling. Help me to see where I don’t believe. Help me to find the right path forward in every area of my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 28, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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John 3:10-21

26 May

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should [c]not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 3:10-21

Dear God, following up on the impromptu prayer I did last night in the chapel, I want to talk a little about the book I finished reading: What is Jesus was Serious about Judgment? by Skye Jethani. I’ve been curious about Skye’s view of how Jesus would address everything from treating people fairly and forgiveness to heaven and hell and what the cut-line is for either destination.

And to be clear, I’m not sure how much stock I put into Jethani’s theological position. I think we are all wrong and none of us can know exactly what life will look like on the other side. Of all of the possibilities, Jethani’s view could be it. If I were putting money on a theological position given all of the options different teacher’s have, I’d put my money most closely to his. I tend to really agree with a lot of his positions. But the truth is, I simply don’t know. I simply don’t know. I am certain there will be a sorting one day. Jesus was clear about that in several parables. But what happens to the goats? It’s a hazy mystery to me. I hope they don’t really suffer for all eternity. As Jethani put it, that does not seem like proportional punishment for the crimes committed.

But I also think the temptation is to get too wrapped up in heaven, hell, the apocalypse, etc., and we forget to live in justice now. Jesus did care about justice in the here and now. And, frankly, although I read the book in order and didn’t skip ahead to the heaven/hell chapters towards the end, I was still distracted by their existence and looking back I don’t remember much of what his other real points were. So let me go back and look at the table of contents to see if that will help some thoughts stick out. Here are some elected chapter titles:

  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then evil empires will always misunderstand God’s justice.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God hears the cries of the oppressed.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then experiencing oppression should give us compassion for others.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then evil will consume those who practice it.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then just laws will lead to community flourishing.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then true worship lifts up Christ by lifting up the oppressed.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then a heart far from God lacks mercy, not emotions.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then justice is about our identity, not the other person’s.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God can be both merciful and angry.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then mercy and justice are partners, not enemies.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then justice alone won’t rescue us from our sins.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God’s mercy comes with a condition.

Everything else starts getting into your wrath and how that will ultimately be handled, and I don’t want to go there this morning. I just want to sit with how I handle justice in my life. How I handle mercy.

I think the place to start is my own sinfulness and how I handle that. Before I can look at the speck in my neighbor’s eye, I need to look at the log in my own. And the more I truly address my own sins, failures, and foibles, the more empathy and mercy I have for others. To whom much is given much is required. I have been given a lot of mercy. Should I not give a lot in return?

Father, help me to find that line between mercy and justice. There should obviously be consequences for sin. David paid terrible consequences for his sin even though you loved him and cared for him. You forgave me. You even carried your path to Jesus through the woman he stole and murdered for. Maybe you did that more for her than him, now that I think about it. You had choices. You chose the victim to redeem through Solomon and his line. Nice. Help me to love victims, love sinners (who are sinners themselves–we all are), and carry your mercy into this world.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 26, 2025 in John

 

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James 1:16-25

25 May

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:16-25

Dear God, I was watching a video this morning, and I heard a man say something interesting. He said something to the effect that anger is always masking some other emotion. Maybe it’s sadness or fear, but anger isn’t the emotion itself. That’s a thought that’s going to fester. I thought of that when I read verse 20 of this passage: “…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Assuming that wrath = anger, it feels like I should stop and think about this statement in this way as I consider this whole passage.

So let me go back and start at the beginning of this passage:

  • Verse 17a: Every good and perfect gift is from you. In the previous paragraph, James is saying that you are not a source of temptation for us. No, instead you bring good and perfect gifts to us.
  • Verse 17b: I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed this before. You are always the same. You are unchanging. As James describes it, you are the source of light so your don’t shift like shadows. What a beautiful analogy. I like that.
  • Verse 18: The whole “born again” idea is amazing. Taking us back to your original creation when you looked at us and said, “It is good.” Taking us back to Genesis 1 and 2, and not starting with Genesis 3. Thank you for this amazing opportunity.
  • Verse 19: This is a fairly popular verse for people to quote: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” We usually leave out the rest because it’s not convenient. And here’s where I want to look at the other emotions that might be driving my anger. James tags onto the listen/speak part of the sentence, “…and slow to become anger…” When I am quick to wrath, what is the emotion behind it. As I sit and think of times I have held a long grudge, it’s usually betrayal. I am hurt because I cannot trust, and I usually lead with trust. And it doesn’t say I can’t get angry, but that I shouldn’t be quick to anger. So I’m not saying I shouldn’t be angry about the betrayals, but I need to be careful and prayerful about how I respond. No, maybe I need to sit and think about the times when my anger flares up quickly. I don’t think I can think of a pattern right now, but please help me be mindful of any time my temper flares quickly and to start to piece together a patters. Reveal this to me, Holy Spirit.
  • Verse 20: Anger doesn’t bring about a righteous life. Oh, how I see this displayed online. There is a woman who recently became a donor at our clinic, and while I don’t spend hardly any time on social media, whenever I’ve been there for a particular reason and happened upon a post of hers, it’s usually filled with anger. I wonder if she can see it. I wonder if there is some way that being involved with our nonprofit might bless her and help her to let go of her anger. If there is something I can do to bless her and others in this area, please show me how.
  • Verse 21: “…receive with meekness the implanted word…” I’m preaching later about the parable of the sower and how we need to make our hearts a place where your seeds can be planted and your fruit can grow. How do I give you good soil? Part of it is what James says here: “…lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness…” Then the seeds of your word can have space to grow.
  • Verse 22: Take the word you plant and be a doer of it. I heard some discussion yesterday about spiritual formation training and how it can have a tendency to steer into isolation for the believer and keep them from getting out and putting their love to use. And let the doing of what you have give us to learn be part of us really internalizing it and growing. Going back to the plant analogy, it reminds me of the peach trees for our region. The peaches need a certain amount of stress to be the best. They need X number of “chilling hours” while they are dormant in the winter to be good when they bloom in the spring. In the same way, I need to be challenged at some level in order to best internalize what you are teaching me. If I just sit in my home and think great thoughts, but I never put anything to work, what I have I accomplished. It’s like writing a parenting book after having never been a parent. I have some great thoughts, but until I’ve had my thoughts personally challenged, how can my counsel be of use to anyone else or even myself?
  • Verses 23-25: These kind of reiterate the point I just made about verse 22. If it’s just an intellectual exercise, then I will likely never change. But if the intellectual part gets challenged and refined through application then it will get woven into the fabric of my being.

Father, for the next three and a half hours, I need to be right in the middle of your presence. I need you as close to me as is possible. I am going to be preaching and I need it to be you. I need your Holy Spirit to simply flow through me as I get up to share your word with these people. Prepare their hearts this morning. Prepare my heart too. Make some good soil for us to receive your seed, and then help us to be doers of the word you plant in us. Holy Spirit, I need you.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 25, 2025 in James

 

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“You Are Everything” by Matthew West

24 May

“You Are Everything” by Matthew West

I'm the one with two left feet
Standing on a lonely street
I can't even walk a straight line
And every time you look at me
I'm spinning like an autumn leave
Bound to hit bottom sometime

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won't let me fall

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is
Every day is filled with hope 
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
And breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

I'm the one with big mistakes
Big regrets and bigger breaks
Than I'd ever care to confess
Ah, but you're the one who looks at me
And sees what I was meant to be
More than just a beautiful mess

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won't let me fall

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is 
Every day is filled with hope
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
Breathe again, feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

You're everything good in my life
Everything honest and true
And all of those stars
Hanging up in the sky
Could never shine brighter than you

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is
Every day is filled with hope
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
And breathe again, feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

You are, oh, you are.
Jesus, you are
You are everthing

Songwriters Matthew West and Sam Mizell

Dear God, I normally copy and paste lyrics when I do songs like this, but this time I really wanted to sink into this song and worship you with the words so I typed them out. I need some worship time. I feel like I am spinning a little. With some personal struggles combined with preaching in the morning, working alongside my wife tomorrow afternoon with a couple about to get married, teaching a Bible study Monday night and then officiating a funeral on Wednesday, I have a all of these things swirling through my head. How will I manage them? How will I do you justice in all of this? The answer: Stop and worship. Make everything in my being about you. Worship you. Take my eyes off of all of this and just fall into you. Let you do it through me.

To be clear, what I am experiencing is first-world problems. You have given me so much. I was listening to a podcast earlier today and this pastor was talking about exhorting his congregation to make a practice of observing Sabbath, and he got feedback from some that they would love to, but they cannot because they are working two jobs to make ends meet. From his view of the world, choosing to observe the Sabbath was a choice that his “internal Pharaoh” would have to grant, but he realized that a lot of people live with an “external Pharaoh” that compels them to ignore Sabbath.

Another good thing I heard today as I listened to another podcast was the importance of not teaching the secondary benefits of Christianity as our motivation for worshipping you. And I’m not talking about prosperity gospel heresy, but even making the motivation to worship you and live a life of discipleship be attaining the fruits of the Spirit. Yes, that is a side-effect, but I’m here right now not for that. I’m here right now simply because I love you. I’m into you. I first followed you almost 46 years ago. I’ve been intentionally discipling in one way or another for 38 years. Can I see your fruit in my life? Absolutely. Is that why I’m here? No. I’m here because I simply love you.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, inhabit me. Inhabit all of my being. I feel like I’ve been broken this week. I feel like you’ve been melting me and molding me. Now fill me to overflowing so that you might overflow onto those around me. All for your glory, oh, Lord. All for your glory.

I pray this in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 24, 2025 in Hymns and Songs

 

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1 Samuel 16:14-23

23 May

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.

15 Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

17 “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.”

18 One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.”

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.” 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

21 So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Dear God, I’m not doing well this morning. A tormenting spirit? Am I Saul in this story? Did I sin in a way this week that is wreaking havoc on me now? Did I do something I didn’t know I did? Holy Spirit, I could use some comfort right now. I’m very sorry for my self-pity and weakness. I’m sorry for apparently giving these spirits some room to mess with me.

As I think about the Bible study this week, I think this will be a good point to bring out with the men that I’ve never thought about before. We normally read this story and sit in judgment of Saul. So let’s go through this story and see how things might have been different for him had he been better about repenting and simply worshipping you without anything in it for him.

First, your Spirit left him. That is a horrific thought. To sit here and not feel like your Holy Spirit is with me. That sounds absolutely tragic. Horrific. “Let not your Spirit depart from me.” Wow! That’s a line that just came to me while I was typing this, and it echoes what David prayed in Psalm 51:11 when he is repenting to you for his sin with Bathsheba: Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.” (NLT) David had seen first hand what it looked like when your Spirit left Saul, and he didn’t want that to happen to himself.

Second, the attendants recognized the problem and tried to help. They were good people.

Third, Saul continued to live up to what Samuel said he would do. In this case, take a son of Jesse to come and serve him.

Fourth, when exactly did David and Saul meet? Is it here, or is it in the next chapter when they are facing Goliath? Again, it feels like the writer(s) of 1 Samuel are more interested in a good story and teaching us points as opposed to getting every date correct.

Fifth, it worked. Your spirit with David would bring Saul comfort. I don’t know if Saul was suffering from clinical depression, migraines, or what, but you blessed Saul through David. I wonder what this experience was like for David and how did it begin to form him into a leader? There have been a couple of times I worked for people in my career who I thought were depressed and I would do my best to compensate for them in the workplace. To be a source of blessing for them. But I also know that working for them informed me about how important it is to not only love and worship you, but also project energy and confidence when leading others.

Father, I had no idea this prayer would turn out this way this morning. But I am sorry. I’m sorry for the hurtful things I do. I am sorry for hurting people you love–your children. I am sorry for not being the man I know you want me to be for my sake and for the sakes of those around me. Please forgive me and “do not banish me from your presence. And don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

P.S. I just thought of this after I closed. I wonder if Samuel heard about this and was afraid for David being that near to Saul and Saul figuring out what Samuel had done with David. That’s a whole other story I’ve never thought about before.

 
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Posted by on May 23, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 16:1-13

22 May

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”

5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Dear God, different things stand out to me as I read these verses. Some of them I get, but some of them confuse or concern me:

  • How long did Samuel mourn? Had he been mourning since the first time Saul messed up by offering the sacrifice before he arrived, or did it start with this new transgression with the Amalekites?
  • Samuel was afraid of Saul and his power.
  • You gave him instructions on how to deceive Saul and everyone else. Am I reading that right? Was he giving them only a partial truth? I have to confess that I do this sometimes. I have something to address with someone, but I’ll come at it from a direction that will be either obscure the origination of my knowledge of the topic I want to discuss or I don’t want to offend so I find another way to address it. Is that wrong? This story seems to endorse it, but I’m not sure.
  • The people were scared of Samuel. You would think it would be good news that the prophet/judge is in town, but Samuel had been doing a lot of rebuking lately, and they were scared.
  • Samuel was carrying his paradigm from the selection of Saul (tall and good looking) into the selection of the new king. Even he needed to be corrected and told that you were looking beyond the good looks and height. You were looking for heart.
  • Not even David’s dad imagined Samuel was looking for David. And I guess they knew what Samuel was looking for. That’s all a little vague here.
  • Did David understand what had just happened to him? What did he feel when your power came upon him? Saul prophesied and got inspired. What happened to David?
  • Did Samuel give him any instructions? What was the plan going forward?
  • Did David just go back to the field with knowledge that he would one day be king? Who all knew about this. It’s all very weird and vague. I guess it’s not as important for us to know that answer to this part because you didn’t preserve it for us.

Father, I think the obvious point of this story is that you were looking for what was in David’s heart and not what he looked like from the outside. So I can be tall. I can be fit. I can get plastic surgery to keep from aging. I can color my hair. I can even get educated and become eloquent. I can work out and be strong and muscular. But to quote Paul, “If I have not love then I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13).” So here I am to give you my heart. To pursue you as best as I know how. To lead at work under your leadership as much as I’m able. To love your world as much as I can. To love your creation. To love you. Be with me, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, as I worship you through my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Luke 8:4-15

22 May

4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they look, they won’t really see.
    When they hear, they won’t understand.’

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Luke 8:4-15

Dear God, I’m preaching at a local church this Sunday, and I’ve had this sermon idea running around my head for at least a month leading up to this. So I thought I would take time away from my Saul series and spend a moment preparing for this sermon.

So here’s my idea. A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to the Voxology podcast. I don’t think I could find the exact episode or moment again, but I remember he was talking about hearing a woman say, “If I take hell out of the equation, I don’t see a compelling reason to follow Jesus.” That broke my heart–mainly because there was a time in my life that I could relate to that statement. As a child growing up in a Baptist church and going to revivals and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) conferences, I heard the question more than once, “If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?” Most of the times I was walking the aisle, I feel like I was doing it to buy my “fire insurance.” I am so thankful that I actually went to an FCA Leadership Conference in 1987 that taught me there is a Christian life to be lived and how to live it.

Before I go any further, Holy Spirit, I know I’ve prayed about this over the last month, but as I sit here and type these words this morning, please reveal yourself through my fingers and this keyboard. Take my mind and heart to the places you need them to go for the good of the people, or maybe just that one person, who will need to hear what you have for them through me on Sunday. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart bring glory to you and be pleasing to you, oh Lord.

So here’s the rough overview of my plan. Holy Spirit, correct me if I’m doing anything wrong:

  • Start with Voxology story: If I take hell off of the table, I don’t see a compelling reason to follow Jesus.
  • If we were having lunch with a friend, and they asked us this question, how would we answer them?
  • Happiness study by Sam Peltzman that reveals married people are likely to be happier than unmarried people.
    • But we don’t take that knowledge and get married so we can be 30 points happier than we would be if we were unmarried. We marry for love.
  • We should not enter into our relationship with God with anything other than him in mind.
  • We enter into this relationship because we carry around sin, insecurity, and this hole in our heart that we are constantly trying to fill. When we find God and a relationship with him, we turn loose of that and experience a life that produces fruit.
    • Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
  • How do we provide the Holy Spirit space to grow good fruit in our hearts?
    • Parable of the Sower
    • Odds are that the hearts in this room are not represented by the path or the rocks.
    • Most in this room are either fertile soil or soil that chokes out the Spirit with weeds and thorns.
  • Every gardener knows you have to weed your garden and tend your soil with water and fertilizer.
    • How do you tend your soil?
  • What is your floor
    • My floor:
      • Daily prayer journal
      • Faithful and consistent giving as well as extra giving
      • Intentional time in conversation with Megan
      • Hearing at least one Bible lesson/sermon from someone else each week
      • Communication with at least two male friends each week
      • Avoiding sexual temptation/lust.
      • Exercising at least four times a week.
      • Serve my wife by doing chores, favors she asks, and even using headphones
    • Things I add to the floor:
      • Extra writing projects
      • Volunteer work and praying for our community and country
      • Listening to Christian music and Christian podcasts
  • Use the bulletin insert to make up your own floor

Father, I pray that this is the message people need to hear from me this weekend. I pray that there might just be one person for whom this is a blessing. I pray that out of this time people would be drawn into deeper relationship with the God who loves them and only wants to grow great fruit in them for their sake. Make this all about loving you and not about any selfish gain on our part. You are worthy of my worship and my praise. I pray that you will share that with others through me.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2025 in Luke

 

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James 3:13-18

19 May

13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:13-18

Dear God, the fruits of the Spirit are interesting. What do we do with them when we see them in someone who does not have faith in you? TV characters like Ted Lasso. Even an interview I saw with Jay Leno last night led me to see him as a kind person who tries to forgive slights and move on, although in Mr. Leno’s case I couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t a survival mechanism he developed over time.

But what James is describing here is kind of Paul’s Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. The first thought I had when I read this passage this morning is that this is how I know you are a loving God. Proximity to you brings about these fruits. The closer I get to you the more loving I am. The more patient I am. The more forgiving I am. If you aren’t these things, then I wouldn’t be drawn to them as I get closer to you.

Father, I am grateful for this time with you this morning. I plan to try to be in this moment with you as much as possible. Holy Spirit, walk with me today. Help me to know how to love the Father. Jesus, teach me. Thank you for everything. Father, thank you to you as well. I love you, my Triune God.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2025 in James

 

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Acts 14:8-20

18 May

8 While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting 9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. 10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” 12 They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. 13 Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” 18 But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. 20 But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

Acts 14:8-20

Dear God, I know I’ve read this story before. So how could I forget it? I guess there’s only so much place for things in my memory, and this one didn’t make the cut. But it is such a wild story! Such a wild story.

But I guess it reminds me of the mob mentality I talked about yesterday. What is it about us that is so susceptible to the group think and peer pressure of others? These people in Lystra have preconceived notions about religion, and when they see a miracle they apply that to the situation as a collective. Not even Paul and Barnabas themselves can disabuse them of their mistake. Then some persuasive men show up and talk the crowd into stoning them. It is reminiscent of Jesus’s triumphal entry on Sunday and crucifixion on Friday.

I guess this is a reminder for me to question everything. Absolutely everything. I know some people I truly respect and love who have a completely different view than me of the current political landscape in the United States. They celebrate what I grieve and they grieve what I celebrate. There are still areas for our Venn Diagrams overlap, but on some really core issues we are miles apart. So who is part of the mob mentality and who isn’t? Or are we all in different mobs, deceived in different ways?

Now that I think about it, the passages in the Gospels that describe passion week and this passage here never say that they crowds at the beginning of the stories contain the same people as the crowds at the end of the stories. Maybe we are all part of a mob and we don’t realize it. Maybe it’s human nature to find comfort in group-think.

Father, open my eyes so I can see this. Open my mind and heart and reveal the lies I believe to me. The main thing I need you to show me is how to love you better and how to love people around me better. If I can stick to those two things then the rest will fall into place. At least, that is what Jesus promised me. All of your other laws fit under those two. So I worship you. You are God. You are my absolute authority. You are my King. Let your Holy Spirit guide me moment to moment today. Show me where I am wrong and make me quick to repent. I offer myself to you. Help me as I teach this morning. Keep me from heresy. Keep me from leading anyone in the wrong direction and away from you. Use me today to lead others at least one step closer to you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 18, 2025 in Acts

 

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1 Samuel 11-14 – Saul’s Victories and Failures

17 May

1 Samuel 11-14

Dear God, it is time to compile everything I’ve been praying through this week with 1 Samuel and see what you will bubble to the top for me to share in the Methodist Sunday school class in the morning as well as the Christian Men’s Life Skills class on Monday evening.

Here is what I have been praying through today:

Recap last week:

  • Israel was new to the whole idea of having a king, but they wanted one regardless of the warnings Samuel gave them — They will trade freedom for security.
  • Saul was the stereotypical choice for a leader in that he was tall and good-looking.
  • Saul had no leadership experience and was scared, hiding at his own coronation service.
  • God would give Saul his Spirit and gifts some as prophesying.
  • God raised up men who would go with him to support him.
  • There were detractors who didn’t believe in him as a leader.
  • After the coronation, Saul went home and the men God gave him went with him.

God Helps Saul Lead

  • Nahash the Ammonite threatens Jabesh Gilead (in Benjamin). They ask for 7 days before they each get one eye gouged out–backstory with Benjamin and other tribes from end of Judges

11 About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.

2 “All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”

3 “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”

  • God inspires Saul to lead

6 Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8 When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000[b] men from Judah.

  • Summarize the battle
  • Saul gets popular support and saves the men who ridiculed him
    • Saul is in the sweet spot of being devoted to God. So much so that he spares the men’s lives who ridiculed him.
  • Saul is confirmed as king. Samuel might have named him king, but now they are all in.

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

  • They now have what they want
  • They don’t have anything against Samuel personally
    • Was he trying to absolve himself of any guilt?
  • Recounts God’s faithfulness to them and their faithlessness to God
  • Now that God worked through Saul to defeat Nahash they are all-in again
  • But Samuel warns them that God is still not pleased they asked for a king:

16 “Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do. 17 You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”

18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel. 19 “Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. 21 Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! 22 The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

  • Imagine if this were to happen to you. Mobs are fickle, even today. The phrase “mob mentality.”

Saul starts fighting the Philistines

  • Jonathan starts feeling himself a little. The Philistines were occupying Israel at the time. Jonathan attacks the Philistines at a town in Benjamin and starts the war/revolution against them.
  • The Philistines are ticked and come to attack. Saul calls on the men capable of fighting to join him.
  • The Philistines are ready to fight, but apparently Samuel and Saul had an arrangement where Saul would wait for Samuel to burn the offerings before battle so he is waiting.
  • The army starts deserting, so Saul finally decides he needs to move ahead with the offering and get to fighting:

8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”

Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

  • This story has always bothered me. Saul didn’t know where Samuel was. At least he tried to worship before going into battle.
  • The Philistines were raiding the Israelite towns and there was nothing they could do to fight back because they had no weapons:

19 There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews…

22 So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

  • These were not ideal battle conditions for Saul and his army.
  • Jonathan decides to go on the offensive with just him and his armor-bearer

6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

7 “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

8 “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

11 When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” 12 Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”

13 So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. 14 They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.[b]

15 Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.

Saul’s Foolish Ego

  • This Israelite army takes advantage and starts attacking the Philistines. For some reason, Saul makes a stupid, ego-driven vow. It’s kind of a weird flex:

24 Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day, 25 even though they had all found honeycomb on the ground in the forest. 26 They didn’t dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.

  • Jonathan didn’t know about the command and ate some honey
  • A soldier tells Jonathan afterward and Jonathan is openly critical of his father:

29 “My father has made trouble for us all!” Jonathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey. 30 If the men had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed!”

  • Then after the sun goes down, the men are so hungry they start eating the Philistines livestock without properly preparing it, so Saul makes them stop and has meat properly prepared.

Saul Seeks God, and God is Silent

  • Saul, who has been given the gift of prophecy, stop to ask God if they should keep chasing the Philistines, but God is silent.
    • To Saul’s credit, he discerns God’s silence and doesn’t layer his own thoughts. His gift of prophecy seems to be legit and he recognizes when it’s not happening.
  • They finally figure out God is silent because of Saul’s vow and Jonathan’s violation of it.
  • Saul decides to fulfill his vow and kill Jonathan.
  • The men step in to save Jonathan.

45 But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

  • I used to think God was silent because he was mad Saul’s vow had been violated. After studying this story, I think God was exasperated that Saul made the vow in the first place.
  • Saul stops pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines head back to their own territory.

Summary of Saul’s Reign

  • Saul was a successful king in warring against the neighboring nations:
    • Moab
    • Ammon
    • Edom
    • Zobah
    • The Philistines
    • Amelekites
  • Saul’s reign saw constant war with the Philistines and he lived up to Samuel’s prediction that he would take the best young men and put them in his army.

52 The Israelites fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army.

Final Takeaways

  • I think to some extent, Samuel felt like he failed. The last of the Judges.
  • My personal assessment of Saul is that he respected and feared God, but he didn’t seek God.
    • When we pray to God or worship him, are we doing it for him or doing it for us.
      • University of Chicago’s General Social Survey spanning 50 years shows married people are generally 30 points happier on a happiness scale than unmarried people. But I don’t get married to I’ll be happier. I get married because I love the woman I married.
  • He wanted to know what hoops he had to jump through to get God’s favor.
  • His insecurity drove an ego that pushed him into foolish behavior

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please be with me tomorrow morning and Monday night. Open my heart and soul to speaking your words to the people you are putting in front of me. Increase and let me decrease. And correct me wherever I have it wrong. Give me a humble heart before you and before men.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 17, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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