God, Be Merciful ...

Well, friends, the weirdness continues, does it not?
I've had this post on my heart for several days, but a prolonged backache has sort of incapacitated me to the point I have not felt much like doing anything except "keeping quarantine".
Regardless, this morning I felt well enough and that today finally was the time to bring it to you.

This prolonged period of relative solitude and its causal factors have been stressful, not gonna lie.  I thought I was managing it well until these physical ailments popped up.
I have been very burdened about many things.  In all of this, though, I've been searching my own heart about some things.  What does God want to teach me through this situation?  How can He use me for His glory, as most of the world fights this virus together?

God led me to Luke 18.  In this chapter two parables have really been speaking to me.
Please go read 18:1-14, and then come back.
WELCOME BACK, lol!

1.  The first story of Jesus, told in this chapter was told for the purpose of teaching us "always to pray and not lose heart" (18:1).
Now, what does that last part mean, (as the first admonition is obvious)?  To "lose heart" is variously translated as "give up" or "become discouraged".
Isn't that appropriate for us right now, when the temptation to be anxious, discouraged, and fearful is paramount?
Jesus went on to tell of a poor widow who was beseeching, begging a judge to favor her in a lawsuit.  Eventually, the judge found in her favor, exactly because she kept asking him to.
What is the lesson here?  That we, as believers in Jesus Christ, His followers, should pray earnestly to our God in all circumstances, but especially about the burdens He lays on our hearts.  And, there's no harm in praying for the same things over and over and over.
The apostle Paul echoed this in Philippians 4:6 (BSB).

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

2.  The second story of Jesus, told in this chapter was told for the purpose of teaching us to beware of self-righteousness and looking condescendingly on others.
The Pharisee was praying out loud (so others would hear about how "righteous" he was) and, worse, was telling God how righteous He was!
Now, to become a Christian, the first step is realizing exactly how UNrighteous you are, which is why you need Jesus to give you His righteousness, to become your Savior.  All true Christians recognize this and have confessed this and done this.  We realize that we are completely incapable of dealing with our own sin problem.  Well and good.  Jesus forgives us of ALL of our sins - - - past, present and future.  Hallelujah!  In the eyes of God, we are then declared righteous; this is sometimes called "positional righteousness" (thanks, Pastor George!).  The fancy theological term is "justified".
Here's the thing I've been convicted by, though.
SO many of us Christians (me included) go on to misappropriate that truth, and it gets in the way of our becoming more and more sanctified (another fancy theological term for "practical righteousness").
What does the gobbledegook of that last sentence mean?
It means that our initial justification/salvation is just the beginning of our walk with God, the rest of our life.  And, because all of our sins were forgiven at justification, we more or less tend to ignore confession in our daily walk.
"God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (18:13) applies to Christians, every day. 
Why? 
Because although all of our sins are forgiven as described above, we.still.sin.  In order to keep pride and condescension from setting up a stronghold in our life, we need to confess those sins before our Lord, at least daily.
The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I am convinced of this truth.  Ask yourself how much or how often you do this; that's what's been on my mind.
Remember 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways...
Confession is a willful act of humbling yourself before God and admitting that daily you fall short of God's mark of holiness.  Further, true confession contains an element of repentance, which means "by the power of the Holy Spirit vowing to never do that sin again".  Repentance is the "turn from" mentioned in that verse.

Here's another good one:  1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If you have read that one and filed it under the category of "justification" verses, you might just be a redneck!  Kidding.  You might just be guilty of what I've been talking about. That verse is NOT only for the non-Christian!  It is for Christians too!  When the verse says the Holy Spirit will purify us from all unrighteousness, it is referring to that ongoing work of sanctification and purification the Holy Spirit longs to do in our lives.  So, our first object for confession is directly to our Lord and Savior. One-on-one.  As often as needed.   ASAP after we sin.

Ok, other confession verses:
James 5:16 (NLT) and Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

(James)

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

(Proverbs)

Now, notice the order here.  This command is to confess your sins to one another before you pray.  He is talking to Christians, the Body of Christ.  If you are a Christian and you fellowship with other Christians, you know that this rarely happens.  The sin of pride gets in the way.  I call it the Christian Facebook Syndrome (CFS).  You know how, on Facebook, we put all the shiny posts out there?
So, BEFORE we pray for one another, or in order to get our prayers for each other right, we should confess to one another and then pray with our fellow believer over those shortcomings.
Whoa.  We all need to chew on that one for a while.

Finally, Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 - - they are very similar.  But, 51 was written after David sinned with Bathsheba and 32 focuses on the goodness of God to forgive sin.  We read in that psalm that lack of confession is bad for one's physical health! ("rots the bones" - - isn't that a pleasant thought!)

Aren't you glad for the ongoing mercy of God in your life?  I am!  I surely need it.  "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, yeah follow me, all the days of my life!"1  Ask for it!  Receive it! And, give Him the glory for it!

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude 1:2

Source:

1    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlpui7Mxrlo

Remembrance and Concealment

Image by Ponciano on Pixabay

When I celebrate New Year's Day, I look back on the previous year and remember.  Do you?  There is also a remembrance aspect to Rosh HaShanah, the New Year's Day on the Jewish civil calendar, which is why one of the names for Rosh HaShanah is Day of Remembrance (Yom HaZikkaron).  But, remember ... what?  What is remembered on Rosh HaShanah?

You may be surprised to learn that here is something Jews believe in common with biblical Creationists:  that the Earth is almost 6000 years old, as opposed to many millions.  While this seems like a strange seque, it is relevant.

Do you know what year it is?  2019, you say.  But, on the Jewish calendar, do you know what year it is today (September 26, 2019)?  It is 5779, and will become 5780 on Rosh HaShanah.

Through the centuries, Jews have believed that God has a 7000 year plan for the Earth,1 a timeline which mirrors in millennia each of the 7 days of Creation (one day of creation for each thousand years).  So, the Creation (some say Man/Adam) was initiated on Tishri 1, and we are living in "Day Six", so to speak.  Day 7 of Creation was the first Sabbath, and "Day 7" in millennia will be the Millennial Reign of Messiah, whom we know is Jesus Christ.
When God, in the time of Moses, rotated the months so that Aviv (Nisan) became the first month on the religious calendar, Tishri then became the seventh month, the "Sabbath month".  Accordingly, it represents the seventh millennium in the 7000 year plan of God.  Ancient Jewish prophets and scholars spoke often of this period called the Messianic Kingdom.

So, the creation of the world is one thing that is celebrated and remembered on Rosh HaShanah.  What else happened, according to Jewish history and tradition, on Tishri 1?2
Well, we read in Nehemiah 8:1-9 that on Tishri 1 the prophet Ezra gathered all the returning exiles from Babylon at the Water Gate, where he read to them the Torah (the Law of Moses).  There was a huge outpouring from the people, a tremendous repentance and returning to God.  Further, ...

• It's believed that Sarah, Rachel and Hannah became pregnant with Isaac, Joseph and Samuel, respectively, on Tishri 1.
• It's believed that Noah released the dove the third time from the Ark on Tishri 1.
• It's believed that Abraham bound Isaac to the altar of sacrifice on Mt. Moriah, on Tishri 1. (Torah readings read on Rosh HaShanah are from Genesis 21 and 22.)

{In all three of these bulleted instances, I say "it's believed" because my study of the book of Genesis can find no actual references to Tishri 1 in any of these accounts.}

Regardless, it is established by God in Leviticus 23:24 that Rosh HaShanah is a day of remembrance.  The word "memorial" in that verse is "zikkaron" in the Hebrew.  This is a day when God's people remember His miraculous works and for the people to rededicate themselves to God and His ways.

What does "concealment" have to do with anything?  Rosh HaShanah, Tishri 1, because it falls on the first day of the month, occurs when the new moon may not yet be visible, may still be concealed.  For this reason, Psalm 81:3 is thought to pertain to Rosh HaShanah.

Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the time of the concealed moon.

Each of the 12 "new moons" on the Jewish, lunar calendar is a Rosh Chodesh, a special celebration, a rebirth.  Jewish sages used to say that, when the moon was renewed at the beginning of its cycle, it was being "born again". Paul affirmed, in Colossians 2:16-17, the new moon and the festivals were given by the LORD to teach things to come, particularly things concerning Messiah.  So, this is another beautiful, prophetic aspect of Rosh HaShanah.

Before we leave Colossians 2:16-17, let's take another look, as I wind up this post, because this is an important point for Christians studying these Old Testament festivals.

16Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

These verses tell us that the Jewish practices mentioned in verse 16 pre-figure the future, but that the "body" (heavenly body) that casts the shadow belongs to Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.  So, Jesus Christ eclipses (sorry!) everything; He fulfills and supersedes it all.  Paul was a practicing Jew.  He kept the Sabbath, the festivals, etc. His admonition about letting no one judge Christ-followers as to how each person applies the principles of these Jewish elements to their Christian walk is important.  The more I study the alignment of these feasts to Jesus' life and ministry, finished work and future promises, the more rich my appreciation of them becomes.

I have a precious friend who was born Jewish and who became a Christian in her young adult years.  She is now what you would call a Messianic Christian.  She incorporates many elements of Jewish practice into her life and worship.  She has her doctorate in religious studies and her dissertation was written on this very point of "how much of Old Testament Torah should the modern-day Christian live out?"  As Christians, we know that our salvation is not by our own works or efforts, but instead by the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  That being true, there are many Christians who embrace many of the Old Testament practices as a choice, because they believe doing so honors God.  Some of my best friends in the Hebraic Christian (I have no better term) denominations have no Jewish blood in their veins.  They firmly believe in salvation by grace, through Jesus Christ alone, but they have also recognized the prophetic patterns, the beauty of the festivals of Leviticus 23.  "Keeping" the festivals deepens their worship.

Reflecting on many of the aspects of Rosh HaShanah can be genuinely edifying for all Christians.  Voluntarily undergoing Teshuva, that is, to examine our lives and measure them by God's standard of holiness, to repent and to return to God, to renew our commitment to walk in His ways - - all of these practices are commanded by God.3   (See Lamentations 3:40, Haggai 1:5, Psalm 119:59, Matthew 7:3-5, Galatians 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:28, 2 Corinthians 13:5, James 5:16, 1 John 1:8-9 etc.)  And, when done in light of the truth of the gospel, this can be a healing practice for our spirit.  Furthermore, it is exciting to meditate on the parallels, the precursors for Jesus' return, in light of the Fall Festivals.  We'll look at more of those in upcoming posts.

Paul has given us an outstanding life example.  He practiced in his Christian walk what the Holy Spirit led him to do.  He was an ardent follower of Jesus Christ, believing in salvation by grace and faith alone.  Yet, he was also an observer of the rites and rituals common to the life of a Jewish man.  In the Spirit of Jesus Christ, he extended "life walk latitude" to new believers in Christ, particularly those who were from a Gentile background.  Like Paul, I believe it to be a matter of personal conscience, as the Holy Spirit directs each believer.

Sources:

1   Good, J. (1998). Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to come: an interpretation of the Feast of Trumpets based upon ancient sources. Nederland, TX: Hatikva 

2   http://www.torahtots.com/timecapsule/thismonth/tishrei.htm#1

3   https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Rosh_Hashannah/Biblical/biblical.html

The Healing Balm of Confession

Church of St. John the Baptist, Ein Karem, Jerusalem

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

James 5:16 (CSV)

Several weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about Protestant Christians in general, sort of like...talking about one's family to another family member.  One of the observations we agreed on is that almost 100% of the time the Church has this "perfection complex" that works against its effectiveness in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  Here's how it goes:

The Church lives in mortal fear of making a mistake.  This fear makes the Church operate so timidly and conservatively that its effectiveness is terribly diminished.  THEN, when a mistake is made, it is covered up.  We do not, as a general rule, "confess our sins to one another".  We are afraid to do that, lest anyone think that we are less than perfect.  Pride, people...spiritual PRIDE!  Also, though, we think (wrongly) that if we appear less than perfect it will drive people away from the Savior.  The truth of the matter is that our phony pretense of perfection drives unbelievers away.  They look at the sham and think either
1.  "I can never be that good."  or
2.  "They can't possibly be that good."

Holiness was never meant to be a lie.  The resplendent walk is not linear.  None of us is "that good".  All Christians sin.  They slip, they slide, they fall back.  But, they also allow God to pick them back up, forgive, clean and restore them, in order to get them back into the spiritual fight in which they were wounded in the first place.  We can fall in our Christian lives, but faith gets back up.

Now, the Catholics have applied this verse to requiring members of that church denomination to periodically "go to confession".  What happens is that the person goes into a booth, similar in some respects to the one pictured above, and confesses his or her sins to a priest, who then "forgives them".

Nowhere in Scripture are we told that a human person has the power to forgive our sins.  James 5:16 was not written to intend or convey that.  Only Jesus Christ, our Savior and High Priest (Hebrews 3:1, 1 Timothy 2:5) is our Mediator who can forgive our sins.  James 5:16 does not command us to confess to one another in order to obtain forgiveness, but instead to speed along our spiritual healing from the sins we committed.

Confession may or may not be public.  There is nothing in James 5:16 which specifies one is better than the other.  Pretty much - - the confession should fit the situation being confessed, wouldn't you agree?
I'll tell you this, though.  If you, as a Christian, have a fellow Christian to whom you can confess your deepest sins, you are most blessed.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 (ESV)

If you do have such a one, thank God!  If you don't, pray to God to send you such a "friend and a brother (or sister)" because we are all going to fall down at one time or another.  It is a huge burden to carry the pain of a sinful fall alone.  Pray to God to let you BE that person to someone else!

Of course, Jesus waits for us at His throne of grace.  But, Christian friends, He admonished us through His half-brother, James, for a reason.  It's not that He is not "enough".  It's just that He knows in our times of deep, deep pain we need "Jesus with skin on".

Some of you reading this are VERY lonely Christians, carrying your burdens of pain all alone.  Jesus never intended the Christian walk to be that way.

Can I get an "amen"?

💗