Doubting the Vision

Good morning!

There are several instances in Scripture where God gives a man or woman a vision/assignment, and they doubt.  Not only do they doubt, they squirm around, beg, run, or exhibit other frantic avoidance behaviors.  Some notable examples are:

• Moses, who claimed he was not a good enough public speaker to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt
• Gideon, who whined to God that he was the least of his family members and that an older sibling should have been chosen (remember his fleece tests?)
• Jonah, who was swallowed up in the belly of a great fish and remained there for 3 days (a foreshadowing/type of Jesus Christ) because God wanted him to evangelize the evil Assyrian city of Nineveh

I could go on.
The point is that God gave these heroes of the faith (yes!) great challenges that, at first, they did not want to accept.
As we read Ezra 6, we see that the work on the temple is progressing nicely, but the naysayers are getting louder and louder.  Eventually, they screech, "I'm a-gonna tell the king on you!"  and fire off a letter to the Persian king, Darius, to check out the Jews' claim that Cyrus had decreed they could rebuild the temple.
The temple rebuild took many years.  In that time, Cyrus had left the throne and had been succeeded by Darius, another pagan Persian king.  Jerusalem was still part of the Persian Empire.

The naysayers bit off more than they could chew with this tactic.  It backfired on them.  King Darius, whose heart, like that of Cyrus, the Lord God had turned (vs. 22), not only re-established Cyrus' decree, he added to it.  He told the Persian officials in Jerusalem that they were to actively aid the Jews by seeing to it that they had everything they could possibly want to finish the temple.  He went on to pronounce a very pointed and colorful curse upon those who frustrated the work of rebuilding the temple or who would destroy it (vs. 11).

All throughout this process, the Jews persevered and with unflappable commitment kept building the temple, pursuing the vision.

A few years ago, I began to doubt the vision God had given to me about becoming a school principal. My timetable was not jiving with His.  I had been an assistant principal for 11 years, more than enough time (in my opinion) to be adequately trained for the principalship.  Coincidentally, during this time, my pastor was preaching a long series of messages on discovering God's plan for your life, capturing His vision for your life, etc.  I would just sit in church week after week and cry, literally.  I was so frustrated, wanting so badly to implement the vision I'd been given and not having the opportunity to do so.  During this period, I did a study of Ezra and Nehemiah, using as a study aid Andy Stanley's book, Visioneering.  (It is the best book I've ever read on the topic, although I've not looked at it in several years.  If you are going through something similar, I highly recommend it.)  Eventually, in God's time, He led me to fulfill that vision He had given.

Folks, for 70 long years, the Jewish exiles in Babylon and those who remained in Jerusalem, longed for the temple to be rebuilt.  We read in Ezra 3:12 that when the foundations of the new temple were laid, those old men who remembered Solomon's temple "wept and shouted aloud for joy"!  But, it was not done in man's timing; it was built in God's timing.  We are not in control.

I am wrestling with something similar now, regarding my two children.  I long and pray diligently for God's vision to be revealed and fulfilled in their lives.  However, they are teenage boys, 17 and 19. You parents who have had teens out there:  are you with me?  The hardest thing in this life I have ever had to face has been holding on to the vision God has given me for our sons.  Every single day, I am tempted to doubt that vision, to wrestle away from God the plan He is implementing, to scream, cry, give up ... you get the picture.

The dearest thing on this earth to my heart - - - I have at this time limited influence over and no control over.  God is in control.  I am called to faithfully lead, shape, guide, love and most of all, to be a godly example.  But, the timing of how God works in their lives, where He leads them, how He shapes them - - - that is all up to Him.  In this way, HE gets the glory, not me.

I used to pray a prayer aloud over them, when we had family devotions years ago.   Oh, that precious time!  I miss it so much!  "Raise them up to be mighty men of God, heroes of the faith!"  But, you see, I wanted it to be done my way, on my timeline.  Then, I would get some of the glory that only belongs to God.  It is all about Him.  It is all for His glory, not mine.

So, even when I don't "feel" the vision, when I am at my lowest, I am encouraged by Scripture to hold on, not to doubt.  My antidote to this sometimes overwhelming despair is to seek His face and pray and pray and pray. And, to ask my loved ones to pray with me.

In closing, the verse Father brought to mind just now was Matthew 16:18.  In this passage, Jesus is giving Peter his mission as a leader of the early Church. Jesus knew that Peter (and also the other apostles) would be tremendously opposed.  Today, you may feel tremendously opposed in the vision that God has given to you.  But, look at what Jesus said to Peter:
He began by asking Peter to affirm who he (Jesus) was: the Messiah, God clothed in human flesh.   Then, Jesus affirmed/emphasized that this truth, the truth of His deity, is the foundational stone of the Church, and that if the Church is true to this precept, "the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it" (the Church).  If God is in this vision in your heart, if we let God BE God...then no matter the opposition from Satan and his servants, I remind you:  "the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it".

Dear One - - - keep on building the temple!

Father, you see me crying right now, as the love for my sons overwhelms my heart.  Yet, the love I feel for them is merely a shadow of the love you have for me and for them.  Your love for your children extends back to before the foundations of this world were laid, and that is marvelous to me! (Ephesians 1:4) Please forgive me for the times I doubt your love and your plan for me, for them.  I praise you that you are God...and I am NOT!  Thank you for chiseling away at my spiritual pride and teaching me to be submissive to Your will, as I seek to walk before you .... resplendent!

A Stealth Attack

Good (late) morning!


I'm in Ezra 4:1-5 this morning.

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles[a] were building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Him[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria[c] brought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.” 4 Then the people who were already in the land[d] discouraged[e] the people of Judah and made them afraid to build. 5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.[f]

When I read these verses, it reminded me of something I saw on Facebook a day or two ago.  It was a picture of some animals (maybe fish swimming?) and the caption was "make sure those you surround yourself with are working toward the same goal you are".  That is a rough translation.  It's a truth I've internalized long ago; so, I did not pay much attention to it at the time...

In these five verses we find the Jews busily rebuilding the temple, when they encounter some wolves masquerading as sheep.  These people of Assyrian descent asked to take part in re-building the temple. Suspecting them of insincerity, the Jews refused their help.

Now, if these wiseacres had truly wanted to help, they would have politely accepted the Jewish leaders' refusal and gone out to try to help in other ways, such as by encouraging the Jewish people.  But, that was not their response!  Instead, they went out from the Temple area and began to sow seeds of discord among the Jewish people there in Jerusalem.

Notice these points:

1.  They did not mount a direct attack.  They were sneaky about it, pretending to be friends.  This is a tactic the Devil often employs.  He will either use a person to pretend to be your ally; or, he will deceive your actual friends into leading you astray.
2.  Their first place of attack was the temple.  The enemies knew that if they could frustrate the temple construction by causing it to go awry, they would more easily defeat these returning people.  Satan's attacks often begin in the true Church.
3.  The Jews used in their defense the command of their God and also of their earthly King.  At this point, the enemies had no choice but to withdraw and employ another tactic.
4.  The next tactics used by the naysayers are still two of Satan's favorite weapons today:  discouragement and fear.
5.  Lastly, they began to use the government to work against them.

Here are the lessons from this passage:

1.  Choose your friends wisely.  It is a fact that almost everyone will become more like those they choose to surround themselves with.  Parents, protect your children, especially in their formative years while living at home and going to school.  Here are some good verses on how to choose your friends: Proverbs 12:26, 13:20, 14:6-7 and I Corinthians 15:33
2.  Know that, as a Christian, you are in the crosshairs.  Whether we like it or not, we are at the nexus of the epic, spiritual battle which rages all round us in the spiritual realm.  Anything you attempt to do for the glory of God (and that should be everything you do!) is going to be a target for Satan.  He opposes everything that is "of God".  It's "a given".  Put on your armor!  (See prior post.)
Here are just a few examples of opposition to the Truth, in Jesus' day and in the early Church:
Matthew 21:12-13
1 Cor. 5:12-13
Rev. 2:20
3.  When attacked, stand on the Word of God.  In order to do this, you have to know the Word of God, which means that Bible study is a necessity.
2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17
John 6:63b
4.  Once you know what you should do, do not let discouragement or fear deter you.  Believe in that to which you have been called!  I have heard it said that a person's ability is not as important as his or her determination.  Without the determination and persistence that come from a holy calling, you will not succeed, because you'll fall to the discouragement, frustrations and setbacks that will come your way.
Colossians 3:17, 23
5.  There will be times along the way when you are "just not feeling it".  So what?   The attainment of your goals should not be dependent upon your feelings.  Satan can too easily manipulate your emotions.  Stand firm and soldier on.  Once you have accomplished what God has called you to do, THEN you'll receive the reward of positive feelings.  I had a professor in college once who used to say, "Good feelings follow right actions, and right actions follow right decisions."  Wise words.
Ephesians 6:14  These verses tell us to "stand firm".  We also should run to Him for comfort when we are battered and war-weary.  Read Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This is what I need when I'm not "feeling it" - - - the peace that transcends all human understanding!
6.  You may be living in a time or place when/where your government is against you.  In those cases, we need to be "wise as snakes and harmless as turtledoves", to paraphrase Jesus' instructions in Matthew 10:16.  Where we can obey our government and still obey the Word of God, we should.  Jesus made that plain with his command, "Give back to Caesar {the government} what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."  Mark 12:17 (NIV)  But, when it is impossible to obey both, our allegiance is to God and what He has revealed to us in his Word, the Bible.
7.  Do not employ the tactics of the enemy.  To do so hurts your testimony and cheapens the name of Christ.  You bear His righteous name.  Don't disgrace it in the pursuit of your God-given mission.

Dear Father, I am so easily discouraged, especially when the battle rages.  I get weary and so sad sometimes, even though I know that I am on the winning side.  Please help me to put on my battle gear every day and to realize the enemy's stealth attacks when they come.  Remind me to run into your outstretched arms.   "For in Your presence is fullness of joy..." (Ps. 16:11).  In Your presence, I can be restored, rejuvenated and battle-ready again.  Thank you for your great, great love for me!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Saving America

Good morning!

This morning, we are still in the book of Ezra, specifically, chapter 3 and then 2 Chronicles 7:14.

In Ezra 3, we learn that the temple King Cyrus of Babylon commissioned has been largely finished.   Although many Jewish exiles returned with Nehemiah to build the wall of the city, and many returned to construct the temple, about 50,000 (Ezra 2:64-65) returned to Jerusalem in this last wave.  (It is interesting that they left Jerusalem in separate dispersions, and they returned similarly.)

In verse 3, we see that many priests and Levites returned, and that the priests are setting up the altar in the new temple.  Their motivation for resuming the burnt offerings and sacrifices is clearly stated in verse 3: they feared what would happen to them and their people if they did not honor the one, true God.

Recall that barely a generation has passed since the whole lot of them was taken away into captivity.  The reason this occurred is still fresh in their collective minds.  For years and years, prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah and others had been warning them that God’s judgment was coming, to remove them from their Promised Land.  Why?  Because of their spiritual adultery.  For years, they had worshipped the foreign, pagan, false gods of the surrounding peoples.  Here, we see that, at least temporarily, they have learned their lesson.

Look at their response in verse 11 of chapter 3:

“They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first^[h]temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, ¹³ so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.”

We see over and over in Scripture how prosperity corrupts.  Along with the wonderful physical gifts prosperity brings, it causes us to forget our God.  It causes us to believe falsely that God will not hold us accountable for our spiritual wanderings, our sins.

Is our God a jealous God?  Does He desire our whole-hearted devotion? Yes.

Is it “fair” to us that He desires our worship, our very beings?

Last Sunday, I got to hear a wonderful sermon.  Our pastor was on vacation, and he is a tremendously gifted preacher.  Every week, I learn and am encouraged, challenged, blessed.  But, this visiting pastor really “brought it”!  Praise God!  One of the things he emphasized to us is that we are blessed that God does not deal with us “fairly”.  He deals with us mercifully instead.  We don’t get what we deserve.  He gives us the grace we don’t deserve and is merciful to us.  So, thank God that He does not subscribe to your imperfect idea of “fairness”!

People, we tend to, in America, like other people groups before us, forget the loving, merciful Father, Jehovah God, who gave His most precious loved one, His beloved, only Son, for US!  Right now, in America, we tend to think that we are safe and secure in our spiritual adultery, in our collective national sins, because “we are America, and we are untouchable”.  I hear this all the time.  It is such a lie of the Devil!

Listen to the Scriptures.  Over an over again they proclaim that God is long-suffering toward us, but that He will not hold us harmless for the sins we have committed as individuals or as a nation.  Here is but one example:

Galatians 6:7  “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” {Message version}

I hope that you have settled the matter of your sins, by embracing Jesus Christ as your Savior and accepting his payment for them.  I hope that you will go a step further and fervently pray for a return of the American people to Jesus. 

No, I am not praying for a return to “the Judeo-Christian principles upon which this country was founded”.  That is not enough.  Judeo-Christian principles will not save us.  Yielding our hearts to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will save us as a country.

Do you know who is challenged to pray for and start revival?  It’s not the pagans!  “Oh, if those non-Christians would just turn to God…”  No!  Look at what God, the Almighty King of Heaven and Earth says:

(2 Chronicles 7:14)  “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

So, whose responsibility is it to bring about revival that will heal America?

It is the responsibility of those who claim the name of Christ.

Look at the steps we are to follow:

1.  Get Humble

Are you surprised that this is the first command?  We believers are usually SO haughty when it comes to the sins of others, aren’t we?  So quick to condemn, so slow to compassion and understanding.  So slow to love!

2.  Pray and Seek God’s Face

This implies a diligent, urgent action, repeatedly, until revival comes.  Instead, we waste our time with “trivial pursuits”.  I won’t bother to name them; you know what they are.

3.  Turn

“Turn” is another word for repentance.  Repenting means to basically stop walking in one direction, and instead to turn around and start walking in the other.  180 degree turn - - - that’s repentance.

This means we are to repent of OUR sins, both individual and national. 

Aren’t we so quick to focus on the sins of others?  “Oh Lord, our nation is in such trouble because of the _______ (insert sinner category here).”  No, brother or sister!  Our country is in trouble because we are prideful Christians, firmly holding onto our own sinful practices, which include refusing to do what God has called us to do.

God promises that if we are obedient, He will turn America around.

And, if we refuse to obey?  Well, have you read about the Old Testament Israelites lately?

Dear Lord, I am so guilty of pride and a lack of prayerlessness for my individual sins and for the sins of America. I am so guilty of not using effectively the time you have given me.  Please forgive me!  I love my country and earnestly desire to see it healed.  I long for my fellow countrymen to know the peace that only a relationship with You, through your Son, can bring.  Thank you for your forgiveness and for withholding your large-scale judgment from us thus far.  Draw us to Your throne of grace, Father.  In Jesus’ name, amen!

"Large and In Charge"!

Good morning!

I was reading this morning in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  They were contemporary prophets, living mainly in the fourth century B.C. (late 400s), although Ezra wrote about events of the previous century as well.  They were prophets to the people of Israel during the first Diaspora, which I wrote to you about in previous, recent posts.  A couple of things struck me about today's reading.

Do you ever wonder why some books of the Bible were included in the canon that we now call The Holy Bible?  I do; but consider this about Ezra, the Levitical priest and scribe:
"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel."  (Ezra 7:10)
It is generally accepted that Ezra wrote this book, in the third person.  He grew up in a time when such learning was not generally considered valuable.  His people had been dispersed; the practice of Judaism was fragmented, at best.  Yet, this is what Ezra did:
1.  He "set his heart", made up his mind, determined in his heart to study the Scriptures of his day.
2.  He not only studied them; he made up his mind to practice what he learned.
3.  He not only practiced what he learned; he made it a priority to teach God's law to his people, Israel.
As we read further in Ezra and Nehemiah, we see that God gave Ezra ample opportunity to use what he had learned.  Ezra had prepared, and God used him in a mighty way.
Oh!  How we need more prophets like Ezra, today in America and around the world!
Oh!  How WE need to be more like Ezra.

If you want some hope for America, people, read the first few verses of Ezra chapter 1.  About 50 years before Ezra came into his own, there was a pagan king who ascended to the throne of Babylon, where most of the Israelites had been taken captive.  His name was Cyrus.  Some call him "Cyrus the Great".  He came to the throne after a short reign by Darius, also a Medo-Persian conqueror and leader, as I understand the book of Daniel.  These men ushered in the Medo-Persian Empire, after the conquest of the Babylonian Empire, under Belshazzar.

Here we learn that the Lord God "stirred up the heart" of King Cyrus.  The words of the king in chapter 1 are that God directed him to re-build the house of God in Jerusalem!  Now, "How in the world did THAT happen?", you may ask.  We are not privy to that information.  Wouldn't it be fascinating to know, though?  I have to wonder if somehow, when the Medes and Persians were trying to conquer the Babylonians an influential Jew gave them the information and/or support to help them win the victory over a city that was considered "unconquerable".  Somehow, though, Cyrus came into contact with the Lord God Jehovah.  Look at verse 2:
"The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth . . ."
So, he is giving GOD the glory for his conquests.  Amazing, coming from a "pagan" king, don't you think?

Cyrus goes on to say that GOD has instructed him (HIM!  a PAGAN!) to rebuild His temple, in Jerusalem, which as you know was one of the conquered areas.

There is "texting" shortcut that looks like this:  smh.  Most people interpret that to mean, "shaking my head" (in amazement, disbelief, dismay, at people's actions).  Well, sometimes, I do that when I watch what God does (in amazement, of course!  :)  The Scriptures say this:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways."  (Isaiah 55:8)
Our God does what He pleases, what He knows is best.  That is frequently not what we would do, or how we would do it.

The Scriptures go on to detail how King Cyrus not only made the proclamation; he also provided much of the materials that would be needed to accomplish the task.  (Of course, over 5400 of the articles sent had been taken from Solomon's temple, in the ravaging of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar.  But, be certain of this:  Cyrus was not obligated to give them back.  Most kings would not have!)  The temple that was built from Cyrus's decree stood in Jerusalem for about 500 years.

I've just barely scratched the surface of all the gems in this book of Ezra.  I may share more about this tomorrow.  But, for now, let's take away these two points:

• Ezra devoted himself to studying, practicing and teaching God's Word.  
• And, God set on the throne a pagan king to do His bidding.

Let's pray that God will do the same miraculous works in America. Brothers and sisters, we NEED to study God's word and live it out, like Ezra.  Like me, so many of you reading this blog are praying fervently over our country.  Much of the time, we are praying for different rulers. Because in our current day many of the leaders are acting in ways contrary to the established principles of God, we tend to pray that God will remove them from office as soon as possible.  Well, sometimes He works in that way.  But, sometimes, as is the case here, He "stirs their hearts" and uses them to accomplish His purposes.  Let's keep that in mind as we pray for our leaders, and pray for America.

Good morning, dearest Lord!  Help us to be like Ezra, faithfully committed to studying your Word, living it out in our lives and sharing it with others.  Help us to be faithful in prayer, praying  for Your will to be done, for you to accomplish Your purposes by whatever means You choose, and how You see fit. Help us to be READY, so that if you choose to use us as you used others in Scriptures, we will have the training and preparation needed to accomplish the tasks for Your honor and glory.  We are so glad that YOU are "large and in charge"!  We love you, Lord!  In Jesus' name, amen.

A Clean, Blank Page

Good morning!

Lamentations 3:22-23  "Because of the Lord's faithful love, we do not perish, for His mercies never end.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" (Holman Christian Standard version)

Psalm 103:17  "But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children's children --" (NIV)

I walked outside this morning to get the paper and just smell the beauty of the morning.  My husband has gone to the weekly men's breakfast with his Sunday School friends.  My sons are off, "doing their thing".  It is a beautiful day!

In our "neck of the woods", the public schools resume today.  I am a former public school teacher and administrator.  The first day of school was always filled with such excitement...so much excitement that I could never sleep soundly the night before that first day.  My prayers have been going out to my friends who began pre-planning last week and will spend their first day with the kiddos today.  I also pray for my new retiree friends, who will feel very strange this morning.

Yesterday was a unique and wonderful blessing for me.  I was able to attend a prayer walk for one of our local schools.  Also attending were several school staff members, three of the ministers from my local church, families from our church and a minister from another local church.  What a blessed time! It made me think of how many times I wished I could have prayed aloud as a school employee, leading my people in prayer.  But, unfortunately, in this day and time, that is not a freedom we enjoy. Yesterday, though, as a private citizen, I was able to lead in prayer and read the Bible aloud in this school setting.

What did I choose to read?  When I worked for a wonderful Christian lady named Carolyn Hall, she told me that she prayed Psalm 91 over her school every morning.  That is the psalm I read yesterday, and I thanked God for Carolyn, and for His abundant mercies that are new every morning.

One of the most exciting things about a new morning and a new school year is that they represent hope. Each day presents new opportunities, new challenges, new joys and yes, sometimes new heartbreak. The Scriptures say that the Lord's mercies "are new every morning".  What does this mean?  It means that each new day, like each new school year, represents opportunities for a fresh start.

We have this hope, that God forgives and restores.  Regardless of our past, whether it was filled with tremendous victories or tremendous defeats, each day is a new day, a new opportunity to live a life filled with PRAISE!

God is faithful to His own.  Isaiah proclaims in the 59th chapter of his book, verse 1:
"Behold, the LORD's hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. "

Regardless of what the new day brings, what the new school year brings, those of us who love the Lord will be upheld by His everlasting arms. We will be covered in His mercy and grace.

How many of you have ever seen a little toddler trip, fall, skin his knee and begin to cry?  Did you not pick him up, love him up, dry his tears, tenderly place a band-aid on his knee, and set him on his way again, buoyed and fortified by your love?  Yes!  That is what Father does for us!  His mercies are new every morning!

With this precious promise in our hearts, let's take this final meditation this morning to heart.  When I worked for Carolyn, our school's mascot was the eagle.  I loved that.  Look at this precious promise:
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint!" (NIV)

O Believer!  Whatever this day brings you....whatever this school year brings you, HE is with you, day in and day out, and every moment of every day.  Embrace this precious promise.  Feel His kiss upon your brow.  Walk resplendent today!

Good morning, Beloved Savior!  Thank you for being with us always, "even unto the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).  Thank you for a fresh start, and that we can have one every time we come to you in confession, asking for your mercy and restoration.  Thank you that your mercies are not only new every morning, but also every moment of every day.  Your mercy is "from everlasting to everlasting", and from everlasting to everlasting You are GOD. (Ps. 90:2)  I praise You, Almighty Three-In-One!  May we clothe ourselves in hope because of Your mercies and walk resplendent!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Getting Rid of God's People

Good morning!

As I write this, the "conflict" between the nation of Israel and the Islamic terrorists of Hamas, in Gaza, rages on into its 28th day, with no end in sight.  This is a conflict that contains no middle ground:  the nation of Israel maintains its right to exist; Hamas wants to destroy it.  In such cases, "the peace process" is a farce.

Eugene Peterson points out in his foreword to the book of Esther, which I was reading this morning, that the very presence of God often brings out the worst in people.  Those of us who have lived a while have seen this repeatedly.  A righteous-living person often draws evil people, who hunger and thirst to tear them down, for example.

At best, when the Jewish people dwelled in foreign lands, they were merely tolerated.  More often, they were outright persecuted, treated as slaves, or (as is the case today by Hamas) threatened with extermination.  I heard on the news yesterday that a leader of Islam had said that it would be great if all the earth's Jews came to live in Israel so that Islam could destroy them easier, with them being all in one place.

The Book of Esther gives us a historical snapshot of one such time in Jewish history, when the Jews came perilously close to extermination.  Then, as now, God raised up heroes to be used by Him to win the battle.  In this case, those heroes were Mordecai and Esther.

This episode takes place in the fifth century B.C., and the Jewish population was those exiles who had been snatched from Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar conquered the area.  Even though he allowed all captives to return to Jerusalem 70 years later, many of them chose to remain in Babylon, as they had made new lives there.  They remained and prospered.  Meanwhile, the Medes and Persians had conquered Belshazzar and established the Persian Empire that ruled the area we today know as Iraq.

Esther gets the most attention because she was queen, and the book bears her name.  However, it was her older cousin (and adopted father) Mordecai who gave Queen Esther the wise counsel (some would say an unveiled threat) that enabled her to make the pivotal decision that saved her people.  Let's look at some verses.

We read in the first 4 verses of chapter 2 that the king's representatives were ordered to "gather" beautiful young women from across the land.  It does not give the impression that the women had a choice in the matter, although the chance to live a life of non-stop beauty treatments and pampering and to compete for the Queenship must have been a powerful lure.

The Scriptures emphasize in chapter 2, verses 21-23, that Esther was a young woman very obedient to her adopted father.  Mordecai had told her to keep her Jewish heritage a secret.  One has to wonder if King Xerxes would have looked on her with such favor had he known she was a Jew?

In the first few verses of chapter 3, we see what a godly man Mordecai was, in his refusing to bow down to Haman.  Jews viewed this as an act of worship (remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abedneggo in the book of Daniel?); so, Mordecai would not do it.  He was a fearless man of principle and much wisdom.  It was this act of righteous defiance that sparked the conflict that nearly wiped out the dispersed Jews of Babylon.

Unfortunately, King Xerxes put his trust in this evil man, Haman, making him the #1 administrator of the kingdom, right below the king.  Haman had fallen prey to the sin of pride.  He had let his high position go to his head, and was thinking more highly of himself than he ought to think.  We read in chapter 3:8-9 that Haman misrepresented the Jews to the king.  This prideful, angry act of deception led to his downfall, and also to the downfall of his family.  But, the king trusted this man so much that he, the king, was largely unconcerned about what Haman was attempting to do to the Jews...until he learned it would affect Esther.  (chapter 7)

His love for her must have been very, very great.  For her sake, he spared an entire people group.
Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had erected for the execution of Mordecai.  In the end (chapter 8) Mordecai was elevated to Haman's high governmental position and made executor over his estate.  Moreover, and this is a little-emphasized point ... Xerxes became a champion for the Jewish people, writing an edict that authorized them to defend themselves to kill anyone who threatened them.

To celebrate in perpetuity this great deliverance on the part of their Almighty God, the Jewish people today celebrate the Feast of Purim, each spring.  They remember the book of Esther and thank God for their deliverance those 2600 years ago.  (Chapter 9, verses 26-28)

The Bible tells us that, while Jews and Christians have been persecuted down through history (and will continue to be until the end), neither group will be totally destroyed.  God allows persecution because it purifies His people.  But, the Bible is very clear in the book of Revelation that His Jewish people will have a massive turn and recognition of their Savior, Jesus, in the last days, and that, as He has down through history repeatedly, He will deliver them from final extermination.

So, don't write off God's people yet.  I hope that you are one of us.  We are on the winning side, in the end.  Some of us believe that time is very near.

Meanwhile, please pray for Israel and for persecuted Christians around the world!  And, stand steadfast in your faith!

Father, those of us Americans who know you are so blessed to dwell here in this country where, at present, we are largely un-persecuted.  I pray for Israel and for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are experiencing intense persecution, often even becoming martyrs for refusing to renounce the name of Jesus.  Please give us such faith and steadfastness, if and when persecution comes to our door. Please give us courage, like Mordecai and Esther! 
I pray for the eradication of radical Islam, around the world.  May Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.  Thank you, Father, for your Son, in whom we can trust.  In His name, Jesus' name, I pray, amen.

Chosen

Good morning!

This morning I was reading in 2 Kings about some of the kings of Israel and Judah.  Many of them had bloody paths to succession.  The war between idol worship and worship of the one true God Jehovah raged for centuries, back and forth.  This king served Baal and his (or her) kingdom had to be overthrown to re-establish a monarch who would rule as David described in 2 Samuel 23 as he spoke his last words on his deathbed.  Today I was reading about Jehu of Israel and Athaliah of Judah, both bloody monarchs.  At this time, the Jewish people dwelling in the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. This split happened shortly after the reign of Solomon, and continued for centuries.  Jehu served God faithfully, for the most part, but Athaliah - - - she was a Baal-worshipper, through and through.

After God, through Moses, led His people out of slavery in Egypt, and allowed them to wander in the desert for 40 years, He established them in The Promised Land, which includes modern day Israel, as well as extensive lands surrounding that area.  After the reign of a few kings, King Solomon was allowed to build for the Lord God a magnificent temple, which has not been equalled to this day.  This is commonly referred to as The First Temple.  Prior to this, God's presence had been centered on the Ark of the Covenant, which was kept in a tent.

The Jews dwelled in the Promised Land for many centuries, up until and about a century after the time of Christ, though they were ruled by other kingdoms during most of that time.  During the time of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, (approx. 550 BC) he took the majority of them captive to Babylon, leaving only a remnant in Jerusalem.  Solomon's temple was destroyed during this conquest.  70 years later, he let them return.  At this same time, another group of Jews fled to Egypt. That's just one example, and it was the first of what is commonly called The Diaspora or "The Dispersion".  It basically means that Jews were taken from or fled their homeland.  Jewish people lived mainly in Babylon, Egypt and the Promised Land for about 400 years.  During this period, the temple was rebuilt (The Second Temple).

Things rocked on until Rome conquered the area in about 63 BC. Then, Jesus was born, and then in about 70 AD, the second temple was destroyed in a failed rebellion against the Romans.  About 60 years later, when the Jerusalem Jews rebelled against the evil ruler, Hadrian, who was persecuting them (and Christians) mightily, he threw all Jews out of Jerusalem - - - forbidding them to ever return.  This was the second wave of The Diaspora.  The Jewish temple has never been rebuilt.  (But, the Bible tells us it will be.)

Jews scattered to Europe and other parts of the world, eventually including America.   Since its earliest days, Jews have flourished in America, making for this country some of its greatest triumphs.  Here Americans have given Jews religious freedom.  This may surprise you. Today, a little over 43% of the world's Jews live in Israel.  Of the remaining 56% or so, the majority reside in the United States of America, with almost all the rest living in the other G8 countries.  (These statistics came from Wikipedia, Jewish Diaspora.)

It is a mystery why God chose the Jewish people.  Who can know the mind of God?  But, it seems undeniable that He did choose them, as this is demonstrated over and over in Scripture.  There is no other ancient people whose history has been so painstakingly documented and who have endured for so many thousands of years.  It is truly supernatural.  God has a plan for His Chosen people.

I am deeply troubled by a couple of current events in other parts of the world, because of their potential effect on my country, America.  The first is the ongoing war between the terrorists of Hamas in Gaza and the people of the country of Israel.  For many years, ever since its birth in 1947, Israel has been America's ally.  Yet, recently, our country has been ambivalent to Israel, sometimes even hostile.  This will not go well for America, due to the fact that God promised to "bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you". (Genesis 12:3)  This promise was made from God to Abraham, referring to his descendants through Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's 12 sons.  It is sometimes called The Abrahamic Covenant.  That verse goes on to say that through the Jewish people, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.   In Zechariah 2:8 God gives a warning to nations who plunder Israel, that they are harming "the apple of His eye", or His "most treasured possession", as other versions put it.

The American people would do well to heed this dire warning.  As I've been sitting here blogging, my phone has alerted, due to an installed app, to let me know that the Hamas terrorists have fired rockets into Israel.  When I get these notifications, I pray for Israel's protection and safety.  The app is called Red Alert Israel, if you are interested.  But, it will annoy you, because it goes off all the time.  Right now, Israel and Hamas are supposed to be about half-way through a 72-hour cease fire for humanitarian reasons.  You can see how well that is going... The rockets were being fired into Israel last night as well.

We read in Psalm 121:4 that "He who watches over Israel does not slumber, nor does He sleep."
Christians, please pray for Israel, for the Jewish people.  God is not through with them yet.  Use your influence to sway our leaders to advocate for the well-being of Israel.  It will be to America's detriment if we abandon her.

Holy Father, we learn in Scripture that you ever-vigilantly watch over your chosen people, Israel, because you have loved them with an everlasting love.  I am so thankful to have been adopted into this family, not through birth or heritage, but through the precious sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.  As an adopted daughter, your everlasting Love extends to me.  I pray this morning for the nation of Israel, that no weapon formed against her will stand, that all rockets fired at her will go off-course, that her people will be protected and the land be spared severe damage.  Oh God, we cannot clearly see how you will work Your will out for your Chosen People.  But, You see!  You know!  We trust you and marvel at your marvelous works!  I love you, LORD.  In Jesus' name, amen.