Forget, “Don’t be grouchy like a rooster!” These days, we are singing, “Don’t be broody like a hen!” In our flock of Easter-Eggers, as Spring gives way to Summer, we have had one of our female fowl think she’s hatching little ones. While this maternal instinct is God-given, our girl is experiencing these urges because of hormones. She is convinced she’s going to incubate chicks, even though they aren’t fertilized. A brooding hen will remain in such a state to her own detriment, neglecting herself to “hatch” what will never hatch. Weight loss and dehydration are common in hens allowed to stay broody. She will growl and even peck when you try to break her of this behavior. The behavior will even spread to other members of the flock. While she is sure she is hatching chicks, she is totally wrong!
I wonder if God gives us such natural illustrations to paint a picture of greater truths He wants us to understand. Concerning some who did not receive the love of the truth in order to be saved, Paul explains, “For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false” (2 Th. 2:10-11). In that context, he is writing about those who are persuading people to believe untruths about the Second Coming of Christ. Those who didn’t love the truth made their minds vulnerable to false ideas. The fruit of exchanging truth for a lie is being given over to impurity, degrading passions, and depraved minds to do improper things, “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boasters, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful” (Rom. 1:18-31).
We can be totally convinced that wrong is right, right is wrong, up is down, and day is night. Just because we are sincere and totally committed to that idea does not make it right. We may convince others of it. We may fight passionately for that conviction, yet still be dead wrong! This is true whether the matter has to do with God’s plan of salvation, sexual orientation or identity, acceptable worship, or really anything God has clearly revealed in His Word. A world full of people may be persuaded that something is acceptable or unacceptable despite what God has said. Persisting in such a mindset is self-destructive.
When a hen is brooding, it’s incumbent upon the owners to exercise their superior reasoning and strength to help remedy the situation. They must break the brooding, culling them out of the flock and putting them somewhere (a separate pen) away from the dark and exposed to direct sunlight to snap them out of it. This will take time, but it is the most effective and compassionate way to resolve the problem.
Spiritually, the same is true. Personal attention and exposure to the Son is what corrects those with a good and honest heart from fatal ideas. The process may be unpleasant both for the one experiencing the delusion and those trying to help them. We cannot force anyone to give up destructive beliefs. The omnipotent God does not even do that. But, compassion and concern will cause us to do what we can to help those who “oppose themselves” (2 Tim. 2:25, KJV).
These girls are going into a “broody-breaking pen” today!
When I was a kid, one of my favorite things about the beginning of June was hearing my mother’s tongue-in-cheek rendition of “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” from Carousel. While some aspects of Carousel are dark, this song is a joyful celebration of the arrival of summer and the blooming of nature. It exudes optimism. In some ways, we can see this song’s themes of rejuvenation and new beginnings metaphorically resonating with Billy Bigelow’s chance to make things right after his tragic death. That theme of new beginnings and seasonal renewal is what I prefer to associate with June.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, I dread June’s arrival. The joyous celebration of the approaching summer season in June has shifted from hope and rebirth to the sinful attribute of pride. Yes, as we all know, it’s that time of year when pandering businesses surround us with new logos that incorporate the misappropriated rainbow, the chosen symbol for 7.1% of the U.S. population’s sense of entitlement. (Jones) The word “pride” becomes so common in June that it causes nausea. And I am not even addressing the matter of the many shades of sexual immorality that it celebrates. People have forgotten that a small amount of pride goes a long way. They’ve also forgotten that pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16.18).
When we have healthy pride, we can find satisfaction in our accomplishments. Nothing is wrong with this. Solomon may have thought his overall pursuits were futile, but he recognized that the ability to reflect on the fruits of one’s labor is a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 3.12–13). Pride can also motivate us to put forth our best efforts, knowing that our work positively impacts our community. For example, the men with Judge Gideon raised a chant of “For the Lord and Gideon” (Judges 7.18). They did so because they were proud of their God and their general. When we show our pride in others, we express our belief in the person we praise. So, when we offer pride on behalf of another, it can be beneficial. However, Paul cautioned Timothy not to show such support hastily (1 Timothy 5.22).
But in June, when we hear “pride,” we don’t think of any of those things. What effort or success does one honor when seeking the approval of others for their way of life? Members of the LGBTQ+ community tell us that their genetic makeup determines their sexual orientation or gender identity. If true, isn’t this the same as a redhead being proud of her hair color or a Caucasian being proud of his skin color? Is it not, in other words, someone bragging about something they have no say in? Why isn’t there a “blue-eyed pride month” if we need gestures like what we see each June to show acceptance of a “minority group”? After all, only about 10% of the population has blue eyes. (Moor) There must be something different about the kind of pride promoted in June.
Yes, the pride celebrated in June is sinful. This display is the harmful pride condemned in Scripture, the same pride that led to the devil’s downfall (1 Timothy 3.6). There is a reason why Roman Catholicism considers this type of pride to be the first of the “seven deadly sins.” Pride is the root sin from which all other sins can spring. The Bible defines sinful pride as an excessive love and admiration for oneself, an exaggerated sense of one’s importance, and a disregard for the worth and needs of others. It entails exalting one’s abilities, accomplishments, and status, which can lead to an arrogant and self-centered attitude. John lists this pride as one of Satan’s three main temptations to get us to sin (1 John 2.15–17).
What about psychology? Excessive pride is viewed negatively in this academic study of the mind and behavior. Organizers ostensibly created “pride month” to raise awareness and signal to other members of the same community who were “closeted” that they could freely be themselves publicly and find support from a broader population who would accept them. However, this has devolved into a show of superiority over those not part of their small community. They used to complain that they didn’t have a voice and were left out, but now they want to push out anyone who may tolerate their behavior in a free society but won’t support and celebrate it as vociferously.
This pride celebration also shuts down all discourse because pride does not allow for perceived criticism. For example, when someone says that specific displays are inappropriate for children, it is automatically interpreted as bigotry rather than an opportunity to discuss how oversexed we have become as a society. It is not a question of one group against another as it is of whether we will allow children to grow up in innocence, free from outside influences, and make these important decisions for themselves. If the “pride community” would listen, they would hear us say that we are also uncomfortable with the flood of sexually charged heterosexual displays. But once again, pride prevents open dialogue. Worse, this refusal to hear causes heated rhetoric on social media with groups like concerned parents being mislabeled things like fascists or terrorists!
As a parting thought, let me say what happens when others impose this pride on everyone in June. The result of such pride is alienation and loneliness. Consistent displays of excessive pride make the proud seem unapproachable, and this makes it harder for them to form meaningful relationships with others outside their small group, stunting their social development. If “pride month” is supposed to make those not part of the LGBTQ+ community accept them, it accomplishes the opposite. It has a chilling effect. It does turn society into “us vs. them.” And it makes some people even more determined to shun and ostracize the LGBTQ+ community when they would have otherwise just left them alone.
Ultimately, disillusioned individuals in the LGBTQ+ community will find themselves feeling even more isolated and depressed because these kinds of excessive displays of pride turn people off. Even though teachers will hide their gender change or sexual preferences from their parents and social media influencers encourage them, these confused youth, whom the devil promises will be like God, only discover their nakedness and shame (cf. Genesis 3.4–7). Consequently, the number of young LGBTQ+ people considering suicide is rising. (Powell)
Once again, I wish to say that this article is not a discussion of biblically permissible sexuality and identity. This article is only about the pride the LGBTQ+ community and their allies praise and celebrate every June and the trouble it causes. In contrast, Jesus left His humble example for us to follow. Paul beautifully describes how Jesus “emptied Himself” to become a servant willing to die on the cross (Philippians 2.3–8). And Paul believed that the only thing he could boast about was his weakness because it highlighted his need for God’s grace (2 Corinthians 11.30). Let us also make June, and every month, a month of affirming humility and acknowledging that in doing so, God can be the one lifting us (Matthew 23.12).
Seeing Paul’s prayer life and how strong it was and how much he relied on it shows me how much I lack in my personal prayer life. A major eye-opener is reading about the absolute and total trust that he had in prayer.
In Philippians 1:3-8, we read Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving. Most often in our own prayers we are not specific in our requests. And it seems like more and more, the only times we pray is when we need something. But this is not the case for Paul. Just by reading through a few of his prayers you can see his genuineness and the true relationship that he had with God.
Not only did Paul have a genuinely healthy personal prayer life, he also didn’t pray for just himself. The next time you read one of Paul’s prayers, notice in how detailed a way he prays for others. In Philippians 1, we read of how he prayed for the Christians there. But he wasn’t vague; his prayers were specific to their needs. He prayed that they would approve the things that are excellent, that they would be sincere, that they would be without spot, for their perseverance, that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness, and that God would be praised and glorified.
Paul recognized the power of prayer and what praying for others can accomplish. And I think sometimes we can forget just how powerful prayer truly is. Most say, “All we can do now is pray.” But we have it all wrong when we say this. The very first thing we should do in trials and struggles is to pray. We see our greatest example, Jesus, do this before He went to the cross. We read of Paul and how he was always praying for others.
Paul prayed for the Philippians’ perseverance, and we need to persevere in our prayers during trials. Paul says in Philippians 1:3-4, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” He says “every prayer” not some or a few of his prayers. He was dedicated to praying. Paul tells the Philippians he prayed that “your love may abound more and more…” And I pray the same thing, that our love may grow more for others and that we might be able to pray for others more and remember their needs when we go to the Father.
Colossians 2 repeats the confidence theme — “I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love, and to have the full confidence that comes from understanding.” We can only get this confidence by sticking to the essentials that Jesus gave us.
2.4 says, “I tell you this so no one can fool you by giving you ideas that seem good, but are false.” Then 2.7-8, “You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. Never stop thanking God. Be sure you aren’t led away by the teaching of those who have nothing worth saying and are only trying to trick you. That teaching isn’t from Christ. It’s only human tradition and comes from the powers that influence this world.”
Man-made traditions are powerless and often damaging, since they come from the powers that influence this world. But that wasn’t Jesus’s purpose!
2.13-14 says, “You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you weren’t free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life with Christ. He forgave all of our sins. Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt — a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.”
This leads to 2.16 — “So don’t let anyone make rules for you about eating or drinking or about Jewish customs. In the past, these things were like a shadow that showed what was coming. But the new things coming are found in Christ.”
The entire book of Colossians is summarized with 2.18 — “Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble. They worship angels, and they always talk about the visions they’ve seen. Don’t let them cheat you out of your reward. It’s foolish for them to feel any kind of pride because it’s all based on their human ideas.”
The keyword of 2.18 is καταβραβευετω (translated “cheat” in the verse above) — today we might say something like “umpire”. Don’t let anyone try to force you to observe a man-made tradition and then say “you’re out” if you don’t follow it. Paul lists some specific traditions in Colossians — circumcision (2.11) and prohibitions like “don’t eat that” or “don’t taste that” or “don’t touch that stuff” (2.21).
This is after he says, “You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you still follow those rules? Those rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they’re used. They are only human commands and teachings. These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that our sinful self wants to do.”
This section reminds us that the power of our faith comes from Jesus, not man-made traditions. In fact, enforcing man-made traditions as important to our faith is sinful. If we follow those enforced traditions, we run the risk of losing our reward. If we want to see God, we need only what Jesus told us and nothing more (2.13-14).
The news can be depressing! Here’s ten verses of encouragement from the Psalms and Proverbs— hand picked by my wife and me.
Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”
Proverbs 10:21 “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.”
Psalms 37:23-24 “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”
Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
Psalm 40:11 “As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!”
Psalm 54:4 “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.”
Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
Psalm 62:6-7 “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”
Shortly after I moved to Colorado to preach for the Bear Valley congregation, some unknown prankster gave me one of the coolest gifts I have ever owned. In a large blister card, sealed in plastic with a cardboard backing, there were eight Matchbox cars that had been smashed and semi-crushed. At the top of the cardboard backing was an inscription: “Everybody always prays for the preacher to have a ‘ready wreck collection,’ so here it is. Your very own wreck collection.” That was nearly 17 years ago and it still sits in my office today. What a genius prank!
Preachers greatly appreciate those prayers. Much study and preparation goes into each lesson and we want to remember what and how to say what we plan to present. “Ready” implies we don’t have to struggle. “Recollection” is the ability to recall what is in the mind (or on the page).
Have you ever thought about how vital a ready recollection is for all of us as Christians, as we live our daily lives?
When the world tries to give you a rival, recall that the Lord is God, and there is no other (Isa. 46:8-9).
When you are afflicted, recall the Lord’s lovingkindness (Lam. 3:19-22).
When you are so troubled you cannot speak, remember your song in the night (Psa. 77:4-6).
When you feel forgotten, remember the deeds and wonders of God (Psa. 77:11).
Whether life is going great or poorly, remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth (1 Chron. 16:8-12).
When you are afraid, remember the Lord who is great and awesome (Neh. 4:14).
Before the difficult days come, remember your Creator in your youth (Ecc. 12:1).
When you hit a spiritual low point, remember your sin and hate it (Ezek. 20:43-44).
When faced with the needs of the weak, remember how Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
When looking at your past, remember what you were but thank God for what you are now in Christ (Eph. 2:12-13).
Whatever your circumstance, remember Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:8).
Walk through Scripture and see how often it says to “recall” and “remember.” The Lord’s Supper is instituted as a weekly reminder for us to recall the price paid for us. God knows that we can become lax and forgetful. All of us are served well by having ready recollections. Let’s build our collection of the things we need to remember to spiritually survive this world and prepare ourselves for an eternity in the presence of the great God who has done so much for us!
1 Chronicles 12 describes David’s loyal followers gathering and supporting him as he prepared to become King of Israel. This chapter emphasizes the unity and strength that resulted from the various tribes rallying behind David, laying the groundwork for his reign and the kingdom’s unification.
The men of Issachar stood out among these tribes for their understanding of the times and their knowledge of what Israel should do (1 Chronicles 12.32). They understood that God had anointed David as king while Saul was on the throne. Their kinship with their brethren and willingness to support Israel led them to assist David and his men at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12.40). Their leadership in this matter served as a model for other tribes that were still undecided.
We can draw inspiration from the men of Issachar and apply their lessons to our modern world during our current cultural civil war, characterized by fierce rhetoric and ideological conflicts.
We need wisdom and insight above all else. We must understand the complexities of our times like the men of Issachar did while avoiding falling prey to mere sentiment or rhetoric. We must recognize the cultural shifts, ideologies, and conflicts shaping our world today.
A usurper rules the world (1 John 5.19). We recognize that this usurper is a master manipulator who duped our mother, Eve, into sin (Genesis 3.1–7). Jesus referred to him as the father of lies and a murderer from our beginning (John 8.44). On the other hand, Revelation 19.16 reminds us that Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God’s anointed (Acts 10.38). Yet, unfortunately, many people, including some of our family, friends, and neighbors, still regard Satan as their king.
We must demonstrate the men of Issachar’s willingness to put our efforts into action since we know what we must all do. When making decisions, we must use sound judgment by weighing various options and understanding the consequences. The Gospel’s teachings give us a sound mind, which leads to discipline. These characteristics enable us to face our opponents and carry out our duties without fear (2 Timothy 1.7). Amid our cultural civil war, it is critical to make decisions guided by God’s truth and values, contributing to the well-being of others and the pursuit of justice.
Second, even in discord, we should strive for harmony, following in the footsteps of the men of Issachar, who were instrumental in establishing and maintaining national peace. Even though we offer peace terms to people whose sins have gotten the best of them (cf. Matthew 5.9), they must know that their rebellion against God warrants death (Romans 6:23). Nonetheless, we bring the good news of God’s gift of eternal life through Christ. Regardless of contentious issues, we are encouraged to approach discussions and conflicts humbly, preaching the truth in love (Ephesians 4.5). We can contribute to a more constructive and peaceful engagement with those harboring different points of view by encouraging dialogue and building bridges.
Third, Christian ethics should guide our responses to current issues, just as God’s commandments guided the men of Issachar. God has given us everything we require for life and godliness (2 Peter 1.3). We look to the Scriptures in our cultural context because the words of Christ will judge us (John 12.48). We can apply Christian ethics to issues of cultural civil war by drawing on Christ’s teachings and grounding our engagement in love, truth, and reconciliation. Even during heated debates, our words and actions should reflect Christ’s character (1 Peter 2.23). Peter reminds us that Christ suffered for us, leaving an example for us to follow in His footsteps (1 Peter 2.21).
Finally, the example of the men of Issachar encourages us to develop a voice of reason in these contentious times. We must cultivate a reasoned voice that speaks the truth, confronts sin, and offers hope, just as the men of Issachar did.
An event in the divided monarchy’s history illustrates this task. Ben-hadad, the Aramean king, had besieged Samaria, resulting in extreme conditions and even cannibalism. In a twist of events orchestrated by God, the Arameans were frightened into fleeing, leaving their supplies behind. The discovery of the abandoned camp by four lepers resulted in abundant riches and food.
Their consciences, however, troubled them, and they realized they couldn’t keep the good news to themselves (2 Kings 7.9). Likewise, we have information that is too good to keep to ourselves. As a result, we, like Issachar, should provide leadership and point people to the transformative power of the cross.
By incorporating these insights into our understanding of the men of Issachar, we can navigate the challenges of the cultural civil war with discernment, seek unity amid division, apply Christian ethics, and cultivate a reasoned voice. As a result, we can contribute to a more constructive and transformative engagement in our culture, even amid heated rhetoric and ideological clashes.
May the Lord give us the wisdom and courage to apply these principles daily. May we be reconcilers, peacemakers, and bearers of Christ’s transformative power.
Faith impacts every aspect of life and that’s why we should always strive to grow our faith. A quick look at the church and we will see that there is a need for greater faith! We can grow our faith by looking to those who Jesus commended for their great trust.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry he encountered several people that showed great faith. There are only two occurrences in scripture where Jesus “marvelled.” Mark 6:7 says Jesus marveled at their unbelief (lack of faith). Luke 7:9 tells us that Jesus marveled at the centurions great faith. With our faith we have the ability to cause Jesus to marvel. The question is, will Jesus marvel at our belief or our unbelief? Let’s look at a few examples to imitate:
Example #1 Matthew 8:5-10
The centurion comes to Jesus with a faith that caused Jesus to marvel. It’s rare to find someone with this kind of faith. Many today have a hard time trusting others. And for good reason since many have evil intentions.
But we must be careful not to let this impact our faith in God. We can and should trust in the Lord! He cares for our well being and we can rely on Him. We can be wary of the world, but we should never believe God to be a liar. The centurion came to Jesus with a great faith.
Why was it great? Notice what he says to Jesus, “You don’t even have to come.” He believed that Jesus had the power to heal his servant without even being present. Most people in his position would have wanted to see Jesus heal them in person. That way you could watch Jesus do it, and watch the sickness leave. But the centurion was so confident in Christ that he knew his servant would be healed, even though he was separated from him. He saw Jesus for who He was. A man/God with power and authority.
In verse 13 we read the result of this great faith. The centurion’s faith was placed in the right thing. His faith paid off and his servant was healed “at that very moment.” He would go home to a perfectly healthy servant. And that’s the result of a great faith in the Almighty.
Example #2 Matthew 9:1-2
It says that Jesus “saw” their faith. They didn’t speak, they didn’t tell Jesus anything that showed faith. Jesus saw their faith. What did He see? He saw a group of people coming to Him carrying a paralytic. What faith did Jesus see? He saw people that came to Him for help.
They had a problem and they believed that Jesus could fix it. Do we see Jesus as the answer to our problems? Do we believe that He is what we need? Does Jesus see our faith? Do our actions show that we believe in Him?
These people saw Jesus as the master physician and they acted on their faith.
Example #3 Matthew 9:19-22
This woman’s faith was so strong she knew that just a touch would heal this problem that she had been dealing with for 12 years. She didn’t believe it was necessary for Jesus to look at her, lay hands on her, or speak. Just a touch would do the trick. Jesus responds by saying “your faith has made you well.” Jesus had the power, but the woman had the Faith to be healed. If she lacked faith she wouldn’t have been healed.
Example #4 Matthew 9:27-30
Jesus asks the men an important question, “Do you believe I can do this?” When we experience suffering and heartache what is our response? If Jesus came to you and asked, “Do you believe I can fix this?” How would you respond? These blind men came to Jesus and believed that He could heal them.
Vs. 29 says, “According to your faith be it done to you.” Once again their healing was based on the faith they possessed. God rewards those who have faith.
If you read through the accounts where Jesus heals the sick there’s a phrase that keeps coming up, “Your faith has made you well.”
Mark 10:52 “go your way, your faith has made you well”
Luke 7:50 “your faith has saved you, go in peace”
Luke 17:19 “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 18:42 “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”
Based on these verses, what quality saved them? Their faith. Which begs the question…
Will your faith save you? Do you believe in heaven and hell? Will your faith in God cause you to live according to His word? Will your faith save you? Or do you cause Jesus to marvel at your lack of belief?
After showing us that Jesus is our only true hope, Paul gives some information about the one who saved us. This is one of the most straightforward descriptions of God’s form and function that we have in scripture. God the father is invisible (1.15). No human has ever seen the father (Jn 6.46). The only visible form of God visible to human eyes is Jesus. This verse uses an interesting word: εικων (eikon). This means that Jesus is the form of God that we can see; or, he’s the “body” of God. This is clarified by 1.19, “God was pleased for all of himself to live in the son.” It’s repeated in 2.9, “I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth.” We’re all familiar with Genesis 1.1, “In the beginning God created the sky and ground.” We know from John 1.1ff that that was done through Jesus. Col 1.16 reaffirms this by saying, “Through Jesus’s power all things were made: things in space (ουρανοις) and on earth, visible and invisible — all spiritual rulers, masters, powers, and authorities. Everything was made through him and for him.” So why does Paul describe the physical makeup of the father and son? Because of 1.20, “Through Jesus, God was happy to bring all things back to himself again — things on earth and things outside of earth. God made peace by using the blood sacrifice of his son on the cross.” This is because we were separated from God because of our moral impurity (21). But he made peace with us through the death of Jesus (22). What’s very interesting in these two verses is the emphatic use of two different words for a physical body — σαρκος (sarkos) and σωματι (somati)! He just said that Jesus is the physical form of God, then emphasizes this by using two words for physical body. Jesus had form before he became fully human — he was the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament. But he became fully human so that he could feel pain, feel emotion, and bleed out for our sake. He did this so we’d be special and blameless in God’s eyes. In 1.23, Paul summarized why he said all that stuff — “You must not let anything cause you to give up the hope that became yours when you heard the good news.”
On May 30, 1806, Charles Dickinson, an attorney from Nashville, TN, and Andrew Jackson engaged in a duel on the Jeff Burr farm. Charles Dickinson was a famous duelist and as he confidently walked to the farm he would fire multiple shots with his pistol to show those around who they should bet on.
Dueling was illegal in Tennessee so they made their way just a hair over the state line into Kentucky. It was on the bank of a river where over eighty people were buzzing with excitement as they gathered to watch.
Dickinson and Jackson had each taken twenty-four steps and then faced each other with pistol in hand. Both men glared at each other; sweat beading on their brows. This moment had been a long time coming and it was Jackson who had the most to lose, his good name.
Dickinson raised his pistol and shot first. The bullet hit Jackson in the shoulder but he was still standing. It’s reported by an eye-witness that with one hand Jackson pressed down on the bleeding wound and with the other he took aim— and shot. His bullet hit Dickinson square in the chest and he collapsed to ground.
Andrew Jackson would recover from his injury and become the president of the United States. Dickinson, however, would die The quarrel that had escalated to a duel to the death began with derogatory rumors that were spread by Dickinson about Jackson’s wife, Rachel.
Four Ways To Guard Against Gossip
When speaking of negative qualities: Say things that only need to be said.
Speak only things that would likely help the person being discussed, and no more.
Know your end game and why you’re saying what you’re saying. What do you hope to accomplish?
Most importantly— handle it biblically.
Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20 – Both differentiate gossip from slander and condemn it as the result of a “depraved mind.” That’s strong language!
1 Timothy 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:11 – Both condemn “busybodies” who “speak about things not proper to mention.”
“Busybodies” – “busy about trifles and neglectful of important matters”
Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother sins, go and reprove him in private…”
This implies resolving the matter one on one. Gossip is just the opposite. Gossip is like breaking something that’s already broken and that makes a situation even harder to fix.
Galatians 6:1 – It must be a public matter if someone was “caught in sin.”
1 Timothy 5:20 – Paul tells Timothy that an elder who “continues in sin” should be rebuked “in the presence of all.”
Ps. 141.3 “set a guard over my mouth, a gatekeeper over my lips.”
In two different summers (2017 and 2019), I have visited the wilderness of Judea. Two words describe it very well: “hot” and “dry.” It serves as a great graphic or visual for David’s illustration in Psalm 63. The title over the psalm simply says, “A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judea.” He would have spent time there throughout his life, as a shepherd boy, as the Shepherd King, and, no doubt, later in life as the region included his Bethlehem home and his Jerusalem home. Whether herding sheep, fighting (or fleeing) enemies, or simply traveling, David would have traversed the land he speaks of in this psalm.
There is an entire song drawn from the words of this psalm. Mike Di Scala wrote it and the group Acapella sang this beautiful song (Your Love Is Better Than Life). The most striking feature of this psalm, to me, is the intimacy between David and God. David is not indifferent, like a spoiled child. God is not pictured as an indulgent Father or wrathful Deity. There is such depth to the relationship.
It Is A Personal Relationship–“You are my God” (1); “my soul, my flesh” (1), “my lips” (3), “my hands” (4), “my soul” (5), “my mouth” (5), “my bed” (6), “my help” (7), “my soul” (8), “my life” (9). You’ll find the personal pronoun “I” eight times (along with “my” 11 times). Not his father Jesse’s faith. Not his predecessor Saul’s faith. Not his brother Eliab’s faith. Not his the faith of a wife. David was personally invested. “I have seen you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.” Nobody can do that for me.
It Is A Passionate Relationship–Modified with words like “earnestly” (1), “thirst” and “yearn” (2), it led him to praise, bless, lift hands, be satisfied and meditate. His soul clings to God (8). Notice that the one led to the other. By investing, he reaped dividends. What we do daily is either building our fire or dousing it. David was aflame.
It Is A Performing Relationship–It went beyond feelings. David did not simply receive; He gave. He sought (2). He worshipped (2-5). He meditated (6). He clung (8). It was characterized by faith, but also works.
It Is A Protecting Relationship– Despite the adversities and struggles he encountered in life, David was confident that God was with him and would deliver him (7, 9-12). God is praiseworthy, just in His nature. But it’s so much more than that. He cares for us and will help us every step of the way. Knowing that, who can help but mirror David’s thoughts and feelings in Psalm 63?
We live in the most prosperous and wealthy nation that has ever been. I would say this is one of the most relevant spiritual topics both on a macro and micro level to the Church. It also doesn’t hurt that this topic is right up my alley given my profession. In my profession I have seen all kinds of examples of stewardship where money is treated as the master and how people are consumed with making and acquiring the next dollar as well as the avenues and lengths they have gone to get it.
Do you realize that money/stewardship is one of the most frequent topics in all of scripture? Did you also realize that in the 89 Chapters of the gospel accounts (Matt, Mark,Luke, and John) that money/stewardship is discussed approximately 123 times. Further more one half of all of Jesus’ parables discuss money/stewardship in some aspect? And lastly some of the most harsh warnings in scripture are in regards to money/stewardship.
So what is stewardship? I define stewardship in very simple terms…. Stewardship is the management of an asset that is from or belongs to another. With that definition in mind it brings me to what must be the first principle in Christian stewardship. EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD!!! See Deuteronomy 10:14 and Psalm 89:11. With that definition of Stewardship and the first principle in mind we need to ensure that we give equal significance, effort, and focus in acquiring assets and proper handling of these assets. It has to be a balance or we run the risk of stepping into the many harsh warnings that we see in scripture.
A few of these warnings are found in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Matthew 19:24, and Matthew 6:24. As you can see, it is very clear the warnings that scripture lays out for us in our pursuit of possessions and money and how easy it is to be overtaken by those desires. However, if we go back to the first principle that EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD, we are merely stewards of his assets that he created and gave to us, and we realize that we only have possession for a short period of time
Next let’s take a look at what the wisdom writer of Ecclesiastes has to say in regards to this topic. The writer brings out the meaningless cycle and toil, the burden of trying to keep up with others, and the effects of never being satisfied. However, he also points out that we can have satisfaction as we see in chapter 2:24-25.
So as we are going about living in a world that views Stewardship in basically an opposite way that we strive to as Christians, let’s remember the words of Jesus in Acts 20:35: IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE!
Dr. Scott Stripling, excavations director for the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR), made a significant biblical archaeology discovery on Mount Ebal in 2020. Stripling found the amulet in the eastern dump pile, and they believe it came from one of the altars that Professor Adam Zerta excavated more than 30 years ago.
Tomographic scans revealed an ancient proto-alphabetic Hebrew inscription on the amulet, hundreds of years older than any other known Hebrew inscription from ancient Israel. Two epigraphers, Pieter Gert van der Veen and Gershon Galil, identified the amulet as a curse tablet (defixio). The word “cursed” appeared ten times in the inscription, as did the tetragrammaton (YHWH) twice.
Mount Ebal is significant in biblical history because it was where curses were pronounced during the covenant ceremony before the Israelites’ entry into Canaan (Deuteronomy 11:26ff). Due to its discovery within the ruins of an altar, Dr. Scott Stripling and Pieter Gert van der Veen propose a link between the discovered amulet and the biblical covenant renewal ceremony (Joshua 8:30ff). Furthermore, Prof. Gershon Galil’s textual analysis suggests that the person who inscribed the amulet was most likely a prominent figure, and the deliberate placement of the talisman near the religious site supports the biblical account of Joshua’s altar’s historical accuracy.
What is the significance of this? The consensus is that Israel entered Canaan around 1250 BC or in the 13th century BC. (Metych) Scholars have long assumed that they had no written language when they arrived in Canaan. Furthermore, scholars believe that the Hebrews only wrote their Scriptures once imprisoned in Babylon or even the Persian or Greek eras. Consequently, scholars think that various cultures influenced a substantial portion of the concepts presented in Scripture. (e.g., Noah of Genesis vs. Utnapishtim of The Epic of Gilgamesh).
However, this Ebal inscription predates the pottery discovered in the 2010s, dating back to the end of the First Temple period 2,710 years ago. (Staff) The engraving on Ebal is at least three hundred years older. And, despite being written in a proto-alphabetic script, the message indicates that those who placed the amulet there were YHWH worshippers. YHWH is God’s covenant name, which He taught Moses when He tasked the latter with leading His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3.14). And now we have proof that people in Joshua’s time could write.
There is also the implication that the Exodus may have occurred earlier than previously believed. The Pharaoh Merneptah created a victory stele discovered in Thebes in 1896. (Kettley) Merneptah claimed to have defeated the nomadic people “Israel” in his campaigns in Canaan on the stele. Merneptah was a little-known pharaoh who ruled from 1213 to 1203 BC.
Suppose Israel was already present in the early 13th century BC. Could we not deduce from the evidence atop Ebal that these “nomads” against whom Merneptah fought were not a people devoid of civilization and culture? Why would Merneptah boast about his victory over them if they weren’t fearsome and capable of mounting a defense? Some believe that Merneptah’s father, Rameses II, ruled Egypt during the Exodus. If true, though I am skeptical, Merneptah may have wanted to boost his image following his father’s failure.
I am mindful of the warning from the Hebrews’ writer that “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10.31 NASB1995). Even so, I don’t think I have ever been happier to read about God’s curses. It may be one of the few times that you can build your faith when you read: “Cursed, cursed, cursed—cursed by the God YHWH. You will die cursed. Cursed, you will surely die. Cursed by YHWH— cursed, cursed, cursed.” (Eliyahu Berkowitz)
Eliyahu Berkowitz, Adam. “‘Curse’ Text on Ancient Amulet Could Change Way Scholars Read Bible.” The Jerusalem Post – Christian World, 24 Mar. 2022, www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-702243.
Further Reading
Sudilovsky, Judith. “Researchers Decipher Oldest Known Hebrew Inscription on ‘cursed’ Tablet.” The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com, 24 Mar. 2022, www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-702271.
Siegel-Itzkovich, Judy. “Ancient Tablet Found on Mount Ebal Predates Known Hebrew Inscriptions.” The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com, 14 May 2023, www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-743039.
Ephesians 3:17–19 says, “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” What do we comprehend? The Love of Christ!
Through the power of the Spirit, and because of the indwelling of Christ, we are to become established in love and being established in love, we have power to comprehend the love of Christ. But how do you describe such a love?
Paul says, “comprehend what is the breadth, and length and height and depth.”
But he purposefully left off what it is that he was describing. So what does he mean?
It takes in the eternity of God. God is Love; and in that, an infinity of breadth, length, depth, and height, is included; or rather all breadth, length, depth, and height, are lost in this vastness. It comprehends all that is above, all that is below, all that is past, and all that is to come. All of this is said in reference to us, His creation! The love of God, in its breadth, is a net that encompasses the globe; its length reaches from the eternal purpose of the mission of Christ, to the eternity which is to be spent in his presence. It’s depth reaches to the lowest sinner, and to the very center of the heart; and its height to the eternal glory of the throne of Christ.
How do you describe the love of Christ? We can’t. No one has ever shown this amount of love for this many sinful people.
And yet we still act like we have power, like we are above God. Man on his own has no power.
But God, God has given us the opportunity to have the power to comprehend His Son’s love.
Comprehension is “to process information, understand, grasp.” A kid growing up hears from their parents that they love him. He hears it every day, but he never fully comprehends that love until he has kids of his own. A person will go through something traumatic, and the first couple of hours they are in shock. They know what happened, but they haven’t comprehended it yet. Sadly, we can hear about the love of Christ, we can hear God’s Word. But this isn’t the same as comprehension.
Growing up I hated literature. I can remember reading the Iliad, eyes glazed over, and just seeing words on a page. I couldn’t tell you a thing about what I was reading. I wasn’t comprehending. Ephesians 3:19 puts “and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” And to GNOSKO the love of Christ. A working knowledge as opposed to book knowledge. This is comprehension, a useful knowledge of Christ’s love.
As a faithful Christian, you can comprehend the love of Christ. And knowing his love is power. There’s a devotional song we sing that says, “amazing love! How can it be? That you, my God would die for me.” To be powerful is to comprehend the love of Christ. And in comprehending we live out His love. That is our purpose as Christians.
We’ll spend the next few weeks on an overview of Colossians. The theme of Colossians is simple — Jesus is all you need. You don’t need Jesus, plus some other tradition.
The letter starts with a reminder of why we live the Christian life. 1.5 says, “Your faith and love continue because you know what is waiting for you in the heavens: the hope you’ve had since you first heard the true message about God’s grace.” This is very similar to 3.1, which says, “You were raised from death with Christ — so live for what is above, which is where Christ is sitting at God’s right hand.” Our hope is in Jesus, who came from above. Our faith and love continue because we know what’s waiting for us when the one who is in the heavens comes back for us.
1.9-11 promises that God will make us completely sure of what he wants. He will help us live the kind of lives that make him happy. He’ll help us to be productive and expand our knowledge of him. He’ll also give us strength with his own power so we can make it through difficult times. Our response should be happiness (1.12) and gratitude! By helping us live the right kind of life — thanks to Jesus’s sacrifice (1.14) — we’ll be able to get what he promised us, which is immortality and escape from earth’s corruption.
The proverbs in Proverbs 28 are still part of the collection of those transmitted during the reign of King Hezekiah well over 200 years after Solomon’s death. They are filled with warnings and instructions, many of them similes. In this chapter, Solomon speaks of various types of men both good and bad.
“A poor man” (3, 6, 11,15). The poor man is not always painted sympathetically, nor is he always approved by God. Solomon mentions the audacious poor man who oppresses other poor people as being a destructive rainstorm (3). But the poor man who walks in integrity is said to be better than the crooked-acting rich man (6). Solomon praises the one who looks after the poor (8). A poor man with understanding is wiser than a rich man wise in his own eyes (11). God condemns wicked rulers who trample over the poor (15). A stingy miser bequeaths poverty to his descendants (22). Giving to the poor does not impoverish a person, but the one who turns his eyes away from the poor is cursed (27).
“An evil man” (5). This man is also referred to as “wicked” (1,4,12,15, 28), a synonym of evil meaning one who is guilty of a crime and deserving punishment. This evil one is unpleasant and malignant in God’s eyes. In Proverbs 28:5, they are depicted as being as far from God as possible such that they do not understand justice. Keeping with that contrast, law-abiding people fight against the wicked (4). People avoid wicked rulers (12,28), and with good reason (15). Yet, the wicked are full of instability and insecurity (1). Even their prayer is an abomination to God (9).
“A rich man” (6,11). While the book of Proverbs makes clear, as does the rest of Scripture, that being rich is not inherently evil or wrong, that state of being often comes with caveats and warnings. Paul says, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Tim. 6:9). Jesus taught, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mat. 19:24). He says it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 19:23). In keeping with biblical teaching in other places, Solomon, one of the wealthiest men who ever lived, speaks from experience. Wealth can easily be abused or misused. He can easily trust in himself (11). Several statements about the poor in this chapter show the danger to those who trust in their riches. As Solomon writes, “A stingy man hastens after wealth” (22) and “a greedy man stirs up strife” (25).
“A faithful man” (20). This man is literally one who is full of faith, steady, trustworthy, honest, and dependable. He is a blessed in his ways. He walks in integrity (18). They fear the Lord always (14). “The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding” (7). They are among the righteous (28). He is not exempt from wrongdoing, but he is faithful to confess and forsake it (13). If he is rebuked (23), he will respond wisely and appropriately.
Character is built thought by thought, decision by decision. It is not dramatic. While there may be defining moments that stand out, it is mostly subtle and gradual. Each one of us is becoming some kind of man or woman, moving in one direction or another. Jesus says it most dramatically, that we are traveling on one of two roads leading to one of two eternal destinies (Mat. 7:13-14). We are not what we wish, hope, or intend to be. We are the product of our choices. God wants us to consider carefully and be faithful (Rev. 2:10).
As many of you know, last month my grandfather passed away. The days following this, many people reached out to my family, to comfort us. I am so thankful that my family and I have so many people to lean on in times of loss.
In that time of ruin, I thought of our 2023 L2L theme, which was in Nehemiah 2:17-18. This verse reads, “Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.” This passage speaks about the importance of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, and when you look deeper into this verse it also shows how we can strengthen each other.
First, we see that Nehemiah acknowledged the problem. He saw that the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins and spoke up about it. Sometimes it’s easy to turn a blind eye to problems that don’t personally affect us. Sometimes we unintentionally cause a problem and don’t want to acknowledge how it may affect others. Nehemiah shows us how important it is to acknowledge an issue and make it our responsibility to fix it. Romans chapter 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We, too, must be willing to recognize issues, acknowledge problems and take steps to address them, because God will ultimately use those resolutions for His glory. In the days that followed my grandfather’s passing, I saw my family rise in the midst of our brokenness. When we build one another up with helping hands, as God commands us to do, we are showing others the heart of our savior, Jesus Christ. In this way, even in the face of intense hardship, we can give glory and praise to God through our actions.
Secondly, Nehemiah communicated a vision. He shared his message with the Israelites and told them what he believed needed to be done. He also spoke about the gracious hand of God, and the support he had received from the king. We must communicate our vision for the church, and know what is needed to accomplish God’s will. For some people, communication may be difficult. But Nehemiah shows us the importance of having a plan of action and encouraging others to join us in executing it. In the same way, we need to have the plan to expand the borders of the kingdom, the wisdom and guidance to rally others, and the love for our brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage them to keep building. We must work together, utilizing our unique skills and talents to achieve our goals.
Lastly, God gave Nehemiah strength through joy. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “And do not be grieved, for the Joy of the Lord is your strength”. This isn’t the only occurrence in the bible that tells us of God’s ability and willingness to strengthen those who show their unwavering love and faith for Him. Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31 says, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” God’s people found joy and strength in building a wall day in and day out. I know for a fact that if I had to build a wall day after day I wouldn’t have that same joy. This strength was not from their bodies but from the power of God. Now if He can give that kind of strength, then I promise you, we can all build each other up, no matter how hard we have to work for it and no matter the circumstances.
Whether it’s supporting a grieving family, having a Bible study, or any other service we need to be prepared to build someone up and let God work in our daily lives. We have many opportunities to spread the Good News through our actions and our words.
I know that’s an area I can personally work harder in. I know there are going to be people in your life that you try to share the gospel with, but despite your efforts, they will completely reject all that God has to offer through Christ. It’s really hard to have the confidence to build someone up who doesn’t know God like we do and doesn’t want to know him. But like Nehemiah, we need to be confident, not in ourselves, but in our Savior.
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