FEBRUARY 5, 2018

“One thing you can't hide - is when you're crippled inside.” 
― John Lennon

EXODUS 37-38

 22Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.(37:22-23)

MATTHEW 23:23-39

23“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

JOURNAL 

Oh how often I am guilty of this...making sure the outside looks good before worrying over the inside. I think it is common for us all because we get something out of the outside being "clean" yet most often the internal is between us and God. Yet if there is one place to start it is in "justice, mercy and faithfulness". To seek perfection in these 3 will take care of the part that the world sees. 

Watching the Super Bowl last night I was caught up in discussions about Tom Brady and if he was the best player of all-time etc....yet I can't help but wonder the blessings and the change that would happen if we truly aspired to loving others and valuing compassion, grace and love as much as we do winning, championships and fame. 

To see hard work, dedication and excellence play out in way that is rewarded is great. But how much greater to honor and seek the fruits of the spirit and to truly walk in the heart and soul of the spirit of God...

27“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

MATTHEW 23:27-28

FEBRUARY 4, 2018

“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”

― Vince Lombardi Jr.

EXODUS 34-36

5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”.(34:5-7)

MATTHEW 23:1-22

8“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

JOURNAL 

The description of God is a description of perfection. To fully understand this is to realize that obedience to this God changes the ambition of the heart. To embrace this God is to embrace a pursuit of perfection in all things. Not just in our jobs or sports or money it is a pursuit of perfect love, service, forgiveness, compassion. It is a pursuit of perfection while at the same time accepting that we are flawed and will never attain it. It is living with this humility while relentlessly pursuing perfection. 

Yesterday I came across a quote by Nick Saban...although I admittedly get tired of the praise heaped upon him...the quote was profound. He was speaking on his famous "process" and when and where it came into existence. It was back at Michigan State and they were not a very good football team and Ohio State was number 1 at the time. So they challenged the players to focus on one play at a time....

“Don’t look at the scoreboard, don’t look at any external factors, just all your focus and all your concentration, all your effort, all your toughness, all your discipline to execute went into that particular play. Regardless of what happened on that play, success or failure, you would move on to the next play and have the same focus to do that on the next play, and you’d then do that for 60 minutes in a game and then you’d be able to live with the results regardless of what those results were.”

They ended up winning the game and ultimately a new philosophy was born. However as I really think through this...it's not a new philosophy at all...it wasn't invented by Nick Saban. It has been God's command for us from the very beginning. To give our very best always, as if each moment, each hour, each minute has a life of its own. Because the reality is that it does. It is God's gift to us and it is precious. To truly trust God is to honor him and give the very best of what we have to give...flawed and as imperfect as it may be. To do this every moment of every day is God's call on our lives...what would life really be if I truly surrendered to this call? 

Do I believe or do I not...If I believe then I will trust and I will act...

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborⁱ and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

MATTHEW 5:43-48

FEBRUARY 3, 2018

“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without vicory there is no survival.”

― Winston S. Churchill

EXODUS 31-33

7Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.(33:7-11)

MATTHEW 22:23-46

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^c 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^d 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

JOURNAL 

Yesterday was a tough word and as tough as God is...scripture is just as full of his compassion, gentleness and understanding. Even though God is furious with the Israelites for making a golden calf...he continually engages Moses in a relationship, in conversation. He allows Moses to discuss his fears and his struggles and God actually appeases and changes his initial punishment. 

This is the relational aspect that Jesus addresses and affirms with the Pharisees. God just wants our heart...and he wants us to love others with the same love. God has a standard of perfection but a heart of Love...often it seems that these two could not be reconciled in the same being. Yet that is the miracle and grace of God. This grace is found in the smallest moments as well as the largest ones...

Last night I watched the movie Darkest Hour. Driving home my thoughts were..."what great cause am I fighting for in my life?" In the wake of the movie and Winston Churchill's inspiration looking at my own life seemed pretty trivial. But then it hit me as I recalled the Poem by Longfellow..."footprints that perhaps another, sailing over life's solemn main, a forlorn and shipwrecked brother, seeing shall take heart again." That's the reason, everyday, every moment is important. I am writing history every single day. How I respond, how I fight, how I trust, how I persist will become the inspiration for someone, whether that be me, a friend, a grandchild. How I handle smaller moments of adversity will be the example and the standard and the inspiration for how large moments will be tackled.

One of the poignant moments in the movie is when Winston takes the train and converses with the "common" people. What he discovers is that the heart of the fight exists everywhere...even in the mind and speech of a young girl. Inspiration often comes from the most unexpected places. 

One thing I know for sure...the "Darkest Hours" will come. My actions today, very well could be the inspiration and the standard that influences really important battles tomorrow. Whether that be fighting for a job, a marriage, a child, a country or life itself. Therefore no moment is trivial or meaningless. In fact every contest, every frustration, every engagement matters!! 

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 PETER 5:10-11

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought, it figures...

― ALANIS MORISSETTE

EXODUS 29-30

10“Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. 11Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. 13Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.^b(29:10-14)

MATTHEW 22:1-22

8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

JOURNAL 

Life is not fair...it never has been and it never will be. It is something I have struggled to accept all of my life. The brutality and unfairness of life is often something I have used religion and spirituality to avoid. My faith in Christ often has been motivated by my desire to protect myself from life's pain and uncertainty. Yet when you really read the Bible you realize that this is an empty hope. Good people suffer, bad people get breaks.  Jesus never promises that the unfairness and inequality of life will be remedied by faith in him. He actually says the opposite and tells us to count the cost. ( Matthew 14 )

So then what is the benefit here on earth?  Simply and solely a relationship with the creator, that will give me the courage and strength to live a life of truth, service and love regardless of the consequences. 

This is the crossroads everyone must face in their faith. Do we follow Christ at the expense of all our earthly dreams...or do we give lipservice to the call and do our best to play both sides of the fence? Jesus says that to do the latter is repulsive...

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 

This word is difficult to face and it is heartbreaking in many ways...yet Jesus promises that it will be worth it...he promises that to live our lives in devotion to him is what he wants for us and why he willingly died to pave the path.

Ultimately though I believe that good wins in the end. Whatever part I am able to play, whatever contribution my life is to the EPIC story...then I am more than happy to play my part. I believe that God will still give me joy and moments of satisfaction. That's what I have experienced thusfar in these 46 years and I believe God will continue to show up and encourage me along the way. Regardless though it still is an amazing wonderful life....

 36Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were put to death by stoning;^e they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

HEBREWS 11:36-40

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

“This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” 
― Alan W. Watts

EXODUS 27-28

9“Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits^c long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, 10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.(27:9-11)

MATTHEW 21:23-46

28“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

JOURNAL 

There definitely is a doing that accompanies faith. It is interesting to me how specific God was as to the building of the tabernacle and the courtyard etc. It was important for them to have a place of worship and for it to be built a certain way. I think there is an importance for us to have a place and I think God definitely puts that on our hearts.

Jesus also does not dismiss the importance of obedience. It is not simply saying and agreeing to be obedient. It is the actual actions that matter. Ultimately this goes back to my goals, my intentions and my purpose. If everyday I wake up and am truly thankful to be alive and see the day as a gift, especially if I attribute that to God...then I am going to seek to obey and honor him. I'm not going to give lip service...I am actually going to work to honor God in all that I do. 

However if I wake up every day to regrets, shame, jealousy, bitterness and personal mandates and objectives that have little regard for God, well then my actions will shy far away from God and any attempt to honor and obey. That's just plain logic...not high brow theology. Ultimately it all boils down to the heart and ss Yoda says..."do or do not, there is no try".

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

JAMES 1:22-25