Rabbit Trails Through the Bible

Wait - where does that trail lead???

Sometimes, when I read the Bible - okay, often, when I read the Bible - I get sidetracked. Not by things around me or by things I need to do, but by something I read in the Word. A particular word or phrase will catch my attention and set me on a rabbit trail through the Bible, searching for other incidences of the word or phrase. I usually find myself knee-deep in the Strong's Concordance looking up Hebrew and Greek words and their meanings, to further understand God's Word.

That happened this morning, but about the time I realized I was on a rabbit trail, the Lord whispered to my heart, "You only think you got sidetracked and wandered down this path. What you didn't realize was that I took you by the hand and led you in this direction because I have something I want to show you."

How cool is that?

This morning, as I was reading about the Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 9:28-36, the word "transformed" caught my attention. I looked it up in Strong's and discovered that it is only used 3 times in the King James version of the Bible. (Strong's Concordance is an index of every word found in the King James version, with links to and definition of the original Greek and Hebrew words.)

First, I was struck by the fact that it was while Jesus was praying that the Transfiguration took place and I realized that prayer has the power to transform us, too. Then I wondered what the definition of transfiguration is. (Hold on, I'm taking you down the rabbit trail with me.)

Definition of transfiguration - a change in form or appearance, metamorphosis, an exalting, glorifying or spiritual change

Here's the verse that describes what happened to Jesus as he prayed:

"About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning." Luke 9:28-29

This reminded me of the story of Moses in the Old Testament 

"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord." Exodus 34:29  

(Do yourself a favor and read a little more about this incident - Exodus 34:29-35).

So, what happened when Moses spoke with the Lord? His appearance change. He glowed with the radiance of the glory of God.

Did you read the rest of the story? If so, you know about the veil. (Nope, I'm not going to explain it here. You will have to read it for yourself.)  It reminded me of another phrase in the New Testament when Paul writes...

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate (Or reflect) the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

What? Unveiled faces reflecting God's glory and there's that word transformed again, but this time it says transformed into his (Jesus) image with ever-increasing glory.

Back to Strong's Concordance and the definition of the original Greek word for "transformed." There are two words for transformed in the original Greek...


The first is metamorphoō: to transform (literally or figuratively, "metamorphose"):—change, transfigure, transform

The second translation of the word transformed, metaschēmatizō, is found in this passage...

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

What? Satan is transformed, just like Jesus, Moses and believers are transformed? No! Upon further digging, I discovered that the definition of the word used in this passage has a critically different meaning, for this compound word is made up of two words, one of which is defined as...

to transfigure or disguise; figuratively, to apply (by accommodation):—transfer, transform (self).

Did you catch the difference? Disguise. Transform self.

Check out 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 in the New International Version.

"For such people are false apostles,deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

This version uses the word masquerade in place of transformed, because it accurately shows that Satan and those who follow him are trying to pass themselves off as being equal to those of us who have been transformed by the glory and Spirit of God.

In conclusion (did I just hear you sigh in relief?), let me leave you with a verse from the NIV...

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

My friends, we, too, can be transformed - through prayer, through refusing to conform to the patterns of this world, by allowing God to renew our minds through the reading of His word and by allowing His glory to penetrate our heart and minds and spirits, until we shine like Jesus, like Moses, like the early believers, reflecting the glory of God.

So, that's my rabbit trail through the Bible this morning. I hope I didn't lose you along the way and that God has led you, along with me to the realization that He was leading us all along, so that we might have a deep-seated desire to be transformed into the image of Christ. I am praying for you, dear reader, that God will do amazing things in your life as you surrender yourself to the transformation process.

Blessing to you, my friends.

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Don't let anyone put your fire out!

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11 (NIV)

I remember years ago when my cousin, who was big into drugs and womanizing turned to Jesus. He was a changed young man, on fire for the Lord and eager to share the love of Jesus to anyone who would stand still long enough to listen. There was a new spark of life in his eye.  Of course, as is the case with new Believers, he was now so conscious of avoiding sin in his own life that he sometimes felt the need to point out the sin in other people's lives. Some people just ignored him, some rolled their eyes at the over-eager young zealot, but some people got annoyed or even upset.  In fact one person complained to me about it and made the comment, "He's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. He'll settle down and that fire will go out."

What?

Is that even possible? I don't think so.

I understand what she meant. Some new believers lack the discernment to know how to allow the Holy Spirit lead you in sharing God with others in a way that is tactful and respectful. It can be offensive to those who don't know Christ, but as a fellow Christian we should understand their excitement and hope that fire never burns down, much less goes out.

That was early in my Christian walk. Right then I made up my mind that I would never let my zeal for Christ and for helping people know the saving grace of salvation through Him. I keep my fire stoked through the Word, prayer and fellowship with other believers.

How about you? Is your fire burning bright or is it down to barely glowing embers? The world need us to be ablaze with the glory of God so that we will be a light in the darkness.

How will you build up your fire today?


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Why Should I Attend Church?

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25

Do you attend church regularly? As we can see from the scripture above, God considers getting together with other believers important. He tells us not to neglect it. 

Why?

What good does it do?

Well, the easy answer to "why" is because God said so.

The longer answer to "why" is the answer to "what good does it do?."

The Benefits of Church Attendance (as I see it)

• It gives me a place to belong and a spiritual family to belong to.
• It gives me a chance to spend time in worship with other believers.
• I learn more about God by hearing His word and the message that He has laid on the heart of the Pastor.
• I am encouraged to greater love for others and to good works as I serve those around me (and not just in church).

These are all great reasons to attend church, but I've left one very important reason out. You see, all of the above is focused on what I get out of church, but what's more important is what I give to others while I'm at church. I'm not talking about money, although, giving the tithe (10th of my income) is a part of my weekly worship. I'm talking about helping others to experience the benefits I've listed above. How can I help others to get the most out of coming to church?

I can...

• Welcome them with a hug or handshake and a sincere, "It's good to see you this morning. How was your week?"
• I can enter fully into the worship time by singing the songs, clapping my hands, raising them to God. This may encourage others to worship God wholeheartedly, too.
• I can listen intently to the message, taking notes and jotting down scripture references. After church, I can share briefly a highlight or a scripture that particularly spoke to my heart and ask others what spoke to them.
• I can show real love by being attentive to the needs of others and by serving in some capacity in my church.
• I can be part of a small group that meets during the week to go over the message again and dig a little deeper into the topic, so that we all can grow in our relationship with God.

God wants us to stir one another up. 

Sometimes that takes a negative form. Some use the time after church to criticize the Pastor, the message, or another believer. They might complain about the music, the temperature in the room, or any number of things. That will stir things up, for sure, but that's NOT what God meant. We are to encourage one another, refresh one another, even challenge one another to take the next step in spiritual journey. 

Daily life - problems, busyness and stress all tend to weary us through the week. Sundays give us the chance to revive, refresh and renew. Not just for ourselves, but to be a part of building others up. We were never meant to do life alone. We are better together.

So, I leave you with this; how will you strengthen others this Sunday? How will you "stir up one another to love and good works", this week? How can you give as much as you get?

As you put this into practice, you will find that the more you give to others, the more you will be blessed by great friendships and support, yourself. Go on, give it a try this Sunday and let me know how it works out.

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Divine Appointments

Did you ever have a chance meeting with someone and just know that you were supposed to meet? That happened to me today.

I stopped in a coffee shop today to grab a bite of lunch. While waiting for my food I noticed a beautiful young girl. I didn't know her, but I recognized the look on her face. She looked like me when I'm trying to think of the next words to write - fingers poised over the keyboard, eyes looking up, searching for just the right word or phrase to express what you're trying to say. If you're a writer, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I asked her if she was writing and that started a conversation. We spoke for just a few minutes, but in that time I learned quite a bit about her and knew that God had arranged for the two of us to run into each other. Her name is Amanda and she has a wonderful story to tell. I just know that God is going to use her to help and encourage many people along the way. He has a wonderful plan for her life and he's arranging circumstances and moving people into her life to help her along the journey.

I'm adding Amanda to the list of people I pray for on a regular basis.

Does something like this ever happen to you? When you're out and about, keep you eyes open for someone that God might want you to meet, to encourage and to pray for. You never know when your normal, everyday life will turn into a divine appointment.

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Dirty Dishes Devotional

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31

Let me just say this right up front...

I hate doing dishes.

I could say that it's because I grew up in a household with 5 brothers, Mom, Dad and me and that I was responsible for doing the dishes each night while my brothers were allowed to go outside and play...right outside the window over the kitchen sink where I slaved over a pile of dishes. (My mom made wonderful, old-fashioned big meals, so lots of dishes.) Yes, I could say that's why I hate doing dishes, but I won't. You are free, however, to assume that's the reason I hate washing dishes.

Now, here's the kicker - I have a dishwasher, but I wash them by hand. Why, you ask? Well, our dishwasher was installed when our mobile home was manufactured about 35 years ago. It's loud, it runs for about an hour and a half per load and it drives up our electric bill terribly, so until we break down and buy a new energy-saving dishwasher, I do by them by hand. Did I mention that we've lived in our mobile (which we love) for 20 years?

So, there I was this morning, dreading the pile of dirty dishes on my counter. (Yes, I'm a procrastinator.) Then the verse above came to me - 

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31

I grabbed my Kindle, put on some worship music and sang my way through that pile of dirty dishes. Was done before I knew it and, much to my surprise, I enjoyed it! Who knew?

How about you? What is that one household chore that you dislike so much that you put it off until it's a much bigger job than it needs to be? Can you pretend that God, Himself has asked you to do it for Him? 

Go ahead, do it that way and let us know how it goes.

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Struck with a Sense of Sehnsucht

Sehnsucht (n.)

Origin: German

Definition: The inconsolable longing in the human heart for a far, familiar, non-earthly land one can identify as one's home.

I didn't know there was a word for this constant longing I experience for my heavenly home. It's always there, in the back of my mind - a wondering about what it will be like, look like, sound like.

My heart beats a little faster when I think of dwelling in the presence of my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Will the Holy Spirit still reside within me or will he surround me?

I contemplate the joy I will experience at seeing those I love who have gone on before to their promised reward - that place that was prepared for them by Jesus himself.

The chorus of an old hymn comes to mind...

Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face,

There to sing forever of His saving grace;

On the streets of glory let me lift my voice,

Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice. 

Tell me, my friend, are you ever struck with a sense of sehnsucht?

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Lawlessness and a Lack of Love

Is it possible to love those who have a total disregard for the law and humanity?

 In Matthew, chapter 24, the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (verse 3)

Jesus began to list various signs that would proceed His coming. We've heard of most of them; many leaders will come in the name of Jesus and mislead people, wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famines and earthquakes, many people falling away from their faith, betraying and hating one another, false prophets that mislead many. (verses 5-11)

Then Jesus mentions one that we seldom pay attention to. He said, "Because lawlessness is increased, many people's love will grow cold."

We see increasing lawlessness everywhere these days. Newspapers, television, the internet, radio - the bulk of what is reported as news today on every media outlet is lawlessness and not just misdemeanors, but vile, ugly crimes against humanity. I won't even list them here, because the minute you read that sentence, horrible things came to mind - things you hear on the news every day.

The more we hear about these people who have no regard for one another, for the law, for human life, the more we tend to withdraw. We no longer think of humans as kind and worthy of our love. We pull back from reaching out to those who are lost and hurting because we just don't trust humanity any more. It may be a natural response, meant to protect ourselves, but for those who are followers of Jesus Christ, this can not be, for we are commanded to love - 

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

This does not just pertain to our fellow believers.. 

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27

So, friends, as hard as it might be, we need to guard against our love for others growing cold. Love others, fiercely and if that proves too difficult, ask God to love others through you. Let it be His love that reaches out to the ones who hurt us, disappoint us and reject us. Express that love through kindness and praying for those who are hard to love. 

Do not let the godless, lawless acts of others be the reason you pull away from doing what our Father asks us to do - LOVE.

Sometimes living the Christian life is difficult, but God has already given us everything we need to live a life that pleases Him -

"Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3 (NCV)

What do you think? Are you having a hard time loving others? Does the behavior of others release us from following God's commands?

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