Lessons from Covid 19 Days - Part 2

Forged in the Fire...

God’s Sovereign Plan – Genesis 37:5-11

Genesis 37:5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

As we begin to undertake the next piece of Joseph’s life, it leads us to examine the knowledge of God and the revelation of His purposes and plans in the life of Joseph. Mainly, we will touch on what is called the Sovereignty of God. It is important that we briefly define what this means.

In some Christian circles, there are those who struggle with the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God, but for my faith, it has become such a key doctrine that brings a strong security to my life.

When I contemplate the Word “Sovereign”, as it relates to God, there are several key pieces connected with it, but to simply define in this blog post – God’s Sovereignty means that He is in control and ruler over all things in His World. In light of that, nothing can ever thwart His purposes nor can anyone change them as He reigns supreme. 

Here are some really key texts that affirm His Sovereignty and why it is Biblically established and why we should embrace it without question…

Revelation 21:6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. 

God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. 

1 Timothy 1:17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

He is the only God, immortal, present everywhere & not limited by anything.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 

God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible. This includes even in the midst of the free choices of man makes. 

Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings, history, angels and demons. 

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

God knows all things past, present, and future. There is no limit to His knowledge, for God knows everything completely before it even happens. 

There are many other texts I could include and these cover so much. Since God alone can make those claims and can fulfill every one of them, His Sovereignty makes Him superior in every matter in the universe.

            Back to Joseph

Joseph is 17 years old when God breaks in through a couple of dreams and says, “I have a plan for you and I want to give you a picture of it”. Not only can God communicate the plan, but the verses above affirm that He can carry out the plan in someone’s life which we will eventually see at the end of Joseph’s life.  

Q: Do you remember when the Lord broke into your life and radically changed things and charted your life on a brand new course?

Let’s talk about this Sovereign plan in Joseph’s life

(1) Sovereign Plan of God Gives Purpose to our Lives 

Even though God is not mentioned by name at all in Genesis 37, His Sovereign Providence stands tall like a mountain as He will carry out His purposes through the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers, using the godliness of his life, and the unjust wickedness that takes place in Egypt. 

In the two dreams, God reveals where Joseph will end up at a point in time in his life, but he does not show the full path and its difficulties along the way. 

This is where our submission to His Sovereignty comes into play. His greatness should lead us to faithfully bow before Him all along the way, knowing He is always good even when life here may not be so good. God is never like the rulers of this world who are corrupt and exercise authority in selfishness and pride, God operates His kingdom in holiness and love – His absolute goodness in carrying out His purpose in our lives is affirmed over and over in Scripture and throughout church history.

We should be reminded of this great promise…Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

(2) God’s Sovereign Knowledge Sees our Whole Life

God not only knew where He was leading Joseph, but He can also see how it will all play out. We will not know all of the details in regard to how, how long, or when, but because Christ is not limited by time, He is over time and steps in with His perfect will to accomplish His call and work in our lives. 

In spite of the opposition Joseph faced all along the way, God would be present with Him in every setting and step of Joseph’s life, even when injustice was his fate. The God who purposed his life was the very one who sees it all the way to the end. 

This is a key to the joy of the book of Revelation – God’s knowledge is not limited by satan, mankind, war, etc., but He sees all the way to the end of time.  

(3) Sovereign Power of God Carries Us through our Whole Life

He will be able to carry it all through to God’s intended purpose. He has the power to carry us through to all the places that are good and devastating. Remember these words…Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The sovereignty of God finds expression, not only in the perfect will of God, but also rests His absolute power to carry out His will. The power in God is the effective energy of His nature at work accomplishing all things God in the past, present, & future.

Paul spoke of this power at work in his life..

Colossians 1:29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. I am so thankful it is greater than I can handle. If I can fully handle His power, is it really that powerful?

(4) Sovereign Path of God Is Marked by His Goodness

We will eventually get there, but Joseph in the end looks back over his life and says these famous words…Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 

He always has something bigger in mind for our lives than we ever could imagine.  We look for the path of enjoying Jesus with comfort and few trials and little life change.

God on the other hand has a path that leads us to Christlikeness, and at times it does not involve any kind of comfort, actually it is a road of pain.  It can be a path of pain, but it is the only one that has as its aim Christ.

This theme is carried out through all of Scripture, just look at the entire book of Acts and Paul in 2 Corinthians 11 where he speaks of what he had to go through to get the Gospel to the unreached.

In the life of Joseph, to get him to the place to save a people, both joy and pain was the path, and they will both mark ours as well.

This Sovereign path of pain is the path that Joseph had to take, for it was God’s path for Him.  God needed godliness in Joseph, not just a man of strength.  Godliness is borne in the fire of suffering.

Lessons for the Covid-19 Days of our Lives - Part 1

The Covid-19 Days of our Lives

I will be honest and admit, that in college, almost every day you could find me in front of the Television to watch “The Days of Our Lives”. I am not for sure how it all began, but I think the initial “crush” I had with the character Hope started it all, but then the stories of the people kept bringing me back.

This phrase “Days of Our Lives” has taken on a much different meaning during the “Covid-19 Days of our Lives”. I like so many of you, am trying to make the most of them, learn from them, and attempt to see these days with heaven’s eyes and not my own.

In these days we have seen things such as this that run the entire spectrum of things...death, sickness, economic devastation, more time with family, less time at church, conflicting news and instructions, fear, great faith, more time for walks, etc.

Paul gave us this counsel...Ephesians 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.     17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

One of the key things in these "days of Covid 19" is that God's people should be moving more toward wisdom, not foolishness, by understanding the will of the Lord. 

I find I’m reading the Bible more in these days and going to it for lessons that will instruct and illuminate the path we are on in these most unprecedented days. I am often reminded of how the Sacred Scripture serves to teach us much and this verse from Paul often comes to mind…

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 

Look what it says…those ancient days of people’s lives & their experiences were written down for our instruction in the Bible, so that those of us on “whom the end of the ages has come” would know how to make the most of the days that come upon us. Paul, 2,000 years ago referred to his days at the one "on whole the end of the ages has come". If that was the case in his generation, how much closer are we in ours to God's final work.

What are some things we are to learn in these unique days?

I could not help in these days to drift back to Genesis 37-50 and learn some things from the life of Joseph. I am not going to write about every detail, so I am going to assume you are familiar enough with the story to be reminded of these important lessons relevant to our time right now. 

Running through the narrative of Joseph’s life is THE central character of those 13 chapters in Genesis, where the real central character is God, who is providentially at work behind the scenes accomplishing His purposes in Joseph’s life in some really long days of waiting and trial. His path would not be an easy one, but one in which God was Sovereignly at work.

I am going to share key pieces of God’s Sovereign Work in his life for our reading over the next days, so that we can have perspective in the days in which we are living in. 

I've been thinking about all of this family time we have been given in Covid-19, for some this is a good time, but for others being at home is devastating because of anger, alcoholism, lack of money, abuse, etc. 

Can God even be at work in the dysfunction that can be family?

Here is our first lesson…

1.  Don’t Let Dysfunction Define You – Genesis 37:1-4

As we are introduced to Joseph in Genesis 37, we begin an encounter with one of the most significant men of God in the Old Testament.  As we meet him, he is 17 and lives in one of the most dysfunctional families in the Bible.

(1) History of his family (See Genesis 29)

·      Abraham, Isaac, Jacob – all 3 wrestled with bad decisions concerning women, truth telling and manipulation.

·      With Jacob his father - Deception ran deep in the family – Jacob was a liar and manipulator

You see, Jacob wasn’t the world’s greatest father, as he made many mistakes with his family. He allowed his wives to establish a climate where they battled over who could have the most children, thus creating a climate of rivalry within the family. He seemingly would have let Dinah marry the pagan who raped her and then he didn’t deal with the treachery and brutality of his sons after Dinah’s rape. And here he is blind to his other sons’ hatred toward Joseph, whom he openly favors. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent Joseph into this volatile situation. Jacob was an insensitive and foolish father.

I think over time Jacob got out of touch with his children and did not know what was going on even though it was right in front of his face.

This was Joseph’s father and the environment in which he grew up.

(2) Home Life

·      He lived in and around 1 Birth Mother and 3 Step Mothers and 10 half-brothers

·      Rachel – His mom was jealous and controlling 

·      Stepmoms – Leah, Bilhah, Zilpah – there is no doubt they loved their sons more in the family dynamic of Jacob’s house

·      Tension, animosity, jealousy, etc. defined the home

(3) Hatred from His brothers

He had 10 of them and every one of them knew Joseph was the favorite. In case you were to think that they really did not hate him, it says it 3 times and 1 of jealousy…

·      37:4 – hated him and could not speak peaceably with him.

·      37:5 – when he told it to his brothers they hate him even more.

·      37:8 – so they hated him even more for his dreams and his words.

·      37:11 – and his brothers were jealous of him.

·       

            The Bible’s Validity

***One of the reasons the Bible has so much validity to it is that the main characters have so many flaws.  There is so much honesty concerning the key players, which affirms in so many ways the strength and truth of the scripture. The Holy Spirit as He authored the Scripture did not hide any of these, but led men to write them down.***

            Family Dynamic

In every one of our lives, we have things that have happened or are happening in our family that are not so shiny and neat, even in our attempts to make sure everything appears so clean and all-together.  We make a bad decision to spend more energy making sure everything looks okay, instead of dealing with the reality of what our family may be going through.

With Joseph’s family, there is not a great way to tidy it all up other than to simply say that He grew up in the midst of great dysfunction, but it never defined who he was.  

This reality leads us to consider some really good points to ponder. Let’s begin now by learning some things about dealing with family…

            Two Things about Family

(1) Dysfunction Does Not Have to Define Our Lives

There is no doubt that our environment can really affect us and expose us to things that are not best for us, but we should never see our family environment as some kind of sovereign shaping environment.  A difficult or bad family does not mean someone will automatically turn out angry, make bad choices, etc. We don’t have to be defined by the choices and words of our parents or siblings.  It does not have to be this way. By trusting in Christ, people in difficult family settings can find a stability & shaping that is transforming for the good. 

It is clear from the text that we will see today that Joseph was able to navigate his way through all of the hatred, four moms, etc.

He did so because he trusted God at a young age, and that is why I believe God revealed Himself to Joseph in dreams, for Joseph’s heart was already bent toward God and that faith allowed Him to find stability in his life.

            The Work of Christ

Christ does that for so many people, he allows us to move on and find freedom from things that are devastating or right in the midst of them. 

(2) Don’t let Dysfunction Justify Bad Decisions

In our current culture, there are so many who justify their bad decisions based on their family life being less than a grand place to live.  They allow the past grievances to condone and validate the choices they are currently are making that are destructive, assuming they can do bad things just because they have had bad things happen to them. This is a lie!

We don’t have to continue to make bad decisions.  Joseph shows us a great example to follow and learn from.

            God at Work in Difficult Settings

So often, God uses the difficult settings of our lives to shape us and make us more like His Son - as that is the Father’s aim for our lives.  These moments and environments can serve as steppingstones to a deeper life in Christ. In my life of ministry and in my own life, I have seen family pain lead to the greatest intimacy, ministry, and influence.

So how is it going with your family in these days? Let's make sure we don’t let the dysfunction define us regardless of our position in the family or how we see ourselves in God's eyes.

That concludes part 1.

Thoughts On Awakening

Awakening is defined as...an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something. This is a word not used as much today in our language, but one that could use some recapturing. When we use this word in a church context, it describes a move of God, initiated by Him in the life of his people where they move from a place of either apathy, complacency, or even sinfulness. As God breaks into the lives of His people, they are awakened to the glory of His Name and Word and desire to adjust everything in their lives in line with Who He Is and What He Says.

When I was around the church several decades ago we used to have conferences either in the fall or Spring and we call them called "Revivals".  I do not want to be critical of them for I have fond memories of some of those gatherings, but I thought it then and think it still think it today - You cannot "calendar" a revival for only God can bring about the Awakening that is needed.

In looking at Scripture and in history though, there are definitive things that are present when God moves and raises the church from its slumber.  So what are some of these things that are present before and as a moment begins among Christ-followers. Currently at the church I pastor, we are walking through the book of Jonah.  While Jonah had some real spiritual issues, there were also moments where I want to be like him.  

From the belly of the Fish to landing on the shore out the mouth of the Great Fish and begins his way finally to Nineveh, those initial steps from those 3 places reveal some critical pieces that are present as a move of God begins. Again, these cannot be scheduled for they happen through God's revelation and initiation in the lives of His people. 

Let me note them here...

The Necessary Steps - Jonah 3:1-4

Jonah 3:1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 

2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the 

Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

These are the necessary steps before God often does something big like rescuing a city.

(1) A Move of God Starts with Christ-followers Getting Right

1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 

In the belly of the fish God has gotten Jonah's attention and Jonah things get right with God. Before anything was going to happen in Nineveh, God's messenger needed an awakening and heart change.  Jonah needed to deal with his sin before God before he would be ready to bring any kind of message to the pagan city of Nineveh.   

(2) Word of God Comes Fresh in Power– 3:1a

Jonah 3:1a Then the Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time”

God comes again a second time to Jonah and the Word is a bit different this time as God tells him that Jonah will only be allowed to speak what God tells him to say. The first time he was told to go and call out against Nineveh. 

When awakening has come throughout history, the Word of God come fresh in power to those awakened.  Here is an example from the Old Testament that show the passion the returned exiles had as they stood listening to the Word of God. 

Ezra 8:1And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, 

on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 

(3) Move Forward in Holy Obedience– 3:2a

Jonah 3:2a“Arise”

Jonah is to move forward from the shore in obedience so when God tells him to get up and it is more than just a physical calling, but he is to get up from his messy life and move forward into God’s purposes. This is a starting over for he has been broken down to be ready to get up and be used by God. Our faith is not to be an idle faith, but active.

Every move of God reveals a deep desire for walking in holiness as those people move deeper into God's purposes.

(4) Align Our Heart with God’s Mission– 3:2ab

Jonah 3:2b go to Nineveh, that great city, 

Through Jonah’s restoration will now become the vessel in which God is going to bring salvation to the city of Nineveh. Before, Jonah did not want to go so he ran - now he aligns his heart with God's desire to see Nineveh repent of its sin. 

His heart is aligned with going and carrying forth the purpose of God in Him. 

(5) Simplify Life to the Mission of God– 3:2c

Jonah 3:2cand call out against it the message that I tell you.”

Jonah 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. 

 He was not to come up with his own words, but the exact Words from God and he is to be completely obedient to preach what he is given. By the way – this is still the case. Sermons and Messages are not to be grounded in a speaker’s thoughts but a faithful explanation of what has already been said by God.

If you read about the great moves of God throughout history, one of the marks of those who have been awakened in that move, is that the people completely adjust their lives to God’s ways. They get rid of things and simplify life to a single-minded pursuit. They take an inventory and simplify their lives to practice the disciplines of the faith over anything else.

(5) Unashamed Confidence Embracing the Risk of the Gospel– 3:3-4

Jonah 3:3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh,according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 

Q: How long did this journey take Jonah? Well, we are not told on what shore he landed on so we can only guess. If it was back at Joppa, then we can have an idea from there and to me it makes sense this may be where he was put back on land – the very place he decided to flee from.

Joppa is the current city Jaffa, which is near Tel Aviv, and if this is where he landed then it is around 711 miles from Joppa to Nineveh and that would take if one did not stop- 232 hours to walk it. Someone could walk it in 9 days if there was not stopping or sleeping. That distance would be like walking from Lifepointe to Denver, Colorado. 

See Jonah Outside the City   

If you can, I would like to invite you to observe Jonah with me at a safe distance where we can see his body language, his facial expression, and his gait as he approaches this massive ancient city. 

Think back with me and see him in Jonah 1 where his heart is nothing like anything we desire to be. 

Now look with me at him in Jonah 3 where he is standing before the most magnificent and powerful city in the ancient world.  He is all by himself, no companions, no army, no accountability partners, no sword, no fellow staff members, no sending agency, no money raised – absolutely no support system around him.

Now see him armed only with the presence of God and the Word of God and see him step into the city and walk according to the Word of the Lord and preach. 

One man alone in the biggest 

and most vile city of the World!

This is not a coward, but rather a man I would like to be like in that very moment! I can’t imagine any more faith than what he is possessing and I am overwhelmed at the site of him. 

When God awakens believers, they embrace the cost connected with the Gospel. Just look at the Reformers who at great cost never wavered in this stance for Biblical authority in the church.

Are you and I willing to embrace those realities connected with God's movement with the Gospel? 

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Some Why's I'm Pondering

I have been wondering about we who claim to know & love Christ so well - if this is true of us, then why are our lives so grounded and stuck in the ways of the course of this world? 

We say there is none like Him for us, but why does so much of our social media posts purely speak about the things connected to this place. As much as we refuse to admit it or we have told or convinced ourselves it is okay - our words, life, and postings say what we really love. 

Why do we talk so much about the things in this life as if they actually have some kind of eternal value, when they are purely little trinkets that someone else will own after us?

Why do we speak about how much we value His Word and spend so little time studying it, but have no trouble at all being consumed by uninterrupted time on our phone? 

Why do affirm our lives are guided by wisdom from scripture, but never know what to do in moments of crisis, temptation, or opportunities for great faith?

Why do say we only want to hear His voice, but spend so much time listening to others perspectives on the Word?

Why do we place so much value on whether people like our posts, but rarely stop to ponder whether God is pleased with our obedience? Why does His displeasure at our lack of obedience no longer move us to repentance and change?

Why do we confess that doctrine and Biblical truth matter and they are the longing of our hearts, yet we have no issue reading blogs, books, and the blusterings of humanistic self-help writers and speakers who sprinkle in a little Christianity to make it all seem okay? Have we forgotten that Galatians and other NT letters were written to crush and combat false gospels?

What is wrong with us, that we are okay with weak doctrine and turn a blind eye to supposed Christian leaders who espouse things Jesus never did say or would say even if He were walking on the earth in our generation?  What does it say of us that we keep reading and listening to those who say these things and feel no conviction?

Why do we want to be led by a purely emotional faith, instead of having a faith when both mind and heart are fully engaged in the glory of Christ? Feelings ungrounded without the facts of truth in Scripture is just an emotional experience shrouded in Christian words.  Jesus said we are to worship in spirit and truth - both must be present for it to be worship. 

Why do we say the local church matters, but easily allow so many other things take precedent of gathering with the people of God? He died to establish a people called the church - not sports, business, hobbies, or sleep.

I have been asking myself to take a hard look at it all for myself and I think I clearly know the answer to the previous questions for all of us. Paul sets for the answer in this text...

Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Here is what may be missing in our lives...

1. Salvation means we have been raised with Christ - 3:1a

This salvation means we are to live contrary to the ways of this world and we live contrary to it by...

• 3:1b - Seeking the things above, not the things of this life - We seek the kind of things that surround Jesus as He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
• 3:2 - Set our minds on the things above, not things here  
• 3:3 - Safety of our lives - found not in the things of this life, but that our life is hidden with Christ in God! Having stuff is not safety!
• 3:4 - Security and Satisfaction that our faith will lead to seeing Jesus - Because of are safely hidden in Him, when He appears, we have the promise of being with Him in glory.

This is what is missing in our lives and why there are so many questions surrounding the church today.

We need to live in and immerse ourselves in C314 and maybe some things will finally be different.