Rediscovering the First Century Church Community and the Holy Spirit
The phrase, “the First-Century Church,” is often used to describe the miracles we read about and the power of the Holy Spirit. And we find that there is an unfortunate split in the church as at one extreme, you find those that don’t believe the Spirit is active today and at the other extreme, we find those that think of the Spirit as something of a Santa Claus and that if you have struggles, it’s directly tied to your lack of faith. I find myself solidly in the middle. The Use of the Term “First Century Church” But that phrase just bothers me. A few blocks from my house there is a Pentecostal church that has on their sign, “A First Century Church.” Now, admittedly, I’ve never darkened the doors of that building and I don’t know any of the staff. So, I could be completely wrong about what they mean as they claim the title. And yet, I still cringe. The website, Crosswalk has an excellent article on the day of Pentecost and the Jewish festival that was being celebrated when it happened. Since I’m not writing about Pentecost specifically, I won’t go into too much detail. But I do encourage you to read the article on Crosswalk here. The Day of Pentecost: The Holy Spirit’s Arrival But, we’ll just lead off with the understanding that the day of Pentecost was the day that the Holy Spirit burst on to the scene in a big way. Lets look at the beginning of the second chapter of the book of Acts: “1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (NASB 1995) Reading on, please take note that in this instance, “they were speaking with other tongues” means that they were speaking in other known human languages that they likely did not know themselves. But who is “they?” Well, they were followers of Christ. If it’s the same group that was gathered in the previous chapter, then there were about 120 of them. This is to me, rather significant. During the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, we find a significant group of Christ’s followers deliberately hanging out together. I find that very important, but I want to put a pin in that for a moment. The Impact of the Holy Spirit on the Early Church So, from Acts 2:1 all the way to the end of the chapter, we can read about the powerful impact the moving of the Holy Spirit had on devout Jews that were in the area. This moving of the Holy Spirit is the primary focus of what we call the Pentecostal movement or Pentecostal churches. I have nothing against celebrating the power of the Holy Spirit. I think we should. But when the power of the Holy Spirit is all we are thinking about when we refer to the first-century church, then I think we are missing out on so much. The True Essence of the First Century Church Community and the Holy Spirit To put it most simply, the first century church was marked by the concept of community. In some cases, they were hiding in caves to avoid religious persecution so, we can easily justify that. But so much more than that, we see that the individual groups supported each other and spent much time together. We see that they were instructed to mentor each other in the faith. They had an affection for each other just because they were fellow believers. This is a huge cultural statement. They chose each other and helped each other. A Modern Example of Christian Community In Chicago, there is a Christian commune called “Jesus People USA.” At the beginning of my college internship, I lived with them briefly. The whole point of them existing for so many years is that concept of community. They deliberately spend the majority of their time in community so that they all are built up in Christ. It’s wonderful. It really is, it’s a beautiful thing. Not only did local groups hang out together for the edification of all, we see that the local groups supported other local groups financially. Again, we have the concept of care and community. The Need for Deeper Community in Today’s Churches Today, many churches have small group studies and there is the tradition of the church potluck, where people “break bread” together. This is a step in the right direction, but I feel like it’s too little. There is still the crisis of all the Christians who sing wonderful praise songs, sit though a sermon, then are back to being surrounded by their troubles by the time they get their car out of the church parking lot. Is that you? Be honest with yourself, I beg of you. Encouragement to Build Strong Relationships This is why I encourage people to spend time with other believers and to spend time in and around ministry. The more time I am around ministry work, the Word, and fellow believers, the more I like myself. And I want to encourage you in the same way. Be reading Christian books (even if they’re not mine). Spend time with fellow believers, truly pray for each other and with each other. Support each other in your struggles. Check-in with each other. The Importance of Supportive Relationships When my beautiful bride was in the hospital for six months with a brain infection and a dangerous build up of fluid around her brain, I found myself often very alone, despite spending the vast majority of my time at her bedside
Overcoming Urgency with Faith: Finding Peace in a Busy World
I like to sit out on my deck in the mornings. I read my Bible and pray over what I just read. Then I spend a few minutes looking at the mountain across the way while I listen to the birds. There’s a rooster to the south of me and pigeons to the north. I also get to listen to quail, finches, and any number of small birds I can’t identify. Morning Observations: Lessons from a Little Bird The other morning several came into my front yard. One tiny little thing was eating something out of the grass directly in front of me. As I watched, I was taken with the observation that everything it did was fast. It walked a few feet to one side very quickly, then it pecked at something several times with the same seeming urgency. I know that’s just the way God made this species of bird. But it made me think of so many of us. Whether we have goals we’re trying to achieve or it’s just a way of life that we’ve created, so many of us are like that little bird, rushing around in a hurry. Yes, I spent my career in industry. That’s a world where you need to show a sense of urgency, especially in my line of work, where you are responsible for getting and keeping machines running. But that was how I made a living, it never should have become my way of life. The Struggle with Doing Less As a counselor, I currently have two counselees who are both dealing with debilitating illnesses. They are facing the reality that as they get sicker, they can do less and less. They’re in counseling largely because they are struggling with this loss. Like them, I can do less than I used to and definitely less than I feel like I “should.” We have to get away from the “should.” Getting stuck on the should instead of on what we do accomplish is so destructive. The Trap of Busyness But we aren’t the only ones that need to watch our “busyness”. It’s so easy in our world today to feel like we need to do more and more. And as we do, we forget that we aren’t completely responsible for our lives. We look to being busy and solving problems and making money. As we do, there’s a tendency, even with the best-meaning Christians to forget to rely on God. Jesus’ Teachings on Worry and Faith Christ discussed this in Luke 12:28-34. He tells us not to worry about what we wear or what we eat. He tells us instead to focus on God’s kingdom. When our focus is right, it changes everything. I’ve been blessed in having to rely on Him. When I got sick, I had no choice. For a brief moment, I felt terror. “How will I provide for my wife?” But then I was reminded that God is in complete control. I don’t provide for her, He does. Embracing Faith in Daily Life You don’t have to be disabled to rely on God. Admittedly, the way our world works makes it more difficult. But, I can’t encourage you enough to find a way to rely on Him. Seeing Him provide not just your needs, but some of your wants too, is a great way to work towards contentment. Depending on your background, either of my books: How to be a Christian in Today’s World and Blessed Brokenness address these concepts in greater depth. Clickin on the book names will take you to where you can buy them directly from me.
Finding Contentment in Faith: Reflections on Psalm 22 and Paul’s Struggles
Finding Contentment in Faith I had something of an epiphany. I’ve realized it before, but for some reason, today it stuck with me. Reading some of David’s Psalms (today it was Ps. 22) you see what almost seems like someone very confused or unsure of what he really means. In the very first verse, he asks God, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (NASB95) Ever felt that way? Wrestling with Doubt and Faith All the way through verse 20 he very poetically describes the significance of his woes in a variety of manner, often pleading with God to respond. Then suddenly, in verse 21 he begins to plea again, but then adds, “From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.” (NASB95) He starts off twice saying that God is not answering his prayers, then says that in the middle of danger, “You answer me.” Wait, what? Are you talking about the same God? Verse 22 begins David’s proclamation that he will share God’s goodness. In verse 24 he goes so far as to say, “For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.” (NASB95) He continues on this way for another seven verses. What struck me this morning about this Psalm is that in reality, in sounds like so many of our lives. Think about it. We as Christians say we love God and trust Him. We even pray for His assistance now and again at least. Yes, some people fall away from faith after unanswered prayers, but for the rest of us, it leaves a problem. In church, we might put on a brave face or even ask for prayer, but we never hint at any doubt. And indeed, many never really doubt God. We hold to His sovereignty and our salvation. But we wonder, “You can fix this, why won’t you?” or, “I know you have me, which means you have this, but I don’t see anything happening, please let me in on the plan.” I know I’m not the only one that’s asked these things of God. In some of church culture, we are encouraged whether directly or indirectly to doubt ourselves or our faith. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked, “Is God punishing me?” or, “What do I have to do to earn His favor?” Lessons from Paul’s Thorn Paul had a situation very much like us. In 2 Cor. 12:7-10 we read about the famous thorn in Paul’s side. He believes that God has allowed whatever this thorn is, to be a messenger from Satan to keep him humble. He asked God three times to take it away and God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (Verse 9, NASB95) Paul finishes this comment with verse 10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Therefore I am well content. What, really? God tells him that power is perfected in weakness. But what does that mean? Much like his self-flagellation at the end of Romans 7, where he says that he can’t ever do the right thing even though he wants to, he is talking of a man of two natures. There is the spiritual man that wants to be in line with God, and the fleshly man that wants his own way. We all battle this. We all have our sneaky fleshly desires that we may be fulfilling without even realizing it. I remember when I was at my heaviest weight. When I finally got sick of being so fat, I started on this herbal weight loss supplement. When I noticed it was working, I was starting my break at work. I went to the candy machine and pulled out a dollar bill. Then I suddenly realized, “I’m not hungry.” Our flesh is like that sometimes. We need to admit our weakness to let him be strong for us. Much of Romans 8 is about how the Holy Spirit will work in our lives. Verse 26 says that He will intercede in prayer for us with utterances and groanings. We’re told that the Spirit knows our spirit and God’s. How much better can that be than our fumbling for words? The Gentle Invitation to Vulnerability As a pastor friend of mine likes to say, “God is a gentleman, He will never force himself on you.” That means that like Paul, we have to learn to be vulnerable. That’s scary. And, some of us, like Paul, need something in our lives to help keep us humble enough to allow for that vulnerability. I just want to encourage you today; I’ve found contentment and so can you. I’ve helped a number of counselees on this journey and told the story of my journey from angst to contentment in my book, Blessed Brokenness. He wants peace and contentment for you and is the only true way to find either one. You can go here if you’re interested in learning more about my counseling ministry. And you can go here if you want to buy the Ebook of Blessed Brokeness directly from me.
Trusting in God’s Plan: A Candid Confession
I have a confession to make I’m human and despite all the good advice that people come to me for, I sometimes don’t follow it myself. Contentment Amidst Challenges: Lessons from “Blessed Brokenness” Some may know whether through my books or other means that I am disabled. I have a neurological condition that is uncurable and progressive. At this point, I’ve been unable to get proper treatment or even a solid diagnosis. I’m forced to work with my primary care physician, who isn’t comfortable doing very much. He does try to treat my symptoms but won’t try anything new since he doesn’t understand what is happening. I get it, “Do no harm.” I already have been through a horrible experience that turned out to be a reaction to a medication prescribed by a doctor that was trying to help and that I trusted. I’m not complaining mind you. If you have read my second book, Blessed Brokenness, then you already know that I have learned to be content. (Sort of.) Escalating Symptoms: Facing Uncertainty Once Again At any rate, my symptoms have recently gotten worse again. Each time they do, I have to learn a new routine, a new acceptable standard for myself. This time, I’m struggling a little. I’m working on a third book and I’m still counseling, but I can’t get past this feeling that God has more for me to do. So, I feel like I need to do it before I can’t anymore. This is where I have failed to follow my own (and God’s) advice. In the 30th chapter of Isaiah, we find the prophet giving the people a serious tongue lashing. He’s letting them know that God is not happy, and destruction is coming their way. In verse 15 we find out why. Apparently, God had told them that He would handle some enemy. He wanted them to trust Him, to lean on Him. They didn’t. Instead, they made an alliance with Egypt. Now, I believe completely that all of scripture has something for us today. Although we do need to understand the context and setting in some instances, if God makes a promise, it somehow applies to us today. Feeling a Sense of Urgency So, I mentioned that I find myself feeling like I need to get busy on doing more before I can’t. I allowed this to turn into something urgent and important that I had to solve. I have spent too many hours and too much time over the last couple of months in particular trying to put together what I think I can do next. We have a philosophy around our house, do what God gives you to do, but never force anything. And what was I doing in spending all this time trying to figure out what and how to start working on? I realized I was running to Egypt, so to speak. Learning from Isaiah: Trusting God’s Promises Isaiah 30:15 says, “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” (NASB95) Funny thing, now that I’ve remembered to rest and trust and have repented of trying to find my own way of doing ministry instead of waiting on Him, I feel much better. And I’m so thankful for His grace and forgiveness. Finding Peace in Repentance and Rest: A Revelation Is there something in your life that’s His to handle and you’re trying to do it for Him? I encourage you to pray about that and be honest with yourself. If there is something, then please ask Him to help you rest and trust him.
What Will Be Said About You?
You may remember that originally, God established the nation of Israel. But, after Solomon began to turn from God and sin, then his son continued, the northern ten tribes rebelled and made Jeroboam the king over Israel while Rehoboam, Solomon’s son was king over the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites. The Levites stayed with Judah because Jeroboam and Israel left God. Throughout the following years, some kings were better at following God and others were not. Finally, we get down to Jehoram in Judah and Asa in Israel. Although Jehoram’s father had done a pretty good job of following the Lord and received the Lord’s favor, Jehoram chose to follow the ways of Israel. He was cursed by God for turning away from the Lord. Jehoram died a horrible death. And in 2 Chronicles 21:20, it says that he died with no one’s regret. As soon as I read that, I immediately thought, “Wow, that stings.” Just a little later, in 2 Chronicles 27:6, we read that Jotham ‘became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.” What a difference from Jehoram! They each went down in history being known for who they were. Yesterday, we celebrated Easter and all that Christ did for us. We celebrate His life and have much to say and remember about Him. But what about you? Years ago, there was a song performed on the radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. It was called Stupid Questions. One of the stupid questions featured came after a man was crying. His friend asked why he was crying. “I just came from my brother’s funeral.” “Did he die?” “No, he just wanted to see who would show up.” Do you ever wonder what people will say about you? Should we not live our lives setting ourselves up to be spoken of as lovers of God and people? I think of my family and want them to be encouraged to follow the Lord. I want them to follow my example as they are encouraged of my love for the Lord. I suggest you ask that question as you begin each day. Then live out that day with that at the front of your mind. What will be the sum of our lives? What will people remember? Yes, it’s God’s opinion that matters the most. But we are called to love our brother and sometimes it’s easier to think of the here and now than the bigger picture. Will that clerk, that driver, that person at church see the Love of God in us?
Review of – “NASB Wide-Margin Bible”
I just received an Advance Review Copy of Zondervan’s newest Bible. It boasts several features and I want to look at each of them. Before I do, I admit, I’m traditional in many ways. I prefer to read paper. This Bible has the traditional gold edge pages. The pages are still lightweight, but much thicker than what we used to call “onion skin.” There’s something almost elegant to me of the feel of the super fine pages. It adds to the feel of specialness to the book you are holding. But, those thinner pages get crinkled, tear easily, and don’t lend themselves to highlighting or adding notes. Wide Margins The name of this particular edition of the Bible could not be more true. The margins are HUGE. At first glance, it just felt strange. But, if you are a note taker and like to put your notes in there next to the verses, then this is the Bible for you! Two-Color Page Design Admittedly, I am color-blind and often miss subtle differences in color. But, I can see at least some of what they intended and the pages are indeed pleasant to look at. Admittedly, this is probably the least important feature to me. Concordance I was surprised when I looked at the concordance. I was automatically expecting something along the lines of a Hebrew/Greek concordance. What makes this feature really exciting is that it is an English language concordance of the Bible itself. So, if there is a verse that you can’t quite remember where it is or maybe even the complete verse, just flip back to the concordance. You can look up the beginning of a phrase or the name of someone in the Bible and find the applicable verse or verses. Of course, there is no way it could possibly be completely comprehensive. But I was very impressed with how thorough it is. Ribbon Markers I love ribbon markers in my Bible. I love having one to mark where I’m reading for my daily time. And I love having a second for either when I am preaching or marking a passage that I know is going to come up in a study or sermon. What really impressed me was that they are two different colors! Faux Leather Lay-Flat Design This is a personal preference thing that doesn’t work for me. If you do your Bible reading at a table or desk, then this feature would be super handy. However, I sit with my Bible on my lap. To me, it just felt floppy. (This is easily addressed with a Bible cover.) Comfort Print Typeface I can’t tell you what about this proprietary typeface is even different from the old standby of Times New Roman or something similar. But it is indeed just pleasant to read. NASB 1995 Zondervan has released several editions of the New American Standard Bible over the years. The latest one was in 2020. I have no idea why they put this out in the 1995 edition, but it does happen to be my favorite. Whenever I use an online source for my studies, I always use the 1995 NASB. But what is special about the NASB? It’s definitely not the easiest to read! But it is translated in a word-for-word style as opposed to a phrase-by-phrase style. It doesn’t read as smoothly as some other translations, but I have found over many years that without going to the original languages, the word-by-word translation style gives the best understanding of exactly what the scriptures really mean in the original languages. Summary I find this to be an excellent Bible for study. The concordance more than makes up for the lack of notes that you might find in a typical study Bible. But this is the kind of Bible that you hold dear to your heart and never want to part with because you’ve not just read it but interacted with it by making notes and reflections. This is a Bible I can see my children or grandchildren looking at to see what touched Grandpa.
Finding Contentment in God’s Love: Basking in His Blessings
As my coffee is heating in the microwave, I stand at the kitchen sink and cut open an avocado for breakfast. I love standing here. The sky is just beginning to lighten behind the Peacock Mountains and I can see off in the distance the headlights of semis and a few cars dropping into our bowl shaped valley as they head west on Interstate 40. It’s still a little too cold to sit out front on my deck chair and watch as the mountain across the way lights up from the top down as the sun rises behind the house. Wherever I look I can enjoy the views from my high desert home. Morning Reflections: Gratitude and Sadness I’m thankful and I try to remember to thank God out loud each morning for what I get to enjoy. But this morning a wave of sadness comes over me. For some reason I am reminded of all the people, even Christians, who are so burdened by the cares of this life to enjoy, even for a second, this world where God allows us to live. The more I spend my time focused on the beauty of God and His love, the less the cares of this world matter to me. Spreading the Message: Sharing God’s Blessings I wish I could get this word out to everyone. I wish I could change how Christians see their existence. God loves us so much. I was on a business call where he was giving me his time to answer questions. But, I ended up being able to share with him how God has blessed us over the years. He thanked me for blessing him! Despite reading Psalm 23 this morning, my examples helped him to see how it looked in real life. Seeing how it looked in real life was inspiring to him and hopefully helped him to see examples that he was blessed with. Embracing God’s Love: A Call to Contentment You are blessed. God loves you and wants to be in relationship with you. I want you to first know His love then I want you to feel the contentment that Paul describes. When God doesn’t provide what we think we need, we have a tendency to lose that contentment. Seeking Guidance: Resources for Finding Contentment If that’s you, please turn to one of my books or maybe some time counseling. You too can bask in His love.
Navigating Life’s Challenges with Faith: A Journey of Trials and Trust
As I write this, it’s early Saturday morning. As usual, I woke up shortly after 5 AM. If it’s after 5, I’ll get up. If it’s before 5, I try to go back to sleep. Now, I’ve had my breakfast of an avocado and the last of a brick of cream cheese and am on my second and last cup of coffee. I’ve read my Bible and prayed. But, it’s still too early to wake up my wife for her morning pills. Early Morning Reflections: Setting the Scene I’ve been feeling a little guilty that I haven’t been keeping up with my blog So this is the perfect time to write an entry. Why did I give you so much detail about my day? Well, it provides a backdrop for what I need to share. At first blush, my morning sounds like any other aging man that needs less sleep as he gets older (of course, we nap in the middle of the day, but that doesn’t count, right?). But, I’m not that old. I’m only 55. I’ve been officially disabled for a little over 9 years now. Navigating Life’s Challenges: The Journey Begins For much of those 9 years, my wife and I held a fairly active and vibrant life. I was counseling in an office with her by my side. We helped in ministry at multiple churches. But, in that time she has had 13 surgeries. Of those surgeries, two were botched which left her with a brain infection that had her hospitalized most of 6 months. As they tried to send her home, we had an ambulance in our driveway 7 times sending her back. Finally, the last time she went in, I just emotionally couldn’t call an ambulance. Late at night, I dressed her, put her in her power chair, then the van, then walked with her chair into the emergency room before they flew her to Las Vegas for a few months. After she finally came home, I was giving her IV antibiotics 3 times a day for 8 weeks. Facing Adversity: A Test of Faith At first, she was confused, and often scared. She had just lost 6 months of her life and couldn’t remember the bulk of the previous decade. She still gets confused sometimes and has bouts of jumbled memory. My daughter and I will have to watch her for the rest of her life for neurological symptoms that show we have to rush her to the emergency room again. Embracing Vulnerability: Sharing Our Story I’ve never shared that whole bit publicly. I’ve shared hints to help tell a broader story about God’s goodness. But now, almost a full two years after she came home, I’m finally emotionally able to put the whole story out there. Finding Purpose Amidst Struggle: Answering God’s Call Yes, my daughter and I are constantly watching, trying to do so without my wife feeling watched. But we’ve also gone on living. I’ve written two books and still counsel, just online now. My daughter has pursued a career as a first responder and will be moving into the frontlines at a hospital by the time you read this. We both know that we can’t just stop, just because my wife’s health could turn on a dime at any minute. Trusting in God’s Plan: Lessons Learned But, we have our own drama. I’m dealing with declining health too. Although the “experts” can’t agree on what’s wrong with my brain, we’re treating it as if it is Stiff Person Syndrome. But without being sure what’s really going on, some symptoms continue to worsen. This week it’s been sleepiness. I’ve literally passed out from 30 minutes to 4 hours every day this week. It’s pretty hard to be terribly effective that way. A God of Love and Care: Finding Comfort in Uncertainty But why am I going on about my problems? Well, it’s pretty important to me to follow God’s calling. And He hasn’t let me off the hook yet. I still feel that I must minister at every chance He gives me. That’s what this blog and the emails that go out from it as well as my books are all about. They’re about ministry. And I pray dear reader that they minister to you! Prayer and Surrender: Aligning with God’s Will So, what I want to share with you is this. First, as some of you know, life is incredibly unpredictable. Our stable, productive lives and incomes and activities are all balanced on a knife’s edge. It may seem like things are solid and predictable. But in truth, anything can happen at any time. And there’s nothing we can do to predict, prevent, or prepare. Embracing Faith: A Path to Fulfillment Boy, that sounds pretty gloomy doesn’t it. I almost hate to say it. But without that truth, the rest of the truth bears no weight. We also have a God that loves us! We have a God that wants to be in a forever relationship with us. We have a God, that even if it’s not the way we want, is caring for us. I’ve had to realize that. I’ve had to come to understand what my mom said to me from her death bed as I was contemplating a malpractice suit against her oncologists. She said, “God knew. He knew.” What she meant, but wasn’t up to spelling out in her weakened state, was that God was still in control the whole time. We’re told that no one can pluck us from his hand (John 10:27-29). So often, we are dissatisfied or think He isn’t answering our prayers or maybe even isn’t listening. But, I’ve known for many years and am now constantly reminded that the best way to guarantee our prayers are answered is really quite simple. Instead of asking Him to do our will, get in line with His. Things look completely different when we do that and life is so much more fulfilling.
Listening to the Heroes: Drawing Lessons from Biblical Characters
Reflecting on Predictions and Divine Lessons A pastor friend of mine started a sermon series last week called “Listening to the Heroes.” He explained that he’s going to draw lessons from the lives of Biblical heroes. Who you consider to be a hero is of course a line that isn’t the same for everyone. I don’t mean that we should cheer on villains, but that what it takes to be considered a hero isn’t the same for everyone. For that matter, I find many characters and their stories very interesting today that I didn’t in the past. A Chuckle at Serendipity I had to laugh a little when he started talking about the series though. Thirty-three years ago, I was graduating from Bible school with my Bachelors in Ministerial Sciences with an emphasis on Pastoral Care. We were the very first class to graduate in that program, so it was a small and fairly tight knit group. The program was the brainchild and labor of love for a man we called Doctor J. As much as we loved Doc J., he loved each of us at least as much. He was our advisor, the chair of the department, and our primary instructor. Around graduation, as we all were returning from our internships, there were several get-togethers. At one of them, Doc J. made a ten-year prediction for each of us. I had been into journalism before I changed my major to ministry. And I had worked in radio since high school. So, Doc J.’s prediction for me was that in ten years I would have a radio show called, Hogan’s Bible Heroes. As I was listening to my friend preach last week, I remembered the prediction and thought once again about doing that somehow. As I listened further, I realized he was using much of the scriptures and truths that I used in my first book and teach in counseling to help people work through God’s Love and their self-worth. Unveiling the Wisdom in Stories There is so much that we can learn if we listen to the stories of the individuals that we hear about or hear from when we read the scriptures. And maybe I should start a podcast or something about the Bible heroes. Embracing His Story: A Lesson for All One thing that I’ve said many times, is that we all know the saying, “History repeats itself,” and we need to understand that His story repeats itself. That means that everything in the Word is for you. There are some details and passages that we often find boring or don’t see as meaningful. But there is always a reason that something is included in the Bible. And it’s not because we’ll have to take a history test before being allowed through the Pearly Gates. Rather, everything in the Word is for you. If God made a promise in the Bible, it’s for you. If God gave a warning, it’s for you. And yes, If God gave an encouragement or admonition, that’s probably for you too. Even the promise that God would speak through Moses’ mouth (Ex 4:10-16), which Moses snubbed by the way, is for you. A Call to Application and Transformation If we can only remember that everything we read applies to our life and we ask God for His wisdom and guidance to apply it, then we can live more like the heroes we look up to. As a matter of fact, if I ever do start Hogan’s Bible Heroes, I plan on an episode that is “You.” Because when start applying the Word to our lives and live trusting God, we can become much more like the Bible Heroes than we would have ever thought. So, who do you want to take after?
Embracing Inherent Value: Made in His Image
Discovering Your Inherent Value Do you know your inherent value? Do you? Do you know where your inherent value comes from? In Genesis 1, we see the creation story. God made everything in an order that made sense and we’re told that He did it day by day over six days. God’s Deliberate Separation God very clearly makes distinct separations between each bit of creating. Up until day 6, those separations are by days. Then God changed it up a little bit. On the sixth day, God made every land creature. But there is a distinct separation right after that. He says that it was good. In verses 20 through 22, he fills the seas with all the fish and large sea creatures. But that’s all jumbled up with making birds to fill the skies. Then we have the separator of a new day. There’s no distinction making one or the other stand out. So in the middle of the sixth day when God calls all the land animals good, we see verses 26 and 27. Not only had God ended one action (the creating of land animals) with declaring it good, which seems to be a unique separator in itself. Verse 26 though starts with “Then.” That very clearly separates what he had just done from what He is about to do. His next act stands out as special simply because it is the only part of creation throughout these verses that stands alone. The Emphasis on Being Made in His Image Genesis 1:26 and 27 say, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” It mentions the word image three times in just two verses. And it’s obviously not just because there was no thesaurus around. Each time the word is used, the same message is repeated deliberately. That is done throughout scripture to show emphasis. So the fact that God made us in His image must be pretty important. A Reflection of Family Resemblance From the moment the doctor held up a slimy naked little human, it was clear that my daughter resembled me very strongly. There was no question that she was mine. Being made in my image means that there are things about her that direct people’s attention to me. People see me when they look at her. But I think more important than that is that her being made in my image also means that we’re family. We belong together! Recognizing Your Inherent Value I asked if you knew your inherent value. I asked if you know where it comes from. The very creator of time and all that is made you in His image. There are things about you that should bring our attention to Him. And even better, He made you to belong with and to Him.
