DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MARKED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MARKED

"But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." (Exodus 21:5-6)

In Exodus Chapter 20, God gave the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, and then gave some instructions for worship at an altar. But it might seem strange that the first commandments after that have to do with how to treat a slave. We do not own slaves, so it might be difficult to understand this fully.

God said that a Hebrew indentured servant was to be given the option to be free after serving six years. At the end of his tenure, he could choose to walk away. If he had a wife when he came into servanthood, then his wife could go with him. But if he was married after he began his servanthood, then his wife could not go with him. And any children born during his tenure as a servant would also remain as a servant in the master's house.

This required a choice. If he truly loved his wife and children, he could choose to remain as a servant. But there was a rite to be observed that would be an identifying mark on the man. The master would take the man to a doorpost, and pierce his ear with an awl. By this, the servant promised to be servant forever. He was a marked man.

This is a beautiful picture of a man's love for his wife. It is also a beautiful picture of the love of the Lord Jesus for us. He was willing to be pierced with marks that would last for eternity that showed His love for His bride.

We also are marked when we commit ourselves to being servants of the Lord Jesus. When the Apostles called themselves "bondservants of the Lord Jesus," it was not a casual relationship. It was a life-long commitment to being a slave to Jesus. When a person has that kind of devotion to his master, it is apparent to everyone who sees him – that he belongs to his Master, the Lord Jesus. He is a marked man. May the marks of our servanthood be apparent to everyone who sees us – that we belong to Jesus.  "Now I belong to Jesus; Jesus belongs to me.  Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- KEEPING GOD'S LAWS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – KEEPING GOD'S LAW

God spoke to Moses: "These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.' So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do.'" (Exodus 19:6b-8a)

Today begins consideration of the law that God gave to His people through Moses. The rest of Exodus, and continuing into Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, lay out God's way of living.

To be honest, sometimes reading these books can become a tedious exercise, and I tend to scan through them because they don't seem to have much relevance to me. I think there are several things that will help us wade through these Scriptures.

First, we need to understand that there are various aspects of the laws that God gave. Some were moral laws that transcend the nation of Israel and apply to people of all races and generations. Laws that speak about loving God and serving Him do not just apply to Israel, but to every nation and age. For example, God says, "You shall love the LORD our God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Jesus said that this is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37), elevating it to a universal commandment.

Secondly, there are civil laws. They do not always apply to us, because we have a different form of government, and a different culture. But there are universal principles that are behind these laws that apply to all societies, governments, and peoples. For example, In Exodus 21, there is a section of the law that pertains to an ox that gores and kills another person. We do not own oxen, but the principle of being responsible for things under our care applies to our present day.

Thirdly, there are ceremonial laws that were given for the form of worship God required of the Israelites. We are not under those laws. We don't have a Levitical priesthood, and we don't sacrifice animals on an altar. But the book of Hebrews shows how Old Testament forms of worship are a picture of the Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, and His sacrifice for sin. And the architecture of the Tabernacle is a beautiful picture of the way to approach God.

Fourthly, there are commandments regarding relationship that speak to holy living, sexual matters of fidelity, marriage and divorce, neighbors, and living with strangers and aliens. These rules by and large apply to all times.

Fifthly, there are health and dietary laws, and how to handle disease. These may or may not be useful today because we have ways of cleaning and preserving food that the Israelites did not have. But we can certainly benefit from observing dietary laws and cleanliness.

In all of this, we need to remember that observing rules and regulations do not get us to heaven. When the children of Israel said, "All that He has spoken, that will we do," they may have had an honest desire, but in reality, they were failures. We cannot keep all the rules. We all fall short. So we live by grace, knowing that sinless One, Jesus, kept all the laws perfectly. I heard the statement: "Our works of righteousness are what we give to God. God's righteousness is what God gives to us." What we do will never measure up to God's holy standard no matter how hard we try. So we trust in the righteousness that God has given to us. The Book of Romans calls it "imputed righteousness" (see Romans 4:13-25). Righteousness was accounted unto Abraham, not because he was always did everything right, but because "he believed God" (James 2:23). That is where our righteousness lies – not in our works, but our faith in the work of Jesus.

The purpose of the law is to show us God's standard and how far we live below His perfection. The law,then, is a teacher to "bring us to Christ" (Galatians 3:24), showing us our inability to keep God's perfect standard, but bringing us to the One who did perfectly keep God's law – the Lord Jesus.

I am so glad that my acceptance by God does not depend on how well I keep the law, but is in the righteousness that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BLIND SPOTS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BLIND SPOTS

"Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said." (Exodus 18:24)

I must admit that one of the greatest challenges in my life is listening to the counsel and advice of other people. It is difficult for me to admit that I may not have all the answers, and that someone else might be able to speak truth into my blind spot. It is also difficult for me to delegate responsibility to others because in my pride, I think I can do it best.

It is especially difficult for those in the place of leadership, but I think it is common to all of us. We are afraid to relinquish control and think it is a sign of weakness to change the way we do things. Moses gives a model for us to have a different perspective.

In this case, Moses' father-on-law had come to visit Moses and he brought Moses' wife, Zipporah, along with their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses told Jethro how God had done such miraculous things in delivering the nation from the bondage of Egypt, and Jethro rejoiced and came to the faith that the Israelite God was above all other gods.

One morning Jethro observed that there was a line of people waiting from morning to evening to speak to Moses. Jethro confronted Moses and Moses explained that they came to him for judgment in civil matters. Jethro told Moses to his face that what he was doing was not right. He needed to delegate some responsibility to others to hear the common cases, and if there was something too difficult for them, they could bring it to Moses. Otherwise, if Moses kept us this pace, he would wear himself out.

Moses listened and did as Jethro advised, forming several layers of judges, some over ten, then a higher lever over 50, and over hundreds, and over thousands. It would be similar to our judicial system, with lower courts, circuit courts, courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court that hears the really tough cases.

It takes humility to submit myself to someone else. I am still learning that it is not weakness to yield myself and my way of doing things, to my wife, to my elders, to God Himself. It is wisdom to listen to other people. They may see something that is in my blind spot and I don't see. They can provide a different perspective, and I can learn from them, and through them God's kingdom can be increased.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- VICTORY IN JESUS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – VICTORY IN JESUS

"And Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.' "  (Exodus 14:13-14)

The escape from Egypt was no Sunday Picnic. The Israelites did not walk away from their captivity with no challenges. Pharaoh had changed his mind again when he saw his cheap labor departing, and so he sent his army after them to bring them back.

Here they were, with the Red Sea in front of them blocking their way forward, and Pharaoh's army coming behind them, eliminating the possibility of retreat. There seemed to be no way to escape, and some of the fainthearted said to Moses, "Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to to bring us up out of Egypt….It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness'" (vss. 10-12).

God never promised us a rose-garden when he delivered us from our bondage of sin. Accepting Christ does not guarantee a life of ease. We still have our issues with our enemy. There are still challenges we face. But He did promise to be with us and to fight for us, and He will bring us to victory. It is empty thinking to look at the past through rose-tinted glasses and forget the pain and sorrow we experienced under the taskmaster that beat us into submission. There are challenges in the Christian life, but we have Jesus with us, and we can stand fast in our faith without fear because He is our peace and our victory. And who in their right mind would want to go back to bondage?

As the old Gospel song says, "Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever. He sought me and He bought me with redeeming blood. He loved me e'er I knew Him and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the crimson flood." We can sing the song of Moses and of Miriam, "I will sing unto the LORD for He has triumphed gloriously!" (Exodus 15:1, 21). Hallelujah!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PASSOVER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PASSOVER

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 'This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying 'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.'" (Exodus 12:1-5)

The Passover event is of utmost importance in our understanding of the God's Redemption Plan. Even though the original Passover and the command for a yearly remembrance of the Passover was given to the nation of Israel and it is not incumbent on us to keep all the rituals of the Passover Feast, or Seder as the Jews of today celebrate it, still it is a powerful testimony to the grace of God.

Remember the story. God, through Moses, had caused great plagues to come on the land of Egypt. The purpose was not punishment, but was God's attempt to get the Pharaoh to accept God's call to release the Jewish people from their bondage. But all of God's calling fell on deaf ears, and Pharaoh's heart was hardened until the it came to this final plague – that all the firstborn humans and animals would be killed.

God instructed Moses to have the Israelites kill a one-year old lamb without blemish, apply its blood to the doorpost of their homes, and then eat the lamb. This would be a sign of faith for the death angel to bypass that home. God said, " 'Now this shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt' " (Exodus 12:13). The Israelites obeyed in faith, and indeed they were spared this tragedy. The lamb died in their stead.

After suffering this judgment that included his own son, Pharaoh's heart was softened, and he told the Israelites to leave. Then God gave the ordinance of the Passover, so that it would be a continual reminder of God's deliverance.

The beauty of this story is that the Lord Jesus fulfilled the Passover. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that Christ has become our Passover (I Corinthians 5:7). He was the Lamb without blemish whom John the Baptist said would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). He lived a sinless life and was slain on the Day of Passover. His blood, when applied to our lives by faith, cleanses from sin, delivers us from the bondage of sin, and voids the penalty of eternal death, for without the shedding blood there is no remission for sin (Hebrews 9:22). But, as the Israelites were required to eat the lamb, so we must personally partake of the life of Jesus in order for the Promise of Salvation to be effected. The Lamb has died in our stead. As Christians, we continue the Feast of Passover in the ordinance of Communion, where we remember His death and sacrifice for sin.

We are moving toward Easter when we celebrate the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross for our sins and His resurrection. But every day is a Passover day as we live under the covering of His shed blood. Today is a day of deliverance.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S CALLIING

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S CALLING

"Then Moses said to the LORD, 'O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before or since you have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.' So the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." (Exodus 4:10-12)

God had chosen Moses, not because he was naturally gifted, but because of God's divine purpose. Moses had spent 40 years in the household of Pharaoh. There he had received the best training in all the culture of Egypt as the step-grandson of the Pharaoh, preparing him to be a leader. But, as the book of Hebrews says, "When he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin" (Hebrews 12:24-25). So, he forsook Egypt and spent the next 40 years as a shepherd in the desert. Here he was, 80 years of age, and feeling unprepared for the task God was calling him to.

God reminded him that God Himself was his source. God had prepared Moses to do the job of leading the Israelites out of bondage, but it would be God's work, not Moses' abilities.

Many of us hear God calling us to do His work. We say, "I'm too old. I don't have the abilities required for the task." But then God reminds us that when He calls us to a work, it is He Himself who provides the ability.

What might God be calling us to do in? Maybe, just maybe, God may be calling us to lead people out of the bondage and captivity of their "Egypt." If so, He will provide the strength and power to do that. Our excuses and our feelings of inadequacy do not mean anything to God. When He calls us, it is His work. He will provide. It is His ability, not ours.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- COMFORT ZONE

COMFORT ZONE

"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph." (Exodus 1:8)

Joseph and his brothers all died, but the Hebrews continued to multiply through the succeeding generations. As the Scripture records, "The children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exodus 1:7). Generation after generation came and passed from the scene through the years – 400 years to be precise. God had told Abraham that this was going to happen. "Then God said to Abram, 'Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years' " (Genesis 15:13). But God had also promised that they would come out of that nation "with great possessions" (Genesis 15:14).

Thus it happened as God had foretold. Now, after all these years, they were slaves in this foreign land. A pharaoh came to power who did not know the history of how Joseph had saved the nation. This new pharaoh became fearful that the Hebrews would take over the nation when he saw how they had multiplied. So "the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage" (Exodus 1:13-14).

Now it seems to me that the Egyptians were not the entire problem. If the generations after Joseph would have returned to Canaan, their promised land, they could have avoided many years of suffering. But they were comfortable where they were in Egypt and ended up in bondage. God knew all of this and had a plan of deliverance. In their pain, the Israelites "groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out to God; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them" (Genesis 2:23-25). God ordained that Moses would be born and become their deliverer. It would take another 80 years for the fulfillment of the deliverance, but God was in control. In the meantime, they continued to suffer.

Sometimes we get comfortable living in our "Egypt" – the sin we have allowed to control us --and we don't want to leave our comfort zone. But when we finally get tired of the bondage and we cry out to God, He hears. It may take a some time of waiting, but he does bring deliverance. We can trust Him to bring us out and deliver us from the captivity of our Egypt.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A PROPHETIC BLESSINGS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A PROPHETIC BLESSING

"And Jacob called his sons and said, 'Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:…...All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing." (Genesis 49:1 and 28)

Jacob was coming to the end of his days. He was 147 years old (47:28) and didn't have many more days on this earth before he was gathered to his fathers. So he knew that it was important to give each of his sons a blessing. They were prophetic blessings. Some were not very flattering, but he knew the character traits of each of his sons. He called Reuben his firstborn "unstable as water." Simeon and Levi were "instruments of cruelty." Issachar was a strong donkey. Dan a serpent. Benjamin a ravenous wolf. Other blessings were truly blessings: Naphtali spoke beautiful words. Joseph was a fruitful bough. Asher would be rich. Zebulun would be a haven for ships. Gad would be triumphant in the end. All of these would be worthy of study.

But the most important to us is the prophecy concerning Judah because it was through Judah that the Messiah would come. The name "Judah" means praise. So, Jacob said, "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between is feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be obedience of the people" (vss. 8-10).

In retrospect, we know that the Messiah came through the house of Judah. But Jacob had no way of knowing that the Messiah would come through the lineage of Judah. It was divine inspiration that formed this prophetic blessing. Consider again this blessing. He will be victorious over all His enemies, and every knee will bow down before Him. He is called a lion, and in Revelation He is called The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). The scepter or kingship shall not depart from the house of Judah – through the kings of Israel and ultimately through Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A lawgiver would come from Judah's loins and people would be obedient to Him when Shiloh comes. Shiloh means Peace and tranquility. That will happen when Jesus comes establishes His kingdom here on earth and He rules with a rod of iron. All of this and more through Judah.

God had promised Abraham that through Him all the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). That blessing continued through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, to us because it is through these men that our Savior, the Lord Jesus, descended. We are blessed because of Jacob's prophetic blessing on Judah.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BLESSING OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BLESSING OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN

"Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, 'Indeed your father is sick'; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim…. Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, 'Who are these?' And Joseph said to his father, 'They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.' And he said, 'Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.' " (Genesis 48:1, 7-8)

Joseph brought his two boys, Manasseh and Ephraim, to their grandfather, Jacob, for a blessing. The blessing by Jacob of his grandchildren was a special thing in Joseph's mind. Of all the other sons of Jacob, Joseph was the only one who sought this blessing on his children. It shows Joseph's heart in recognizing the importance of spiritual input.

There is something spiritual that happens in these kinds of ceremonies. For example, the dedication of children to the Lord as infants may not seem to be such a big deal, and brings no guarantees that the child will serve the Lord. But it is an act of acknowledging the importance of God in the lives of our children.

I believe that there is transference of something spiritual by the laying on of hands. Jesus often touched people to heal them. In the book of Hebrews, there is a list of basic Christian doctrine, and included in this list is the "laying on of hand" (Hebrews 6:1-2). Usually, we associate this with ordination of people to Christian ministry as when the Timothy received a spiritual gift "through the laying on of my hands" (II Timothy 1:6) by the Apostle Paul. But I believe it is more than this.

I remember well the times that I took my own children to their grandparents for a blessing. Both of Mildred's and my fathers and mothers were godly people who loved and served the Lord Jesus. I had read this incident in Genesis of Joseph taking his sons for a blessing, and felt impressed that I needed to do the same thing with my children. So, before our fathers died, we went as a family to each parent and sought a blessing for our children.

As grandparents we have the privilege of blessing our grandchildren, not just with material things, but with a spiritual heritage. There is no guarantee that the children will serve the Lord, but it is an important statement of our faith that God is important in our lives.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MATURING OF A GODLY MAN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE MATURING OF A GODLY MAN

"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph; does my father still live?' But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence …. Moreover, he kissed all his brothers and wept over them; and after that his brothers talked with him." (Genesis 45:3 and 15).

The story of Joseph is the story of the growth of a teenage boy into a mature man. Although we cannot study his life in depth, the narrative of Joseph's pilgrimage is in chapters 37-44. It is biography of a man worth studying for the many lessons it teaches. However, a quick biography is important.

Joseph was the favorite son of Judah. He was the son of Judah's favorite wife, Rachael. As the favored son and perhaps because of his youth, Joseph received perks that the other sons did not have, and they resented Joseph. Whether it was the naivety of youth or pride, Scripture does not tell us. At any rate, when he told his brothers that one day they would bow before him, the animosity grew to such a level that they wanted to kill him. Instead, he was sold into slavery, and became the property of an Egyptian named Potiphar. Joseph did well in his role as a servant until Potiphar's wife accused him of unwanted sexual advances, and Joseph was thrown into prison. He languished in chains in prison for several years – a time of waiting and developing his leadership skills – until, through a series of God-ordained circumstances, he was elevated to the top man in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Thus, he had great power in Egypt.

When his brothers came from Canaan seeking food during a famine, Joseph recognized them, but they did not know him. After several meetings, Joseph finally revealed himself to them as the one whom they had sold into slavery. In this revealing of himself, we see several things that point to Joseph's personal growth. For one thing, he could have thrown his brothers into prison. Instead, he wept over them. He did not harbor any ill-will toward them.

But more than that, we see his spiritual growth. He saw all of the circumstances of his life as God's handiwork. That's why he said, "God sent me before you to preserve you" (vss. 5, 7) and, "It was not you who sent me here, but God" (vs. 8). And later he would say, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (50:20). It was not that he did not remember the bad things they had done to him, but he saw it all in the light of God's providence.

As we look at our own histories, and the evil things that others have done to us, we need to remember the words of the Lord Jesus when He said, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). This is one of the marks of mature believer – one who does not carry grudges from the past but sees how God has used those circumstances to bring spiritual growth. Joseph certainly modeled this for us. And we also follow in the steps of our Master who, while being crucified, said, "Father, forgive them."

May this be the pattern for our lives as we grow in grace.

Love, Dad

DAD;S RAMBLINGS -- A MESSY TAPESTRY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MESSY TAPESTRY

"This is the history of Jacob." (Genesis 37:2a)

The history of Jacob and his family is a sordid mess. It is a story of intrigue, of prostitution, of murder, of hatred between brothers. These three chapters make Peyton Place appear tame in comparison.

Jacob had 12 sons by four different women. But his favorite son was Joseph. He loved Joseph more than all of his other children. We have seen in the stories of Isaac and Ishmael, and of Jacob and Esau, how parental favoritism caused so many problems. And so it was with Joseph and his brothers. There was a family feud. They hated him and wanted to kill him, and eventually sold him into slavery. But this is only a small part of this dysfunctional family.

There was also the incident with Judah and his family. Judah had a son named Er by a Canaanite woman. Er married a woman named Tamar. But Er was wicked in God's sight, and the Lord killed him. The custom was for a brother to marry a widow. That lot fell to Judah's second son, Onan. But Onan did not want any children, and he practiced birth control by spilling his semen on the ground. That displeased the Lord and God killed him also. Judah had a third son, Shelah, and Judah promised Tamar that Shelah would marry her in due time. But that promised was not fulfilled. So Tamar enticed Judah into an illicit relationship, and she bore two sons to Judah, Perez and Zerah.

Now, you say, what is the point, John? The point is expressed in Matthew chapter one, which is the lineage of the Lord Jesus. So it is recorded that Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and so on. It is incredible that from this mess anything good would result, let alone the lineage of the Lord Jesus.

God does not make people do ugly things. But He has a way of pulling all the threads together to make a beautiful pattern. It is like the bottom of a piece of tapestry. The bottom side looks really messy with all the knots and threads going every which way. But the design on the top side shows wonderful craftsmanship. We are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:9). We may not do everything perfectly. The underside of life may be messy, with many knots and tangled threads, but when we love God, we can trust God to tie the strings together to fulfill His purposes.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WASTED WORRY

DAD'S RAMBLING – WASTED WORRY

"Then he [Jacob] crossed over before them [his family] and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept." (Genesis 33:3-4)

Jacob had heard the report that Esau was coming with 400 men and it filled Jacob with great fear and distress (32:6-7; 33:1). For all Jacob knew, Esau was coming to fulfill the last word that he had said before Jacob had left home – that Esau was going to kill him. I think it would cause me a lot of anxiety also.

But over 20 years had passed, and God had done a work in Esau's heart. Jacob's fear was for nothing. God had told Jacob leave Padan Aram and return to Canaan, the land of Abraham and Isaac (31:3). Since God had spoken to him to return, he could have saved himself a lot of angst by trusting God's plan. Wasted worry.

We could save ourselves a lot of anxiety and fear if we could just learn to trust God. Not every situation will work out like it did for Jacob, or like we want it to, but we can still trust God. He can heal broken relationships when it seems that there is no chance of repair and reconciliation. God is the healer of broken hearts and dreams.

This reminds me of the story of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15. When the son came home, "while he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). I can picture the son kneeling before his father. The son had sinned against his father, and he didn't know if the father would accept him back as a son, but he hoped at least to be a hired servant. But his father did not hold a grudge against him. Instead, he welcomed him home as a part of the family with great passion.

These are pictures that remind us that God welcomes us home when we return to Him. We don't have to worry whether God will accept us when we come and bow before Him, because we have His promises. For example, Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). And, "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2:32; and quoted in the N.T., Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13). "Whoever" includes me, and He welcomes me into His embrace. He will never turn me away.

Have no fear. God welcomes us home. What a gracious God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PERSISTENCE WITH GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PERSISTENCE WITH GOD

"Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He [the heavenly Man] saw that He did not prevail against him [Jacob], He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And he [the heavenly Man] said, 'Let Me go, for the day breaks.' But he [Jacob] said, 'I will not let You go unless You bless me!' So He [the heavenly Man] said to him, 'What is your name?' He said, 'Jacob.' And He (the heavenly Man) said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.' " (Genesis 32:28)

The messenger from God spoke the truth when he said that Jacob had struggled with men. Jacob's life was not an easy life. He had his conflicts with Esau, Laban, with his sons and his wives, and later with the Shechem and his son. And now he was facing Esau again. But he also struggled with God. He would not let God go during this time of crisis.

God revealed Himself to Jacob in times of crisis. The first time was when he was running from Esau, and God met him at Bethel and showed him a ladder reaching to heaven (chapter 28). This must have been a very encouraging thing for Jacob, to know that God cared about him in his struggle. The second time was in a dream 20 years later when God told him to leave Padan Aram and Laban, and return to Canaan because the relationship with Laban had become untenable (chapter 31). Now, here he was again, running away from Laban and going back to face his brother Esau. He did not know what he would encounter with Esau. The last time he had had contact with Esau, Esau wanted to kill him, so this was very fearful and stressful time. But this time, he did not run away from the conflict. So God met with Jacob again at the river Jabbok. There, God changed Jacob's name from "deceiver" to Israel, which means – one who prevails with God. This speaks of perseverance. Jacob could have given up in his struggles with men, but he did not. He kept in there. And he did not give up during his struggles with God.

How many people in their life-struggles give up on God. They lose faith. Jacob didn't quit just because it was a struggle. He kept his faith in God. Times of crisis in our lives are when we need to not give up the

struggle, but with perseverence, trust God.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLING -- THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

"Now while he (Jacob) was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess." (Genesis 29:9)

Have you ever had things happen that just seemed to be coincidences? Jacob had one of those times. He was running away from home for fear of his life at the hand of Esau. His father, Isaac, had told him to go Rebekah's family at Padan Aram to find a wife for himself. So here he was after traveling far from Canaan. He just happened upon a well where there just happened to be shepherds waiting to water their sheep. They just happened to be from Haran, and they just happened to know Rebekah's brother, Laban. As they were talking, along comes a beautiful young girl who just happens to also be bringing her sheep to water. She just happens to be a daughter of Laban, Rebekah's brother. What joy must have filled Jacob's heart as he saw the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

This is the providence of God. Nothing "just happens" to God's children. What the non-Christian calls luck or chance, the people of God call God's Providence. God has everything under control and he makes things happen at just the right time. It was no accident that Jacob stopped at that particular well, or that that there were men at the well who knew his uncle, Laban, or that a sweet young lass came at that particular time. We know that "all things work together."

You have probably also experienced similar situations where things happened at just the right time. Mildred and I were pastoring a small church in Oregon. After several years, there did not seem to be any fruit for our labors. The church did not grow as we had hoped, and the salary was very meager. Mildred became very discouraged, so one day I asked God to encourage my wife. On our daily schedule, we stopped at the post office to gather our mail. In the cluster of letters was one from someone we did not know. I opened it to find a note which read that they felt that God wanted them to send us some money, and enclosed was a check. There was great rejoicing in my heart, not for the money, but for the way that God answered my prayer. God had inspired someone days before to minister some encouragement to us. Allowing for the way the U.S. mail sometimes operates, God had orchestrated for the letter to arrive on the very day that I had prayed. This was no accident. It didn't "just happen." It was not a coincidence. It was God providential care.

The word "providence" come from two Latin words, "pro," meaning before, and videre, meaning to see. Thus, it means foresight, or to see ahead. God sees ahead of time what we need, and He provides. He knows what we desire even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). What a wonderful and gracious God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOVED BY GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LOVED BY GOD

"And Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game but Rebekah love Jacob." (Genesis 25:28).

Family history is like water that flows under a bridge. It just keeps moving along with some placid pools, and some rough and turbulent rapids. The family of Isaac was a picture of a dysfunctional family. There was deceit, intrigue, and hatred between the members of the family. It was not helped by the favoritism of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was Isaac's favorite son. He was Isaac's kind of son because he was the outdoors type who worked the soil and hunted to provide food, while Jacob loved to stay around the house and cook. He was a "mama's boy" through and through.

Jacob occupied a special position in God's plan, but it was not because he was perfect. His very name, Jacob, means deceiver or supplanter, and it was a character flaw that kept popping its nasty head up through his life. Deceit is a trait that followed through the family from Abraham. Remember that Abraham was not adverse to telling half-truths when he was in Egypt and when he stayed with Abimilech. You can read those stories in Genesis, chapters 12 and 26. Jacob carried on the tradition. We cannot make excuses for Jacob's deceitful nature, but it does account for his actions to acquire the blessing of Isaac. God's plan was for the lineage of the Lord Jesus to come through the line of Jacob, and He can use even our failings to accomplish His will.

In today's scripture, Jacob deceived his father into thinking that he was Esau in order to get the family blessing. This inheritance was more than money and possessions. It was the position of being head of the family, and involved spiritual blessing. Jacob was better suited to spiritual leadership because he had a desire for godly things, as opposed to Esau, whose life was centered on worldly things – hunting, and feeding his belly. Esau means "Hairy," and he was the iconic macho man's man. Of the two, Jacob was the more god-centered, with a sensitive heart to God. This not to imply that men who love the outdoors are less godly than those who would rather keep house. But this was the case with Jacob and Esau. Esau did not have the kind of heart that sought God. In fact, the Scriptures says, "Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:34), and the writer to the Hebrews called him "profane" – a godless and unholy person (Hebrews 12:16). He counted his spiritual birthright as nothing because he disdained spiritual things.

Have you ever wondered about the Scripture where God said, "Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated" (Malachi 1:2-3; Roman 9:13). God certainly has the right to love whom He loves and hate whom He hates. God loves the world so much that He gave His life for the souls of men. But there is a special love- connection between Him and those who love Him. So it was with the Apostle John who called himself "the one whom Jesus loved" when writing the Gospel of John. I don't think that it was because Jesus didn't love the other disciples, but there was a special connection between John and Jesus that allowed John to rest his head on Jesus' breast at the last Supper.

If you have a desire for God and godly things, count yourself blessed. People of this world may think you are weird, but you are especially loved by God, and that is worth more than any praise or satisfaction people get from worldly acclaim. You are blessed if you love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and have a heart for spiritual blessing as Jacob did.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LAUGHTER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LAUGHTER

"And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac." (Genesis 21:3)

What joy there must have been when Isaac was born. They had waited a long time for this day, and it was finally here. It was a day of New Birth, much like the day when a child is born into our families.

The name Isaac means, "Laughter." Perhaps Abraham named him Isaac because that is the name the LORD had told them to name him (Genesis 17:19). Perhaps it was because Sarah had laughed at the thought of her bearing a child in her old age (Genesis 18:12). Or perhaps it was just the pure joy of having the son that God had promised. Whatever, it was a day of joy and laughter.

There is great joy when God fulfills His promises. Psalm 126:2: "When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.' The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad."

Sometimes our hearts are so overflowing with joy that our mouths are filled with laughter. When God works out a problem that we can see no the solution to; When God provided food when our cupboards were empty; When God fills our hearts with His presence, or we experience the joy of forgiveness and our salvation; When we see another person come to Salvation. Laughter is the expression of joy, and I believe that Heaven rings with the sound of laughter.

This does not mean that there would always be laughter in their lives, and no sadness. Abraham and Sarah would face sadness in the days and years to come. Still Isaac would remain – laughter would endure.

Our joy does not come from circumstances, but in God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises. Joy comes from our New Birth – our Isaac. The Savior brings joy to the heart. Whatever else happens, our salvation is secure. Isaac-- laughter – will still be there, and we can have joy in our hearts because of God's salvation. Oh, the joy of sins forgiven.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

"Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, 'After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?' And the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, "Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?" Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.' " (Genesis 18:11-14)

God has a plan that He will perform and complete, in spite of how we as humans act or sometimes even get in the way. When God has purposed something, nothing can stop God's plan – not even our inabilities and failures. Abraham and Sarah are prime examples.

God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son to carry on the family and bless the world. Abraham and Sarah looked at themselves, and said, "How can this ever happen? Sarah has passed menopause, and it is impossible for her to conceive."

So when the angel – which was the pre-incarnate Christ – came and said that indeed, Sarah would have a child, she laughed within herself at the foolish thought that such a thing could ever happen. That God could cause her to have a child was totally beyond her comprehension.

Sarah did indeed have a child by Abraham, proving again that there is nothing too hard for God.

This is encouragement for us. When we are faced with situations that seem to have no possibility of having a solution, God is above the situation. He is able. As the Lord Jesus reaffirmed, "With God, all things are possible" (Mark 10:27).

What a hope we have in God when we are faced with things too big for us to handle. God is able. He may include us as a part of the answer, even though we are weak and past our prime. But our inabilities only make the miracle greater. It is God's work. Have faith in God.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BACK TO THE ALTAR

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BACK TO THE ALTAR

"Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far a Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD." (Genesis 13:1-3)

Abram's father, Terah, was from Ur of the Chaldeans, but emigrated with his family from Ur with the initial intent to go to the land of Canaan. They got as far as Haran, probably still in Mesopotamia, north of Canaan, where they settled. After Terah died, God appeared to Abram and told him to leave his family and go to a land that God had prepared for them. So Abram picked up stakes and moved to the land of Canaan, which God then promised to Abram and his descendants. And there Abram built an altar to worship the LORD who had appeared to him. Then he settled between Bethel and Ai, and he built another altar and called on the name of the LORD.

There came a famine in the land, and so Abram moved with his family to Egypt. That was not the land God had called him to. There was no altar in Egypt. After an incident with Pharaoh and Abram's wife Sarai, he was expelled from Egypt, persona non grata.

Then he returned to Canaan to the place between Ai and Bethel where he had made the previous altar. And there, Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Sometimes we are like Abram – we get sidetracked from where God has called us. It seems that we have the wanderlust in us, looking for something better. But when we find that the grass is no greener there, if we are smart, we end up coming back to the place where we first met God.

God is patient, and welcomes us back. But sometimes the sojourn away from the place where God has called us causes us grief and problems. We need to return to the altar.

There's a song that says, "That's what the altar is for. You don't have to carry those burdens anymore." The altar is a place where we meet God and worship Him. When we have drifted away, we can return to the first altar. Come, let's return to the altar.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A GODLY LINEAGE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS - A GODLY LINEAGE

"This is the genealogy of Shem….." (Genesis 11:10)

Genesis – the book of beginnings. This is the story of the beginning of the lineage of the Lord Jesus through Seth, Noah, Shem, and Abraham. You can trace the complete lineage in Luke chapter 3.

Following the disaster of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and their dismissal from the paradise of the garden, they had children. The firstborn was an ungodly son, Cain. Then Abel was born. Abel was righteous and he was murdered by Cain. Then Seth was born, and he became the progenitor of the lineage of the Lord Jesus, our Savior. Seth's family tree included such people as Enoch – who walked with God. But the ungodly people – including the offspring of both Cain and Seth – got so bad that the earth was filled with violence and evil. God saw that it was so totally corrupt and very wicked, that He was sorry that He had created man. He was so grieved in His heart (6:7-9) that He determined to destroy them all. But Noah, a righteous man, found grace in the eyes of the LORD, and he and his family were spared God's judgment through the building of an Ark. Thus the godly line was preserved. There would have been no Savior – even for those righteous people who lived before the flood – if Noah and his family had not been saved from the flood.

What joy Noah must have had to see Shem and his children remaining faithful to God. This is not to imply that all of Shem's offspring were godly. But to see a family following God's way is a blessing indeed.

My father was the first, and I believe the only, born-again Christian in his family. He and my mother had three children – a daughter who became the wife of a Southern Baptist minister, my brother who pastored a deaf church in Hawaii, and myself – whom God called to be a pastor. As I look at my children, I find great joy in seeing some of them serving the God of my father, and grandchildren who are following God, one as a missionary to Spain. But I also know the sorrow of seeing some who are not serving God.

To see our children following God is a great blessing. As the Apostle John wrote, "I find no great joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (III John 4). Thank God for godly families. May their number increase.

Love, Dad

NEW YEAR'S MEDITATION

NEW YEAR'S MEDITATION

NEW BEGINNINGS

Happy New Year to You and Yours – as we start the Beginning of a New Year.

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

God is a God of beginnings.  Genesis, the record of beginnings. The word Genesis means origins or the coming into being of something. Genesis tells of the beginning of the Creation of the universe, the earth, and all that is in it; the origin of man; the appearance of sin; the beginning of a godly people; the origin of a nation – the Hebrews; and the beginning of the Salvation Story.

God is a God of beginnings. The heavens and the earth had a beginning. It boggles the mind that some people think that anything could exist without a beginning. Science itself demonstrates that material Universe has not always existed. Science and common sense shows that nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could – ala Maria's song in The Sound Of Music. Trying to explain it with the Big Bang Theory only evades the question. Where did the first atom come from? There had to be a beginning somewhere. The only rational and logical answer is that it was created.

God is a God of beginnings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This is not meant to imply that God had a beginning. Rather it brings us to the realization that before anything else was, God was. He is eternal. That is a hard concept to wrap my brain around. But if stands to reason that if God had a beginning, then He had to be created. It is a vicious circle. The best way to handle the conundrum it is to accept the reality of the eternal existence of the Creator – the Logos – the Very Word Of God. He was present and active at the beginning of the cosmos.

God is a God of beginnings. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the Word of life...that which we have seen and heard we declare to you…." (I John 1:1, 3a). There was a beginning of the incarnate God in the person of Jesus Christ. Even though He had existed as God in Heaven, He had a beginning as a human in the womb of Mary and took His first breath of earthly air in Bethlehem.

God is a God of beginnings. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again" (John 3:7). Birth is a new beginning. We need a new beginning in our lives and we begin our spiritual life when we are born of the Spirit. There is a definite beginning when we start our new life in Christ and are translated from death to life. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but He made us alive. In that process, we are created as a new creature. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17). It is a new beginning.

As we come to the end of this year, we look forward to a new beginning. 2020 is past. 2021 is new. Praise God for new beginnings. But if we don't begin with God, the new beginning is an empty promise. I might say "in the beginning of 2021 – God…..." May God always be our starting point, our place of Beginning.

Love, Dad