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Tag: Lord

  • Padiddle

    Padiddle

    Padiddle

    ‘Padiddle,’ it came to me as I was driving home at dusk one evening. Padiddle, where did that come from? Then I remembered.

    I had not grown up with it, for our family had played other travel games in the car. In fact, as I observed a car in traffic with no lights on at all, the very moment from 45 years ago came to me.

    The car in my rearview mirror had only one headlight, which from a perspective of safety was just a little better than a car with no lights whatsoever. ‘Padiddle,’ I thought. I had first heard it from my first wife (so many years before). She went back to her daddy after just a little more than a year of our young marriage. I was devastated, but recalling some of our happier moments brought a smile to my heart.

    Failures from our past

    I had failed in that marriage forty-five years ago and in other relationships/marriages since. Of course I was part to blame; but I was never the one to give up on my vows or run out on my marriage. I had even had a successful, ‘until death us do part’ marriage which lasted more than two decades. Nevertheless, even after all these years guilt and regrets remain from my marriage to the bride of my youth.

    Why couldn’t I have gotten it right – the first time… or those other times? Why didn’t I see the hurt in store from the most-intimate of relationships?

    “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? – Luke 6:39

    Embarking into the mysterious journey of a dating relationship can be a most blinding experience. We listen to our own hearts and hormones. We look to others for advice, if anyone at all. Seldom do even the faithful seek to be equally yoked; thus we run into the love of a new relationship at different speeds.

    The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;
    who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9

    A further examination into this description of our blind hearts will reveal more convicting words than sick. (Who has not been described as ‘love sick?’) Think of it more like  עָקַב beyond cure, exceedingly corrupt or desperately wicked, to name a few.

    Truly, failed relationships recall times of great darkness. Yet in Christ we have a Light brighter than the darkness of the world. … in him is no darkness at all. 

    Relationships often rush forward without tail lights to warn, ‘don’t follow too close.’ An oncoming unexpected one of the opposite sex approaches you with only one dull light, frequently trespassing God’s centerline in their approach to winning your love.

    Will you swerve to miss the impact of the pain ahead? Or will you too cross the center line of God’s will?

    A Promise we can hold

    So what is it we have, if we look to the Lord for hope in our marriages?

    Although Jesus was never married to a woman, for our Lord is married to His church; Christ gives couples a new hope to which we can hold.

    [ctt title=”Christ\’s promise of forgiveness releases us from the deserved guilt for the wickedness of our past and the continued trespasses of our flawed daily lives.” tweet=”https://ctt.ec/EjeI4+” coverup=”EjeI4″]

    “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    – Hebrews 13:5, quoting Deuteronomy 31:6

    If the Lord is part of our marriage, He will not leave us stranded or deserted or alone once more.

    Although the intent of this quote of the Law in the letter of Hebrews is not specific to marriage, it applies to the character of Christ. Taken in context, a look a the preceding verse will also encourage.

    Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

    [ctt title=”Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” tweet=”Hebrews 13:4 https://ctt.ec/b6Qkc+” coverup=”b6Qkc”]

    May I remind us of Jesus’ words to the Apostle Philip, who followed Him three years?

    Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? – John 14:9

    I find it most encouraging in our marriage that Jesus, who said,

    ‘Let your yes be yes and your no be no;’

    Jesus, who watches over the lost sheep and our Lord who teaches that ‘the two become one;’

    He who IS and was, the One judge of all souls at the end of the age assures us:

    “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    In Him there is no darkness at all

    Matthew 5:

    14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

    31“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

    1 John 1:5

    This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

    To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” – Acts 10:43

    [ctt title=”A marriage without forgiveness is one soul without light.” tweet=”Love forgives, as the Lord lifts guilt from the forgiven.” coverup=”Va0Wr”]

    Have you replaced your missing Light?

    In Christ Jesus we have forgiveness of sins.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned. John 3:18a 

    This includes your partner in marriage. Jesus includes you, as well. Believe in the forgiveness of of your sins of the past. Just replace the light and turn back to your Lord and Savior.

    John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

    Padiddle, I say. We cannot have just half the light the Lord intends for our marriage.

    21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

    Replace the darkness of the broken light of your failing love. For He IS our Light. Our love cannot shine clearly for others, even the one we love, without Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Each husband and every wife need the complete Light of Christ in the oneness of their marriage; for He IS the One who says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

     

  • Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 2

    Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 2

    Previously

    For those of you who missed Part 1 of our story of Balaam, we began by noting Balaam’s best inaugural speech in Numbers 24, to which we will return chronologically in Part 3. Now turning back to some background and the beginning of our story, King Balak of Moab sent diplomats to Balaam to urge him to prophesy against Israel, whose tribes have invaded nearby Canaan.

    Numbers 22:

    … Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying,

    “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

    Some beckoning!

    This foreign king gives great compliment to a prophet living miles away in another land (modern day, Iraq). We may be familiar with a western perspective from Egypt of the Hebrew people crossing of the Sea of Reeds. Perhaps we recall the fall of the major Canaanite city, Jericho. But let’s look at these events as reported to a Prophet living by the Euphrates River. The invasion of Canaan by the Hebrews coming into Canaan looks different from the west beyond Moab.

    …  9 And God came to Balaam…

    What happens next, of course, is that Balaam listens to God and tells Balak’s ambassadors, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

    Later they return with a more money for Balak’s campaign.

    20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

    Seems fairly simple for a man to whom God speaks – a man who princes and kings know hear, a mere mortal who speaks the word of the Lord.

    So Balaam joins the entourage of important men for their long return journey to Moab. King Balak believes inviting Balaam will be the inauguration (under good omens) of a new era in his land near the Jordan.

    22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary.

    Wait just a minute

    Something’s wrong here. Why would God be angry with Balaam; for the Lord had said, “go with them?”

    Balaam’s attitude at a second return of more men with more political promises of riches in Moab must have swayed his original steadfastness to just send these politicians of Balak back home empty-handed. Look closely at some of the detail leading to Balaam’s return on this second journey of the Moabites and Midianites.

    Prior to the first diplomatic mission to Balaam:

    7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand… 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

    I see no mention of acceptance of their ‘fees for divination.’

    Second Diplomatic Junket

    Take a look at Balaam’s challenge of the second mission of these diplomats from the Jordan River valley, a land promised to Israel by the Lord.

    15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’”

    Hear once more Balaam’s reply the first time:  “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” (No room for negotiation in his words.)

    Listen to the subtlety of his second reply:

    “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more. 19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

    If I’m a negotiator in the middle east, it sure sounds like an opening to me.

    ‘I’ll sleep on it. I’ll ask the Lord again. (Maybe God will change His mind.)

    Do you ask the Lord to command you twice?

    In response to these high officials coming again to him with promises of power and influence, after already having received the Lord’s answer, Balaam went to the Lord once more. “Are you sure.” he asked?

    Do we ask the Lord, “Are you sure?” Of course we do (even though the Lord’s command to us is clear).

    Pethor on the Euphrates – 400 miles from Moab

    Now comes the familiar story of Balaam’s journey with the princes and diplomats to the powerful capitals of their kings. It could be (if the Lord would allow) a great career move for Balaam.

    Now the prophet, distracted by men of influence and dreams of earthly riches, misses the Lord’s message for him. In fact, Balaam’s procession to this inauguration puts him in great danger.

    Balaam and his Donkey

    You probably know this story and like many, smirk at its absurdity.

    Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field.

    And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall.

    So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam.

    And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

    Balaam’s hopes for the inauguration

    Balaam certainly expected a reward at the end the journey of about 400 miles. rather than trouble at the beginning. Perhaps this new year will offer us opportunity to consider Balaam’s failure to go forward without listening to God.

    [ctt title=”Do your New Year\’s goals include God?” tweet=”What path does the LORD lead you to follow this year?” coverup=”6Gmbd”]

    28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”

    Again, let’s overlook the humor for a moment of an ass rebuking a prophet of God. And while we are at it, let’s not be so quick to miss that God can make an ass speak that is obedient to His will, when a man will not speak God’s will (as a prophet is expected to do).

    30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

    31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.

    Are your ways contrary to the Lord?

    The leaders of Midian and the leaders of Moab led lives in opposition to the Lord. Their sacrifices to idol gods offended the Lord. (Surely Balaam knew of this.)

    Like Abraham he was willing to travel this great distance. Unlike Abraham, Balaam traveled because he refused to listen to command of the Lord. Even so, the Lord was merciful here and spared Balaam’s life.

    Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – To be continued…

     

  • Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 1

    Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 1

    Prophesy of a man with eyes to see

    Numbers 24:

    “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
    4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    falling down with his eyes uncovered:

    5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
    6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
    like gardens beside a river,
    like aloes that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.
    7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall be in many waters;
    his king shall be higher than Agag,
    and his kingdom shall be exalted.
    8 God brings him out of Egypt
    and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
    he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall break their bones in pieces
    and pierce them through with his arrows.
    9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

    [ctt title=”Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”” tweet=”The LORD God of #Israel” coverup=”We237″]

    Looking back on election

    Let’s look at an ancient analogy about changes of political winds all too frequent throughout history.

    The inaugural event spoken by Balaam son of Beor illustrates hope for one group of hearers present, but not those who elected Balaam to his present situation. Backing up some (two chapters), we see Balaam’s nomination by powerful men with entirely different motives.

    You may need to map out some unfamiliar geography and history for understanding this election.

    First, understand that Balaam’s journey to Moab may have been about 400 miles from Pethor on the Euphrates. Yes, even then wars and skirmishes between nations surrounding Israel frequently involved foreign intervention. Balaam’s family may have been Canaanites who migrated to Mesopotamia, perhaps even to flee from local war of invading warriors.

    Election

    Israel (Jacob) claims election by God as a people set aside for the LORD. The LORD had led Israel by the hand of the prophet and leader, Moses [Mosheh]. מֹשֶׁה

    Joshua then defeats Canaan and begins capturing the lands promised to Israel [Jacob], son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

    We now glance into these tumultuous times of trouble in the middle east, just east of the Jordan during the campaigns of Balak, Balaam, Og, Sihon and other forgotten men of the 14th c. BC.

    Balak Summons Balaam

    Numbers 22

    Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel…

    Conflict between local leaders in the middle east (nothing new) and one leader, Balak, reaches out to foreign powers to fight Israel. Some mysterious power of Balaam is known, yet what if not known is something Balaam sends back as a message.

    … So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”

    These men of influence, likely with bribes for Balaam, return to Balak saying that Balaam will not come; but Balak orders them to make the long journey again promising even more riches as is typical of the diplomacy of influence.

    … God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

    Now the seer or prophet Balaam embarks on a potentially perilous journey of many miles into unknown outcomes of the middle east.

    Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – To be continued…