The Promise of Purpose

“And it shall come to pass, [that] as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, [but] let your hands be strong.” (Zec 8:13 AV)

This is an awesome promise to any purposeless soul that if God is allowed to make something of that person, then his life would benefit others.  Our prophet speaks of reconciled Israel.  Because of their backsliding, they did more damage to the world than helped it.  Their calling was to show forth the glory and holiness of God through worship and obedience to His word.  Instead, they made a mockery of God by compromising with those whom they were supposed to win.  They became a curse among the heathen because they were no different.  God became a byword because of their actions.  When the Messiah returns, all this will change.  Jesus will reclaim the remnant, and they will be as lights shining forth the truth of salvation in Christ.  They will be the bearers of hope to a world without it.  But this promise in not limited to the backslidden.  It applies to all who trust in Jesus and whose lives reflect His glory.  Prior to salvation, we were of little good to humanity.  In a backslidden state, we are worse than lost.  Hypocrisy does more damage than carnality alone.  But if God is allowed to reclaim that soul from the grips of sin, then his or her life will be a source of immense blessing to any and all who need it.

The last part of this verse is what intrigues me.  The promise for Israel is future.  Therefore, they are encouraged to be strong and not fear in the present.  This makes sense.  If the promise is restoration to usefulness and purpose in the future, then it makes sense to encourage them to faith and faithfulness in the present.  Their day of being a blessing is coming.  Therefore, do not quit or lose hope.  But what of those who walk with Christ today?  One can see how failure in the past might discourage hope in usefulness toward the future.  I have worked with many who have made very bad decisions and then wondered if the LORD could do anything with them sometime in the future.  It doesn’t matter what circumstances exist.  It might be poor choices.  Or it might be diminished abilities.  As we age, we wonder if our lives can still matter.  All we want is to make a difference.  No matter how large or how small, the child of God wants God to do something with the life so graciously granted.  Idleness is a nightmare.  Purposeless is hopelessness.

The more I meditate on the truth of purpose and meaning, the more I am convinced that this present world is trying to eliminate most of it.  Mere existence is the highest goal in mind.  Mental illness is at an all-time high.  Substance abuse is out of control.  Productivity is waning, and it seems that many people have no greater goal in life than to exist.  God did not wire us that way.  The first thing He did with Adam was to give him two jobs to do.  He was to name all the animals.  That had a start date and an end date.  Eventually, all the animals that existed would be named.  He also told him to tend and keep the garden.  That had a start date, but it was an ongoing chore with no end.  It was a job of maintenance.  In His infinite wisdom, God gave Adam a purpose to life.  It was only when those purposes were abandoned and self-interest was the priority that sin entered the world.  When God promises Israel and the saints that if they stay steadfast in hope and strength, He will make something of our lives, that is one of the greatest promises of all.  I know what purposelessness feels like.  I know what it is like to serve in a ministry that does not respond.  I know what it is like to have all your children get married and move out within one year.  I know what it is like to get up in the morning with nothing to do.  What a nightmare.  Praise the LORD God that He has promised us a life of blessing toward others.  Praise be to God!

He Will Get Us Over The Finish Line

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.” (Zec 4:9 AV)

Zerubbabel and Ezra were responsible for repairing and rebuilding the temple destroyed by Babylon 70 years prior.  Their project would result in a smaller building with much less ‘show’.  When Babylon destroyed Solomon’s temple, they carried away all the precious metals.  When the temple was repaired, it lacked the flair of the original.  Many wept because of it.  Many saw the project as a demotion of sorts.  What is puzzling is the assessment above.  It is assumed that Zerubbabel would not finish the project because of that very observation.  They believed that because the repaired temple lacked the flamboyance of the former, that those in charge of the project would abandon it.  Add to this the many troubles they would face with enemies within and without, and the people simply didn’t believe this repaired temple would go up.  When God is in the project, it will get done.  It must have been very satisfying for Zerubbabel and Ezra to complete their calling.  What they started, the LORD enabled them to finish.

I am reliving my childhood.  I went out and got a plastic model kit.  The kit is a 1937 Ford Pickup truck.  One doesn’t get just the kit.  There are tools of the trade.  There is a craft knife, work mat, sandpaper, and a drying stand.  There are paints; both enamel and water-based.  A magnifying glass for aged eyes is also a help.  There are paintbrushes, paint thinner, and glue.  All this is in a tackle box.  The model I got was the highest skill level they make.  There are more pieces than a simpler skill level might have, and one must think ahead before glue is used.  Putting this together takes weeks.  One can only do a little at a time.  Many of the parts are painted before assembly, and when glued, the paint has to be sanded off at the point of adhesion.  If one is in a hurry, he or she will give up.  Much like a 3-D puzzle, when the project is accepted, commitment must be all the way through.  When it is done, there will be a deep sense of satisfaction for completing such a project.  Even though I don’t have the steadiest of hands, I am sure there will be pleasure at the project once done.

It is hard to start a project that one knows he will not complete.  After a while, the heart becomes discouraged.  Commitment wanes.  Zerubbabel was promised that if and when he started, the LORD would enable him to finish.  What an encouragement that must have been.  Not only was it encouragement to Zerubbabel, but it was also evidence to the people of God that God was in it.  Why?  We may not know exactly.  But what we do know is that a man who starts something against all odds and finishes it, just might have been called and enabled from God above.  For me, I take this as encouragement.  God calls us all to a purpose.  As we age, we begin to wonder if we will ever do enough for the LORD.  What He tells us is that if we surrender to our purpose, He will enable us to finish it!  Praise be to the LORD!

Good and Comfortable Words

“And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me [with] good words [and] comfortable words.” (Zec 1:13 AV)

This was the right thing to do!  Zechariah was discouraged.  More specifically, he was discouraged with the wicked being at peace and prospering at the expense of God’s people.  The context is encouragement in the midst of unsavory circumstances.  These circumstances were caused by Israel’s disobedience.  God had every right to refuse words of encouragement.  However, that is not what they needed.  Correction is only as effective as the mercy that follows.  Sometimes, even though we know that we caused our own problems, we need good and comfortable words.

Circumstances are often enough to remind us of the poor choices we have made.  Words of comfort and encouragement are the balance.  Serving as a chaplain in the health care industry afforded many opportunities to offer good and comfortable words regardless of the cause of a situation.  There was a woman whose son was dying of a drug overdose.  She was well aware of the cause of her son’s situation.  She didn’t need to be reminded.  What she needed was someone who had the faith she lacked.  There was a man whose life choices found him in need of a new heart.  Because of his lifestyle, the transplant team rejected his application.  He was facing certain death.  He didn’t need to be reminded that his poor life choices were the cause of his diagnosis.  He already knew that.  He needed prayer, counsel, and divine forgiveness.  There was the fellow who found himself in the wrong part of town.  A part that he didn’t need to be in.  Although his circumstances were not caused by sinful choices, lack of wisdom was.  He was beaten to near death.  He didn’t need to be instructed that he was in the wrong place.  He knew that.  He needed words of encouragement.  He needed to know that he would be alright and that justice would prevail.  The farmer who plants his crop and then suffers drought doesn’t need to be reminded that he will have financial hardship in his near future.  He knows that.  He needs support and empathy.  The individual who is laid off doesn’t need to be reminded that with his skill set and age, it will be near to impossible to find more work.  He knows that.  What he needs is someone who has faith to come alongside him and spur him on one day at a time.

A wise father will understand when his children need good and comfortable words because the opposite is not necessary.  He will see the downcast demeanor of his dear child and know that the circumstances of life have had their perfect work.  It is time for good and comfortable words.  It is time for Zechariah to give his people something to look forward to.  It is time that the prophet and people acknowledge that God is patient and longsuffering.  It is time for the man of God to let the people know that the sun will rise tomorrow.  The news of the coming Messiah is what they needed.  They didn’t need to be reminded of this immediate situation.  Rather, they needed good and comfortable words.  The word of God is filled with a balance of challenging or correcting words, and words of comfort and encouragement.  The Bible is not one-sided.  As God’s people, we need a balance.  We cannot recoil at the correction.  It is for our own good.  But at the same time, we cannot gloss over the good and comfortable words.  We need them, too.

Heaven Sent Peace

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day; [Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday.  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee.” (Ps 91:5- 7 AV)

Every time I read this, I am amazed at the promise of God to the children of Israel.  Especially when one considers the events at hand.  The promise is speaking of the events leading up to the exodus.  The arrow that flies by day were the nine plagues preceding the death of the firstborn.  The pestilence that walked in darkness was the tenth plague: the death of the firstborn.  Destruction that wasted at in the middle of the day was again, the nine plagues prior to the death of the firstborn.  Thos that fell by the side are those in Egypt, both Egyptian and unbelieving Jews who lost their lives when God judged them.  What astounds me is the calm that is promised to the believing saints, as God dealt with the disobedient and the fearful. If I were experiencing the events of those days, I don’t know how well I would have done.  Death and destruction being all around me, I would think anxiety would be the main emotion going through my soul.  Yet, the LORD promised that terror by night nor terror by day would rule their hearts.  The only way that can happen is by a supernatural act of God!

Each nation, group, or certain generation faces their Exodus moment.  History works like that.  Things that were, will be again.  Our current world is no different.  If the LORD tarries, we will face some serious challenges, to say the least.  My grandparents lived through the great depression and World War II.  My parents lived through Korea and Vietnam.  Our world has not seen a global event like WWII since.  That war touched every nation on earth.  It affected everyone.  One wonders when and how the next big event will happen and the world will be changed forever.  To be a bit more local, I live in a large city.  There are 1.4 million people who live in our county.  I have several apps on my phone that report 911 calls.  I can read at any given time where emergency responders went and why.  Every day they are filled with events that are not good.  If one is not careful, fear can grip the heart.  Yet every morning we get up, thank God that we were kept safe, and that no damage has occurred to our belongings.  This is not the first time we have lived like this.  My previous church sat right in front of a mobile home park where there were several meth labs located.  This was in a very rural area.  Our town had three thousand people.  In the short time we lived there, two murders and many arrests within two miles of our home.  Before that, we lived and served in a large city of 6 million.  There was gang activity all around us.  A young lady was killed and burned up in a pickup truck not even a quarter mile from our home.  I share all this to say that God kept us secure and safe even in the midst of all this turmoil.  Anxiety regarding it is another matter altogether.

Anxiety is merely disbelief in the power of almighty God.  Yielding to His hand and judgment is the key.  The peace that passes all understanding is possible.  It is only as possible as our faith in what He has promised.  I cannot explain it nor can I say that I have mastered it.  All I can say is divinely sent peace is possible.  And it is very real.  I began by saying that the peace which Israel was promised was hard to comprehend.  However, having faces some of the things that we have over the years, I can say with certainty that peace is possible and real!  It must be something we yield to.  It is not something we conjure up in our own power.  The peace that passes all understanding starts with casting all our cares on Him.  Only then can He bring that incomprehensible peace by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  If the Holy Spirit can cry with our spirit, Abba Father, then He can also equally work with our spirit to bring that peace that passes all understanding.

The True Gathering

“I will gather [them that are] sorrowful for the solemn assembly, [who] are of thee, [to whom] the reproach of it [was] a burden.” (Zep 3:18 AV)

This promise was for exiled Israel as well as for the remnant who will enter the Messianic kingdom.  Israel was taken into captivity.  The northern ten tribes by Assyria.  The southern two tribes by Babylon.  Jehovah promises that He will gather some of the people of God back to Palestine and into the millennial kingdom.  But there is a stipulation here.  Only those who were or will be sorrowful for a spiritually renewed kingdom.  That is exactly what happened, and it is exactly what will happen.  When Cyrus decreed that people could return to the land of their nativity so that temples could be rebuilt, the invitation went out to all people.  Those of Jewish descent could return to their homeland and rebuild.  Yet a small fraction ever did.  Why?  Because only a small fraction cared enough to go back.  Restoration is promised.  But restoration is not forced.  God will call those who have a burden for restoration, reconciliation, and holiness.  The rest are content to stay in their state of apathy.

We can see a principle here.  One that applies quite well to our churches today.  If the body of Christ is not sorrowful for holiness, then God is not in that place.  If there is little to no preaching on sin, repentance, and walking in humility and obedience, then God is not in the midst.  He has not gathered them.  If there are no tears of remorse, vows of holiness, and a seriousness of mind to love God with the whole heart, mind, body, and soul, then the Holy Spirit is not doing the work.  If all we are doing is entertaining professing believers, then we are a venue, not a body in true worship to her Creator and Savior.  If we are more interested in nothing but a ‘positive vibe’, then our church experience is more man-centered than God-centered.  If the church is more interested in pleasing those who want nothing to do with the LORD than the LORD Himself, no matter how big our congregation is, God is not in that place.  If our coffee shops are busier than the altar of prayer, there is more commerce than consecration in that place.  The body of believers God has gathered come with a seriousness of heart.  They come to know God in humility, faith, and obedience.  They gather not to please Self.  They do not shop around for the church that has everything a soul could want.  Rather, they look for a church that is broken is spirit to know God in the deepest way possible.  They look for a church with a sorrowful heart because sin has destroyed our world, our homes, and our personal lives.  Then come prepared to listen and act.

God did not say ‘no’ to anyone who wished to return for the right reason.  In fact, if the motive did not match God’s heart, those with the wrong heart didn’t want to go, anyway.  There used to be a time when church building methods were more about selling a palatable product that it was about a genuine relationship with the Creator.  It still is today.  Israel knew and knows that the Messiah requires the right heart in order that He can fulfill the promises made to them.  This is why Israel has faced so much.  They are being prepared for the coming of the Messiah.  Many will not turn.  Many Jewish people will refuse the commands of the word of God.  Just like His first coming, the Messiah will come the second time with the same amount of rejection He faced thousands of years prior.  This time, there will be a reckoning.  This time, those who are not sorrowful will lose any second chance.  The Savior will come, and only those Jews who look upon the One whom they have pierced with hearts of sorrow will enjoy His presence.  The same can be said of our churches.  Tomorrow, many of us will gather as groups all around the world to worship the One true God.  But one has to consider how much God is involved.  Are the people sorrowful because of the carnal condition of the church?  Are they moved to words of heartfelt prayer for the backslidden nature of the church?  If there is no brokenness for the body of Christ, there is no visitation of the God who created it.

The Robe Is Always On

“God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all [them that are] about him.” (Ps 89:7 AV)

I wonder how preaching something like this would go over today.  The modern Christian has no clue!  To say that God is to be greatly feared, and that reverence is to rule in His presence is not only foreign, but to some, an offense.  If the modern Christian cannot have a sacred ‘party’ while attending church, he or she feels robbed.  I am not saying that joy and encouragement should be banned from worship.  But we are a far cry from that!  There was something sacred about our church houses.  People came to worship.  People would dress differently to attend the house of God than they would any other gathering.  Music was different.  Even in the oldest of days, the style itself was distinct.  Today, our churches are filled with the musical styles of the world and sprinkled with religious words to call it ‘Christian’.  Christian Rock, Christian Pop, etc are a contradiction of terms.  Don’t get me wrong.  This business of fearing and reverencing God is a shortcoming in almost all of us.  Yours truly included.  The closer I get the heaven the more I am realizing that genuine fear and reverence of our Almighty Creator is seriously wanting!

Because of my wife’s early work history, we kept company with several judges.  She worked in a law firm that contained a couple of county judges.  These people were the same people whether behind the bench, or as an advocate in other matters.  I had never stood before these men as a plaintiff or a defendant.  I couldn’t have, anyway.  There would have been a conflict of interest, and the judge would have had to recuse himself.  But I have stood before other judges.  Most of the time it was to lend support for a family member, church member, or friend.  There is a difference between seeing a judge in the privacy of his own practice compared with the same individual sitting behind a bench.  One can be familiar and common with a judge when his robe hangs in his chambers.  But once that robe is worn, the nature and disposition of that relationship change.  I worked at a golf course for a few years as a caddy to the rich and powerful.  Some of our clients expected a relational gap between caddy and golfer.  We were to remain silent unless spoken to.  Others, not so much.  Those who were more friendly were more reserved and aloof when the circumstances changed.  When around the clubhouse, they may have been friendly on the course, but now where professional and appropriate.

These are examples of fear and reverence.  Something that is seriously missing in our relationship with the LORD.  As of late, I am trying to use the term Creator while preaching or teaching.  We have forgotten that we exist by His hand, we continue by His hand, and where we exist in eternity will be by His hand.  The concept of Creator/creation is being lost.  Because it is, fear and reverence are also abating.  It is time we get back to fear and reverence for the God who made all things and controls all things.  It is time we stop treating Him like someone who is there for us and not we for Him.  It is time that we approach the presence of God with deep and profound respect, so much so that with the remembrance of the blood of Christ as our way to Him, so that fear and trepidation would overwhelm our hearts.  For this writer, he is striving to overcome improper or insufficient attitudes towards his Creator.  Almighty God deserves more than we could ever hope to give.  So, it is best to give Him all that we have.  It is time to fear God greatly and approach only in a reverent spirit.

Thank You for The Compliment

“[As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise.” (Pr 27:21 AV)

This is an interesting proverb.  There are two consistent opinions here.  The first is that the praise offered is not by the man.  He is not praising himself.  The second is the purpose of the refining furnace.  The refining furnace separates the precious metals from the dross.  The refining furnace is purification.  One understanding is that a man is known by the praise of others.  Those who listen to the praise of others are able to refine out the true praise as opposed to false accolades.  The other understanding is that the man who is praised refines the words of praise through the fiery trials of a discerning ear.  He recognizes only that praise which is true praise.  The difference between the two understandings is the owner of the discerning ear.  Regardless, the truth is still the same.  Praise is nice.  Praise is affirming and needed.  But praise should always be heard or accepted with a discerning ear.

The Bible warns us about flattery.  Flattery is praise with an agenda.  A tale is told of an ancient Greek Olympian who was the champion in many events.  He outran all other competitors.  He drove a chariot with mastery.  He could hurl a disk further than anyone.  This Olympian was the celebrity of the nation of Greece.  Everywhere he went he was welcomed as the greatest Grecian alive.  Favors were poured upon him.  He never lacked for a banquet or a mansion in which to stay.  The populace fell over themselves to treat him like a god.  Person after person heaped praise on him as one who could never be bested.  Every four years, he would go to the games and compete.  He won everything he entered.  One year, he decided to try his hand at archery.  Shooting an arrow at a great distance, he would miss horribly.  Yet no one had the heart to tell him how much he had failed.  Our champion was nearsighted.  He could not see clearly beyond fifty yards or so.  What he didn’t know was that his situation was unique.  He figured he saw what others saw.  Time and again, the judges would tell him he hit the bullseye.  In reality, he was many yards short.  Being emboldened by the praise of others and thinking he could hit a moving target at one hundred yards, he entered the armed forces for the glory of his emperor.  No one had the heart to tell him that he couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn.  Off he went.  He kept a distance away, and launched arrow after arrow not hitting a single target.  His armorbearer told him different.  Finally, an arrow came from the opposite direction and struck him in the heart.  Our hero died a fool’s death because he believed the unproven words of praise from others.

Solomon knows of what he speaks.  As the greatest and wisest of all kings at the time, no doubt he heart much praise.  Praise may have been genuine.  Or praise may have had an agenda.  The wise king knew that wisdom listens to praise with a discerning ear.  This requires humility and honesty.  It requires knowing ourselves better than others know us.  Most of all, it requires knowing Self in light of the revelation of the word of God.  Knowing our own Selves and knowing what part the Holy Spirit has in making us who we are goes a long way in staving off pride.  The Greek champion believed what he wanted to believe.  When others heap praise upon us, we can graciously accept it.  However, the wise and humble saint will look at that praise as belonging to the One who made us able for that praise.  And the wise saint will run that praise through the refining furnace of truth.  He or she will be gracious and grateful.  But he or she will also be humbly honest.