Word of Beard

'Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?' Job 40:8

This is the Lord's thunderous response to Job and his friends.

He either is or He isn't sovereign over the universe and all it's happenings. If He is then He is perfectly just in all His ways, he makes no mistakes, falsely accuses no one and yet is wise in how He allows pain and suffering to affect our lives. If He isn't...

Good ole Christian...

'Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.'

Knowing your Bible isn't simply what every good Christian should do is it?

Paul says that 'skillfully dividing the word - handling it rightly' tests and approves us as faithful, unashamed disciples. It shows whether we are on the right track, speaking truth in context, not wavering or babbling fluff. He reminds Timothy of the Gospel he taught, he reminds him to beware false teachers, he even passes on a 'trustworthy saying' and all this before challenging him (us) to handle the Word of Truth with eternal care.

Jacob Neusner explains how Jewish students wrestle with the word, 'This one proposes, that one disposes. This one forms a proposition in response to what the Torah says, and that one says why this one is wrong...' and so on to form a symphony of students attempting to handle the Scriptures carefully.

Peter understood this wrestling and challenged believers to remember, 'If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God' (1 Peter 4:11). Be a student of Truth. Handle the word well. We all teach it the moment we share it with one, one-hundred or one-thousand people.

So continue doing your best with skill.
Constantly present yourself to God for service.
Live daily with an attitude defined by the grace and truth of Christ.
Pray continuously that you may proclaim it clearly, as Paul eagerly desired.

2 Timothy 2:15
Judaism's Theological Voice - Jacob Neusner

Word of Beard

'If I have put my trust in gold - if I have rejoiced over my great wealth - if I have highly regarded nature so that my heart was secretly enticed to worship...then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.' Job 31:24-28 RDV

Yet, when our trust, wealth and worship are His and His alone...How ridiculously good are even the worst of times because we know that He Is, He Was and He Will Be.

Total Loss...

The words, 'I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ...' Those words hit hard as I read them again.

Several years ago we experienced a fire in our apartment building that destroyed 100% of our neighbors goods and over 50% of our own.

We experienced loss of belongings, memories, overall a sense of safety. My wife and I along with our one year old were at a loss.

Our ministry director, the director of the camp where this took place, was eternally gracious. Our church body was infinitely gracious as well. Friends were equally gracious. Families were a blessing. Individuals we hardly knew were like shining stars.

However, one young lady in particular comes to mind always when reading the above passage. A twenty-something single woman, having been saving for a vacation the sum of around $600 chose to consider her vacation a loss compared to loving Christ.

The Spirit prompted her to think, 'How can I save for vacation when they don't even have a place to call home?' So her vacation fund became our rebuilding fund.

Knowing Christ is knowing the body. Her act of devotion and compassion in response to the Spirit will always goad me into going to Jesus with open hands and returning to His people with helping hands. I came into the world naked and I will leave that way...nothing is mine.

Everything is a total loss, burned in fire, compared to knowing Christ.

Philippians 3:7-14

God-Man-Morality

'I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.' (Leviticus 11:44)

The breath of God in His creation of man imparted the Holiness of God into His new creation. Paul confirms that the moral law of God truly is written on our hearts. This is wild! Knowledge and experience of holiness is within each of us and has been all along.

All of nature speaks of Gods revelation of Himself, His will, His kingdom and His holiness...everyone is left without an excuse. Regardless of culture, time period, race, gender...there are clearly acts that are good and those that aren't, period. On that note Peter, the trustworthy and imperfect disciple of Christ, speaks to the church:

'As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do...' (1 Peter 1:14-15)

And so that no one can brag saying they've become holy due to their own efforts, we know that, 'we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all' (Hebrews 10:10).

God is the standard that never changes. This isn't legalism, you and I are welcome to do as we please, we're free to conform to the worlds standard. However, what pleases us doesn't become the standard. God is holy and holiness doesn't change. Our standards are to be transformed into His.

The Truth of the moral freedom within each of us didn't develop through time via monkey-men, although it's reality has been slowly revealed by the Spirit and set in Scripture. It was instilled in us from the beginning of time, before time began. It was revealed to man as man moved about.

In Christ truth was codified eternally through his sacrifice on our behalf and our breathing in and out of this reality awakens our hearts, souls and minds to Truth as it was, is and will be.

Half-Monkey-Man-Morality

I overheard a discussion in the philosophy section of a bookstore the other day regarding the trustworthiness of the moral standard coming from the Bible. That a 3,500 yr. old book couldn't possibly speak into the lives of modern men and women.

They went on to describe the development of morality as it appeared in nature. Evolving along with the monkey-men hundreds of thousands of years ago. Half-man/half-monkey and various combinations therein slowly discovered right and wrong. What was acceptable and what was intolerable. Basic good and evil.

I find it interesting that these individuals find the moral aptitude of half-monkey-men living hundreds of centuries ago more acceptable than a coherent system of moral law recorded only 3,500 yrs. ago, without the help of the half-breed.

Hm. Interesting as well that half-monkey-men could figure out the basic tenets of good and evil and yet many of us, a much more evolved and advanced version of these creatures have come to the conclusion that there is no standard of right and wrong. That each person may define it for oneself.

Thanks monkey-man and your evolutionary counterpart...but I'll stick with the reality of the divine moral code written on our hearts, experienced in the world, recorded in Scripture and modeled in the Trinity.

Lord of...what the!?

Is it possible to be a follower of Christ, called to BE Christ-like - and yet hold to a low-commitment, low-involvement, low-investment attitude and lifestyle in the body, in your faith?

Now I'm not so sure this is a question of salvation, though that alone is a matter to be dealt with in 'fear and trembling.'

If Jesus is Lord of All 'with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him' (1 Peter 3:22) - and if true disciples are called to such a high commitment as to hate their 'father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters' and thus 'carry their cross' after 'counting the cost' (Luke 14:26-28)...then a low view of Christianity isn't much of an option is it.

He is either Lord of all in which you count all as nothing or He is Lord of nothing in which you count yourself as all.

Have you counted the cost of discipleship? If you have concluded that you can fit Jesus into your schedule then I will boldly challenge that your calculator sucks. Your count is off. What if Jesus only half commited himself to his mission, to salvation, the kingdom, to you? What if Paul only squeezed in holiness when it fit into his schedule...sounds depressing and illogical right?

Check your: use of time - gut honest desires - legalistic tendencies - pragmatism in the church - cynical attitude - materialistic cravings - spiritual hunger and knowledge - love of God/others...

If you have counted the cost, or are wrestling with the price of salvation in a sanctified life...then the call to be a 'living sacrifice' is terrifyingly refreshing. Your schedule is shaped by Him. Your purpose abounds. Your heart transforms. Your passion grows. Your grace overflows. Your love for God and for others is on display. You are carrying the cross. You aren't perfect. You won't be perfect on earth. You will hit a low spiritual season. However you are highly-committed.