Thursday, February, 28, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
God then describes the duties for which the different clans within the Levite Tribe are responsible. God also gives instructions to keep the camp of the Israelites pure. Included in these instructions are rules on how a husband who suspects his wife of infidelity is to act.
God tells the people that they are to remove the impurities from the camp so that they do not defile the camp, “where I [God] live among you.” It was important that God’s dwelling place be a place worthy of God.
Today God dwells in the lives of all those who have been regenerated by faith in Christ. Just as the Israelites needed to keep God’s space (the camp) pure, so also we need to keep God’s space (our lives) pure. It is ridiculous to think that there was never any impurity in the camp of the Israelites, and in the same way we will never be able to live perfectly pure lives; but it is our responsibility to strive toward purity.
God gave the Israelites instructions on how to strive toward purity: remove those with skin disease, confess sin, do not harbor jealousy, etc. God has also instructed us on how to strive toward purity: read the sermon on the mount. Each day we choose if we are going to strive to be a pure dwelling place for God. I encourage you every morning when you wake up to pray for your purity.
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Wednesday, February, 27, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord then gave instructions on how the Israelites are to be organized when they make camp. God then takes a census of the Levites and accepts the service of the Levites in substitution for the first born of all Israel.
It’s not very spiritual but my first thought when I read about the organization of the Israelite camp was, “God is Feng Shui-ing the camp?!” I don’t know where to go with that; I just thought I’d share.
This passage is another example of substitutionary redemption. God accepts one person (or even objects of value) in place of another person that rightfully belongs to God. This is example points to the eventual substitution that Christ’s death would serve for our sins. We deserved to be eternally seperated from God because of our sins, but God can forgive our sins because of the redeeming death of Christ. The culmination of both the Old and New Testament is Jesus.
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Tuesday, February, 26, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord commands that a census be taken of the people to determine how many fighting men there are. This census is not to include the Levites, as their responsibility is to care for the Tabernacle.
I have often struggled with the importance of keeping track of attendance at church. There have been many Sundays in my life when I have looked at the attendance board while leaving the church and (to some extent) judged my value on those numbers. In that case knowing attendance was a negative thing. However, God wanted to know the number of people who were following him, and perhaps more importantly he wanted to encourage the people by letting them know that they were a nation. They had brothers who would fight alongside them if attacked. They and their tribe were not alone, but had the other tribes. In this case it was important to know the numbers.
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Posted at: 12:35 am
Politics
Last week I wrote that I thought Hillary had jumped the shark; if that wasn’t true last week it certainly is today.
If I understand Sen. Clinton’s claim correctly she is arguing that Barak Obama’s campaign leaked a picture of Obama in African dress to the Drudge Report so that Drudge would write a story claiming that the Clinton campaign leaked the picture and in this way embarrass the Clinton campaign. In reference to this situation she said, “This is one more attempt by my opponent’s campaign to change the subject.”
It seems most likely that someone within the Clinton campaign released the picture (probably without Hillary’s knowledge) in an effort to attack the Obama campaign. When the people in control of the campaign realized what had happened the only way they could spin it would be to pretend to stay above the fray. I’m remembering why I did not care for the first Clinton presidency, there was too much spinning and you never knew what was true. I think Bill was a decent president but he could never let a spade be a spade; Hillary seems to have a similar problem.
Basketball
I’m thankful that I am a fan of a basketball team for whom 3 losses in the regular season is a disappointment; having said that, I was very disappointed in Kansas play at Oklahoma State. It was another loss where Kansas played in a hostile environment and had a shot to win at the end, but they did not play well. If the learn from it, then it will be okay. If they can’t learn from it then this season will end early in heartbreak.
Baseball
I had my first fantasy draft this last week. My batters: Mauer, LaRoche, Weeks, Beltre, Reyes, Francoeur, Ibanez, Fukudome, and Willingham. My starting pitchers are: Peavy, Bedard, Lilly, Wainwright, Zito, Glavine, and Andrew Miller. My relief pitchers are: Nathan, Rodriguez, Rivera, Perciaval, and Accardo. I’m pretty happy with that as my first draft. I wish I had a little more power hitting, but I think I can win with it.
The Dodgers first spring training game is Thursday!!!
Soccer
Tottenham Hotspur defeats Chelsea to take the Carling Cup!!! UEFA Cup here we come. (I recognize that no USAmerican understood a word of those two sentences)
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Monday, February, 25, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
God establishes a system of redemption for property, the poor, and the enslaved of Israel. Relatives are able to redeem land that has been taken over or purchased, and all land is to be returned to it’s hereditary owner in the year of Jubilee. God then emphasizes to the people that he both blesses obedience and punishes disobedience.
The redemption of property seems to reinforce the idea that man does not own the land; God owns the land. In the same way the Israelites are not to make each other slaves because ultimately God owns the people as well. What does it mean for God to have ownership over me and everything I own? It means that I should take care of what I have because I am acting as God’s steward. I am caretaking a possession or person for a time. It also means that I should be continually seeking out God’s will for my life and property, and the lives of my family. God gets to decide where we are and what we do and who we are doing it with.
Ultimately, if we are obedient to God, God will bless us. By this I am not saying that we will be materially successful or even psychologically happy, but we will be blessed. If we are disobedient to God, there are consequences for that disobedience, and those consequences are God’s punishment.
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Posted at: 12:30 am
If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. - Proverbs 29:18 (Message)
Today’s message focused on relationships. We are all a part of many different teams. There is a team that does music ministry, a team that does youth ministry, a team that does children’s ministry, a team that gather for church, and a team of Christians throughout the world. For any of these teams to work effectively we need to be able to work together and therefore we need to be in healthy relationships.
What relationships need to be initiated? Who are the people that you avoid at church dinners? Those are the people you need to initiate relationship with. It is a terribly hard thing to go and sit down next to someone you normally avoid and purposefully have a conversation. But, sometimes that is what he need to do.
What relationships need to be nurtured? Do you have a family member or old friend who you have drifted away from? These are the relationships we need to build back up before they blow away.
What relationships need to be restored? Who have you offended? When we know we have offended or hurt a person we need to go to that person and work to restore the relationship. If someone has hurt or offended us, we need to go to that person and work to restore the relationship. It is not the other persons job to come to me…it is always my job to go to the people I know and work to repair the broken relationships in my life.
What relationships need to be severed? Who (or what) is pulling you away from God? What relationship are you not able to handle at this point in your life? It is important for each of us to honestly look at our lives and recognize what we need to stop doing.
Dear God, show me your vision, your revelation, your guidance for me in regards to my relationships. Help me obey that I may know the joy and happiness that comes from walking with you. Amen.
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Sunday, February, 24, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord gives instructions on the festivals the Israelites are to celebrate. The Passover Festival, the Festival of Firstfruits, that Festival of Harvest, the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Festival of Shelters, the Sabbath Year, and the Year of Jubilee. Each of these had some regulation that brought the people to a place of worshiping God (and they often benefited the people in some way at the same time).
What festivals do we celebrate as Christians? We have two major festivals: Christmas and Easter. There are also a number of other festivals we celebrate: New Years, Martin Luther King Jr Day, President’s Day, St Patrick Day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving (and I may be missing a couple).
Each of these festivals presents us with an opportunity to worship God, but usually I spend more time worshiping myself. I consider these days to be my holy days which I can use to meet my wants and desires and please myself. I do not set aside some of these days as festivals holy to God.
The next time one of our festivals comes around, I encourage you to take that time you would normally spend on yourself and worship God by ministering to someone else. Mow a yard, or rake leaves, or hand out Bibles, or work in a soup kitchen. Whatever you do on that day of celebration, do it in celebration of God.
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Posted at: 12:30 am
Forgiving God,
Forgive us the sins we have committed against you this week. Show us who we need to forgive and of whom we need to ask for forgiveness. Thank you for sending Christ Jesus into the world so that we could be reconciled to you. Thank you for sending your spirit into my life so that I could commune with you. Thank you for continuing to discipline me. Help me to be patient and to focus on the things you are calling me to do. Continue to lead the lives of my wife and I toward your will.
“Forgive our sins as we forgive,”
You taught us, Lord, to pray;
But You alone can grant us grace
To live the words we say.
How can Your pardon reach and bless
The unforgiving heart
That broods on wrongs and will not let
Old bitterness depart?
In blazing light Your cross reveals
The truth we dimly knew:
How trifling others’ debts to us;
How great our debt to You!
Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls
And bid resentment cease;
Then, by Your mercy reconciled,
Our lives will spread Your peace.
Thank you God, Amen.
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Saturday, February, 23, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord gives instructions to Moses on how the people are to conduct themselves. They are not to sacrifice their children to the gods nor are they to allow other peoples children to be sacrificed. They are not to engage in a variety of sexual activities, and they are to follow the the laws and regulations of the Lord. The Lord then leaves instructions for the priests and for Aaron specifically. Finally, God gives instructions on what sacrifices are acceptable
This section begins with God’s admonition against the sacrifice of children and ends with the requirement that all sacrifices to the Lord be of the peoples best possessions. What are some ways that we, in our society, can sacrifice our children to other gods? Do we raise our children with the idea that God is our first priority or do we sacrifice our time at the alter of sports, or music, or drama? Do we teach our children to take the time to pray and read the Bible or do we let them worship at the alter of technology? Do we try to live vicariously through our children and expect them to pay us back at some point? Do we spend time with our children or do we sacrifice them at the alter of our success?
What are some ways that we fail to sacrifice our best to God? Does prayer and Bible study get a prominent spot in our day or do we push it off to the corners? Is God the first person you turn to when trouble comes about or do you sacrifice to the wisdom of your friends?
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Posted at: 12:30 am
Some stuff i came across this week…
1. How the question of theodicy drove Bart Ehrman from Christianity.
2. The Bible as a graphic novel.
3. NPR’s fascinating take on Christian sex aids (but only if you’re married).
4. Inscrutable advice from Pastor Inggvist.
5. This American Life’s thoughts on love…the first 2/3 is really good, the last 1/3 comes around at the end.
6. I don’t think I want to celebrate my 83rd anniversary.
7. Ben Witherington quotes George Carlin.
8. How to properly take caffeine.
9. More statistical analysis of Roger Clemens.
10. 40 days of baby hummingbirds.
11. A story from Skid Row.
Have a great weekend.
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Friday, February, 22, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
God commands his people to respect the blood of the animals they kill. “The life of every creature is in the blood.” The people are not sacrifice an animal except at the temple and they are not to drink the blood of an animal as this is reserved for God. The people are then instructed as to what sexual relationships are inappropriate for God’s people. Finally, God says to the people, “You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” God then enumerates specifics ways in which the people can be holy.
The rules about blood seem to have been put in place so that they people do not offer sacrifices to other gods, or consider themselves to be gods. One of the most ancient ways of praying to the gods was to splatter yourself with the fresh blood of an offering. Through these rules God is clearly saying that this is not about you, it is about me. You are to worship me and if you worship me I promise I will bless you is what God says.
For the first time, God is specifically calling his people to imitate himself. The Jews were to become more God-like; not with the goal of becoming God, but with the goal of becoming more holy. As Christians we are called to become more and more like Christ; not with the goal of becoming Christ, but with the goal of becoming a witness to our community.
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Thursday, February, 21, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord gives instructions on how the priests are to decide if a house infected with mildew is clean or unclean. Then the Lord directs the people as to how bodily discharges make a person clean or unclean. Finally the Lord gives instructions on how to honor him on the Day of Atonement.
I mentioned the passage discribing the uncleanliness of post-menstrual women to my wife and she said, “of course; that means that the couple gets back together when a woman is most fertile.” As a guy who has never paid too much attention to the details of the feminine cycle I thought that was interesting. God had set up a system where women are most likely to get pregnant; in this way he helped to secure the future of his chosen people.
God seems to be setting up walls to separate himself from the people. Why is this? Is it to protect God from Aaron and the people or is it to protect Aaron and the people from God? God knew that he needed to protect his followers from coming to him with impure hearts. As we approach God each day we need to examine our hearts and if we are approaching God impurely we need to stop and correct ourselves. One of the things I’m teaching my four year old is that God deserves more respect than anyone else. In all you do this week, remember to respect God.
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Wednesday, February, 20, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
The Lord instructs Moses on cleanliness and uncleanliness in times of child birth, skin disease, and molds.
In a time before medicine and most science there was a need to understand disease in some way. This passage illustrates how the Israelites viewed disease: it was uncleanness. With little medicinal knowledge the uncleanliness of a person was a matter for the priests. The priests could declare a person clean or unclean. After recovery from a disease the people were called to give an offering to God thanking that they had been returned to health.
Science has reduced our perceived dependence on God. When we recover from illness we thank our doctors and our drugs, but we forget to offer thanks to God. My family has had rotating illnesses the past six weeks and I do not know of one time that I have thanked God for cleansing us from our sickness. God is still at work in this world and still heals. It would be good to recognize God working through doctors and drugs, and to thank him for healing.
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Tuesday, February, 19, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
After the ordination, the priests begin their duties. At the conclusion of the offerings the fire of the Lord consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the alter. This sight caused the people to fall to the ground and worship. Aaron’s sons then disobeyed God by offering a sacrifice other than what God had required, and the fire of the Lord consumed them. Aaron and his two remaining sons are then given further instructions on how to conduct offerings. Finally the Lord describes which animals are clean and which are unclean.
How do we offer sacrifices to God other than what God asks? When God asks us to do something do we do all of it, or do we only do the part we want to do? Do we think that our way is better than God’s way? Obviously Aaron’s sons thought that they had a better way of making a sacrifice than God. Unfortunately, this different way was not acceptable to God.
We need to take the time to listen to what God is telling us to do and then we need to do it. If God is calling you to go to church then go. If God is calling you to give up alcohol or porn or gambling then give it up. Don’t decide that you have a better way. Don’t only go half way. Follow God and follow God all the way.
There was a boxing movie a few years ago called “Play It to the Bone”. In this movie two washed up boxers who are friends are offered a fight with the winner getting a title shot. The movie focuses on the story of the two boxers as they make their way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. At the end they beat each other to a pulp and the fight is called a 10 round draw. Each boxer gave everything they had, they played it to the bone. That’s what God expects from you. When God is calling you to something, he is calling you to play it to the bone.
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Posted at: 12:30 am
Basketball
I don’t usually like the NBA, but the slam dunk competition on Saturday night was spectacular.
Here is a link to 3 of
Dwight Howard’s dunks (I couldn’t find a link with all 4). All of his dunks were spectacular; my favorite would be when he bounced the ball off the backboard with his left hand and then dunked with his right. There is nothing more that can be said about the Superman dunk (if it can be called a dunk) it was awesome.
I’m feeling some disrespect toward my Jayhawks. They are the only 2 loss team to have both of their losses to ranked teams, yet they are ranked behind all the other 2 loss teams. That’s okay…hopefully, it just makes my boys hungry.
Baseball
I was at school last week so I couldn’t watch the Roger Clemens hearings, but the ESPN live blog of the event was fascinating. I think I’m one of the few people in the world that believes Clemens, but does it really matter. There is never going to be any way of knowing who used illegal substances and who did not. The players union needs to recognize that it is endangering it’s existence and embrace an extensive testing policy.
I’m drafting my first fantasy team either this week or next week. Yeah!!!
Football
I am very concerned about a work stoppage in the NFL in 2009 or 2010. I think the salary cap is good for the league. I understand why players don’t want it as it does create an artificial ceiling. I’m just worried that the two sides are going to destroy my favorite league.
Politics
Why did Mitt Romney endorse McCain? I can’t really figure out what the upside is for him, unless he’s playing for the VP position. I just don’t know who a McCain/Romney campaign would inspire. I’m glad to see that the calls for Huckabee to give in have lessened. I think everyone figured out that the only way the media is going to pay any attention to the Republican side is if Huckabee is still in the race.
I think the Hillary Clinton campaign jumped the shark today claiming that Obama is plagerizing from his friend and coworker Deval Patrick. First, I think something has to be written in order for it to be “plagerized”. Second, If I’m thinking through issues with someone, we are probably going to attack the problem with the same kind of language. Third, so what…they used a similar argument.
The Clinton campaign knows that they can’t go negative without receiving the ire of the democratic party. So this is as close as they can get to going negative. It’s pretty weak.
Hockey
Ottawa is in real danger of not winning it’s own division. After a great start they have allowed the Canadiens to catch up with them. They’ve lost 12 of their last 20 games. Let’s pick it up and play strong the last 23 games, then we can hit the playoffs running.
That’s all I’ve got…have a great week.
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Monday, February, 18, 2008
Posted at: 11:29 pm
I have a theory that every presidential administration becomes a parody of itself in its final year…here is proof.
President Bush was welcoming the 2007 Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks to the White House. He said, “Have you noticed a lot of security around here? It’s because the vice president heard there were some ducks around.”*
Why?
* “Out Loud”. US News and World Report. February 18, 2008. p 11.
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Posted at: 10:00 pm
God concludes his further instructions for the priests. God then forbids Israel from drinking the blood of animals. God also instructs those bringing an offering to give a portion to the priests and their families in order to sustain them. Moses then installed Aaron and his sons as priests by washing them, dressing them in the priestly garments, anointing them with oil and blood, and slaughtering the first sacrifice for Aaron and his sons. Aaron and his sons cook the left over meat and feasted as they stayed in the Tabernacle for seven days to complete the ordination process.
I think that requiring a ceremony or ritual in our contemporary day and age does more to separate us from God, than draw us toward God. That is not to say that ritual and ceremony in and of themselves are not useful; but the moment they become a requirement they become an obstacle between us and God.
Moses was committing Aaron and his sons to a life of service to God, I think that the ceremony was useful in drawing them toward God. In our communities when individuals are called to service in the name of God I think we should honor them and God by having a ceremony commissioning there work and recognizing what God is doing amongst us. I do not think it needs to be the same kind of ceremony every time (after all every situation is different), but some effort by the community as a whole is appropriate.
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Posted at: 12:30 am
The main focus of today’s sermon was Matthew 5. The pastor pointed out that the phrase “wherever two or three of you gather there I am” occurs within a passage where the main focus is on forgiveness. If we know that we have offended someone, or if someone has committed an offense against us, then we need to go and communicate with that person. In our culture we believe in direct confrontation and so we need to not pretend that everything is good, if it is not.
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Sunday, February, 17, 2008
Posted at: 10:00 pm
God then lays out the requirements for the Sin Offerings; there are different requirements depending upon who sinned (the priest, the whole community, a leader, or a citizen). God also describes which sins require a sin offering. God then describes the Guilt Offerings and what sins require a Guilt Offering. Finally, God gives the priests some additional details on how the offerings are to be carried out.
I remember back in Old Testament 501 we had an overview lecture on the different sacrifices and what their purposes were and how they were used. I would love to pull those notes out and preach a sermon on an overview of the Old Testament sacrificial system.
A recurring them is the that the people need to make a sacrifice when they “become aware of their guilt.” It does not appear that God is trying to play “gotcha” with the Israelites. God is not be sneaking and planning on punishing them for sins of which the individual or community is not aware. God expects a sacrifice for the known sins. I would read into the text (a dangerous practice) that ultimately God will work to make us aware of our sins.
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Posted at: 12:30 am
God of Strength,
Grant us the power, strength, and energy to do that which you are calling us to do. Keep our spirits energized so that we might carry out our ministry and accomplish all that is in your will for us. Help us to organize the time you have blessed us with and not waste it in useless activities. Help us to rest well so that we might be enabled to see the world around us as you would have us see it. Open our eyes and ears to your calling every day. Make us aware of our friends and neighbors. Help us know when to speak and when to remain silent. In all things may your will be done; help us and those around us to know your good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, feed me ’til I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasure earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, feed me ’til I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, feed me ’til I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
Thank you God, Amen.
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