Desiring the things that are off limits…

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden and gave them everything they would need. The garden was perfect in every way. Only one tree’s fruit was off-limits.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate
(Gen. 3:6)

Eve desired  what was forbidden. God has placed certain areas off-limits in our lives too. This principle alone may awaken our desires.  For its often when we’re told we can’t do something, that we discover a growing desire to do that very thing (Rom. 7:8).

Whenever I have asked an audience the question, “Have any of you ever touched the painted surface when the sign read, “Do not Touch! Wet Paint!” I’m amazed at the numbers of hands that go up. The follow-up question, “Why didn’t you obey the sign?” always brings the same sheepish response, “I just wanted to see for myself.”

Just like Eve, we prefer personal experience over a command. If the command was given, we reason, someone, somewhere is keeping something from us that we deserve.

Our minds reeling under this intoxication, our desires are quick to redefine right from wrong and justify our actions. So our desires promise the fulfilment of a feeling. Never mind that it’s short-lived a best.  That’s why it’s always better to trust God’s Word than your feelings…

Praying for a prodigal

“Never stop praying for hopeless cases. The example of Howard Cadle teaches us there are none.”

That’s the way Robert J. Morgan begins one of his stories in his very helpful book Moments for Families with Prodigals. If you are a parent  or spouse living with the ever-present pain of a prodigal reading one to two pages in this book a day would help you through the darker hours. Morgan recounts Cadle’s story as follows:

Cadle grew up in a home of Christian mother and an alcoholic father. By age twelve, he had begun to emulate his father, drinking and raging out of control. Soon he succumbed to the power of sex, gambling, and the Midwest crime syndicate.

“Always remember, son” his worried mother often said, “that at eight o’clock every night I’ll be kneeling beside your bed, asking God to protect my precious boy.” But her prayers didn’t seem to slow him down — until one evening on rampage he pulled a gun on a man and squeezed the trigger. The weapon never fired, and someone quickly knocked it away. Cadle noticed it was exactly eight o’clock.

Later, in broken health, he was told by a doctor that he had only six months to live. Dragging himself home, penniless and pitiful, he collapsed in his mother’s arms, saying, “Mother, I’ve broken your heart. I’d like to be saved, but I’ve sinned too much.”

The old woman opened her Bible and read Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” That windswept morning, March 14 1914, Cadle started life anew. With Christ now in his heart, he  turned his con skills into honest pursuits…giving 75 percent of his income to the Lord’s work. He helped finance Rodney “Gipsey” Smith’s crusades, in which thousands came to Christ…

Morgan adds,

While we’re praying without ceasing — and many of us find ourselves praying day and night for our children — it does help to have specific, disciplined habit of prayer on behalf of a wayward child. You might find a prayer partner who will covenant to pray with you at the same time each week. Prayer will win the victory, and the faithful prayers of a parent or grandparent are among the most potent forces in the universe.

The Big Picture in your Bible Reading-Era 2: The Patriarchs

As you continue reading in the book of Genesis you leave the four events (creation, fall, flood, and nations) of the first 11 chapters behind. The remainder of Genesis comprises the stories of four people (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph). We call them the Patriarchs. The word patriarch means father. We attach this word to the second part of Genesis (chapters 12-50) because these men were the founding fathers of the nation of Israel. While Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob exercised faith you will not find them to have been blameless.

Abraham lied, as did Isaac and Jacob. Their deceit left an impact on their families. Twice Abraham encouraged Sarah to lie for him at her expense (Genesis 12, 20). Abraham’s son, Isaac would do the same (Genesis 26). Jacob also struggled with deception (Genesis 27). Jacob’s sons did lying on a grand scale. Allowing their father Jacob to mourn over the death of his son Joseph for years, while Joseph was still alive and living in Egypt (Genesis 37).

Yet God’s grace is not intimidated by such blatant sin. The patriarchs may have deceived others, but they did not deceive God. The writer of Hebrews said, “For no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:12). So over and over again in the Genesis record God reveals their sin that he may bring redemption to their willfully wrong choices.

  • God not only protected Sarah, but also her womb (in spite of  Abraham’s lie) so that she might carry the child of promise, Isaac.
  • God revealed Isaac’s lie, and then blessed him a hundred fold (Gen. 26:12).
  • God took the lie of Jacob’s sons, and saved an entire nation from starving to death (Gen. 50:20).

Here’s the picture: God revealed the sin, and then redeemed.

As you read through these chapters of Genesis pay special attention to the way a sovereign God keeps working. He was actively involved in the lives of these Old Testament believers, and he desires to work that same way in our lives as well.

Special note: Throughout the year I will occasionally return to these introductory comments on Biblical eras as you draw nearer to those historical periods in your daily Bible readings. For six different plans on reading through the Bible this year visit: http://philmoser.com/2011/12/29/reading-through-the-bible-in-a-year/

The Big Picture in your Bible Reading–Era 1: Creation

Perhaps you’ve heard it said, “I can’t see the forest for the trees.” Simply put it means that it is easy to get lost in the details of a project and not see the big picture. When it comes to reading a book, that goes back in history some 3,500 years, it is beneficial to keep the big picture in view.

If you started reading the Bible at the beginning of this year there’s a good chance you’re in the book of Genesis. Before you get too far into the forest, lets zoom that lens back to see the big picture. The following chart should be helpful. I have divided the Old Testament into 9 eras. Keeping the time eras in perspective is a means of keeping the big picture in view as you’re reading your Bible through.

Era 1: Creation (Genesis 1-11). Genesis is a book of beginnings.  Gene Getz writes,

As its name implies, it records the history of the beginning-the beginning of the universe, the beginning of life, the beginning of marriage and family, the beginning of the nation of Israel, and the beginning of the plan of salvation (Life Essentials Study Bible, p. 1)

There are four key events covered in the opening chapters of Genesis. I remember them with the following words: (1) Creation, (2) Fall, (3) Flood, (4) Nations.

The Creation Story is told in the first two chapters of Genesis. An excellent resource for further study and additional articles can be found at http://www.answersingenesis.org/

The Fall of Man is the next event in the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve sin, and are cast from the garden. I find that I do more relational counseling out of Genesis chapters 3-4 than any other passage of the Bible. As you’re reading pay special attention to “how” the serpent tempts Eve (Gen. 3:1-6). Note Adam’s passive role and failure to protect his wife from the dangers of sin and the serpent (Gen. 3:6). See how quickly Adam and Eve throw “each other under the bus” when it comes to their blameshifting, and failure to take responsibility for their own sinful choices (Gen. 3:8-13). Finally, notice the consequence that comes to all of mankind as a result of their sinful choices (Gen. 3:14-24).

The World-Wide Flood is the result of increasing sin upon the earth (Genesis 6-10). God wonderfully protects Noah, his family and a hosts of animals in the ark as they survive a flood that brings devastation to the world as we know it.  Two excellent short videos can be retrieved from this blog at http://philmoser.com/2011/11/16/how-big-was-noahs-ark-2/ and http://philmoser.com/2011/11/17/facing-the-storms-of-life/

The Nations develop their separate identities when God confuses the people’s language (Genesis 11). He purposefully does this because of their growing independence (Gen.  11:6). It is not difficult to imagine the people milling around until they find people who speak and understand their language. Over time their unique ethnicity, culture, and even physiological differences develop.

Era 2: The  Patriarchs (Genesis 12-50)… Come back tomorrow as we continue to discuss the big picture…

Diagnosing your spiritual health…

The first week of January is filled with hope. Past struggles and personal failures seem to be fading with our final singing of Auld Lang Syne. But I have found that my personal challenges don’t seem to disappear with the new calendar year. They stubbornly refuse to leave without a fight, and before long the facade of hope begins to crumble as I find that these old friends from my past year never really left at the stroke of midnight.  They want to follow me into the new year.

I was reminded recently that prior to planning for the future, I need to take a good look at where I am presently. That’s good advice-especially when it comes to spiritual matters.

My good friend, Nicolas Ellen reminded our congregation of that truth yesterday with his message entitled Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. Here are the questions with the accompanying Scriptures.

1.Do you hunger for the presence of God? (Psalm 42:1-2)
 
2. Are you increasingly being governed by God’s Word? (Psalm 3:1-3)
 
3.  Have you become more loving or less loving towards others? (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
 
4.  Are you growing in your usefulness to God? (1 Peter 4:10-11)
 
5. Do you grieve over your sin or are you excusing your sin? (2 Corinthians 7:10-11)
 
6.  Who have you been living to please? (2 Corinthians 5:9,15)
 
7.  How Have You been spending your time? (Ephesians 5:11-21)
 
8. What do you truly treasure in your heart? (Matthew 6:19-21)
 
9. Do You functionally trust in the Lord or do you functionally trust in yourself? (Proverbs 3:5-6)
 
10. Are You longing for the return of Jesus Christ? (1 John 3:1-3)
 
So maybe our plan for the next year should include a time of evaluation on where we fell short in the past year. In that way our New Year’s resolutions make for more effective change and not just lofty platitudes of false hope.

Starting the year with personal Bible study

Imagine that you sensed your physical health was failing. You lacked the stamina that you once had. Your energy level was way down, and you found yourself susceptible to nearly every sickness that crossed your path. Concerned, you visited your family doctor, and he began his exam with some questions. “Are you sleeping well?” “Yes,” you reply, “I’m sleeping nearly all the time.” The doctor ponders your answer, and asks the next question. “How is your appetite? Are you eating regularly?” “O yes doctor, I’m eating one good meal a week, occasionally I’ll grab a snack Monday through Friday if my schedule allows it.”

The doctor looks up from his notepad. “I believe I misunderstood you. I thought you said you were eating one good meal a week. No one can survive on that diet! No wonder you’re susceptible to so many diseases. It’s easy to see you why you have no energy. Your body needs more food than one good meal a week. I’m recommending three good meals a day.”

You look up from the examination table troubled, “But doctor, I don’t have time to eat that often, and besides it is so hard, that would mean I’d have to prepare some of my own meals. . .”

Most Christians would never do to their physical bodies what they do to their souls. Come to church for one square meal a week from the Word, and snack a little on Christian radio Monday through Friday. If we are to feed our soul regularly from the Word, it means that we will have to prepare our own meals. We will have to spend time studying the Word for ourselves. Discovering Bible truths and living by them. Time with God every day is a necessity if we are to grow in Christ (Col. 1:28). Paul wrote to Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed (2 Tim. 2:15).

Questions for a New Year

Questions cause us to think.  Sometimes they cause us to evaluate our lives. In our fast-paced society we don’t seem to make enough time for either of those pastimes. We wonder who has time for thinking and evaluating when our days are an attempt to play catch up only to feel like we are falling farther behind.

Yet, as you round the corner and anticipate the New Year, here are some questions that may prepare you for what’s coming.

Question # 1: Did I have a proper emphasis on my family this past year? It is one of the rare ironies of the world, in which we live, that we have routine performance evaluations at work, but rarely at home. We will all face retirement one day, but our family we will likely have with us as long as we live. So maybe it’s time for a “family evaluation.” How are you doing as a Dad? As a Mom? Are you properly fulfilling your role as a husband or wife? Before you enter the New Year evaluate your performance for the past one.

Question # 2: Did I have a proper emphasis on my relationship with God this past year?  As a pastor you know I’m going to bring that one up.  Yet, this is the relationship we often forget when things are going well, and attempt to lean on when we are experiencing a crisis. And like every other relationship its strength is dependent upon the quality of time we spend together with God on a regular basis.  Through prayer and reading the Bible we daily grow in our relationship with Him. Unfortunately, when we only run to God in crisis we will not have much confidence in that relationship. When we are attempting to know His heart during the non-crisis times, it better prepares us for the crisis times.  Our two relationships that are most important are often the two that are the most neglected. Let’s make a commitment to make this New Year different. It’s a commitment that may change your life.

Time with God: The right heart, time, place, and plan

When having an effective quiet time, it’s important to have the right heart, time, place and plan.  If your time with the Lord is lacking, consider which of these four elements could stand a little improvement. Several years ago now I came upon an excellent article by pastor Zach Schlegel on the importance of all four elements. He granted me permission to share it with our church family then, and I’m certain you will benefit as well.

The Right Heart
. Expectant – The writer of Hebrews reminds us that those who in faith seek after God can expect the reward of God Himself (Hebrews 11:6; also Jeremiah 29:12-13). Willingness to Obey – If we come listening not for what God has to say to us, but what we want; chances are we won’t hear Him. In John’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that coming with a willing heart is important (John 7:17). Teachable and Humble – When coming before the King of kings, the proper attitude is humility, not pride; being teachable, not a know it all (James 1:19-21; 4:6; Psalm 119:33-34).

The Right Time…Morning, afternoon or evening?  In deciding when to have your quiet time, choose the time that you are at your best: alert, focused, and fresh.  Jesus’ custom was to meet with the Father early in the morning (Mark 1:35), and for many people, that’s the best way to start the day.  But whatever you decide, make sure to be consistent with it and to schedule it in your calendar as you would any other important meeting! How long will your quiet time be?  If having a quiet time is new to you, start with a shorter amount of time and then build up as your appetite increases.  Everyone is different, just be sure to give yourself ample time to slow down, read, pray, and reflect.  If beforehand we decide and schedule how long (at a minimum) our quiet time will be, it not only frees up our schedule, but cultivates the discipline of slowing down and giving God our best time.

The Right Place…Comfortable and quiet; Good lighting. Free of distractions: Turn off your TV, phone, or internet – anything that would distract. Have a pen and notebook handy to write down the “To do” list that comes to your mind; if you’ve written it down, you can forget it and come back to it later. 

The Right Plan… Why a plan?  Why is discipline so important?  For some type “A” personalities, these may seem like silly questions; but others cringe at the idea of having a plan and being disciplined with it – why not just be free and ‘let it happen’?  Having a plan is not meant to be a rigid set of rules; but many times we don’t spend time with God because we have no plan. 

Elton Trueblood explains the relationship between discipline and freedom saying, “We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom
that we are most free when we are bound.  But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding.  The one who would be an athlete, but who is unwilling to discipline his body by regular exercise and abstinence, is not free to excel on the field or the track. His failure to train rigorously denies him the freedom to run with the desired speed and endurance.  With one concerted voice, the giants of the devotional life apply the same principle to the whole of life: Discipline is the price of freedom.”  —-Zach Schlegel, blog 11.11.2009

Reading through the Bible in a year

As you prepare for the new year I’ve included several Bible reading plans to encourage your time in the Word. They are in PDF format so that you can print them and tuck them in the flyleaf of your Bible for a reminder as you develop the habit of  reading the Bible daily.

The six-day format will take you through the Bible cover to cover. The seventh day can be used to make up one of those days you might have missed or to reflect upon passages studied earlier in the week.

Thru the Bible in a Year – Reading 6 days a week

If you’re just starting your Bible reading adventure you may want to simply read a key chapter of the Bible each day. While using this approach will not allow you to read every verse in the Bible in the course of the year, you will move  through the high points without getting lost in the “lists of names” or Old Testament prophecies that often require greater cultural study for understanding.

A Chapter a Day – 365 key chapters of the Bible

Typically when we read a book we expect the events to be communicated  in chronological order.  However, the Bible groups its various books by genre or style of writing (i.e. histories, poetry, prophecies, etc.). For instance, the events of Job’s life probably occurred during the time of the events in the book of Genesis, but the book of Job is placed about half way through your Old Testament (because it is considered poetry). Reading the Bible through chronologically will open up some insights you otherwise might miss.

Reading thru the Bible Chronologically

If you would like to read the events of the Bible chronologically, but prefer to read a chapter a day then the following Bible reading schedule is for you. 365 key chapters placed in chronological reading order.

A Chapter a Day – 365 key chapters of the Bible in chronological order

Perhaps you would like to read the Bible in the morning, and in the evening. The following schedules arrange your morning reading from the New Testament, and your evening reading from the Old Testament.

Morning Readings -New Testament in a year

Evening Readings-Old Testament in a year

Whichever reading format you might wish to choose, the most important choice is the one you will make daily as you strive to read, learn and apply God’s Word to your life. May He bless you in your endeavor.

Having my heart moved by the world’s need for the gospel…

One of my earliest memories of my grandparent’s house, were the missionary prayer cards taped on the inside door of their kitchen cabinets. Every time you wanted a glass of water you were reminded to pray for the missionaries.

When it comes to our responsibility to the share the good news about Jesus with the world, John Piper has said, “Go, send, or disobey.”

While neither of my grandparents were missionaries, their prayers and financial support were part of the sending process that touched multiple countries with the Gospel.

As we enter the new year, this video serves as a convicting reminder that each of us is to play a part in the spreading of the good news in the  hour in which we live. If you are receiving this via Facebook or email you may need to go to the homepage to view  the presentation.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTVpyUOR_fI]