Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Creation helps us stand in awe of the Creator. His wisdom. His power. His strength. We are left to say with Job, “I know you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Few acts of creation do this as well as the vastness of the universe. The video is entitled “In the Heavens.” My daughter added the music of a good friend of our family, Jodi Frankfurt, who has since gone home to be with the Lord. Reflect upon the greatness of our God as you watch and listen. For additional reflection consider reading Psalm 19; Job 40, 41, 42.

The pictures were discovered by the Hubble space telescope that was carried into orbit in 1990 and began to send back images  from the parts of our universe that we did not even know existed. . .  although our Creator did.

If you receive this blog by email, you may need go to the home page www.philmoser.com to view the video. It is approximately 6 minutes in length.

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Just doing ministry…

When it comes to understanding ministry there is no limit to what you can find. Walk into any Christian bookstore and you will find more publications on ministry than you can possibly count.  There are different means, different ways, different ends, different groups, and different publishers. Ministry in the 21st century is like the ultimate all-you-can-eat buffet. Pick and choose what you want. If you don’t like the taste of it, put it back (that’s probably the last time you’ll follow my family through the buffet line!).

There are even different ways we use the word ministry. When someone senses that God wants them to become a pastor or missionary in a full-time way we say they’re called to the ministry. When we feel the need to do something for someone (either to help paint their house or fix a squeaky door) we call it ministry. When we speak of a church or mission organization we call it a ministry.

The Bible uses the word ministry less than 30 times. 

My favorite Biblical character that demonstrates ministry is a New Testament character by the name of Stephen. His story is told in Acts 6. When the apostles needed someone to serve the tables and take care of the elderly Stephen was the first name on the list. He was chosen because he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. But it is evident that he also had a servant spirit.

It wasn’t long before he was not only waiting on tables, but he was doing works that only God could have done through him (Acts 6:8). When he began to communicate with the religious leaders of the day his words were so clear and powerful that they had no way to answer him (Acts 6:9-10). If you wanted to see a man with courage read his story in Acts 7. There, with his life on the line, he articulates the Gospel without a quiver in his voice. Here was a man who knew what it meant to do ministry, and yet he is never referred to as a minister. May God challenge each of us with his example.

All the Comforts of Home

It is a simple verse, but I wonder what young Timothy would have thought the first time he read it? Timothy was an aspiring young pastor. While some go to seminary to prepare for the ministry, Timothy had the privilege of traveling with the Apostle Paul. And instead of an internship Paul would send him directly to spend time at some of the churches he had planted. In his second letter to Timothy he writes,

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

The verse comes in the context of Paul sharing some of the persecutions and difficulties that he had experienced. The man spent more time in jail for preaching the Gospel than any other New Testament character. But he also adds this wonderful thought; “out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (3:11).

The world in which we live prizes comfort. We have air conditioning when it’s too hot, and warm air fills our houses when it’s too cold. We have automatic garage door openers so that we don’t have to step out in the rain. Even the advertisers for bed mattresses do their best to assure us of comfort at night if we simply choose their product.

But here is the apostle Paul making a promise with a word we just aren’t familiar with: persecution.

A friend of mine once quipped that the best way to find commitment in a Christian’s life was to go out of the country or out of the century. He meant that the pursuit of being comfortable will ultimately erode the essence of committment.  Those outside of our world our outside of our time, did not pursue comfort with the same vigilance that we do. We are often unwilling to endure hard times. Being comfortable has become the mode of operation for nearly all of us.

And though the Scriptures bring comfort to the reader like few other books, it also reminds us that persecution will play a part in our lives if we choose to follow the Lord. Jesus Himself said, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). May God make all of us bolder as we face our individualized trials and difficulties.

An Emperor, a Puppet King, and Bethlehem

Nearly everyone is familiar with Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It starts with those familiar words: “Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered…”

It was this census that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. Right at the point in her pregnancy where nearly every MD would never recommend traveling – Let alone on the back of a donkey!

But the prophet Micah had marked Bethlehem eight centuries earlier as the birth place of the Messiah. “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,. . . from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)

I marveled as I read those words again recently. How do you get a young woman in her final trimester to pack up and move to Bethlehem just long enough to have a baby?

God in his sovereignty accomplished that by bringing to power a Roman emperor, who because of a strained relationship with a King in Palestine, (by the name of King Herod) decreed a census. The only problem? The Romans didn’t require people to return to the towns of their ancestors for a census.

But Herod, who understood the political climate of his land, more than likely put a Jewish spin on it. If you were going to be counted anyway, best to be counted in the birthplace of your ancestors. And so Joseph, a descendent of King David, placed Mary on a donkey and headed to Bethlehem – and in so doing fulfilled an 800 year old prophecy!

Amazing! A pagan emperor ruling from a Roman throne and a self-serving king ruling in Palestine were used by God to accomplish His purposes regarding the birthplace of His Son – Jesus Christ. It gives me hope, that in these uncertain times, God is still the One sovereignly overseeing the affairs of men.

A Special Christmas Program

I love Christmas programs.This is my recounting of one of my favorites.

Wally was nine years old and in second grade, but he should have been in fourth. Wally tried hard, but he had a learning disability.

Christmas season came, and Wally was delighted to discover he was chosen for the part of the innkeeper in the Christmas pageant. The director reasoned Wally only had one line. How hard could that be?

The big night came and all of the children were excited, but one was especially excited. Wally was captivated by the story line. The director was a little concerned Wally might forget his spoken lines. Wally stepped on to the stage, and announced clearly, “Be gone! There is no room in the inn!”

The seven-year old Joseph looked back at Wally, and expressed that Mary was great with child. Awkward silence as Wally struggled with what to say next. He knew his line, but could not bear to send Mary and Joseph away again. With tears in his eyes, he forced out yet another “Be gone.” Joseph began to exit, and this is where this pageant became different from all others. For Wally never left the stage. As if frozen in time, Wally’s mind was racing for a creative alternative. The big smile on his face signaled that this inn-keeper had come up with a room. “Wait, Joseph!” Wally blurted out, “You and Mary can have my room!”

A burst of laughter came from the audience, then silence, and then tears flowed freely as the reality of Wally’s statement settled in. Wally had made room for Jesus.

Two thousand years ago there was no room for the Christ-child in the inn. This Christmas season will there be room for Jesus Christ in your heart? The Scriptures tell us that Jesus enters a person’s life by invitation only. You invite Him by believing that He came to save you from your sins (Romans 10:9-12). This year why not make the decision to trust and follow Jesus Christ? As you make room for Him, you’ll discover, as did Wally, life will never be the same again.

Gettin’ ready for Sunday on Saturday

I started reading a book by a good friend of mine last night. The book is by Ken Ramey and is entitled Expository Listening. In a section entitled: Anticipation: The Listener’s Responsibility Before the Word is Preached, my friend offers this helpful advice:

  • Spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word every day (personal quiet time).
  • Men, lead your wife and children in regular times of worship throughout the week.
  • On Saturday night or Sunday morning, take time to get your heart ready for worship.
  • Read a portion of God’s Word that focuses on worshipping God and/or personal cleansing from sin.
  • Thank God that through Christ you can come boldly into His presence to worship Him.
  • Seek God’s forgiveness for any sins you have failed to confess and repent of during the week.
  • Express to God that you understand that your best, most fervent attempts at worship are nowhere near what He deserves, and beg Him to help you worship him wholeheartedly in spirit and in truth.

Ken quotes that great preacher C. H. Spurgeon as saying,

We are told men ought not to preach without preparation. Granted. But we add, men ought not to hear without preparation. Which do you think, needs the most preparation, the sower or the ground? I would have the sower come with clean hands, but I would have the ground well-plowed and harrowed, well turned over, and the clods broken before the seed comes in. It seems to me that there is more preparation needed by the ground than by the sower, more by the hearer than the preacher.

It got me thinking. Maybe one of the reasons we’re not getting more out of Sunday sermons, is because we aren’t starting our preparation to listen early enough.  So what are you doing this Saturday night? Are you gettin’ ready?

God is listening

The book of Deuteronomy is one of those Old Testament books we don’t often read let alone study. But it was there that a verse jumped off the page recently.  Moses is recounting for the Israelite children how their parents had received the Ten Commandments. It was in this setting that they were genuinely frightened by the presence of God, so they sent Moses to speak to God on their behalf. And they had a message to send. It went like this: “Whatever God wants us to do we will do it.”  A good response if you genuinely fear the Lord. But God’s response is what riveted my attention. Notice God’s words to Moses, “I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in what they have spoken” (Deut 5:28).

Do you see in that verse what I see? What words did you say yesterday that God heard? What about the day before? Or the day before that? How did you speak to your spouse? Or your children? Or your boss? How did you speak about your children? Or about your spouse? Or about your boss?

Have you paused to realize that God was listening? That God would say, “I have heard the voice of the words which you have spoken?”

Now some of us might downplay God’s holiness and up-play His mercy regarding His hearing of our words. After all we might reason, we know what we said would not please Him, but at least God is a forgiving God.

Truly He is forgiving, and we certainly praise Him for that. But remember the context of this statement? The Israelites were standing in awe of His greatness, power, and holiness. It is in that setting that God said He had heard their words.

Would you have spoken those harsh words to a friend if you remembered God was listening? Would you have lied? Would you have gossiped? Would you have kept silent? We need to remember that what we say and how we say it is important, because when we speak. . .God is listening.

Prayer, Fear, & Angels

The Biblical accounts of people talking with angels have always fascinated me. Nearly every time it happens in the Bible the angel tells the human being to not be afraid. There is something about their unexpected appearance that frightens people. Such was the case with Daniel in an interesting conversation he has with Gabriel in Daniel chapter 10. The angel says, “Do not fear Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Dan. 10:12).

The angel Gabriel is talking to Daniel about a vision that he had seen earlier. Daniel had requested an interpretation, and was still waiting 21 days later for his answer. What I find fascinating is that Daniel had probably knelt and prayed for an answer. It was his habit to kneel and pray 3 times a day (Dan. 6:10). He probably got up from his knees and said, “O.K God, I’m ready for an answer.” But the answer didn’t come that day or that week for that matter. It didn’t come until Gabriel showed up at his doorstep 3 weeks later. Nonetheless, on Daniel’s prayers God had dispatched the greatest archangel in the Bible on his behalf.

Can you imagine? You and I kneel to pray, we get up from our knees, and in our world it doesn’t appear as if anything is happening. So we assume that it isn’t. But at our prayers God may have dispersed an entire battalion of angels on our behalf! Such was the power Daniel had! And the same might be said for us.

But Daniel had to do two things first. He set his heart to understand, and he humbled himself. Both are prerequisites to prayer. How passionately do we plead with God for an answer? And how often to we humble ourselves before Him, and patiently wait on an answer?

Next time you pray, be careful. You may not see anything happen in your world, but you may have unleashed angels that will spring into action at the command of the Lord!

And the Word became flesh

We are indebted to the Gospel of John for so much of our understanding of who Jesus Christ was and is. In the opening verses John refers to Jesus Christ as the Word. In John 1:1 he writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We know that the Word here refers to Jesus because later in the same chapter he records, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us . . . (1:14).

So then why is Jesus referred to as the Word? Why refer to him by this name? Think about it with me. Words communicate don’t they? Without words I wouldn’t be writing this daily blog, and you wouldn’t be reading it. In fact, you wouldn’t be reading at all if there were no words.  Newspapers would be obsolete.  So would that favorite novel you read recently.  You would not have enjoyed the romance, emotion, and   suspense   of   the    author’s imagination. You see, without words, the author is stripped of his ability to communicate to you. And that is precisely the reason Jesus is referred to as the Word. As the Son of God He communicates to us what God the Father is like. In John 1:18 we read, “No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son. . . He has explained Him.”

The word translated explained is the word from which we take our English word exegete. It means to communicate the real meaning of what was said. To give the clearest, and most precise understanding of the words themselves.

It means that when Jesus Christ walked on this earth, and was referred to as the Word  He was communicating how God the Father thinks, and acts, and everything He is. Only Jesus could do this, for Jesus was God (John 1:1).

So next time you begin reading just words to find out what a writer is thinking, remember that if you examine the life of The Word, you will discover what God is thinking.

Lessons learned while waiting in line

For many of us waiting is one of the hardest lessons to learn. I have discovered that one of the best ways to wait is to ask the question: “Lord, what are you teaching me through this?”

We all have a tendency to think of God’s teaching lessons as being for someone else. Like the first humans in the garden of Eden we can see others in need of God’s instruction better than we can see ourselves. Or perhaps we look at the situations far too narrowly. If we can only figure this out or work harder than we can quit waiting. I’m all for the fact that we should work diligently along side of prayer.  But what you and I must understand is that anytime we are waiting, and find our selves anxious, worried, or frustrated our anxiety is linked to one thing: our need for control.

Think of that the next time you’re standing in line. You have an agenda. You have things to do. No one in front of you understands that do they? You are simply trying to control what’s on your plate that day, and so you grow increasingly frustrated because it’s not working out the way you planned.

Next time you stand in line for anything, ask yourself “What is God teaching me through this moment?”  So often we think the only lesson we’re going to learn from waiting is patience. Patience is a side benefit of waiting; it is not the sole purpose. Anytime we are frustrated in our waiting – It is always about control.  Doesn’t God know our schedules and our events for the day? Although we aren’t in control of the events of our lives He is.

A friend of mine says it this way: Every trial has a note attached: “Made in heaven just for you.” That’s the essence of what Paul said in Romans 5:3-5 when he wrote, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”