NewDayvotional

From the pastor for the people

Does God Change His Mind?

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Someone asked me recently if Numbers 23:19 was a proof text that God doesn’t ever change his mind. Let’s take a look at that verse and the answer will become clear.

Numbers 23:19, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Remember, the key to understanding any text is the context! Here’s the context of Numbers 23…

  • The second generation of Israelites are in Moab getting ready to enter the promised land.
  • Balak, king of Moab, is threatened and tries to hire Balaam to curse Israel.
  • Balaam tells Balaak he can only do what God allows him to do, and after consulting God, Balaam ends up giving a prophecy where God blesses the nation, not curses them.
  • Balak isn’t ready to give up just yet – He wants Israel cursed – so he asks Balaam to ask God again.
  • In response to Balaam’s request, God gives this message to Balaam to give to Balak. Numbers 23:18-20, “…Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.”

So we see that this isn’t a proof text one can use to say that God never changes his mind. This verse is simply saying that God isn’t going to change his mind concerning Balak’s request that He curse Israel.

You see, in Genesis 12:1-2, “The Lord…said to Abram, Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…” God decided back in Genesis that He would bless Israel, not curse them. So in response to Balak’s second request for God to CURSE Israel, God lets him know (through Balaam) that He’s not going to change his mind on this. Numbers 23:19 isn’t therefore a proof text for making the point that God never changes his mind.

If God never changed his mind, then we have to ask ourselves what’s going on in the book of Jonah. In this book God sends Jonah to Nineveh to prophesy its destruction. But when Nineveh repents God changes his mind and doesn’t bring about the disaster he promised. This is in keeping with Jeremiah 18:7-10 where God says, “If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would.”

When God says “I will not destroy it as I had planned” that’s another way to say “I’m going to change my mind.” When God says “I will not bless it as I said I would” that’s another way of saying “I will change my mind.” God is God! And Psalm 115:3 says “…He does whatever pleases Him.” and this includes occasionally changing his mind.

Be Still And Know

Be Still And Know

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Be Still and Know

This year, I approached the Christmas season with eager anticipation and excitement. With the Thanksgiving left overs still in the fridge, I could hardly wait to get my Christmas decorations out of the attic! I went through our living and dining room and took down our usual decor, stored it away and replaced it with cheery reds and greenery! It brought me such joy to surround myself with all the keepsakes and mementos of the season. Equal to my personal enjoyment has been watching my kids take delight in all the little Christmas decorations and traditions within our home.

It’s not always so lovely! Each year, depending on my circumstances or stage of life, my excitement for Christmas vacillates. Last year, I recall it feeling like a chore or more like drudgery to go through the motions of gift buying and decorating. I had to force myself through it each step of the way. Internally, I was counting the days until it was over.

Interestingly enough, whether there are visions of sugar plums dancing in my head or I’m more akin to Scrooge, the busyness of the season is something that is an all knowing constant. The “to do” list seems endless. From parties, baking, shopping, wrapping, decorating, entertaining, class parties, coupled with life’s usual responsibilities, it all just makes my already busy schedule feel even more stretched.

I find that in order to get it all done, I try to strategically schedule every spare minute, often times to the point of sheer exhaustion, only to wake up and repeat the next day. Some days I hit the mark, other days I fall short. But whether I can enjoy a sense of accomplishment or set out to try again the next day, I find either way, it isn’t enough. When my daily routine begins getting so filled, when I begin living to complete a checklist, I have this constant internal nudging that my focus is skewed. I begin to feel waves of anxiety and unrest.

Ironically, the more I schedule, the more I neglect. The more I accomplish the less I invest. Can you relate?

To make the most of our time, our days, our opportunities, we need to schedule, carve out and insist upon allowing ourselves to be still and know.

After weeks of internal unsettling in my spirit, I took a step to breaking the cycle. It’s nothing new, it’s something I know the importance of, it’s something I often encourage others to do… I simply needed to carve out my schedule to sit alone. To be still and know, the He is God. To literally stop all activity, worry, planning and mentally and physically check out and check in with God.

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 NIV

Why is that the first thing I let go of when the busyness of life creeps in? Its embarrassing to admit.

There isn’t a right way, time or place to do this, but for me, in my current stage of life… carving out the quiet time takes planning, thought and commitment. Personally, I need a place where I can be free of distraction and have the items I need within reach to spend some quality time with my savior. I have an old desk in our unfinished basement. My lamp, bible, paper and pen is all I need to take the focus off of myself and change my focus to Him, his plans, his purposes.

The actual space doesn’t matter one bit. It can be in your car, your bed, at your desk… WHERE you spend time with the Lord is your preference, however WHEN you do it, it impacts your perspective, purpose and your peace.

From my little basement space, I write this gentle reminder to you. The fulfillment of a completed check list will just lead to another list. The fulfillment found in Christ can restore, sustain and uplift you.

One of my favorite verses was penned in to a song. It gives me rest when I can feel the busyness mounting in my heart and mind:

“Be Still And Know”

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still Oh restless heart of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Steven Curtis Chapman

Have you gotten away from your personal quiet time with the Lord? Has the busyness of the season distracted you from what’s most important? Make a daily appointment with your heavenly father. Put it in your calendar, and keep your commitment, just as you would a doctor’s appointment or an interview for a new promotion. Don’t delay or re-schedule. All the other things will begin to gain new meaning and perspective once you have invited God to be part of them with you. Hey, you might even find that some of those others things aren’t worth your time at all.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Merry Christmas!
Rachel

Anti-Social Media: Using Facebook to Protect the Reputation of Christ

Anti-Social Media: Using Facebook to Protect the Reputation of Christ

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“You need to go back to Born Again 101” – reads a Facebook posting in response to a Christian article.

Have you ever signed on to Facebook to see your friends arguing over something silly? These (very public) disagreements rarely end well, embarrassing every person involved. I understand that Facebook has made sharing our opinions and memories with each other easier than ever. However, as Christians, we need to be extra careful that we don’t bring shame on the name of Christ when we argue about trivial or political matters that don’t advance the gospel.

Unrestrained gut reactions can change others’ perceptions of Christ, painting Him and His amazing sacrifice in a negative light. You are a representative of Christ online and your voice has more power than you can imagine. Converse with others with the aim of building the Kingdom of God; it is what He has called us to do! Take care to avoid petty arguments that everyone can see. This is especially true of sharing political views, which are often divisive to many people. Romans 12:18 says “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Sometimes disagreeing Christians publicly argue with each other on Facebook. The Bible says we must always prove our point and try to convince people of our viewpoints…oh wait, that’s not right.  God commands  that we are to be known by our love for one another (John 13:35), but when believers publicly rip each other, Jesus’ instruction to us is clearly violated. If a brother/sister posts something that is biblically wrong or misrepresentative of Christ, call them and have a conversation with them, privately. Encourage them, in love, to delete their post as it is controversial (don’t even address whether it is correct or not). If this does not work, prayerfully consider a peaceful way to correct that misinformation publicly or seek wise counsel. However, keep in mind that the apostle Paul said “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” If you must correct it, be very cautious on how you approach it and avoid further knee jerk reactions. For more advice on disagreements, Jesus provides some solid action steps in Matthew 18: 15-22.

To conclude, ask God to guide all of your Facebook posts before posting. Never post based off your emotions at the moment, always carefully and prayerfully consider what you say online. While you may not care what others think of you, if you’re a Christian you have a bigger responsibility to the faith to consider. Preview your posts in the most critical of lenses, especially if you plan on making a statement about Christianity or are known as a Christian. While these suggestions are only meant to serve as general guidelines, please take it to heart and remember to do all things for the glory of God!

What does it mean to “fear the Lord?”

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Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” NIV Solomon tells us here that the way of wisdom begins with fearing the Lord. Well, the question begs: What exactly does it mean “to fear the Lord?”

There are at least eighteen references to “the fear of the Lord” in Proverbs (1:7, 29; 2:5; 3:7; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 14:2, 26-27; 15:16, 33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17; 24:21; 31:30) As you study these verses you’ll see that there’s a negative aspect to the fear of the Lord and a positive aspect to the fear of the Lord. Let’s begin with the…

NEGATIVE ASPECT OF FEARING THE LORD

  • to fear the Lord is to shun evil (Proverbs 3:7)
  • to fear the Lord is to hate evil: pride, arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:13)
  • to fear the Lord is to avoid evil (Proverbs 16:6)

That’s the negative side of fearing the Lord. In a negative sense, fearing the Lord is all about rejecting the footpath of folly. Now here’s the…

POSITIVE SIDE OF FEARING THE LORD

  • to fear the Lord is to heed Lady Wisdom’s advice and rebukes (Proverbs 1:29-30)
  • to fear the Lord is to walk uprightly: honorably and honestly vs deviously (Proverbs 14:2)

That’s the positive aspect of fearing the Lord. In a positive sense, fearing the Lord is all about embracing the way of wisdom.

But to fear the Lord is MORE than just embracing a philosophy of life (the way of wisdom OR the footpath of folly). To fear the Lord is to embrace the Creator of that philosophy of life. To fear the Lord is to embrace the Person behind that way of life. Well the Bible tells us plainly that the Person behind the way of wisdom is none other than Jesus Christ. Let me explain…

In Proverbs 8:22-24 Lady Wisdom states, “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. When there were no watery depths, I was given birth…” NIV The way of wisdom was created at the very beginning of the world, because God knew that the world’s inhabitants would need wisdom to live long, happy, healthy and prosperous lives. So God created a way of life, a set of rules, a set of principles that would successfully govern a man’s life – and he called it wisdom.

Now the Bible is very clear about which entity in the God-head created wisdom. In the God-head we have 1) God the Father, 2) God the Son and 3) God the Holy Spirit. Well it wasn’t God the Father who created wisdom. It wasn’t God the Holy Spirit either. It was God the Son – it was Jesus Christ. John 1:2-3 states that “He [Jesus] was with God in the beginning. Through him [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” NIV The Bible says that Jesus created all things – and that includes wisdom! So we can’t truly embrace wisdom without embracing Jesus Christ – wisdom’s Creator.

With all that in mind, here’s a working definition of what it means to fear the Lord. To fear the Lord is to reject the footpath of folly and to embrace the way of wisdom – specifically Jesus Christ, wisdom’s author. 

‘Cuz I Said So

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‘Cuz I said so is a parenting staple I have found myself saying lately. It has become a bit of a joke for me and my kids…I repeat it as a song until my kids complete whatever it is I have asked of them. Then, and only then, do I give further explanation.

I know, all the parenting experts out there would be appalled. They advise always to explain to your children the reason why they need to share their toys, why they shouldn’t hit so-and-so, why it’s not a good idea to run away from mommy in a parking lot. I certainly do value that whole explaining-why thing, only after they have obeyed. In our house, we expect each of our four kids to obey first, and ask why second.

You may be wondering what I’m getting at here; this ain’t no parenting blog. But, I’m always looking for a good spiritual parallel out of my everyday life. In our current teaching series, we’ve been learning about what makes a good leader. We’ve been comparing king Saul’s lackluster leadership with king David’s honorable legacy. One quality that separates them is obedience.

Saul sometimes obeyed God’s instructions…David obeyed without question.
Saul obeyed the parts with which he felt comfortable, but ignored others…David followed instructions completely. Saul made excuses…David owned up to his mistakes.

When we choose to obey God’s word completely, we are showing him that we trust him. We are acknowledging through our actions that he knows better than we do. And, no offense fellow know-it-all-ers…but God does know better than us.

But, you ask…How do I know I can trust God? How can I obey when it’s hard? How can I be sure it will work out? Well, I can assure you that when you resign yourself to follow God’s word, God shows up in big ways. He did it time and time again in the Bible, and is still doing it today.

So, if you are feeling hesitant, doubtful, and like that thing you know you need to do is just too hard…start asking around. Ask people in your serving roles, ask people in your growth group, ask people how God has shown up in their lives when they put their trust in Him. Read the Bible…like, really read it, scour it for examples of God’s provision. The books of Joshua and I Samuel are a great place to start.

Joshua 1:8
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

I want my kids to trust me. I want them to make good choices and practice obedience in the little things to be prepared for the big things. I don’t want them to make half-hearted and lethargic obedience a habit.

How much more does God, who is perfectly more perfect than imperfect parents, want that for me? God knows the whole picture. We only have a limited view. We think we must have that house, that job, that spouse, that car, that vacation. Or, maybe we make excuses for our unhealthy compromises. I’m only cheating a little bit. They don’t really need the money anyway. They haven’t earned my forgiveness. My words aren’t that bitter/angry/ugly/hurtful.

But, our way is not always the best way. The more we seek to understand God, the more we see that his parameters are for our good. We can either listen to the rhetoric of our do-whatever-feels-right-to-you culture, or find our root in the truth of Scripture.

Psalm 34:8
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Obedience can be hard. For example, I don’t always feel like sacrificing my Sunday mornings every week to reach out and serve others. But, it is the desire of my heart to put God first, and he says to put others first. When I make the choice to love others, God gives me the peace, energy, and desire to get it done…often in ways I could never expect.

Let this be a reminder to both you and me to pray to him first, to read his word first, to seek godly counsel first, to let go of selfish desires first. I want to reflect and ensure that my life aligns with the guidelines of Scripture. It isn’t always easy. It isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always what I would choose. And, I’m not always good at it. But, God has always shown up when I put him first.

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Children do not know more than their parents. They think they do. When my kids wait for a sufficient reason before they obey, they are communicating distrust. When I hear a whiny “why?” from my kids, I roll my eyes, utter “Cuz I said so”, then smile because I picture God doing the same with me.

I ask him “Why?”, he shakes his head and says, “Just trust me…cuz I said so!”