January 31

GENESIS 32
In 2006 I was seeking the Lord for His direction for my life. In the midst of that time, I was in this section of Scripture. As I was reading, the words ‘return to the land of your fathers’ jumped off of the pages at me. Over the ensuing months, the Lord made it absolutely clear that I was to return to the land of my fathers. In the intervening year and 9 months, many events filled my life that taught me that the Lord was with me and my family. My son left for Iraq. My father-in-law died. My house burned down. I visited Senegal and Germany. My first granddaughter was born and died two days later. Another son married. Finally on May 1 of 2008, I arrived in Oklahoma, the land of my fathers. I have never really been specifically sure why He wanted me back here. Since returning here, my oldest brother and father have died. I have a little bit of responsibility in caring for my mother. I have become pastor of New Beginnings Alliance Bible Church (Now called Christian Missionary Alliance Church). I guess those are reasons enough.
Jacob’s promise to the Lord at Bethel had been that if the Lord would indeed be with him and bring him home safely to his father’s house, then he would return to Bethel and the Lord would indeed be his God. If he were headed for Bethel, he should have crossed the Jordan north of the Sea of Galilee. What is he doing on the east side of the Jordan? He is still not sure that he can return to his father’s house safely. There is still the matter of his relationship with Esau. It must have been very comforting, as he reached the Jabbok River, to see an army of angels waiting there to meet him. It is at this point that he has the confidence to send word to Esau that he is coming home. God protected him from Laban, but is this army of angels really there to protect him?
Out of the frying pan into the fire. Yes, the Lord was with Jacob. He caused Laban to avert his wrath upon Jacob, but the Lord told Jacob to go back to the land of his fathers, the land of his family. When Jacob was last here twenty years ago, his brother Esau was looking for opportunity to kill Jacob. Had the intervening twenty+ years allowed Esau the ability to forgive Jacob, or had it merely allowed it to fester? Jacob did not know, but he needed to find out. He sent Esau a large gift to show that he did not need any of the family wealth; he was wealthy enough without the inheritance that was due him. Esau responds by coming to meet Jacob with 400 men. Why would Esau do that? Had his anger indeed festered against Jacob? Was he coming to wipe out Jacob? Or was he afraid of Jacob? Was he making a show of force to Jacob that he was well established and that Jacob had better not attempt to take any of the inheritance from Esau. Whatever Esau’s intent was, it was certainly intimidating to Jacob. There was no way that he could defend himself against 400 men. Yes, he had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He divided his camp and family into two groups hoping that if Esau took one group, then the other would escape. After a time of prayer, he sent gifts in droves to Esau. As night approached, he settled his family sending them across the Jabok. Remaining alone He wrestled with God. God, why did you send me back to my family’s land, if Esau is coming to kill me? He would not let go of God in the man form. God asked, “What do you want?” His reply, “I want you to bless me.” On the eve of this momentous meeting with Esau, a meeting which will define the direction of his life from now on, a meeting which may even determine his life or death, he does not ask for peace with Esau. He takes the time to wrestle with God and simply asks for God’s blessing. When God blesses He adds no sorrow to it. Jacob’s conniving had done nothing but bring sorrow and pain. The blessing which he connived for always had strings attached.
When God gave the blessing what was it? He gave Jacob a new name. Jacob, heel-catcher, supplanter, is now named Israel. Israel might come from a root meaning "rule" or "prince", giving the meaning, "he who rules with God.” Or it might come from a root meaning "strive" or "struggle", or "he who struggles with God.” Or it might come from a root meaning "straight", "honest" or "honest man of God.” Jacob received his blessing, a new character exhibited in a new name. He still did not let go. This God-man who gave him a new name, Jacob had to know His name. He had to know His character. What was the God-man’s response? “Why is it that you ask about My name?” I like how the CEV translates it, “Don’t you know who I am?”
“Jacob, I told your mother that your older brother would serve you. You would receive the blessing. I met you at Bethel and promised to be with you. I watched over you the last 20 years as you served Laban. I kept Laban from bringing you harm. I am the One who has been with you all this time. Haven’t you figured Me out yet?”
Why did God bring Jacob back to the land? Maybe his biggest purpose was just so that Jacob could figure out who God is. Why has God brought me to Stillwater? My dad died shortly after I returned. The church I serve is not exactly thriving. We currently (2013) find ourselves in a big financial hole that has occurred on my watch. Why did God bring me back? May be it is so that I and others can figure out who He is. It is His glory to reveal that He is with us. He wants us to experience His presence. That is part of His glory. He wants to give us a new character. That is His glory. In the midst of walking with Him, We figure out what He is like. That is His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 31
I remember Mom making preserves. She made several kinds, but foremost in my memory is the sand plum preserves. Sand plums grow wild in thickets. The cattle used to like to go into the thickets to get shade from the hot summer sun. If I remember right, the sand plums ripened in early summer. We went out to the cattle lease to the thickets and picked them empty. When we brought them home, Mom cooked them and did whatever it is you do to fruit to sweeten and preserve it. We had preserves to eat with our peanut butter for months to come. But if they were not preserved, they only lasted a few days at most.
It always strikes me as odd when I read the Psalm and hear it say, “The Lord preserves the faithful.” I get images of the Lord cooking us down to mush and adding sugar and whatever in order to make us tasty and to not spoil. I almost get the image of Him putting us on the shelf for Him to come back later and consume. After all, we were created by His desire, His will, as the KJV puts it, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” So when I cry out, “Preserve me, O God!” I know that what I mean is, “Don’t let me be destroyed!” But do I stop to think that the preservation might involve some unpleasantries comparable to the metaphor of being cooked down to mush and having other ingredients added in order to make me palatable to His taste, and that the whole process is to please Him and not necessarily me?
What does David mean when he cries out,

9 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! 10 For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away?

Sounds like being cooked down to mush to me. How does that bring glory to our God? Well the cooking process destroys the bacteria that bring ruin to the fruit. The cooking process in our lives destroys the sin that brings ruin to the eternal fruit of our lives. In so doing, He can enjoy us forever, and we can enjoy Him forever. Preserve me, O Lord! Love the Lord all you His saints! Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ESTHER 8
Sometimes the parallels between us and Bible characters are very real and cause us wonder when we think on Jesus’ glory revealed through them. Take Mordecai in this chapter. He was a second class citizen, doomed to die by the intent and decree of Haman. Yet through the intercession of Esther and the amazing providence of God, he is delivered from death, promoted to second in the kingdom and given the very signet ring of the king for the purpose of delivering the Jews from their enemies. You know, it is the glory of our Lord that He has done a parallel thing with us. He has delivered us from death through the blood of His own Son. He has raised us up together with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places. We are in Him second in command to the King of the universe! He has given us His signet ring for the purpose of delivering people from every tribe and tongue and nation out of the kingdom of darkness and into His kingdom of light! What is His signet ring? It is the seal and empowerment of His Holy Spirit. It is His mighty authority to tear down the powers of darkness for the purpose of spreading His rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Yes, in the typology of this chapter there is much to be seen of the glory of Christ. Am I sharing in that glory? Am I working toward the purpose for which He has called me into that glory? Am I laying down everything in my life in pursuit of His glory and the expansion of His Kingdom? Or am I simply living my life happy to only enjoy the benefits which he has given me? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

MATTHEW 20:17-34
Martin Luther King Jr. has a famous sermon that is called The Drum Major Instinct. The main point of the sermon is, ”Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” It is based on this teaching. One of the hardest lessons for all of us to learn is that one. I first started learning it in college. I was jealous of some brothers in Christ. They just seemed to be more gifted than I on all accounts. When good times of recognition happened to them, I frequently found myself wishing it was me instead of them being recognized. I don’t think I ever said or did anything that demonstrated that jealousy, but it was there. The Holy Spirit quietly spoke to me about it. Like James and John I wanted to be at the right or left hand of Jesus. I still struggle with that from time to time. Apparently it is a lesson that I will always be learning.
It is a lesson Jesus has known from the beginning. He left the place of greatest recognition in heaven and became a man. He was not recognized by the great ones of our world, only fishermen and tax-collectors and political rebels. His trade for the first part of His life was carpentry, a builder. Even as a builder, there was nothing that we know for which He excelled. He came for one purpose to serve, to give His life a ransom for many. Indeed He accomplished that purpose. That is part of His glory. He served the twelve. He served the blind men in Jericho by healing them. They were two men whose names were not even known so that they could be given in the story. He served to the point of death on the cross. He continues to serve you and me, people whom the world will probably never recognize. That is why He is highly exalted. The Father exalted Him again to greatness because He served. Indeed we serve a glorious serving King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John