Notes of Faith November 4, 2021

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” — Hebrews 13:6

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? — Psalm 56:3-4

Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. — Proverbs 3:25-26

Women have a self-confidence problem.

They lack the confidence that men seem to have in droves. This lack of confidence, though, isn’t confined to women who walk the corridors of power in Washington or occupy corner offices in corporate America. Indeed, if those women struggle, just imagine what it’s like for the rest of us.

You’ve undoubtedly sensed those disquieting emotions gnawing at the pit of your stomach: The hesitancy to speak up for fear that you’ll embarrass yourself or say something stupid. The reluctance to volunteer for a position because you’re afraid you’ll disappoint. The agonizing distress that someone will poke a hole through your fragile veneer and discover that you are an impostor.

These feelings are inside us all. We just keep them stuffed down where no one can see.

Whether you are

• white-collar or blue, boardroom or mudroom, skyscraper or barn;

• spikes or sandals, designer or thrift, petite or plus;

• pop or hip-hop, salad or steak, Prius or Ram…

• Whether you spend your day changing dirty diapers or negotiating corporate deals, chances are you also struggle with insecurities, fears, and self-doubt…

The antonym of confidence is diffidence. You may not have heard that word before. It’s an old-fashioned word that’s largely absent from popular vernacular. Nowadays, most people use the word insecure instead. But diffidence is an important word to know when studying confidence. That’s because confidence and diffidence are mirror opposites of each other.

Confident and diffident both trace back to the Latin verb fidere, which means “to trust.” Both have to do with the amount of trust a person places in someone or something. The word confident adds the intensifying prefix con-, which means “plenty of,” whereas diffident adds the prefix dis-, which means “the absence of.”

Confidence means that someone has plenty of trust.

Diffidence means she has an absence of trust.

Both words have been used since about the fifteenth century and usually with reference to how much trust a person places in him-or herself. Confident people place plenty of trust in themselves. Diffident people don’t. When it comes to their own ability, they lack trust…

Confident women are lionhearted; diffident women are mousy and sheepish. Confident women act in a bold manner; diffident women remain paralyzed by fear. Confident women dare; diffident women don’t. Which type of woman would you rather be?

Um, the confident woman, Captain Obvious.

Of course you want to be a confident woman and not a diffident one! I want to be a confident woman. I want my daughters-in-law and my granddaughters to be confident women. I want my friends to be confident women. I want you to be a confident woman.

The question is, how? How do you transform your can’t-do into a can-do? How do you turn your cowardice into bravery?

Telling a woman who feels diffident to “just be more confident” is like telling an emaciated refugee to “just eat more.” It doesn’t work. The refugee needs to find a safe haven and a good, reliable food source before she can sink her teeth into something that will satisfy her hunger.

We cannot deal with our lack of confidence by simply resolving to be more confident. Looking within—as self-experts advise us to do — is a nonsensical solution. The reason we’re looking for more confidence is that those cupboards are bare.

We’ve discovered that confidence comes from the Latin word which means “plenty of trust” or “firmly trusting.” The concept of trust is central to the Bible’s view of confidence. So central that it uses the words trust and confidence interchangeably.

For example, when Job’s friend, Eliphaz, accused Job of relying on his great wealth rather than relying on God, Job vigorously denied the charge. Job claimed that he had never “made gold [his] trust or called fine gold [his] confidence” (Job 31:24, emphasis added).

Interestingly, in this verse the Christian Standard Bible uses the word confidence where the English Standard Version uses the word trust, and trust where the other version uses the word confidence. Thus, in this second translation, gold is Job’s confidence and fine gold his trust. Why the switcheroo?

Did the translator get mixed up? No. The reason for the flip-flop word choice is that the Bible views trust and confidence as the same thing. The Hebrew words in this verse can be translated either way.

Confidence means trust. Trust means confidence.

There’s something else super interesting about Job 31:24. Here, Job used a type of Hebrew poetry called parallelism. That means that the two lines mimic each other. The second line says the exact same thing as the first, albeit in a slightly different way. The parallelism reinforces the fact that making gold your trust and calling it your confidence mean the same thing.

Confidence means trust. Trust means confidence.

The first line in Job 31:24 does use a slightly different Hebrew word for trust/confidence than the second. This is also significant. The word in the first line, kesel, means “trust or confidence.” The word in the second line, mibtah, means “the object of one’s trust or confidence.” Why is this significant? Because it indicates that the Bible views confidence and the object or source of that confidence as inseparably linked…

The Bible’s code for confidence is based on where I actually place my trust and not on my emotions; it doesn’t matter how bold or fearful I may feel.

I may possess all the positive energy and confidence in the world, but if my trust is misplaced, that confidence is foolish and fragile. On the other hand, even when I feel afraid, I can choose to embrace smart, strong confidence. As the psalmist declared,

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. — Psalm. 56:3 CSB

Excerpted from The Right Kind of Confident by Mary A. Kassian, copyright Mary A. Kassian.

We have a problem. It’s one of confidence. But, when we place our trust in the One who holds the universe in His hands, we don’t have to be insecure and afraid! 

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 3, 2021

Article by Greg Morse
Staff writer, desiringGod.org

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

A great exchange lies at the heart of the Christian faith. God’s people contributed their sin, their failures, their guilt, and exchanged them for forgiveness, for joy, for Jesus’s righteousness, leading to eternal life. Have you marveled at this recently?

Allow me to tell the story again.

Scripture depicts God’s people as a woman who formerly had nothing but sin and shame (Ezekiel 16; Hosea 1). Yet somehow, the righteous King of heaven decided to pursue her for marriage. She was poor, naked, and diseased beyond hope of recovery. She laid on her sickbed, unable to rise; he sat on the throne of heaven, worshiped by angels. She committed sedition against this King, cursing him in her sin — despite all his unceasing kindness and provisions.

The last thing she expected — indeed the last thing she looked for — was the love and forgiveness that this King would ensure she acquired.

He Came to Become Sin

From heaven, he came and sought her. He came to the ancient ruins of Eden, taking a human body and reasoning soul to visit the fallen realms of his earth.

And although he created the world, the world did not know him. Taking wonder deeper, he traveled even to Israel, his own people, and they still did not recognize him. He taught among them as no one before. He healed their sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead to life.

As he hinted at his identity, Israel’s spiritual watchmen did not grow relieved or enthralled, but incensed and jealous. They rejected him, refused to follow, questioned him at every turn, stirred up the people against him, and in the end, crucified him. Yet not without his consent. He gave himself willingly unto death, bringing his Bride — still ignorant and dead in sin — to life. He embraced that wrath she deserved. He became sin, our sin, that we might be forgiven.

Second Exchange?

I hope you’ve heard that story before — love hearing it over and over. Heaven has no greater to tell.

Yet as we feast upon its bounty, drawing strength for each new day, do we forget this was a two-way exchange? For myself, I often emphasize what Jesus took on my behalf: wrath, punishment, death, sin, abandonment. Before the cross, I gratefully sing,

Here we have a firm foundation,

Here the refuge of the lost;

Christ, the Rock of our salvation,

His the name of which we boast.

Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,

Sacrifice to cancel guilt!

None shall ever be confounded Who on him their hope have built.

What remains less in view, though, is what we get in return beyond canceled debt. C.R. Wiley observes,

Most Christians are familiar with salvation as accounting, but they think in terms of single-imputation. They believe that our sins have been imputed to Christ and that’s why he died on the cross, so that he could pay for them. But that’s where it stops for them. They think that Christ’s death has left them with a zero balance. (Man of the House, 111)

But notice again the verse: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ does not merely forgive; not merely cancel debts. He gives righteousness in such degree that we become the righteousness of God. Christ’s perfect life is ours — his perfect obedience reckoned to us. Our accounts burst with the eternal riches of the perfection of Christ.

Our ‘Not-Yet’ Fight

O believer, though you still put the flesh to death daily, and carry a cross through a fallen world, remember Christ has made you, in a real and living sense, perfect — right now.

“O believer, Christ has made you, in a real and living sense, perfect — right now.”

Yes, you still sin, but every sin that lies ahead is paid for at the cross. “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Your ongoing sanctification, as slow and arduous as it runs, confirms a remarkable reality: By Christ’s one offering, he has perfected you already. We feel the “not yet” of continuing to fight, but how often do we delight in the “already” of our holy status before God?

Why does this matter practically? As we realize our standing in Christ — the great blessing we have in not only giving the penalty of our sins to Christ, but receiving his perfect life — we know we are loved and accepted before we make great strides in the Christian life. And reckoning this allows us to make the greatest strides in the Christian life.

As Chosen Ones

Notice carefully the order of Paul’s words in one example among many:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:12–13)

As Paul commands us to put on the radiant clothing of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, Patience, and love, he inserts a phrase bearing the weight of ten worlds: Put these on as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.

“You have no need to work your way into his love or achieve his holiness. Christ has done it in your place.”

Put on these virtues — or, in another place, simply “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14) — as a chosen one, one already holy and beloved. Continue to pursue a life worthy of the gospel with this sure gospel footing: You journey forth already holy, already beloved of God. You have no need to work your way into his love or achieve his holiness. Christ has done it in your place.

Bringing Holiness to Completion

Through this side of the great exchange, he welcomes you before you continue making those strides in humility, meekness, and love. You do not put on Christ to become definitively chosen, holy, and beloved, but as a response to what Christ accomplished two thousand years ago. As we progressively “bring holiness to completion in the fear of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 7:1), we do so already basking in the statements that we stand holy and beloved in Christ. Our growth in Christian living is growing into what we already are in union with our Savior.

At the heart of Christianity is indeed a great exchange, a double exchange. Christ, our great Groom, became our sin and bore the wrath we deserved. And in exchange, we get his perfect life and all that justly comes with it: God’s love, eternal life, heavenly rewards, unity with each other, restored and unbreakable fellowship with God. We are rich beyond measure, having God himself as our treasure, and this empowers us to live wholly for him.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 2, 2021

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us. — 2 Peter 1:3

How can we develop a faith strong enough to see us throughout our lives? The key is this: God wants us to be spiritually strong and has provided us with every resource we need. We need God’s strength to face life’s challenges — and He wants to give it to us.

Tragically, many Christians never discover this. They have committed their lives to Christ... they may be active in their churches... they pray and read their Bibles on occasion — but they remain spiritually immature and weak in the face of life’s temptations and setbacks.

We may be old in years, but if our faith is immature, we will be fearful and unprepared. But it doesn’t need to be this way. Just as a baby needs food and exercise in order to grow, so we need the spiritual food and exercise God has provided for us. Without them our faith is weak, but with them spiritual strength increases, and we are better prepared for whatever life has in store for us.

What are you doing now that will make you spiritually mature when you’re older?

From Seedling to Tree

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season. — Psalm 1:3

It is no accident that the Bible compares us to trees, urging us to grow spiritual roots that are deep and strong. But a tree wasn’t always a tree. It began as a small seed. Spiritual life also begins with a seed — the seed of God’s Word planted in the soil of our souls that eventually sprouts and becomes a new seedling as we are born again. But though we’re saved, we aren’t meant to remain spiritual seedlings, weak and vulnerable to every temptation or doubt or falsehood or fear. God’s will is for us to grow strong in our faith and become mature, grounded in the truth of His Word and firmly committed to doing His will (1 Peter 2:2).

Giving your life to Christ is an essential first step — but it is only the first step. God’s will is for you to become spiritually mature, growing stronger in your relationship to Christ and your service for Him. Conversion is the work of an instant; spiritual maturity is the work of a lifetime.

Is your faith like a seedling, a sprout, or a mature tree?

 Mature Fruit

Be mature and complete, not lacking anything. — James 1:4 NIV

We cannot pretend to be something we are not; a Christlike character cannot be faked. If Christ is not real to us or if we haven’t learned to walk with Him and submit our lives to Him every day, then our spiritual impact will be far less than it might have been. People are very sensitive to hypocrisy; if they sense it in us, they will dismiss our pretenses and pay no attention to our advice. On the other hand, if they can sense our faith is sincere and our love is authentic, then they will respect us and take us seriously (even when they know we are not perfect).

This is why it is important to begin building our lives on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ now, instead of waiting until it is too late and the problems of old age overwhelm us. Every gardener knows that mature fruit does not appear overnight. It takes time to grow — and so does the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Start tending your garden today, so you may be “mature and complete.”

In what place in your life do you most need spiritual growth?

Excerpted from Peace for Each Day by Billy Graham, copyright Billy Graham Literary Trust.

We don’t have to stay fearful and unprepared. The Lord intends for us to mature, to grow, and to become secure and ready for what’s ahead of us standing solid on the Rock.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 1, 2021

Article by David Mathis
Executive Editor, desiringGod.org

My wife and I are investing in calmness therapy for our twin 11-year-old boys. It’s called youth baseball. The financial expenses pale in comparison to the deposits of time.

Baseball not only facilitates brain and body development, and teaches teamwork, but also produces contexts for learning to handle pressure and deal with failure. In other words, it provides avenues to cultivate self-control — the one virtue the apostle Paul saw fit to set before young men in Titus 2. After multiple charges each for older men, older women, and younger women (Titus 2:2–5), he gives a single focus for the young men: “urge the younger men to be self-controlled” (Titus 2:6).

Do not misunderstand. We do not want our boys to be unemotional; and they are not. They’re competitive, and they’re kids, prone to react without proper emotional restraint. Which is why youth baseball can be one valuable tool, among others, in seeking to build men. We want them to learn how to be composed under pressure, when the moment requires it, and give release to their emotions in the proper time and place. We want them to learn to keep their head when others are losing theirs, to not lose control in outrage or self-pity but keep a sober mind, aware that how they carry themselves and treat teammates, umpires, and the opposing team is far more important than winning a game.

At times, we cheer, and celebrate a win after the final out has been made. At other moments, we process the disappointment of errors, strikeouts, and losses. But in the ups and downs of the game — and in life off the field — our passions can push us to celebrate prematurely, or wallow extensively. We want our boys to learn how to stay calm in the storm, not by repressing emotions but learning to master them. In the heat of the moment, we want them to keep their wits, tell themselves truth, and stay calm enough to faithfully take the next step for their own good, and the good of others.

More than baseball players, we want our boys to become Christian men.

He Held His Peace

In a day when outbursts of emotion are not only accepted, but respected, and encouraged, it can be more difficult to raise men who learn to righteously “hold their peace.” It’s a curious phrase at key junctures in the history of God’s people. Some outburst of rage, or rash expression of anger or retaliation, is expected, yet a man of God, we’re told, “held his peace.”

First, we see it in the patriarch Jacob, when he hears that Shechem, prince of the land, “had defiled his daughter Dinah.” We expect an explosion. But “Jacob held his peace” until his sons could come in from the field (Genesis 34:5). It’s not that Jacob ignores or minimizes this outrageous act against his daughter, and family, but he maintains self-control until his counselors can gather and decide how to respond. Two of his sons, Simeon and Levi, do not exercise the same restraint and become Jacob’s foil. They come against Shechem with swords, and in doing so, bring “trouble on [Jacob] by making [him] stink to the inhabitants of the land” (Genesis 34:30).

So also Aaron, Moses’s brother and the first high priest. When his sons “offered unauthorized fire” before God and were consumed (Leviticus 10:1–2), we might expect Aaron to erupt with rage against heaven at the loss of his sons. Instead, Moses reports, “Aaron held his peace” (Leviticus 10:3) — not because he didn’t care, or wasn’t severely grieved, but because he revered God with a righteous fear and trusted God’s goodness, that he had done no wrong, painful as Aaron’s loss was.

King Saul, at the outset of his reign, before his falls from grace, demonstrated admirable restraint when dishonored. As the rest of the nation acknowledges and embraces him as its first king, the critics emerge, “some worthless fellows,” with their cynicism: “How can this man save us?” As king, Saul now has the power to dispose of such men, quickly and quietly. “But he held his peace,” reports Samuel, in an admirable demonstration of his early magnanimity (1 Samuel 10:27).

Slow to Anger

Most noteworthy, though, is God himself. He says, through Isaiah, to his rebellious people, “For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself” (Isaiah 42:14). God has not ignored or discounted their sin; nor has he raged in an outburst of unrestrained fury against them. Later he pleads, “Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me?” (Isaiah 57:11). Now he will act in justice, giving vent to his righteous anger, but none may reasonably charge him with rushing to judgment or the slightest impatience.

“In times that socialize us for outrage and outbursts, we need men who know how to hold their peace.”

In times that socialize us for outrage and outbursts, we need men not just like Jacob, Aaron, and a young Saul — who know how to hold their peace when the moment requires it — but also like God himself, who the Scriptures describe repeatedly as “slow to anger.” Significantly, when God reveals himself to Moses in response to the request “Show me your glory,” the first words the prophet hears are “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger” (Exodus 34:6).

Such divine composure, as we might call it, would become a legacy for the Israelites, that their God was slow to anger. Not without anger. He clearly stood ready to punish the guilty in time. And never before it was time, and never with an intensity that was unjust or in any way that wronged those he punished or disciplined. Yet, given the rebellion of his people, often outrageous, he was enduringly patient and markedly “slow to anger,” as prophets and psalmists alike would cherish (Nehemiah 9:17; Joel 2:13; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 145:8).

So Too His People

The collected Proverbs of the nation made this striking application: As your God, so too his people. If God himself, by all accounts and remembrances, is indeed slow to anger, how can his people not seek to be like him?

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,

but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. (Proverbs 14:29)

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. (Proverbs 15:18)

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)

Here we see how God is forming and shaping his people: to have “great understanding”; to “quiet contention”; to be “better than the mighty”; to manifest “good sense” and the rare glory, in a world like ours, to overlook an offense. This God would save his people from hasty tempers, from exalting folly, from stirring up strife. So too in the New Testament, James extends this legacy to his Christian readers: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19).

But what of Christ himself, God incarnate?

In Jesus, we find full and holy humanity, along with expressions we might not label “calm,” yet are manifestly righteous. We do not picture Christ as calm when he made a whip of cords, cleared the temple, and overturned tables (John 2:15) — actions that prompted his disciples to remember Psalm 69:9: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Nor would we call him “calm” when he came to Bethany in the wake of Lazarus’s death. “Deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (John 11:33), Jesus wept — visibly enough that onlookers said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:35–36). Then he came to the tomb and was “deeply moved again” (John 11:38).

Nor would we think of his anguish in the garden as serenity. “Being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). We don’t typically think of calmness as accompanied by “loud cries and tears” — but even here in Gethsemane, in his distress, he did not abandon reverence but was heard because of it (Hebrews 5:7).

We would go too far to pretend that Christ was always calm. There were moments he was righteously and manifestly moved by holy emotions. Though neither in the temple, nor in Bethany, nor in the garden, did he lose control.

Apart from a few exceptions, the Christ we encounter in the Gospels is stunningly calm. What composure, what self-control, what holy calmness he shows again and again when failed by his disciples, interrupted by the sick, imposed upon by the well-meaning, challenged by the sophisticated, and disrespected by the authorities. The one to whom our Christian growth conforms is one who was decidedly, manifestly calm, with only the rarest of, and most fitting, exceptions.

Not Stressed to Rule the Stars

But just as helpful today, as we seek to live with the pattern of holy calm that echoes our Lord’s, is his unshakable composure right now, seated on heaven’s throne. Indeed, we are not yet fully glorified. We are not yet beyond the reach of earthly storms, injuries, strange behavior, and surprising acts of evil in this unreasonable world. But our captain is. As his soldiers, we draw on his calmness as absolute sovereign and utterly invincible. His holy composure and admirable serenity are not only our model to follow but also, and most significantly, our hope to lean on.

Unlike the priests in the first covenant, standing daily in God’s service, ever in motion, “offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins . . . when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:11–12). The priests stood, but as John Piper comments,

Christ is not standing. He is not in perpetual motion. . . . He does happen to rule the world. And care for his church. But he doesn’t need to stand up to do it. According to Psalm 8:3, he made the stars with his fingers. It is no stress for him to rule one, infinitesimal planet without jumping out of his seat like a basketball coach, or pacing back and forth like a general waiting for news from the front lines. The accession of Christ to the throne of the universe — and his sitting on his throne with complete equanimity — is a signal to all his enemies, and to us, that this war has been won.

“The enemies of Christ hate calm and fearless responses in Christ’s people.”

The enemies of Christ hate calm and fearless responses in Christ’s people. They signal to Christ’s foes that their destruction is coming (Philippians 1:28). But more than that, holy calm, in the midst of our storms, makes us available to love others in the thick of crises, rather than being absorbed in our reaction.

Oh, for Christians like this in our day of outrage and outburst. And for men like this especially — for husbands and fathers and pastors — to be a non-anxious presence in our homes and churches. For men who lean on the stressless, complete equanimity of Christ, showing holy calmness through the emotionally trying and explosive moments in life and leadership, ready to be responsive without being reactive, engaged and even industrious without being frantic, able to hold their peace when needed, and bring genuine concord in our skirmishes, knowing the war has been won.

We need “the peace that passes understanding” just to make it through another day. May we seek the calm of Christ in the storm and have faith that our sovereign God is in control of all things.  Praise the Lord!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 31, 2021

Ouija boards. Psychics. Tarot card readings. Necromancy (attempts to communicate with the dead). The list of spiritual antics and so-called parlor games share a common thread: encouraging people to place hope and find solace in people, spirits, and sources other than God.

Most people traditionally dive into these activities for entertainment’s sake. But while many assume these actions are benign or comical, a brief look at Scripture offers a convicting and stirring reality: these practices are anything but games and can actually put us in profound spiritual danger.

Many Christians don’t realize that the Bible explicitly prohibits believers from engaging in necromancy, divination (seeking the future), psychic readings, and other related activities. We are advised not to “practice divination or seek omens” (Leviticus 19:26), not to “turn to mediums or seek out spiritists” (Leviticus 19:31), and not to consult the dead.

And those cautionary verses are overtly stern, warning that humans will be defiled by such practices. Despite these biblical claims, culture encourages, facilitates, and praises these attempts to communicate with the dead, using the Ouija board — a “game” people often play at slumber parties and other gatherings. The Ouija board is a pop culture staple.

For many, the idea of a legitimate psychic reading might seem ridiculous or impractical, a grand scheme to sucker people out of their money — and that’s understandable.

Surely, some of those who purport to have these powers are swindling and tricking the masses, though a thorough look at Scripture delivers some important realities and warnings worth considering.

The Bible affirms that these individuals exist, as the text explicitly implores people not to practice or seek out psychics’ services. The Old Testament does anything but shy away from these topics, with Leviticus 19:31 offering the strong admonition:

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

The verses cited, along with other content in Leviticus, were written by Moses specifically for the Israelites, but there seem to be some timeless elements worth noting. Not only do these scriptures indicate that there were people who practiced divination (seeking supernatural information about the future), but the Israelites were also urged to steer clear of anyone who sought out communication with the dead.

And then there’s Deuteronomy 18:9–13 (NIV), which takes an even heavier-handed approach:

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

When one continues to read through Scripture (I detail these stories in Playing with Fire), these elements emerge again and again, with Isaiah questioning why a person would consult mediums and spiritualists. In discussing this issue, the prophet pondered why people wouldn’t simply turn to God: “Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?”

And to showcase just how seriously this was all taken, Leviticus 20:27 prescribed a serious penalty for such activities: “A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.”

These issues are also presented to us in a variety of forms in the New Testament. For instance, we meet a slave woman in Acts 16 who is described as having “a spirit by which she predicted the future.” This particular woman followed Paul around for days until he finally turned around and proclaimed, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’”

We’re told that the spirit complied, and the woman no longer held her ability to foretell the future. Again, it’s clear this fortune-telling ability isn’t something to be heralded.

The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez was among those who addressed these issues in Playing with Fire, warning people against “provoking darkness” and to embrace Jesus. He said, “If you don’t have a firewall of righteousness, if you’re not covered by the vicarious atoning work of Jesus, then possession is really a possibility, especially those that dabble with darkness and dabble into satanic witchcraft, convocations, calling upon spirits and so forth, engage in activity that is really outside the norms of what we would call appropriate, literally provoking darkness to invade their lives.”

So, in addition to steering clear of the aforementioned activities, how do we protect ourselves against the flames of spiritual fires? Paul provided the answer when he reminded believers to “put on the full armor of God” so that each person can “stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10–12 NIV).

But what does this mean exactly? It involves our approach to the world around us and our response to some core questions:

• In a relativistic culture that tells us we need no such armor and that anything goes, are we truly able to steadily stand?

• If we’re told that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” are we taking that warning seriously if we apathetically sit idle?

Paul affirmed that

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. — 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

If our culture is blind, perhaps theologians and pastors are right to conclude that there is a slippery cultural slope that has helped catapult our society into confusion. But we have the power to fight back on an individual level with the armor of God, and that translates into some simple, yet powerful, steps:

• Make a commitment to read Scripture daily

• Pray

• Live out our faith in a relational way, embracing Jesus’ call to love God and love others

 Let’s avoid the occult but, most importantly, let’s live our lives daily for Jesus and take up the shield that only faith can provide.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 30, 2021

In recent months, I have felt strongly that God is raising up women of today to stand firm and carry an unshakable and unbreakable spirit of courage, using the skills and resources they possess to make an impact on this generation. There will always be people or situations that try to limit our impact, silence our voice, and keep us from our purpose. We need courage to stand up to people who oppose us, not only for ourselves but also for those who look up to us, whether they be our siblings, our friends, our coworkers, or strangers on social media.

But what is the source of courage? Where does it come from?

Why do some seem to be more courageous than others? We can find the courage we need in our relationship with God and His Spirit within us. He promises never to leave or forsake us, and that should make us brave! I discovered that I could rely on God to give me courage when I most needed it, and when I called on Him, I knew His Spirit was with me.

During The Bachelor finale (season 24), I had a moment when I embraced true, godly courage: showing restraint and remaining silent. Yet some moments in life require us to speak out and use our voices.

True God-honoring courage is having the wisdom to discern when to speak and when to be silent.

There is a story in the Bible of a woman who is the perfect example of someone who rose in courage and used her voice, even in the face of opposition. The book of Esther tells the story of an unlikely queen who, in spite of fear and great personal risk, spoke out boldly to save her people from destruction.

Esther didn’t seek out the position of queen. The position sought her. The king had been rejected by his queen at the time, Vashti. She had been summoned one evening to present herself to the king and his guests, but Vashti refused to come, feeling it would be beneath her to entertain the king and his friends with her beauty. This defiance infuriated the king, and he issued a decree to search for a new queen. Esther, a Jew in exile, was one of the women under consideration.

As we read about Esther’s upbringing and history, we learn that she was an orphan, with no family to call her own except one cousin, Mordecai. Young and away from her home country, Esther was taken into the royal courts. Here, with all the other women, she was primped and prodded and run through the beautification routine. She was pleasing to the king’s eye and won his favor. The royal crown was placed on her head and she was declared queen. Yet Esther concealed an important detail about her identity — her Jewish heritage.

Upon overhearing Haman, one of the king’s advisors, plotting to destroy the Jews, her own people, Esther had a choice to make.

Would she confront the king and reveal her heritage in an attempt to save a nation, or would she suffer in silence?

Esther needed to save her people, but it would require incredible courage. Anyone who went into the king’s presence without being summoned could be executed (for this was a rule during this time), and the king had not requested her presence in a month. Of all the Jews in the empire, she alone had access to the king, but approaching him uninvited could be her death sentence.

Mordecai pleaded with her to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people, reminding her of God’s purposeful timing by saying,

If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? — Esther 4:14

The biggest decision of Esther’s life came down to this one moment. Esther understood that her promotion wasn’t just for her personal pleasure. She had been put in the palace to serve a great purpose. She had a choice to make: to play it safe for herself personally and gamble the risk of what might happen next or to brave the unknown, come what may. That was all it took to summon the courage needed to fulfill her mission.

Sometimes being courageous means braving the battles no one else is willing to fight.

Putting on her best royal robes, Esther approached the king, unsummoned, and eventually told him of Haman’s plot against her people and made her request for help. In a miraculous turn of events, the king chose not to execute her and ordered that the Jewish people be saved.

Esther had to overcome fear and battle opposition. Even though times are different in today’s world than they were thousands of years ago, Esther still had to battle the same issues we face today, and she was called to rise in courage as you and I are.

When Esther was up against the toughest challenge of her life, she drew up boldness and courage to speak out against the oppression of her people because those characteristics were core to who she was. She responded to her circumstances from a position of strength. While we might think her courage to approach the king was just an adrenaline-fueled moment, a closer look reveals something crucial: she was prepared for this moment long before it arrived.

Even though this story was written thousands of years ago, many of the struggles Esther faced are relatable to what you and I face today. Esther had to decide whether to keep her faith a secret to protect her family, face opposition and attacks for her beliefs, and experience the fears and loneliness of knowing she had to take a stand for her people even if it cost her her life. But no matter what came, Esther used each moment as an opportunity to cultivate strength, grace, and courage. Her courage, along with her preparation, changed the course of history for generations to come.

We will all have tipping points, moments that change everything. While we don’t know exactly when they will come, we can come to those moments fully prepared. Behind every courageous moment are hundreds of other moments that cultivated that courage.

As young women today, we need to cultivate courage from within to face the moments ahead of us. I believe God is raising up Esthers all over the world who will take their stand and be a voice. Yes, we will have to battle fear and face opposition.

But don’t grow battle-weary; your time is now, and God will give you strength!

Cultivating courage means that rather than letting obstacles hinder us from our purpose, we prepare our hearts and minds to let the pain, fear, and opposition be a chapter in our story and not the ending. So, I ask you, what will you do when you are called to be courageous? Will you stand up when needed? What will you do when your moment comes? Whether your moment seems big or small, whether it will define a generation or make all the difference just to you, be ready. The best news is that God has empowered you for exactly this. He has placed His courage inside you so that when the next challenge, large or small, comes calling, you can know with confidence that you were made for this!

Adapted from Made for This Moment by Madison Prewett.

Are you in a situation where you need to have the courage to stand up and speak? Or the wisdom to not speak? God is with you and He is within you! Ask Him for help. He has already empowered you for the challenges before you!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 29, 2021

Majestic Jesus,

I come joyfully into Your Presence, my Prince of Peace. I love to hear You whispering the words You spoke to Your fearful disciples:

Peace be with you!

I rejoice that Your Peace is always with me because You are my constant Companion. When I keep my focus on You, I can experience both Your Presence and Your Peace. You are worthy of all my worship — for You are King of kings, Lord of lords, and Prince of Peace.

I need Your Peace each moment in order to accomplish Your purposes in my life. I confess that sometimes I’m tempted to take shortcuts — to reach my goals as quickly as possible. But I’m learning that if the shortcuts involve turning away from Your peaceful Presence, I must choose the longer route.

Lord, please help me to keep walking with You along the path of Peace — enjoying the journey in Your Presence.

In Your worthy Name, Amen

Isaiah 9:6; John 20:19; Psalm 25:4 NKJV; Luke 1:79

Prince of Peace,

I come to You, feeling weary and burdened. I want to spend time resting in Your Presence. I need Your Peace continually, just as I need You each moment.

When things are going smoothly in my life, it’s easy to forget how dependent on You I really am. Then, when I encounter bumps in the road, I tend to become anxious and upset.

Eventually, this revives my awareness of my need for You, and I return to You — seeking Your Peace. I’m thankful that You give me this glorious gift, but it’s hard for me to receive it until I calm down. How much better it would be to stay close to You at all times!

Please help me remember that You, my Prince, are Mighty God! All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to You.

Whenever I’m experiencing hard times, I can come to You and tell You my troubles. But I need to come humbly, acknowledging how great and wise You are. Rather than shaking my fist at You or insisting that You do things my way, I can pray these wonderful words of David:

I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands.

In Your majestic Name, Jesus, Amen

Isaiah 9:6 AMPC; Matthew 11:28; Matthew 28:18; Psalm 31:14-15

*

Jesus, my Peace,

Help me to live close to You, remembering that You are my resting place. Since You — my Prince of Peace — are both with and within me, I can dwell in this peaceful haven with You.

I long to be able to stay calm in the midst of stressful situations, centering myself in You. We can deal with my problems together, You and I, so there’s no need for me to panic when things seem out of control. But I confess that the more difficult my circumstances, the more likely I am to anxiously shift into high gear — forgetting Your steadfast Presence that strengthens me.

As soon as I realize I’ve wandered from Your Presence, I need to return to You immediately. Whispering Your Name reconnects me with You and calms me down. Sometimes I get discouraged because I seem to wander away from You so frequently.

However, I’m striving to form a new habit, and I know this takes time and persistent effort. Thank You for showing me that the rewards of this strenuous training are well worth all the effort.

I’m finding that the more I return to You — my resting place — the more peaceful and joyful my life becomes.

In Your wonderful Name, Amen

Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 4:13 NKJV; Proverbs 18:10; Matthew 11:28 NASB

Excerpted from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young, copyright Sarah Young.

Nothing is worth losing the Presence of the Prince of Peace! Let’s not take shortcuts and rest in Him joyfully through worries and stresses, hard times and troubles. We can stay calm in Him! 

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 28, 2021

My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.
Yet not as I will, but as you will. —  Matthew 26:39

“Stop trying to figure God out.”

That’s the counsel I got from one of my daughters as she listened to me verbally wringing my hands. God hadn’t answered another one of my prayers — at least not in the way I had wanted Him to — and eager to find a sticking place for my trust, I was sorting through the possibilities. I knew God’s ways didn’t always parallel mine, but if God had a better plan, what was it? And why was He taking so long to reveal it? And why, if I truly believed in God’s goodness, was I feeling so sad?

I felt like David did when he wrote the words found in Psalm 13:2.

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long indeed?

I know what Scripture says:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.1

Truth be told, though, I’d just as soon skip the whole thing. No mourning, no need for comfort, no need to be blessed in that particular way.

But no book about prayer would feel honest or real if we didn’t open the door to one of prayer’s thornier questions:

What do we do with the questions, the disappointment, or even the anger that can box us into a corner when our prayers seem to go unanswered or when the outcome doesn’t look like we expected (or wanted) it to?

I’ve circled the wagons on this one dozens (hundreds?) of times, and the only answer that ever satisfies is this: lean into God. I remember crying out to Him during one particularly gut-wrenching season, one where God said no to something I wanted for my child — something she wanted even more than I did, something we both believed would be good. I knew God was for us, that His plan was for hope, and that His purpose would always prevail.2 Why, then, was my stomach in knots?

Shouldn’t someone who’d spent twenty-five years writing and speaking about prayer be filled with more faith?

Not knowing what else to do, I took my questions to God.

Here’s what I wrote in my prayer journal (and I share this for those of you who worry about not sounding holy or good enough when you pray; sometimes you just need to let it rip).

“God,” I said, “I feel so spiritually lame. I really am trying to trust You. I don’t mean to be sad. I know You love me, and that You are good —”

It’s okay.

(Have you ever been interrupted by God? Because I think that’s what happened to me as I prayed.)

It’s okay, I sensed God say. Go ahead and grieve. Your sadness is real. Bring it to Me, and let Me comfort you.

Talk about a perspective changer. There I was, trying to push my disappointment and pain into a manhole and put the cover on, and God said not to. He wanted me to come to Him the way I wanted my children, when they were younger, to bring me their skinned knees and fevers, so I could hug them and bandage their hurts. Or the way I want them to now, with their worries and fears, so I can pray and let them know they’re not alone.

And I realized that day, as I essentially climbed into God’s lap and let the tears come, that I had it all backward.

I thought that disappointment and anger were bad things.

Things that had no legitimate place in the life of a “real” Christian. (And just as a sidebar, if we allow these things to shape our identity, dictate our perspective, or become our life’s focus, I think they are bad.) But if they invite us to press into God — to climb into our Father’s embrace — our unanswered prayers can become agents of connection. They become places where God can showcase his tenderness as he heals our hearts and binds up our wounds. They become touchpoints that are surprisingly, exquisitely beautiful.

In his book How to Pray, Pete Greig pulls beauty out of unanswered prayers. “The Bible,” he writes, “is more honest about unanswered prayers than the church.”3 He cites the example of Jesus in Gethsemane, who pleaded with God, “May this cup be taken from Me,” as well as Jesus’ prayer that we — His followers — would be “brought to complete unity.”4

“It’s an extraordinary thought,” Greig writes about the unity prayer, “that Jesus Himself sits at the right hand of the Father today, carrying the pain of unanswered prayer.”5

So how did He do it? How did Jesus surrender His desires to God, asking for the cup to be taken away, even as He layered another prayer on top: “Yet not what I will, but what You will”?

He leaned into God.

“Abba, Father,” Jesus prayed, as He climbed into His Father’s embrace. “When His soul was overwhelmed, Jesus resolutely anchored Himself in the Father’s love.”6

We can — we must — do the same thing.

God’s love is the sticking place for our trust.

We don’t need to know how something works in order to trust it (if we did, I would never get on an airplane again). We don’t need to figure God out. All we need to do — all we can do — in the face of unanswered prayers is to find our comfort and our satisfaction in his presence.

Read

➢ How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?… But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me. (Psalm 13:2-6)

➢ God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT)

➢“I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

Reflect

➢ God’s deepest longing is for connection with us. He wants to satisfy our desires with good things. Whether your prayer is for a physical provision, a mental health need, or an ache in your spirit that you want God to fill, be assured that He understands. Jesus knows the pain that can come with surrendering a desire or a prayer to God.

➢Where have you struggled with unanswered prayer? Have you experienced the comfort of God’s presence? If so, how has it equipped you to come alongside others to share with them the same comfort you received?

➢ It’s okay to bring your pain — and your questions — to God. He invites us to pour out our hearts. Ask Him to replace your mourning with joy and equip you to trust in His unfailing love. Relinquish your desires to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to fill the empty places — the disappointment of unanswered prayer — with God’s presence.

Respond

Heavenly Father…

➢When I ask, “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?” and when I wrestle with my thoughts and have sorrow in my heart, look on me and answer. Help me trust in Your unfailing love; let me sing of Your goodness. (Psalm 13)

➢ May I place my hope in You and not in any earthly blessing or reward, so I will not be disappointed. (Isaiah 49:23)

➢When I find myself questioning Your timing or wondering what You are doing, remind me that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)

➢Thank You for Your promise that You will never leave me or forsake me. (Hebrews 13:5)

➢Be my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

➢Your thoughts are not my thoughts; Your ways are not my ways. Help me trust that Your ways and Your thoughts are higher than mine. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

➢ Crown me with love and compassion; satisfy my desires with good things. (Psalm 103:4-5)

➢ Bless me and keep me; make Your face shine on me. Be gracious to me as I wrestle with the pain of unmet longings, and give me peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

➢ Comfort me as a mother comforts her child. Open my eyes to see Your hand on my life so that my heart will rejoice and I will flourish like grass. (Isaiah 66:13-14)

➢ Satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love, that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days. (Psalm 90:14)

➢ When I call to You for help and You answer, saying, “Here am I,” let me rejoice in Your presence and provision. (Isaiah 58:9)

➢ Give me a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair in the face of unanswered prayer. Strengthen me. Make me an oak of righteousness where You can display your splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)

➢ May I come before You like Jesus did, telling You what I long for but surrendering my desires to You, saying, “Not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

1. Matthew 5:4.

2. See Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11; Job 42:2.

3. Pete Greig, How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (ColoradoSprings: NavPress, 2019), 115.

4. Matthew 26:39; John 17:23.

5. Greig, How to Pray, 115.

6. Greig, How to Pray, 118.

Excerpted from Praying the Scriptures for Your Life by Jodie Berndt, copyright Jodie Berndt

Are you wringing your hands worried and stressed? Wrestling with your thoughts and disappointment night and day? Take your worries to Jesus. Lean into God. God’s love is the sticking place for our trust. 

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 27, 2021

Rise of the Nones

When Satan first endeavored to deceive Adam and Eve, he did so by discrediting God. His sly twisting and contradictions of God's clear instructions stoked sin in the human heart. The resulting curse consigned the creation to decay and mortal man to eventual death.

In the generations that followed, mankind strayed further and further from the living God. Recognizing the existence of a spiritual realm beyond our physical senses, many cultures fashioned and worshiped false gods. Satan and his entourage of rebelling spirits lurked behind every idol crafted by the hands of men.

In today's upside-down world, there are men and women who profess to be Satanists. They laud the devil as lord and seek to purposely offend God Almighty. Their eventual recognition of truth will be tragic and swift if they pass from this life adhering to such foolishness.

Additionally, a rising chorus of people — especially in the former Christian West — now assert their rejection of any belief in God. They claim an enlightenment that frees them from belief in any deity. These self-claimed atheists instead worship humanity. Calling themselves humanists, they believe that mankind will elevate its collective consciousness, leading to a utopia without suffering, want, or war.

Post-Christian Oblivion

When asked about their religious affiliation in nationwide polls, more and more young people are declaring themselves to be "nones" — meaning that they refuse to affiliate with any religion, especially Christianity (see the Pew Forum).

Our own culture's slide into post-Christian oblivion was deceptively slow over the past century. But lately, the rush toward secularism is accelerating with shocking speed. One such example of this occurred when Harvard University elected an avowed atheist to serve as its head chaplain.

Greg Epstein has been the humanist chaplain at Harvard since 2005 and at MIT since 2018. The New York Times reports that his focus is "teaching students about the progressive movement that centers people's relationships with one another instead of with God." His book asserts his belief that people can be "good without God" — a pointed rejection of God's testimony. Speaking of the sons of men the LORD said, "They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one" (Psalm 14:2-3 and 53:2-3).

Epstein's identification with the progressive movement is telling. Most Americans are familiar with progressives like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Bernie Sanders. This ultra-Left fringe of American politics is committed to unlimited abortion on demand, socialist policies at every level of government, the sexual revolution in general and LGBTQ advocacy in particular, and condemnation of Israel. The unifying inspiration for such an unholy mantra is a vehement rejection of God.

These modern-day pagans consider the God of the Bible to be an oppressive, patriarchal, white-privilege relic of the past that must be rejected and opposed. They ascribe to humanism that aspires to Satan's false promise "… you will be like God" (Genesis 3:5). Reflecting on the rebels of Babel, they seek to build and make for themselves a name. The age-old aspiration to "reach for the heavens" in this context implies a clear rejection of the true and living God.

Modern Application of Ancient Foolishness

Although atheism in America is growing like a cancer, there is nothing new about this lie. David observed, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).

In his letter to the Romans, Paul spoke of those who willfully flaunt their rebellion.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but their thinking became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:21-22)

We could begin understanding God and His provision for mankind just by believing and obeying His testimony about the beginning. Instead, America is enthusiastically rejecting God's prescription for human flourishing in Genesis 1 and 2:

·         God distinguished Himself as the Creator from created mankind but offered the blessing of relationship. Our culture rejects the very idea of an omnipotent Creator, preferring mindless, atheistic evolution instead.

·         He created man and woman — distinct but equally made in the image of God. Our culture rejects that binary reality and embraces self-declared gender identity.

·         God set man a little lower than the angels and commanded him to exercise dominion over the animal kingdom. Our culture elevates the status of animals and treats human life (born and unborn) as disposable.

·         God provided the special relationship between man and woman known as marriage, defining it as the foundation for society and the rightful realm for producing and raising children. Our culture rejects marriage as an unnecessary relic of a patriarchal past.

·         Even before the Fall, God gave mankind the gift of meaningful work. Our culture increasingly treats work as a four-letter word and our government actively discourages it among those who most need the dignity and sustenance it offers.

What Does It All Mean?

The world seems bent on pursuing foolishness. Christians should stay grounded in the Truth — and rooted in the One who created us all. In the fullness of time, He will deal with those who reject Him and "take counsel against the LORD and His Anointed" (Psalm 2:2).

The fact that our society is being "given over" to lusts, degrading passions, and a depraved mind proves that His wrath will soon be revealed (Romans 1:24, 26, 28, 18).

We are living in the season of the Lord's return!

Stand firm in the faith that you KNOW to be true.  Do not listen to the deception of Satan and his followers.  Fight with the Sword of truth, the Word of God and you will defeat the enemy.  Put on the whole armor of God, fight for and with the Lord and victory is assured!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith October 26, 2021

God wants us to find home and experience belonging!

We Christians know Genesis 1:1, that famous poetic flourish that informs us of God’s inexhaustible creativity:

In the beginning God.

Yes, out of the long primordial silence and the deep void came an eruption of life, from the darkness an explosion of radiant incandescence. “Let there be light” crackled through the cosmos, and at the sound of God’s voice, Brother Sun and Sister Moon danced, forever endowing this world with blazing solar beauties and deep lunar mysteries. It was not good for water to be alone, so the Lord reached into the belly of the abyss — just as He would later reach into the belly of the slumbering Adam (Genesis 2:21-22) — and pulled out the dry land, giving the wild seas the companionship of something to crash into. Land stands up out of the depths as the blessing of demarcation and delineation. The Genesis 1 poem sets us down in a world of physical matter, a world of rocks and trees and skies and seas.

There were seeds bursting forth and plants beginning their vertical pilgrimage skyward and reefs teeming with every kind of fish.

But before we race on, we must slow down and notice a very crucial detail in the text: the first gift that God gave humankind was the gift of place. The writer of Genesis said,

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:15 ESV, emphasis added)

We should not be in a hurry at this point in the story. God gave Adam a vibrant place within which his life could unfold to flourishing. It was a garden place with a vibrant ecosystem, a place to belong, an all-encompassing place made up of particular places to find meaning and enjoyment. The creek running through that corner of the garden over there. The grove of olive trees to the south that needed tending if there was to be oil. The vineyard of grapes hanging fat on the vines, waiting to burst into the finest wines. The lush foliage, the natural herbs, the weeds needing to be pulled in the vegetable garden, the insects, the earthworms, and the migratory birds. The meandering brook that sings only by the accompaniment of rocks.

Here, Adam, receive My grace.
Here, Eve, is your place.

But now, for a brief moment, we need to observe and make explicit what God did not give the first family. He did not give them a transcendental spiritual existence that hovered above the humus, the holy ground beneath their feet. Adam and Eve were not simply eternal souls borrowing bodies for a minute until they could get to their real destination someday. Earth was not made to be a warm-up act, and humans were not set down here to do busywork until God could beam them up to the starship Enterprise that’s on its way to an immaterial Heaven.

We have been looking at the first pages of Scripture, but this would be a good moment to look at the last page to remember where this story is headed.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — Revelation 21:2-4, emphasis added

The consummation of the story shows Heaven coming down. God’s dwelling place is moving into our space. He’s coming to dwell with us, right here, on this dirt. But we Westerners have been shaped by a couple of hundred years of “enlightened” thinking that would lead us to believe that the world and the flesh are of the devil and that only the spirit — the spiritual — is good. This is not a new malady among the human race, for the apostle Paul wrestled with the Gnostics in his own day; they believed that the physical world is intrinsically evil, and that salvation comes through the apprehension of secret spiritual truth. And we are their offspring. But we didn’t get this disembodied, anti-creational way of thinking from the God of all flesh or from the Scriptures He intended for our instruction. No, Adam and Eve were embodied beings. They were given a garden to work, not a manifesto of doctrinal formulas. And it wasn’t just any old garden. They were given this garden, called Eden, situated eastward, with a river flowing out of it that became the four great rivers of the region: the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates (Genesis 2:8, Genesis 2:10-14).

Here, Eve, receive My grace.
Here, Adam, is your place.

The Bible is our book, and as we look at the first page, we see that the first gift God gave humankind was the gift of place. And the contention of my new book, The Power of Place, is that His intention has not changed. God wants us to find home. God wants us to experience belonging. God wants us to care for our neighbors and our neighborhoods and the place we’ve been planted.

So, as you live out this day, imagine the Lord taking you — like He took Eve and Adam — and placing you in the garden of your own place. And be prepared because He’s going to say those famous words all over again:

Let there be light.

Go today and be a part of that light!

Written for Devotionals Daily by Daniel Grothe, author of The Power of Place, copyright Daniel Grothe.

Let there be light! In you and through you. The Lord has placed you where you are on purpose and for a purpose. You belong to Him. He wants you to find your belonging in Him and your home in Him. Who are you caring for in your place today?

Pastor Dale