Tag Archives: bible

Tools of the Trim

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Rails and Sails! Last week (July 9th), I posted about my friends’ boat, Glorious Day!

It is a wonderful craft that was smooth on the water and a joy to be in for the day.

This picture was hanging in their cabin.

When I saw this, I loved it. It spoke volumes to me. I will summarize for you here in this post.

Before I get to the summary, here are three links for extra credit:

Rails and Sails

Glorious Day!

Wind in your face?

I found it intriguing that I had blogged about sailing before this post. Back in May 2015, the post, Wind in your face? was posted. Let us find out if anything has changed…

When someone sails, the wind needs to blow. No wind means no progress.

Keeping the sails at maximum efficiency seems to be at the heart of sailing.

Let me make some comparisons. Comparison #1 Wind equals problems.

Yes, there are days that the wind does not blow but those are rare. Wind can affect all areas of life. Everywhere and anywhere, the wind will blow.

Comparison # 2 Life equals sailing.

We all have goals. There are things we want to obtain or achieve. The range of these goals is wide. Spiritual, physical, financial, mental, vocational, or whatever category you want to use: we all have goals.

But like I said earlier, no wind means no progress.

Or, if we use my comparisons, No problems means no progress.

To use a sailing term, we must trim our sails.

Simply, trim means to adjust.

I can’t tell the wind when or where to blow. It does its own thing.

I can’t tell life what to do to me. It will move on regardless of me.

All I can do is adjust my sails.

God promises me the power and strength to do what I need to do. My relationship with God will allow me to “trim” when the wind comes. It could be a minor adjustment or even a new way of thinking.

Continual reading of God’s word and habitual prayer are the tools of the trim.

So just like a sailboat, I can make progress because of the wind, not in spite of it.

Blow wind blow!

Treasure and Ponder

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“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,” Matthew 1:18

Some versions say espoused or betrothed. We would say engaged.

That means a wedding is on the way!!!

Mary was engaged to Joseph. They were committed. There may have not been a ring like we would typically use today but nonetheless, a wedding was coming soon.

Sometimes the engagement would last up to a year. This was a time to prepare for marriage. The couple would be able to ask God’s blessing on their relationship as husband and wife. Household affairs would have been taken care of at this time. Even the building of a house could be happening. Although not physically together, unfaithfulness at this point would have been considered adultery.

I have performed almost 300 weddings. It is a privilege to sit with couples during their engagement and speak with them. There are some great stories of how he proposed. It really is a special time for young couples. I know life happens but I always encourage each couple to enjoy this time because it goes fast and can be exciting. Hopefully, it is the only time they are ever engaged!

In the case of Mary and Joseph, I think they had similar feelings. Knowing that the time is relatively short before the wedding probably induced (no pun intended here) emotions and feelings of love, honor, respect etc.

And then the bomb dropped.

Pretend you are a fly on the wall when Mary and Joseph are having that conversation. You know, the one where Mary is pleading with him that she has remained pure. The child is from God, not man!

How do you explain that one!?!?

Right from the get-go, God is using the low things of our world to usher in Jesus. This continues with the inn with no rooms, the stable, and the animals. Even a feeding trough for the baby.

Really God, shepherds as a herald for the King of kings?

And Mary is in the middle of all this stuff. She, being a teenager, most likely just passed her adolescence years, is having to carry this ordeal. Again, no pun intended.

But Luke tells us that she treasured and pondered these things.

Parents, how do we deal with the stuff of life?

When we are at a low point, do we treasure and/or ponder?

What is our knee-jerk reaction?

Let’s take a cue from Mary.

Whether we are a parent, soon-to-be-parent, or future candidates for parenting, we can certainly learn from this young but mature woman.

Follow God. Treasure things. Ponder the possibilities.

Who knows what God will bring into the world through us. (Pun intended there)

Questions. What do you want to ask? part 3

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HE HAS RISEN!!! May this truth be more real than ever to you today.

I hope you have enjoyed the questions we looked at in this blog more closely.

Sidenote…I found it quite interesting that my pastor, today, based his sermon in John 18 and 19. In those two chapters, he looked at three questions that Pilate asked in the presence of Jesus.

If you feel like browsing, here is the link to our church’s youtube channel. As of this writing, I don’t think the Easter message is posted yet but it should be within a day or so.

And this link is to the church website. Central Church

And now on to my last question in this series.

The bible is overflowing with questions. This series could go on for months if we addressed all the questions we read. My pastor’s sermon only had three questions in it.

But I do have a favorite question. Of all of them, one sticks out to me. It resonates with me. I would even say I get equal parts challenge and encouragement from this single question. It has the ability to motivate and drive my life.

All human endeavors are summed up in a single sentence. Why we do what we do is contained in these words.

Are you ready? Sorry, not the question to which I am referring!

Here are the first 8 verses from Luke 24:

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:1-8 NIV

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

I will share a few quick thoughts.

  1. Trust – Jesus said he was going to die and then be raised again. Maybe the ladies didn’t really believe it because he has been in the grave for three days.
  2. Timing – They were planning on anointing the body of Jesus but did not go the day after the crucifixion. It was the Sabbath so they had to wait an extra day. Jesus said three days.
  3. Temporal – This is the part that gets me. The angel said, “among the dead”. How many times do we look for life (happiness, joy, peace, life etc.) among things that are temporal (dead)? Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, Gambling, Job, Relationship, Games, Art, Sleep…or anything else?
  4. Toga – Okay, maybe it wasn’t actually a toga but it started with the correct letter. Jesus was gone and the shroud (toga) left behind symbolizes (at least in my opinion) that Jesus did not need the material things we seek after.
  5. Tomb – Tombs are full of dead things. Our living Savior is not there anymore.

These are the reasons why this question is my favorite. It encompasses all of life. Jesus is life and we can end our search with him.

So there is no reason to go to the tomb.

You can find life in our risen Lord. Jesus is waiting for you to look for him.

Questions. What do you want to ask? part 2

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A few days ago, I posted the first post in this series. The question that was asked is, “Why are you untying the colt?” The story comes from Luke 19. Click here to read the post.

Questions. We all have them. There are too many in the bible to count. I am going to focus on two of them today. The last post in the series will come on Easter (or perhaps the day after).

When we read about Jesus, there seem to be many questions floating around. Often, people are wondering who this guy is and how can he perform miracles and such. The religious leaders are always in a state of anger because Jesus doesn’t ever give them a straight answer. Let’s read a few verses from Luke.

One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Luke 20:1-8 NIV

Notice how the question was asked of Jesus, “Who gave you this authority?” A fairly legitimate question. I laugh at how Jesus confused his inquisitors. They didn’t know how to answer him.

It is this author’s opinion that the heart attitude of the people was not in a good place. They wanted to catch Jesus doing something wrong. They did not trust him. He was the enemy.

If our hearts follow that pattern, Jesus will be our enemy as well.

I ask you, in this Easter season, to check your heart. Jesus loves you and me so much it is incomprehensible. Don’t make him your enemy.

The second question comes two chapters later.

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:39-46 NIV

Has that question ever been asked of you, “Why are you sleeping?”. Has Jesus ever asked you that one?

As followers of Christ, we have work to do. And yes, sometimes we get tired. There is even a day of rest built into our week. Jesus will empower us to do the job he has called us to do.

As much as I ask you, I am also asking myself. Am I sleeping right now – spiritually speaking?

If you or I answer yes, then get up! Jesus needs us. His end was near when he was praying in the Garden.

The end is near (end times, apocalypse, Revelation etc.). Now is not the time to slumber.

We can go out and fight this war. Our Captain will direct and lead us into the battle.

And we will win.

Sleepers can’t swing swords.

The Day of Atonement explained.

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The Day of Atonement. I think that most people would not begin to understand what this day is all about.

If you are Jewish or have studied the Old Testament, you would be the exception. At least that is my perception of this topic.

Here is what I do know. On this day, an Israelite could be free from sin. Forgiven.

It all revolved around sacrifice.

The penalty of sin must be paid.

Just like a speeding ticket must be paid.

Just like fighting on the playground results in detention.

Just like being late one too many times could get you fired from a job.

There are consequences to our actions.

Sin needed to be addressed.

In God’s economy in the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed daily. There were several types (sin being only one type) of sacrifices and the occasions varied throughout the year.

But on the day of Atonement, the high priest took the sacrifices one step further. Literally.

This is a diagram of the Old Testament tabernacle.

On the left, there is the Holy of Holies. This little room had only one object in it. The ark of the covenant. Yes, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark comes to my mind as well.

This ark, which was essentially a box covered in gold, was where the physical presence of God rested. It was the center of the entire Israelite community both socially and spiritually.

And was here that the high priest would offer the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the people.

But he only did it once a year. On a specific day. On the day of Atonement.

And so while this day was a celebration it was also a mournful one.

Coming to grips with one’s sin was not a joyful occasion. It was painful.

But the outcome was worth it all.

When God saw the blood being sprinkled on the ark of the covenant, he smiled.

The price had been paid for sin. And that is why I (or anyone) can have a double birthday.

Click here if you want to read about the double birthday.

But that was the Old Testament.

Jesus changed everything. He always does.

More on that next week.