And we know...

"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28 NIV)

How things appear to us and what actually IS in God's plan are not always the same. Much of life is much better understood in retrospect than in prospect.

There are a number of things that have happened in the last few months that easily fit into that pattern. And there is not a clear vision yet as to HOW God is working in all of these things. It is at these times that we are compelled to fall back on our knowledge of Scripture and our limited understanding of WHO is in control.

A wise Christian once said "Never doubt in the dark what God showed you in the light" It is at those dark times that I have a tendency to doubt the great truths that I know to be God's revelation to us.

In this verse there are several truths that we need to keep in mind:

• As students of His Word, there are certain things we KNOW, not because we can explain them, but because He said them.


• God is working in ALL things. We may not see it, but His hand is behind all the events of our lives.


• His work is for the good.


• His work for the good applies especially to ALL things that befall those who love Him.


• His work also is for the good in the area of bringing those of us who are the elect in line with His plan for our lives. How else can the tragic death of a believing loved one work for the good in the life of one who is being drawn to Him? Or how else can the loss of a job refocus our lives? Or how else can His allowing a thing so terrible as a war, or the loss of all earthly goods in a natural disaster, or the loss of much of our savings for the future in a market crash be considered for the good?


• There is only one explanation to all of this. God is working in our lives for the good because we are CALLED according to His PURPOSE (the act of God in making a plan, and then acting according to that plan as if it had already happened) God does not set out to bring about disasters in our lives. He simply works through those disasters to shape us into the image of Christ, and to bring those whom he has chosen to Him.

With these truths in mind, we can face the future with confidence, knowing that whatever comes into our lives (even the self-inflicted hurts brought about by our disobedience--not that I would recommend them) will in the long run bring about a good result because He has a Purpose for our lives.

There are way too many things happening in our lives and our nation right now which are not only distressing, but are not understandable apart from our KNOWledge of the truth of this verse.

So let us go forth today in confident dependence upon what we know about Him and His Plan.

Is Tithing for Today?

Chapter 18 of Numbers is an interesting commentary on what God expects of His people, and why.

After the divine validation of Aaron as the High Priest in chapter 17, God chose to give a job description for him and his family, which had to do with all the ministry in relation to the Tent of Testimony. They were to perform all the tasks that had to do with the Tent. There was a clear demarcation of duties, for it was not permitted for just anyone to deal with the sanctuary or the altar. Stepping outside of their area of responsibility not only jeopardized them, but their next higher in the chain of command, Aaron himself. The promised result was not pleasant. It was death for both the transgressors and their immediate superior. This not only reinforced the sanctity of the ministry and its different aspects, but it also made each leader accountable for those who were to report to him.
This was not just a job (though it did involve work). It was, above all, a gift which God gave to the priests. This was a full time ministry, and precluded the possibility of dedication to a full time "career" outside of that ministry. Anyone who was not from the priesthood could not come near the sanctuary, under penalty of death.
So, how was the priest and his family to be provided with food, clothing, and shelter? Here is where the tithe comes into the picture.
There were twelve tribes. All the tribes had a 'province' assigned to them except Levi. This 'province' or portion of land was divided into family sections. Each family worked its own section and was responsible for its portion of the land, and farming, raising livestock and administering of this land. The land was not personal property. It was a parcel apportioned by God to each family for adminstration purposes. For this reason, a parcel of land apportioned to a family which had economic problems due to crop failure, pestilence, death in the family, etc. was to be redeemed for the head of family by the goel or 'kinsman redeemer' so that the family portion, and thus its livelihood might be preserved.
This was God's way of providing for his people, and teaching them that everything belongs to Him and is only on loan to mankind. (The native-american idea of open ranges may actually be more biblical, after all; that thought needs more exploration for there are many facets to it and sinful human nature must also be taken into consideration).
Every tribe was to give a tithe. Later on, when Israel got a king, the tithe was not ten percent, but rather ended up being 23 1/3 percent of gross income, which was to be used to support the government. Every tribe was to bring its tithe to the Levites, whose job was to administer it. This meant that there were eleven tribes (including the two half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) bringing their tithes to one tribe (Levi). The tribe of Levi was to present the best ten percent of all of the tithes that were brought in to Aaron as an offering to the Lord. This was to be the wages for Aaron's work as High Priest.
We see here a pattern. Eleven tribes gave their tithes to one tribe. This was their wage for the purpose of dedication to the ministry. They, on their part were responsible to give the best tenth percent for an offering to the Lord, which went to support the ministry of the Tabernacle.

Now for the question at hand. Is the tithe to be extended into the Church? In order to answer this we must ask ourselves two questions: What was the purpose of the tithe? and is the Church a continuation of Israel?

Once the tithes were finally established, they were applied to three things: 10% to the support of the Levites, 10% to the support of government, and 3 1/3% to beneficence.

It is clear that the tithe, therefore is not being applied to everything today. Why not? There are at least three reasons: 1) The government is now a totally separate entity from the religious aspect of life. 2) The government has absorbed much of the task of beneficence (welfare) and thus distorted it from its original purpose and 3) Because the Church is not the same as Israel, the requirement for giving a tithe is no longer in existence.

On the other hand, though, I believe that it is time for the church to take its place in society as the agent of beneficence, for that would make the welfare program much more correct and efficient than it is as administered by government bureaucracy.

Though we are no longer bound by the law, it is important for us to consider the proportion of Old Testament tithing in our church decisions and in our personal commitment to giving.

If we were to take this into consideration, we would end up having a good distribution of the monies available. In order to support a pastor on the same level as the median income, it would take eleven families besides the pastor. Thus, he would be able to give ten percent (a 'tithe') of what the eleven families would give toward the support of the pastor) and live off the rest at the same level as the median income of the church. Though this is not law, it is common sense, and should be taken into consideration when deciding at what level to support a pastor, and when a church is in condition to support a pastor. As for government expenses, we all know that we can transfer some of our giving from the government to our church. This is one advantage we have in our country which many do not have. And as for welfare, it is scriptural to watch out for the needs of our family and our extended family, which I believe is to include the church.

Taking all of this into consideration, it becomes obvious that the tithe is a good starting point, rather than an end in itself. I would therefore not refer to the giving in our church as "tithes and offerings", but rather "financial worship". Let us strive to worship Him, not just in words, but in our deed$.

Following The Chain of Command

There are many aspects of life that have been hard for me to assimilate. One of these is the place of, and the importance of f0llowing the chain of command. As I have thought and prayed about it, it has become evident to me that I have not been very successful at following, nor have I been obedient in the area of taking my place in the chain of command.
In our society this is an endemic problem. Children are taught to question every decision made by those whom God put in the chain, wives are taught to be "their own person", and men are portrayed as useless accessories in the chain, or at best the necessary evil for the purpose of producing more children who will then be taught to "do their own thing". In the process each one ends up stepping out from under the umbrella of protection that God has placed for him/her, and the result is anarchy. In the words of the book of Judges "everyone did as he saw fit".
Thankfully, there is still a remnant of those who are willing to follow God's Chain of Command. It is not easy, and I, for one, have stumbled over it all too often, but it does bring God's blessing.
In reading a chapter a day, Mary and I have just read Numbers 14, and I was struck with the fact that when Moses interceded for those who had stepped out of the chain and rebelled against Moses, God said "I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless as surely as I live, and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times--not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." (Num. 14:20-24) We read later in the chapter that when Moses announced to the people what God's verdict was, they did two things: They mourned bitterly as if to say, together with the whole world system, "don't we have a First Ammendment?" Where is our "Freedom of Speech?". Their next act? Direct disobedience. They decided to strike out on their own, ignoring not only the Main Leader as designated by God, but the very one who had given him his orders for them, God Himself.
God's response was quick and to the point. He made them withstand the consequences of their mutiny against God, and His appointed leader, and that very day, having gone up in their presumption, thus stepping out from under God's umbrella of protection, they were severely beaten by the Canaanites and Amalekites. This had two results: God's Name was besmirched, and many individuals died.
I've often wondered, (because I know more about my heart than you do) whether I would even have survived childhood if God had dealt with me in this manner.
Two facts stand out to my attention: 1) I am no better than the Israelites who chose to disobey God's chain of command. 2) But PRAISE GOD He has covered me with Christ's righteousness, and I am protected by Him.
We, as followers of Christ, and in an attitude of thankfulness, need to make it a discipline to remain under the umbrella of protection that only God's Grace can provide. To do otherwise may not bring about punishment, but it certainly will bring about a loss of God's blessing and protection, all because of our willfulness and self sufficiency.

Happy New Year!!!

Well, a new year has begun. We got to bed last night at about 7:30 PM, and I was asleep by 8:15 PM, shortly after the Final Jeopardy Question. As often happens, the question was one that brought up at least three different possible answers, only one of which is correct. That is, of course, the actual meaning of 'trivia'--a place at which there are three possible roads one could take, but only one leads to the right destination.
A new year--many possible decisions--all of which may be good, but which to take is another question. I might choose the good way, which will bring blessing to me and my family, or I may choose a better way, which will lead to being a blessing not only to me and mine, but to others around me also. Or I can choose the BEST way, which will have an effect on me and mine and those around me and will be of lasting blessing.
I have no New Years resolutions--those are soon broken. I have only a New Year's prayer "Teach (me) to number (my) days aright that (I) may gain a heart of wisdom"(Psalm 90:12)

May each of you be blessed richly in his/her walk with the Lord this year. This is my prayer for all of you and for myself for this year 2009.

Solomon and Circadian rhythms

It is now almost 1AM. I fell asleep just as Jeopardy was finishing, and am now as wide awake as a nocturnal hunting animal. In another hour or so I will start to doze again. As my doctor warned me, night work would confuse my Circadian sleep rhythms. (Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are a family of sleep disorders affecting, among other things, the timing of sleep. People with circadian rhythm sleep disorders are unable to sleep and wake at the times required for normal work, school, and social needs. --Wikipedia) After two and a half years of working 3AM to noon or later, those rhythms are not just confused--they seem to be stuck in the night mode.

In thinking about this, a passage came to mind which bears considering as I approach the autumn of life. Yes, folks, I don't think of it as that, but that is what it is, and I discover daily the truth of the little sign Grandma Hirschy had in her living room which said "Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmart."

The passage I am referring to is the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes. Even those of us who were "good" kids can look back at many episodes in our lives and say with the Preacher "Meaningless, meaningless! ... Everything is meaningless!"

But for the presence of God in my life in the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit, much of life would be without meaning, useless, an endlessly repetitive performance of tasks. But if I have learned anything in the last four years, it is that even in endless repetition, God can give us joy, and even pleasure, if we heed the words of the Preacher: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them'." (Eccl. 12:1, NIV)

If that dimension of life is not found, life truly does become, as verses 2 through 7 illustrate, an endless "organ recital" in which the only thing we can think of is what is going wrong with our bodies and how our members are slowly shutting down and leading us to the final resting place of our flesh--the grave.

Once we have learned the joy of keeping our Creator in mind as a practice of life, though, we can conclude with the Preacher: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

With all of this in mind, I can only ask: Why does it take me so long to learn such wonderful truths? Was it necessary for everything to start falling apart before I realized that what puts meaning into life is a life of constant "God sightings". His work is always there--but quite often our lack of positive response makes us blind to His presence and insensitive to His desires for us. My desire for the rest of my life is to be always alert (even if I don't sleep at the right times) to God's work in my life, and ready for another day of rejoicing in my walk with Him.

The Quadruple Annunciation and Three Responses

Pastor Jim Laird had a very good message this morning. He shared with us the four annunciations. There is only one annunciation in the Bible, you say. Well, while technically that may be so, there are actually four. These are the annunciation to Zechariah, when an angel from the Lord told him of the birth of John the Baptist, who would herald the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. The message was that Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were 'way too old to have children, would have a child. Zechariah's response brought him a reproof from God in the form of a nine month case of extreme laryngitis. Why, because his response was one of "disbelief". After all, did he not know of the precedent God had set with Abraham and Sarah? God has very little tolerance for our disbelief.
The second annunciation was the one which we always call by that name. The archangel Gabriel told Mary that she would have a child, and that the child would have no physical father (though he did have an adoptive father in Joseph). Mary understood the words she was hearing, but was not able to understand how this could possibly happen--after all, it had never happened before, and never will again!! So her question was born of lack of belief, not disbelief. Our lack of belief can come about due to lack of information. God is okay with that, so long as it does not mean we choose not to believe because we cannot see how it could happen. God blessed Mary by giving her an answer--With God nothing is impossible. He also gave her the joy of being His vehicle for bringing Jesus into this world. WOW! The Word tells us that she treasured these things in her heart. Of course, she did. If we were to ask her about it, her response would have to be "if I told you, you'd never believe it." But at the wedding in Cana, her belief had matured, and she said "do whatever He tells you to do." Oh that my trust in Him would be so deep that my response would be "Aye, Aye, Sir", not "Why, Why, Sir".
The third annunciation came to Joseph when he had found out that Mary was expecting her first child. Since he had nothing to do with it, he naturally assumed that she had been unfaithful to her betrothal vows. But he loved Mary so much that he did not want to humiliate her, so he was planning to divorce her quietly. Enter an angel from the Lord, who told him not to be afraid to take Mary into his home and give her his family name, for God was in this thing. His response, though he did not understand all the details, was to consider the source of the message, and to follow through with taking her as his wife, without consummating the marriage until after Jesus was born. His action was proof of his belief, and if he had been mentioned in Hebrews, he would have been in the list of the Heroes of the Faith. God's direction is not always the "logical" thing. Many times it requires a decision to obey in spite of consequence. That is what Joseph did.
The fourth and final annunciation was given by a multitude of angels to the shepherds who camped out in the fields taking care of their sheep. The message was that a Savior was born, and their response was a joyful belief accompanied by immediate action. They did not even go and get a "sheepsitter", but went immediately to see this one who was born the Messiah of Israel. God rewarded them with a place of honor in the Scriptures. They did not question the message or the messengers. They only responded with immediate joy and extreme curiosity. I had to think: What would be my response in such a situation? Would I believe readily, and act upon that belief, or would I want proof?
God wants us to trust Him enough to obey without doubting. He does not always tell us why, but when he tells us what he wants from us, our response should be to obey joyfully and immediately.

Be Still and Know

Impatience is a human trait. Even a person who is naturally calm and longsuffering shows impatience sometimes. Now that everyone at my workplace and at our church knows that we are planning to move to Charleston, SC, I have begun feeling like the laughingstock, because no progress is being made toward that move. Michael's house has not sold, my transfer has not come through, and the economy has gone down to such a point that it may be impossible to sell the house except at a great loss.


But we are convinced that the move is His will, and are pursuing it while at the same time following our routine. So the question comes up: Did you pick up a wrong cue somewhere? Second guessing is not hard to do in my case, since most moves we have ever made have resulted in a worse financial situation. Looking back, though, they have brought about different aspects of growth that I needed, and for that I am thankful. Our move to Atlanta brought me face to face with the fact that I had not done much in the way of outreach, and that I knew even less about informal evangelism, the kind that allows people to get close to you and see what makes you tick and only then seeks a decision on the part of the unsaved person. I was able to observe the results in the life of several of the church folk here at Grace Church, and came to the conviction that it was not only what I needed to do, but that it would fit my way of relating to people much better than "buttonholing" a person on the first chance encounter. I asked the Lord to give me the opportunities to put that type of evangelism into practice, and He started to put a real burden on my heart for several of the vendors I dealt with day in and day out. After over a year of establishing a caring relationship with them, I began to find out about their lives, and finally felt that I was having some impact on them. Several of them turned out to be believers who desperately needed someone to care about them, pray for them and listen to them. Others were aware of the gospel but had not yet made a decision for Christ. Easter Sunday 2008 was a glorious day in that one of my vendors came to church (where he had attended as a child over thirty years ago) and made his public decision to accept Christ as Savior. It has been such a joy to see him grow throughout these last eight or nine months, and see how he has become burdened for others and has led one of his friends to Christ.

Many times during these four years of working at my present place of employment I have been ready to throw in the towel. But at those times the Lord has reminded me that my job is to be a witness, and that I am to "be still and know that (He is) God". (Psalm 46:10)

So we are back in "God's waiting room" waiting for Him to move in the salvation or rededication of others around us and the transfer to Charleston. His timing is always perfect, and any impatience on my part is wasted energy.