Devotions, Kingdom of God, Ramblings, Worship

The New Kingdom

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Matthew 5:3,5,8,9,10 Kingdom words.

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Wait, hold on Jesus, let’s take a reality check moment. Could you tell me again what this Kingdom is?  A quick recap of the sermon so far is needed.  There seems to be a theme here: the kingdom of heaven, inheriting the earth, seeing God, sons of God, the kingdom of heaven again. What does that all mean? The guy over on the third row seems to think it is about a political solution to Roman occupation. He is whispering about the setting up of a new earthly Kingdom with God in charge. The guy next to me who was beaten by Romans a couple of months back agrees with a smile hoping for the Romans get what they deserve.  The smartly dressed one in front of me seems to think if everyone would get their act together, we would have 1,000 years of peace. Most of my fellow grass-sitters see the Kingdom as a day in the far future when history ends and it is over with a big bang and the Messiah will return. But the common conception is that Jesus is just talking about a futuristic someday.

Peter over there on the first row and in the middle seems to think it is about a new community identity. To Peter it is an opportunity to replace the chosen people with a new group. A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, declaring the praises of God who calls us out of this dark world into his wonderful light. He thinks that those on the hillside were looking for more than an ethnic association. I tend to agree with Peter. Jesus seems to be saying that there is a new distinction: a group of people now being in a kingdom characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and control. Ethnicity was no longer a requirement for Kingdom entrance. This new kingdom is internal to all who would follow.  It is a Kingdom where all are welcome.

As I squat here on the grassy hillside, I am warmed by the sweet acceptance of a Kingdom where all are welcome. A Kingdom of the heart. And in that moment I realize, that  I am a part of the kingdom because God knew I needed to be a part.

Just Larry

Assurance, Devotions, Life, Preaching

Blessed are…

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Matthew 5:3-12 The beatitudes. Blessed are….

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Nine attitudes of the Christian life. Attitudes that find their source in Jesus. Attitudes that make Christians different. Attitudes which describe expectations and acceptance. Attitudes when all tallied up make a difference in my life. Today I must circle back to one word that begins each. What is this blessing? What is this favoritism, this acknowledgment of my worth which is pointed to those who have these attitudes? How do I understand, experience, and feel this blessing? How is my being conformed to each called-out attitude a blessing?

There has always been a dichotomy, a struggle between two points of view. One side was saying they were led by the spiritual and didn’t need any other guide. The other was extolling the merits of keeping every law, precept, tradition, and cultural norm. The spiritual and the law have always been a center of argument and division. The law demands conformance, yet these gifts of grace are offered as free and abundant.

As I sit on the grassy hillside, I listen carefully to hear and understand how I shall live. I hear these nine characteristics of faith. Each is a gift is determined by my relationship to God. I do not hear commandments but blessings. Blessings, not because of what I do, but for what I am. Blessings to empower life. Blessings to overcome. Blessings to be more than a set of rules and regulations. Blessings to strengthen. Blessings to live a life full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and control. (Galatians 5:22,23). What a blessing! Nine reasons for nine attitudes. Gifted to become and to be.

# Just Larry

Devotions, Peace

Matthews 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”

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As I was reading through this message and imagining myself among the inquisitive masses, this one line seems different. It is the only one which is a promise if a future title. Yes, the makers of peace are blessed, that is a simple description of the current state of the task. Here he says that in the future and not during effort, a title will be given. My actions as seen by others will be seen as actions of peace and I will receive, not from God but from those around me a title of peacemaker. I will become the go to person when there is strife.  I will become trusted to listen to both sides and provide a reasonable solution to the dispute. What a reputation!

I hear Jesus telling me the better alternative to hurt, pain and resentment, is being a peacemaker. He tells me that I have a calling to make peace. Peacemaking is me doing something for the concept of peace. Peacemaking is about my willingness to go further than the hurt.

I need a new relationship with God with a united peacemaking cause and to reach out to make peace. It is the calling of all children of God.

Today, I will dedicate my every action with the purpose of making peace.  I will not lash out, I will try to make peace when others seem bent to tear things up.  I will stand in the gap when there is conflict and bring the hope of peace.

And again, that peace must start with me.  Oh Lord, Remind me again that you desire peace among your children.

Devotions

Matthew 5:7 –”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

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What do I see before me in the late autumn of my life? I am much closer to the end of my earthly existence than most. I follow Jesus and take my seat among the multitude. I am here because of my need to be better.  I am here because I need to feel more than rejection and ambivalence. I am here because of my needs, my wants, and my deeply flawed self-image. From the grassy hillside, Jesus looks at me and sees deeply in my soul.  He sees the scars left by uncountable rejections, denials, and efforts that have gone wrong; each has left a scar. My heart is still pumping despite the wounds endured.  Wounds that have been both self-inflicted and put upon me by others. In a split second I realize it pumps because to Jesus the soul seer, the scars do not matter. All the damage will not stop the heart that shall see God.

I see God because He has done great work in me. My heart may well be disfigured but it has become pure for God and by God. And I am blessed.  Blessed to see God in everything I see and do. A pure heart made that way because of my willingness to follow. Here on the grassy hillside, I am at rest.  I shift slightly to hear a little bit better.  Jesus is talking to me. I am pure of heart because I am in the very presence of God.

# Just Larry

Culture, Devotions, Life

Blessed are the Meek

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Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

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Third on the list of attitudes of belief given in Jesus’s sermon is translated either as “meekness” or “gentleness”.

This disturbs me because occasionally I am impatient when I am trying to get something done and there is some competition distracting me.  I do not tolerate interruptions well.  For me, there is no such thing as multitasking. I must admit there are times when it is difficult to walk and chew gum. Similarly, the multitude could not walk along the paths of life and learn from Him at the same time. The time and effort to switch from walking to learning lent itself to errors due to insufficient attention.  Jesus stopped on the grassy hillside because he knew well that life often interrupts change.

Patient endurance of life is an activity of distraction.  Endurance is something that must be done. It was a “keep calm and carry on” type of thing. All the energy of putting up a good face, living life amid turmoil, and getting your just rewards prevent the attainment of something better.  This something better was simply relaxing and letting God sort it out. It is being meek.  It is being gentle.  It is stopping what I am doing and facing interruption as an opportunity for learning.  Why?  Because I already have an inheritance of focus. Blessed are they who are interrupted and relishing the moment because it is all good. I can stop in the middle of thousands of competing attention grabbers and simply listen.

# Just Larry

Devotions, Jesus, Ministry, Renewal

Open my heart today.

Matthew 5:1,2, “And when He saw the multitudes. He went up on the hill; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.  And opening His mouth He began to teach them.”

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Jesus’ teaching on a hillside has been called the greatest sermon ever given. When I read it again and again, I see something much more personal, much more intimate. The masses were assembled, but the teaching was not really for them rows and rows of eager listeners. He was there to teach the chosen disciples.  Those few who had made a commitment to be something more. The multitudes were there with their own agendas, needs, and for some, simply curiosity.  The crowd was there to listen in and just perhaps become more than eager listeners.

His message was not about a new theology.  His message moved beyond the heady and distressing understandings to the emotional heart issues. Blessed for those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who are gentle, who are hungry, who are merciful, who are pure in heart, who are peacemakers, who are persecuted and lied about. Words filled with emotion.  Words that drive us to our deepest feelings.

I must let these words speak to my heart and to my emotions. All the theology and prior understandings of God must take a back seat.  This sermon speaks another language, a language of the heart. For this moment I simply let the grass of the hillside cool my heated mind and learn the language of the heart.

Lord, still my mind and open my heart.

#Just Larry

Devotions, Peace

Peace Oh wonderful Peace

John 14:26-27 “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

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Praise God!  My sins are forgiven.  I have declared to be at peace with God.  God is at peace with me. Today I will experience a peace that is simply incomprehensible. I trust in a God who loves, cares, draws, forgives, restores, destroys fear, and limits trouble within my heart.

I live with peace within myself, I live in peace with those around me, and I live at peace with God.

We close August with a sweet peace only God can provide. Peace comes from a complete and absolute change of viewpoint. The lens has changed. The view of everything has changed. It makes the world seem crazy but that is OK. I have changed my mind. I don’t think as they do. I don’t react in the same way. I am no longer a victim of my circumstances. I am not oppressed, and I will never be an oppressor. God loves me. God loves you. I have peace.

# Just Larry

Church, Culture, Devotions, Peace

To protect the peace.

Ephesians 6: 14-17 “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

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I have never served in the military. I admire and pray for those who protect and serve. It is difficult to relate to the metaphor Paul was using here. Belts, breastplates, feet coverings, a shield, flaming arrows, helmets, and swords are all about war.  It seems that it is not politically correct to sing, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war”. Today’s church is one of inclusion, worship songs, and integration with the community. As I write this morning I wonder, is the church becoming so culturally aware, that it has lost the war makers?  Is the price for cultural awareness in the name of peace, restricted the Gospel strengthened warriors of faith? Where is the “Stand Firm”? Where is the armor?  Where is the call to prepare for the current culture war?  A war where truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the Spirit, and the Word of God are the implements. 

I pray for the readiness that comes with the Gospel of Peace.  I pray for my fellow Christians who are ready for battle. To protect the peace.

#Just Larry

Devotions, Motivation, Personal

Peace is a process

James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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James the brother of Jesus urges us to be filled with joy when we endure trials of every kind. Hebrews says that Jesus suffered the cross with joy (Hebrews 12:2). Acts reports that Peter and the apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake (Acts 5:41).
This is just crazy talk for anyone in the slough of despond. It seems impossible when life is dealing you one disappointment after the other. There have been times when I must look up to see the bottom. One of the requirements which I demand of God is peace. I need it. I crave it. It is my preference over struggle and turmoil. Yet here James is telling me my life is a trial, a training ground. I am to be filled, crammed to the brim with joy in trials. My faith is being stress tested to a point where it is counted as persistence. Don’t get me wrong here, I assume my survival in trial will result in a better me. Even so, I don’t want a better me. I want peace. I demand of God an inner, incomprehensible, sweet peace. I don’t want to suffer. I don’t want trials. I don’t want to endure. I don’t want to work at it. I want to shortcut to that place where I am, “lacking anything.” I acknowledge it is a process. But Lord, at least give me a little less struggle and a little more peace!
# Just Larry

Devotions, Life

My Peace Meter

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
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The peace that comes from being in the right relationship with God is not the peace of this world. There have been times in my life when I have taken a step forward only to slide two steps in the opposite direction on my peace meter. Peace in our current culture is vastly inferior to God’s peace. To those who don’t have God in their lives, peace depends on having favorable circumstances: if things are going well, then we feel peaceful; when things go awry, the peace quickly dissipates. Jesus made the distinction between His peace and the world’s vacillating peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
It is fundamentally a choice: peace with God through trust or to settle for the less, offered by the world through circumstance.
Just Larry

The Study of God and Life