One Word Can Make A Difference!

This Sunday I sat in church listening to part two of a sermon series we are currently going through on the Armor of God.  I was blown away by one word. 

Before I tell you what that word was, let me say, I love our pastor, and not just because he's my dad, but also because he has an understanding of scripture from the perspective of the Jewish culture that has transformed the way I see the Bible.  Remember those posters in the 90's that if you stared at it just right you could make out a 3-D image?  That is how adding my Jewish roots has added my understanding of the Bible and my Christian faith.  

Pastor Mike shared with us the Ephesians 6 passage on the Armor of God from the Peshitta Bible in comparision with the King James Version.  

If you are like me, you might be saying, the Peshwhata?  The Peshitta is a translation of the Syriac Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text.  If you want to know more, you can read about it on Wikipedia or Britannica or do more research on it yourself at your local library.  

In my internet search, I also read some criticisms of the Peshitta - so please don't go home and throw out your NIV or KJV Bible.  My advice is to use something like this to supplement your Bible Study.  Many great Bible scholars throughout time disagreed on various doctrine so asserting that your way is the only way on secondary issues within Christianity is not what I am advocating. I am advocating you go deeper in your study of scripture.  

What I loved about the reading comparison was the use of the word - "just." By itself, that word doesn't sound very monumental, but its use in the sentence added a layer of meaning that I had never heard before.  

In the NIV or many other common translations, Ephesians 6:12 reads something like this: 

"For 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."

in the Peshitta it said: 

"For our struggle is not just 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."

Did you catch it?  Did you see that word, "just?"  It fits because we do struggle against flesh and blood.  My thought life can be crazy; when I get sick, tired or hungry life is a struggle.  Taking care of myself is important so that "just" helps illuminate that fact.  

When someone doesn't know where their next meal is coming from or they are in the middle of a battle of cancer, they are fighting the flesh & blood (tangible, human needs).  We can't ignore the physical needs or dismiss them.  

In contrast, as Christians we can't live in the limitations of our flesh and blood, which is why this spiritual component is crucial.   Unfortunately, we often ignore the spiritual battle.  So much of life we don't see, can't know and have no control over, but as a Christian, we can arm up for battle and go get it spiritually.  Its amazing to see someone surrender to God's will and wait on him, and find provision in ways they never dreamed!   

Our bodies are temples of the holy spirit so we must care for our needs but we also have to understand we only see a small part of what is actually going on around us, we must be prepared with the Armor of God.  

Where are you lacking?  Do you need to give yourself some grace in this season of life?  Are you expecting too much in a season of great physical needs?  Are you prepared for life with the spiritual weapons God gives us?  Having them on helps us to look past the things we can't control and realize God's got it!  Maybe you need to delve more into scripture and study the Bible? I don't know what your take away is, but I'd love to hear it!  Happy Wednesday!

Why Do You Believe?

 Because I have moved a ton in my life and traveled even more, my faith has never been defined by denomination (Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.) - I was simply a Christian.  I chose my churches based on their views of the Bible and their practiced spiritual priorities.  

So in 2005, when the church I'd worked for, for 3 years, left the denomination because of the denomination's decision to change the definition of "salvation" and adopt a more universal approach to their faith, I didn't see a problem.  We had to stand by the definition of Christian, as outlined in the Bible.  I was flabbergasted by the encounters I had with others who felt more allegation to the denomination than to Christianity as a whole.  They had always been a part of the Disciples of Christ denomination and that identity was supreme to them.  

Even though that choice felt foreign to me, its not uncommon.   As I read through Nabeel Qureshi's book, "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus," I become more aware of just how impossible walking away from ones' belief system can be.  Its like the childhood assumptions created a foundation that our very identity hinges on and challenging that threatens one's perceived identity.  But this isn't just about changing religions.  

When I arrived in Visalia, and began to study the Bible from the perspective of the Jewish faith and Middle Eastern culture (from where it was written), I was in awe of how I had let Western culture taint my understanding of what the Bible was actually saying.  I realized a faith I accepted at 4, had been built upon often by uneducated volunteers filling a spot in some Sunday school class and that I had believed things just simply because someone told me to, not because I had been shown it as truth. 
  
Believing something doesn't make it true.  

Its hard to see  truth when it stands in opposition to something you have believed as truth your whole life.  It begins to open Pandora's box of wondering what beliefs are open for questioning.   Here's the thing when it comes to my faith, I am committed to believing what the Bible actually says, not what I believed it said just because its tradition.   

Studying the Bible has proven to be an enemy making activity.  Why? The more I study it and take it for what it really says in context of culture and situations of that day, the more I find myself alienated from established Christian groups.  Within the Christian community it would seem, I am by all accounts too liberal for conservatives and too conservative for liberals.   But our beliefs shouldn't be a package deal - believing x means you also believe in y and z.  

What changed for me? 

Issues like women's role in ministry, what is hell, and understanding what specific scriptures were actually saying began to completely change as I examined the original language and context of the scriptures.  

Reading my Bible wasn't enough, I had to study it.  If I assert that I believe in the Bible as God's word - active and alive, then I must know exactly what that means in order to truly live up to my calling of sharing the good news!!! 

This challenge isn't to tell you if you disagree with me, you are wrong, rather, its to ask, why do you believe what you believe?  Do you believe in something because you studied it and believe its truth or do you believe it because that is what you were always told to believe? I want to believe truth even when it crumbles the traditions I've always held true.  

So I end with this question: Why Do You Believe What You Believe? 

Do You Have A Plan?

Let's pretend we are going on a trip.

What might be some of the first questions you ask before planning a trip and deciding what to pack?  

1.  What is your budget? 
Will you be counting each penny or do you have money to burn?  Will you need to find ways to save or can you splurge a little?

2. What type of trip will it be? 

Vacation or Business? Family, couple or friend? The purpose of the trip dictates what you take.  Clothes need to be professional for a work conference and you will want to have travel entertainment if you will have kids with you.

3. Where is it? 
What will the weather be? What is the terrain?  You wouldn't pack just shorts for a snowy, mountain ski trip or take a down jacket on an island beach getaway! Destination comes into account when planning your trip.  

4.  How will you be traveling? 

Car rides accommodate for more bags while airplanes means organizing those small ounce containers for security checks.  There is also bus when the budget is small and time isn't an issue or a train for the scenic route.  You may need small bills for tips or AAA for extra security, discounts and maps on a road trip.

5. Where are you staying? 
Do you have a friend close by with room to keep you?  Do you need to book a hotel or suite if the family is with you?  How many nights do you need?  What amenities are essential for your trek?

Those 5 questions are just the beginning of the planning process.

The irony of life is we don't often consider the equivalent of these questions when it comes to our spiritual life, something much more important than a trip.  

Navigating through life can be a challenge, especially when you understand we have an enemy.

Yes, Satan is real.

I am not sure he looks like many of the depicted caricatures circuiting, especially when you read scriptures that say he comes disguised as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).  Satan doesn't like us.  He didn't just get kicked out of heaven because he wanted to be God, he was upset that God created us.  He was in essence the jealous older sibling after mommy has a new baby.  He wanted and still wants to take us out.

God came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  Jesus died and came back to life to conquer for us what we couldn't conquer ourselves, but we are still walking through the battlefield of life and we need to start engaging a little more so we come out alive.

Do you know the books of the Bible and their themes?
Are you memorizing scripture on a regular basis?
Do you have and are you following a reading plan of the Bible?
Have you read the Bible in its entirety?
Do you pray on a regular basis?
Have you examined cultural influences that help in understanding what God is communicating?
Do you know your weaknesses and are you protecting them with accountability through other believers and having scripture prepared to combat temptation?

I am not asking these questions to shame you if you can't positively answer these questions - instead, I want to bring home the point that we need a plan.

So why do the questions above matter? 

Knowing the books of the Bible and their themes helps you find what you need.

Memorizing scripture allows you to have it handy.

Reading the Bible isn't the same for everyone and in this digital age there are a million plans out there to read through the Bible so there is something for everyone, and reading the Bible consistently gives you that link to our Savior.

Reading the entire Bible takes about 80 hours but most plans do it over one to two years.  Reading the whole thing can be challenging, especially some passages, but it is a story and reading all of it is crucial to understanding the story and the purposes of Christ.

Prayer is our connection and communication with our God, and in war time soldiers need to have communication with their leader if they want to survive their enemy.  This is such a crucial tool in our belt.

The Bible wasn't written alongside the Declaration of Independence.  It is older than that and was written on soil on the other side of the world. The Bible wasn't written but often interpreted through Western culture and that is a mistake.  Many customs in the Middle East haven't changed much from the way they are today.  Context is also key in understanding what the Bible is all about.  Take the time to check it out.  Need some resources?  Let me know!  Happy to point you in the right direction.

Remember that enemy well he know humans really well, he's been roaming the earth for some time now.  We all have weaknesses and he knows how to prey on us, not to mention we are pretty good at self-sabotage.  Knowing ourselves, and our weaknesses, helps us to protect ourselves.  Having an accountability partner helps us to grow and keeps us honest about our journey.

Do you have a plan?  Where are you with each of these categories?  Can you up your game just a bit in each area?  If you don't have a plan, its time to get one!  

Prayer Not Pinterest

This year I began writing in a notebook solely for prayer time. It has amazed me how some intentionality and quiet time has increased what I hear from God through the Bible and prayer. 

 About a month ago, I read a chapter in Arlene Pellicane's book, "31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom," that discussed how we should go to God, not Google when trials first arise and it convicted me. I often run to my search engine to discover an ailment or parenting strategy before going to my Heavenly Father. I have made an effort to correct this by asking God my question first and quietly wait for a reply. Since that change I have been amazed by the answers I have heard from our Lord. 

One morning I was praying for a way to discipline common issues we face in our home. I wanted a solution I could also participate in when I made a mistake so I could model my mess-ups and corrections as well. God gave me an idea! 

This idea would have been something I could only have dreamed to have populated my Pinterest feed. What provision! I quickly got to work. 

I highlighted five issues we often encounter: 

Treatment of Others, 

Our Words, 

Need for Gratitude (When you have an attitude, you need gratitude), 

Fear and 

Anger. 

 I used popsicle sticks and divided them with food coloring (1/4 c rubbing alcohol 40 drops food coloring) solution into said categories. Once the sticks had soaked and dried, I then wrote the category on one side and a scripture reference on the other. 

Treatment of Others - Undyed 

Our Words - Blue 

Need for Gratitude - Green 

Anger - Red 

Fear - Purple 

Once all of them were completed I added them to a jar and positioned it on the kitchen table. 

We have since added a Bible to the counter, because some days we are looking up a lot of passages. My prayer is that our family will learn scripture as we discipline our lives in these key problem areas. I know if I continue to pray, this can be a fruitful exercise. 

Afterall, Isaiah 55:11 tells us, "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." 

Here are just a few more verses on the power of the word of God. 

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.