2 Samuel 1-2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 96, 106; Acts 21

When I can connect the dots, I get pretty happy and it is hard to keep things to myself. I just finished another conversation this morning with a pastor and we talked about the importance of peace and my decision to look at the Bible this year learning to be a peacemaker. Worship was an important element as David described in Psalm 96:6-10.

It goes further as this kind of peace cannot happen without obedience in my walk with God. This is what Moses tripped over.

The people also made the Lord angry at Meribah,
    and Moses was in trouble because of them.
The people turned against the Spirit of God,
    so Moses spoke without stopping to think. – Psalm 106:32-33 NCV

I mean, we are in the Psalms and we are still talking about what took place at Meribah! This insight is instructive to me when facing conflict. My need is not only to keep my spirit from becoming bitter and avoid being governed by anger, but also to believe the Lord will uphold me as holy before those I lead. Moses failed to meditate and he became what he was before his relationship with God – his old self showed up. He used his way to accomplish what God wanted done.

I could say that he needed someone to walk with him on this and help him along his way, but look what happened to Paul. He had all kinds of people telling him what to do in Acts 21:1-6 that did not match what God had told Paul to do. Paul had to obey, although to obey must be to suffer. In the end, faith conquered. This might have helped Moses.

I cannot imagine that Paul gets more of the same conversation as he moves along in Acts 21:7-14. I noticed that although they forewarned, the Holy Spirit had spoken to no one that Paul should not go to Jerusalem. My voice and human voices sometimes need to be resisted when I have receive a word from God.

But he said, “Why are you crying and making me so sad? I am not only ready to be tied up in Jerusalem, I am ready to die for the Lord Jesus!” – Acts 21:13 NCV

This is the secret to resolution, the place where peace reigns. This is where I want to be. The needle points unerringly and without a quivering deflection, and moral resolution touches the point of moral sublimity.

Father, may Your peace reign in my heart – may Your words be strong and may my faith match with resolve. May my life be one of worship.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 1; Psalm 39; Acts 11

It excites me to see God repeatedly calling out those who follow Him to carry out His plans and to lead people. The definition of a leader were those who served God and represented Him in order to fulfill certain requirements. I see the heart of God for His people and for His leaders to obey and to walk humbly before Him.

 But Samuel answered, “What pleases the Lord more:
    burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or obedience to his voice?
It is better to obey than to sacrifice.
    It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of sheep. – 1 Samueal 15:22 NCV

Idolatry becomes the source of human conflict.

Disobedience is as bad as the sin of sorcery.
    Pride is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols.
You have rejected the Lord’s command.
    Now he rejects you as king. – 1 Samuel 15:23 NCV

Samuel is a leader who serves and comes in the spirit of peace.

 Samuel answered, “Yes, I come in peace. I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Set yourselves apart to the Lord and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he set Jesse and his sons apart to the Lord, and he invited them to come to the sacrifice. – 1 Samuel 16:5 NCV

The words of my mouth is a door that I pray God will use for His glory. I want to be not only seen as a leader, but heard in the manner of what a leader is.

I said, “I will be careful how I act
    and will not sin by what I say.
I will be careful what I say
    around wicked people.” – Psalm 39:1 NCV

When I look at the leadership of Barnabas I see the portrait of a peacemaker. There is a profound and rare eulogy ascribed to Barnabas.

 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. When he reached Antioch and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad. He encouraged all the believers in Antioch always to obey the Lord with all their hearts, and many people became followers of the Lord. – Acts 11:23-24 NCV

Encouragement was one of his key characteristic traits – the word comes from the same root that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. He, in fact, was filled with the Holy Spirit and that gave him his peaceful character. He was also filled with joy and brought great joy. He was also a person full of faith.

Barnabas was also a person of observation and discernment. He was the one sent from the church in Jerusalem to check things out in Antioch.

In order not to be a Saul, I need to look more into being a Samuel and a Barnabas. One who is obedient, humble and full of the Holy Spirit.

Father, thank you for these amazing examples of servant leaders who followed you with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. May I bring Your peace wherever I go.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

Judges 17-18; Psalm 21; Acts 1

I am strongly reminded today that peace can only be found in Jesus.

The story of Micah is all about an attempt to find this true peace and blessing.  It underscores the principle that when the foundation of a society is not based on God, it begins to crumble, and society begins to fall apart. What an illustration of spiritual corruption soon to be followed by moral corruption.

How true it is as to how dark my world could really be when I walk away from following God and trample on His grace and mercy. God did not choose me because of who I was, He chose me so that He could have mercy on a totally undeserving sinner.

Lord, the king rejoices because of your strength;
    he is so happy when you save him! – Psalm 21:1 NCV

Here is where peace starts – rejoicing in the only One, being happy in the the only One who can save me.

To Theophilus. The first book I wrote was about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up into heaven. Before this, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told the apostles he had chosen what they should do. After his death, he showed himself to them and proved in many ways that he was alive. The apostles saw Jesus during the forty days after he was raised from the dead, and he spoke to them about the kingdom of God. Once when he was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here to receive the promise from the Father which I told you about. John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 1:1-5 NCV

I am fascinated with the core of what the book of Acts is all about. Here lies the purposes and importance of themes that will be revealed throughout this letter. I am particularly fond of the last sentence because it reminds me of what John the Baptist said about Jesus. The gift of God to do what God has called us to do is the Holy Spirit. In particular, described as being baptized with the Holy Spirit. A fascinating experience meant to empower me to do the will of God, to glorify His name, to consume me with His peace and to strengthen me with resilence and resolve to obey and follow God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Father, I am humbled by the fact that I could easily live a life like Micah if I were to walk away from Your grace and mercy. I am also humbled by the fact that You have allowed me to see You for who You are and I am happy that You have saved me. I am further humbled by the presence of Your Holy Spirit in my life and I yearn to engage with You each and every day. Thank You for walking with me.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

Joshua 5-8; Psalm 14; Luke 15

One of the things I like about celebrating the new year, is the moment I take into account where my life is with God and where would I like it to be going. It is a moment that is built on resolve, vision, calling and purpose. I read that here as the people of Israel were preparing for a new life in the promised land. I loved their resolve to be blessed and not cursed, to follow God and to receive life.

Joshua built an altar for the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded. Joshua built the altar as it was explained in the Book of the Teachings of Moses. It was made from uncut stones; no tool was ever used on them. On that altar the Israelites offered burnt offerings to the Lord and fellowship offerings. There Joshua wrote the teachings of Moses on stones for all the people of Israel to see. The elders, officers, judges, and all the Israelites were there; Israelites and non-Israelites were all standing around the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord in front of the priests, the Levites who had carried the Ark. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Ebal, and half stood in front of Mount Gerizim. This was the way the Lord’s servant Moses had earlier commanded the people to be blessed. – Joshua 8:30-33 NCV

They followed God’s instructions on what worship looked like and they dedicated themselves to God. I love how they knew that the way to prosper in everything they put their hands to is to take God along with them, and in all their ways to acknowledge Him by prayer, praise and dependence.

What a contrast to the fool of Psalm 14 (in heart, word, and deed). The foolish person has left the Law and the Lord.

What I love about God is that He can still take a fool, move in their heart and change them.

I will leave and return to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son, but let me be like one of your servants.”’ – Luke 15:18-19 NCV

I can see the resolve of the prodigal son so clearly:

(1) He resolved he would get up and go.

(2) He resolved he would go to his father.

(3) He resolved to speak to his father.

(4) He resolved to be obedient to his father.

These steps are all homeward steps.

Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who does not leave me with a fool’s heart but empowers me and creates a resolve in me to hear Your calling, get up, and follow You.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

Deuteronomy 1-3; Psalm 36; Luke 5

It has struck me, from time to time, how I missed some of the obvious connections between the people of Israel and the church. Goverance is one of those obvious misses. There were leaders who judged, then there was Moses and the final appeal could be made to God.

When you judge, be fair to everyone; don’t act as if one person is more important than another, and don’t be afraid of anyone, because your decision comes from God. Bring the hard cases to me, and I will judge them. – Deuteronomy 1:17 NCV

I am sure that I could not trust someone in my church to judge without conflict of interest. That is what makes this such a hard task. Yet, here I am tasked with the call to take up matters of injustice, to make sure I do not have sin in my own life so that I can be fair to everyone, and to refuse to be bribed, in any fashion, in order to give the right ruling.

The big idea is to create a world filled with a holistic sense of peace, of shalom, which means I cannot turn a blind eye to injustice, be it personal or structural. All people are called, as bearers of God’s image, to work for the restoration of the shattered and distorted social order in which we live.

They think too much of themselves
    so they don’t see their sin and hate it. – Psalm 36:2 NCV

I was given the macro version, now I am faced with the micro version. I have been blessed to have been called out by God on this a few times in my life. Each time, especially the first time, I remember the event and the sickening awareness of my sin that I did not see because I thought too highly of myself. This was the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately there are preachers today who feel it is their job to preach about the danger of damnation. They feel a need to awaken sinners and cry for reformation. Nothing can compare to the work of the Holy Spirit – preach Him and allow Him to search hearts. They will be changed and it will be real as the Holy Spirit transforms from the inside out.

 When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he bowed down before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” – Luke 5:8 NCV

Sometimes it simply is entering into the presence of Jesus that changes people. Jesus is the one working on this matter of reconciliation. He makes me feel my remoteness from God. I discover just how far away I am from Him. Complacency can only last so long and then there is the falling down on my face.

Father, I enter into Your presence in the name of Jesus along with the Holy Spirit. Reveal my heart, set me free from sin, empower me to help others walk with You.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)