July 2013
Delight*Abide*Love
Knuckle Position
Matthew Continued!
Dearest Reader, Wow! is all I can say about this month’s new magazine. Obviously if you are a frequent reader you will automatically notice the extreme difference and if you are a new reader chances are the difference is what made you pick this up. Let me assure you that our focus has not changed; we still aim to study the Word to show ourselves approved and to offer devotion based conversational writing that will hopefully make you think. The difference then is that the magazine will be more magazine-like in structure. We look forward to any comments or suggestions you’d like to make. I pray that this new style will be beneficial to you and that it will increase our outreach attempts. We are living in end times, friends and we endeavor to awaken and instruct as many people as He will enable us to. May His hand be upon you as you read the pieces herein and may He empower you to reach your potential and serve your purpose in this Body! Peace and blessings, Ginny Mink
www.delightabidelove.com
Matthew Continued Last month we ended in Matthew 9:29 and so we are going to take a look at Matthew 9:37 now. This is an interesting verse as it makes me think of all the farming I don’t do. Yes, you read that correctly, I don’t gather like I should and as we’ll see later we are told that if we aren’t gathering, we’re scattering. This world has been planted with God’s children and the enemy’s seed and it’s up to His children to plant and water and then harvest. I suspect that we have a problem with the word laborer as so many of us have an abject hatred for work. That’s probably why Jesus tells us to pray that God will send people out to do the harvesting. I guess that gives some of us a bit of a way out, if you are too chicken to participate in the labor then at least support those who aren’t by praying that others will be led to come to their aid. Since we are going through Matthew together, you will realize that we have reached chapter 10. It starts off with Jesus sending His disciples our cast out spirits and heal diseases. What caught my attention though is verse 4. Notice that Jesus includes Judas in the group He sends out. Perhaps that’s not a big
deal to you but the fact Matthew reveals Judas’ betrayal of the Christ makes me think that he’s telling us that Jesus knew Judas’ ultimate purpose. Not that this is shocking in and of itself. What really gets me though is that there are other verses that say satan entered Judas, so basically I’m thinking that even the enemy gets his power from above. Not that God wants satan to do the things he does, but that satan can’t do anything without God allowing him to. Judas was sent to heal diseases and cast out demons just like the other disciples, Christ imparted power to him. If He willingly handed power over to His enemy, I have to wonder how much greater is the power that He bestows on those who love Him. Chugging along we come to verse 8 where Jesus tells His disciples to use the power He’s given them for the sole purpose of helping others without personal gain. I bet there are a lot of people that find this concept problematic. What if everyone who claimed to be “called” to something did whatever it was they were “called” to, for FREE? Dare I say there’d be a lot more starving artists and preachers and teachers and writers? The truth is, no
one, not even modern day “Christians” are willing to do things, those that might be deemed work, for FREE. Everybody expects something and that’s why Christ felt it was necessary to give His disciples that directive. I suspect they were just like us, human, and no doubt they would have at least appreciated some sort of thanks or recognition if not money in the bank. Thankfully Christ adds verse 10 which lets us know that we will be reimbursed for our labors. I think really Jesus was telling His disciples, “don’t set a price on these works, you will be given what you deserve.” Perhaps these TV evangelist need to read that verse before they try to sell me a prayer shawl. I’m jumping to verse 20 now. You see, we are promised and warned even that the world is going to hate us, that it’s going to persecute us and that ultimately we may be imprisoned or killed for our faith. I don’t know about you, but I suspect that will be pretty anxiety inducing for me. However, I find great comfort in my Savior’s promise that the Father will speak through me at that moment. If you read on to verse 22 you see what I am talking about with regards to being hated, but thankfully there’s another bit of inspiration there, and that’s the fact that if we’ll endure until the end (whatever that might be), we WILL be saved!
A disciple is not above his teacher, verse 24 tells us. I am amazed by my own arrogance
sometimes, an perhaps you have felt that way about yourself. Listen, Jesus only got to walk this planet 33 years (the fact that I say “got” reveals my arrogance immensely as if being down here with us was some tremendous privilege that His death on a cross for my sake brought to a regrettable end- I have to shake my head at myself). Anyway, what I mean is that we need to understand, particularly those of us whom have lived beyond our 33rd year, that life is a gift and the fact that we have one to live should make us consciously indebted to the One who gives us breath. Yet, I find myself thinking I should be further along in life, more recognized as a writer, a prolific speaker, something more notable. What a snot I am! I am reminded of a Johnny Cash song which is really just a poem (and I’m not sure who wrote the thing) that says something about how unaccomplished from a worldly sense Jesus was, no books written, no college degree, no stadiums reserved for His conferences etc. While Christ’s sphere of influence as He walked this planet was miniscule the longevity with which that influence and impact has exhibited is tremendous and should certainly remind us that we will never be better than Him, never more popular or more powerful. As He says in verse 25, it is enough that we be like Him, but how many of us are?
And yet, when we read on we discover what being like Him will mean to us. Verse 25
also tells us that if the world called Him horrible names, beelzebul (the devil), how much meaner to us will the world also be. Maybe you’ve never been persecuted for your Faith, maybe you’ve never been called names, fired, ridiculed or physically and verbally assaulted for aligning yourself with the Messiah. If that’s the case then chances are you’re not really looking forward to the occurrence either. Can I tell you that is a sad position? Yes, I said it’s sad not to be mistreated for being a Christ follower. I’m sure there are “believers” that would disagree with me but we find elsewhere in Scripture that we are blessed when we are persecuted for His name’s sake. Listen, if you have never had any repercussions for following after Him then perhaps you need to reexamine your own walk, check your Faith as Paul tells us to do (2 Corinthians 13:5). It’s easy to be a Christian when there are no consequences therein and that’s what Christ was trying to get across, there will be consequences. Surely you’ve come across the verse that tell us to pick up our crosses, that’s no easy task, that requires laborious devotion and painful dedication, and dear one, that’s what being a real believer is all about.
I know that probably wigs a bunch of us out. No one wants to hear that the world will
hate you and say bad things about you. No one wants to think about trudging across the desert with a large beam on your back. I suspect that’s why our Beloved Redeemer added verse 26. We are not supposed to be afraid of those people, the ones who call us names, take our jobs, mistreat our families, no indeed, Jesus tells us to have no fear of them because all their badness can’t be hidden forever, all those things they’ve done that they don’t want anyone to know about, all their self-righteously hidden infractions will be brought to light. Man, I have to tell you that the erasure of sin is one of the greatest parts about following the King. I don’t ever have to worry that you’ll see how heinous I was before He washed me clean, but all the people who have persecuted me for that same Faith, will indeed have that Power Point on display on judgment day!
Matthew 10:28
We left off knowing not to fear our enemies. Jesus must have looked at His disciples and seen that inevitable, “yeah right!” eye roll going on because in verse 28 He clarifies the concept for them. I have to laugh a little about this because we are all guilty of assigning to man more strength and power than he/she is due. Jesus shows them just how limited mankind is, He says, “Don’t fear people, all they can do is kill you. Instead, you need to be more concerned with the One that can affect your eternity, namely My Father and yours.” This isn’t a do as I say, not as I do, statement either because Jesus demonstrated for us what it meant not to fear man. Pilate tries to instill some semblance fear in our Savior when he claims to have the power of life and death and Jesus real quick tells him that he only has power because God gave it to him. Listen, there are things way worse than death and the average human doesn’t seem to get that. Perhaps that’s a good enough reason to start worrying about other people and the eternities they face, maybe it’s enough of an instigator to make a harvester or laborer out of you. Regardless, make sure you know Who to fear.
[Sidebars are great for calling out important points from your text or adding
I just came across 1 Corinthians 12:18-19 & 25. Truth is, I was reading the devotion assigned by Our Daily Bread. Actually, the whole truth is, I never read the author's commentary on the verses, I just read the verses that the editor selected for the day's reading. Not that you really care about all that but I just wanted you to get the background information. Anyway, I came across verse 18 and I thought this concept of God choosing the parts of the body to be exactly what and where He wanted them was interesting. I mean, how many of us feel like we don't belong, like we have no real purpose, like we are totally unconnected to those around us, even all those lovely people we go to church with. Then, I started thinking about myself. I just had a baby and though I am attending church still, I feel like I have lost a valuable connection in that I have to leave the service after the music so that my wee-one (whom is breastfed) doesn't disturb everyone else and certainly not the preacher (even his daughters take their kids out). So, I miss the service, basically. I mean yeah, we can hear through the speakers in the fellowship hall, but generally we are having our own, totally not related conversation. I am bothered by this, really I am and it makes me wonder, "What am I doing here?" Have you ever felt that way, even in a place you should totally feel at home, like church? Well, I guess I've got great and sucky news for you, you aren't alone. Perhaps that's a bit of a stretch given the verses I've chosen here, but then again, maybe it makes complete sense to you.
How many of us feel like we don’t belong? I still don't know why He chose me, I still can't come to grips with His incredible patience and love for us while we were yet sinners, but I am oh-so-thankful for it! So, if I can really embrace the fact that I am important and of value to Him then I suppose the next issue is to discover what I'm here for. Obviously the Word tells us that we are here to bring Him glory, to shine for Him, and for His enjoyment. The God of the universe likes our company. It's really unfathomable but it is truth nonetheless. So, since He wants us here, and since there are other verses that tell us that we are here to do the good works He planned for us beforehand, I have to ask myself, and maybe you're asking a similar question, "What good works has He planned for me?" I know all the pat-answers that pop into my head, all the instant Christian-ese Scripture quotations, and though I hate to say that I view them this way: all the generic, applicable to everyone directives. Maybe it's because I am a product of a me world, but I hear my heart (deceitful above all things) saying, "Yeah but I want something specific to me, what makes me special, what am I here to do that no one else was designed for?" You'd think that the sheer fact that our Redeemer knows us in our mother's womb, that He desires us and died for us would be enough to make us feel special but NOOOO, we want more (as usual); we want to feel like we are indispensable. I kind of have to laugh about that, because really, what are we? Scripture calls us: worms, filthy rags, sinners, fallen short, etc. Man, we are so full of pride (or I am at least)! I have a tendency to ramble on so let me just go ahead and move into verse 19. What stood out to me there was the fact that we are actually here for specific duties. Even though it might seem arrogant to expect to be something special in His kingdom, this verse kind of tells me that indeed we are. I get this picture of a really big human body. That insinuates to me that since there are so many people who adhere to His calling then each of them really only makes up a small part of the body. Let me attempt to create the same imagery for you.
Here's what I'm thinking...What if we are individual veins, and arteries and tendons and muscles and knuckles...I mean, the human body really is made up of a bazillion intricate little parts and when any of these parts fails to do its job inevitably other body parts feel the repercussions. I can tell you that this concept is particularly poignant to me right now because though I am sitting here typing this for your reading pleasure (or at least for my venting ability) I know I will almost certainly regret it in the morning as there appears to be something (not carpal tunnel) wrong with my hands. It's been suggested that something is pinched, swollen or torn, or that arthritis is setting in, regardless of the diagnosis though, it only takes one small thing to be wrong in your hands and suddenly even the menial tasks are monumental. I can't tell you how painful it is just to make a bed, or pull the coffee pot out of the maker. So, if as believers we are as connected to one another as Paul suggests in these verses, maybe it will become a good deal easier to see why our country and our world is so rapidly falling apart. We are not connected and if the knuckles aren't attached to the muscles and tendons, well, we won't be able to flex our Faith.
Nope, I kind of blew each of them off, if you want to know the truth, and then I confessed to my husband. Of course he's of the mindset that I shouldn't care, not because he's heartless but because the things that these friends were confiding had to do with their marriages and various other relationships and my husband thinks everyone should mind their own business. Now, maybe that's a man thing, they kind of keep each other at a distance, but women, well, we like to talk through our volatile emotions and I just wasn't interested in hearing anybody else's issues at that moment. I was definitely dividing myself from the body and doing all that I could to not be concerned with anyone else. What's interesting about that though is the fact that when we think we're better off taking a step back from everyone and their emotional needs, we discover that it's pretty lonely.
This brings me to verse 25, no division in the body; its parts should Well, I can already feel the regret of have concern for one another. I don't know how to better state typing so much setting in, namely that than Paul did, but I can tell you something I experienced because my knuckles are really recently that made me a wee bit disturbed. Some friends had starting to hurt. I hope that I have contacted me, a few weeks ago, with some of the issues they were managed, somehow, to say something enduring. They'd sent me texts and emails and asked for prayer, of value here and if not, then as a they'd confided in me (and quite possibly no one else) and I found consolation prize I pray that I have at myself feeling the following statement, "I don't care." I felt hugely least made you think. Let's seek His guilty for the thought and the emotion, but really that's where I will, accept our knuckle positions in was, I just didn't care, I couldn't make myself care either. I tried, the body and do all that we can to trust me. I didn't offer my usual encouragement and I certainly care about each other. didn't offer my normally readily available shoulder and ear. I still don’t know why He chose me; I still can’t come to grips with His love for us while we were yet sinners‌
Life may sometimes seem like it’s for the birds but not a single one perishes without the Father’s knowledge…
“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” (ESV)
M
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny…”v.29
y hair is in need of a
good dye job, the grays are poking through everywhere I look. I am pretty familiar with the tangled locks that inhabit this odd head and yet I can honestly tell you I have absolutely no idea how many there are. I love, completely treasure and adore both my husband and my darling children and yet I can’t tell you how many hairs are there. This verse is so powerful and it comes after we’re told not to fear mankind and that we’re worth more than the birds. While life may sometimes seem like it’s for the birds, not a single one perishes without our Father’s knowledge and neither will a hair fall from your head without His permission. Now that’s love!
Again, in verse 31 Jesus tells us not to fear, He reminds us how valuable we are! Then we reach verse 32 and this is a biggie, friends. If you are scared to tell others you know Him, He warns you that He won’t acknowledge you either. I’m reminded of the popular kids in school, no, I wasn’t one of them (I was a band nerd if you must know the truth). Anyway, I knew tons of those popular kids, was friends with cheerleaders and football players or at least I thought I was. Here’s the thing, there are people in our lives that will acknowledge our existence only when it’s beneficial to them. Jesus isn’t that kind of friend and we need to make sure we aren’t either. I can assure you we aren’t the ones with the reputations to protect. There are times in life when claiming the Faith is beneficial and there are other situations in which you will suffer for such a proclamation. What our Savior is saying here is essentially, “bite the bullet; acknowledge Me wherever you are so that when you get here, I can introduce you to our Dad.” Otherwise we’re all gonna be treated like the band nerds in the middle of a cheerleader party.
W
orthy? Yes, that’s what He says, if we don’t take
up our crosses then we are not worthy of Him. Now obviously Grace is a gift and thusly our King is not telling us to earn His love, or labor our way towards becoming valuable to Him. He loves us period and yet, there is something we must do, that’s love Him back. Taking up the cross of alien-hood, of denial of self, well that’s demonstrative of loving your Savior and if you aren’t willing to sacrifice popularity, acceptance, greed and pride, well, then what need have you of redemption? If you truly recognize your own worminness then you’ll have no problem desiring to pick up that cross no matter how hard it is to do and when you’re walking that road, bearing the beam, He says that those who accept you, accept Him! Yeah, they see Him through the crosses we bear, if we’re willing to pick them up. Are you?
It probably seemed like we spent forever in chapter 10, but good news, we’ve reached 11! Jesus is preaching in all the surrounding cities and John the Baptist (who’s in jail) hears about Him. Jesus tells John’s disciples to report back to John what they’ve seen. He tells the crowd that they’re wishy washy, that they came out to see John but must have been expecting something other than who he was. Then He tells them that they have a wrong view of who He is as well. Later He shares some woes with those cities that refuse to acknowledge Him. Finally He declares who He is and the power He has in verse 27. It is amazing to me how seemingly ignorant the people of His time were. Yet, I suspect we’d be just as thick headed. This verse tells us why, “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” I hope you understand the magnitude of that statement. It’s really easy to look down at the Pharisees and Sadducees and wonder what was wrong with them that they denied Christ. Yet, He tells us that the only people who can know Him and the Father are those whom He has chosen to experience that privilege. Listen dear one, you are saved by the Grace of God, surely, but your salvation was a conscious decision on His effort more than it was yours. He chose you! I can’t imagine that there’s another verse in the Bible that’s more revealing of our value to the King. From my perspective it kind of makes me feel sorry for the religious leaders of that time, they missed out on knowing the King and that’s exactly the way He wanted it. I know some people will be bothered by that predestined insinuation but please remember that Jesus tells us in a parable that the enemy has seed here too. Jesus knows who are His and who belong to the evil one, we don’t so just be glad you’re on His side!