I feel off. Disconnected. Wandering around. Unable to think. Unstable. The image would look like me standing between two trains going in opposite directions really fast. Almost nauseous. The days are speeding by like those before finals or when a big paper is due. Yet…that’s just it. I don’t know. I’m riding a rickety raft with no paddle in a ditch with no water. I’m going no where…but some where. Is this mid-life crisis? Oh, I just noticed something. There. In the bottom of the ditch lay a huge rock. Old. What is it? Erosion all around but none on the Rock. Yes. Life is strange. I am strange. This post is strange. Yet I’m more aware of my alieness in this world. Sojourning is treacherous. Faith keeps walking & waiting. Looking & resting. I think I see him. He’s just……oh yes. He’s coming!
Author Archives: Jason Snider
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Be a Source of Encouragement
In my reading through the Word, I saw some beneficial applications for us as a body. Also, any time I write an email I try to have this in mind (quoting Bruce Ware) “for all that misses the mark, I pray for his forgiveness and correction. God alone is worthy, and so to him be all praise and worship, both now and forevermore.”
When I read Number 13 and 14, I did not readily relate the result of the report of the spies as discouragement. I didn’t see this until Numbers 32 when Reuben and Gad want to settle in Gilead and Moses recounts what happened some 40 years prior to this event. Moses says, (Numbers 32:6-9) “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the LORD has given them? 8 Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the LORD had given them.”
As before, I did not relate this discouragement to unbelief as Moses does in Dt. 1:32. Moses recounts the story again but says, (Deuteronomy 1:25-33) 25 And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.’ 26 ¶ “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. 27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”‘ 29 Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ 32 Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, 33 who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.”
The author of Hebrews writes concerning these events: Hebrews 3:19 – 4:2 9 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. ¶ Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
Hebrews 3:12-13 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
There are numerous things that could be pointed out but allow me to mention a few.
1. These things are written for our instruction. Rom. 15:4
2. They are written in the context of the community
3. We may be tempted to think discouragement as a small thing but it is not a small thing–especially within the common-unity
4. In the context of the story, the spies told the TRUTH about what they saw. It was their absence of faith that discouraged the people. Therefore, you can look truthfully at a situation and see the possible discouragement within the situation. However, you can acknowledge that and decide to trust Christ with the situation. We see from this text that He can be trusted and He will fight for us.
5. Discouragement can lead to rebellion and rebellion to unbelief which results in not entering His rest.
6. The leadership needs to be encouraged (Dt. 1:38) for they are susceptible to many more dangers (Mt 23) and stricter judgment (Jam 3)
Therefore, stop right now (if you are able) and pray to the Lord asking Him to guard our leaders from discouragement and think seriously how you might contact every member of our churches (and others too!) and encourage them in some way.This is not to say no one is encouraging one another. Nor do I mean for us to do it in some Pollyanna way. But may this become the norm with us all in Christ’s church–not just a challenge this week. I would also add that we try not to be easily discouraged ourselves. There are some things that ARE discouraging. And there are some things that we should not let discourage us. O LORD bear the fruit of encouragement in our lives through the Gospel! Romans 15:5-6 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Great Quote
John Newton:
I trust I have a remembrance in your prayers. I need them much: my service is great. It is, indeed, no small thing to stand between God and the people, to divide the word of truth aright, to give every one portion, to withstand the counter tides of opposition and popularity, and to press those truths upon others, the power of which, I, at times, feel so little of in my own soul. A cold, corrupt heart is uncomfortable company in the pulpit. Yet, in the midst of all my fears and unworthiness, I am enabled to cleave to the promise, and to rely on the power of the great Redeemer.
God Created Memory!
The new year brings about a new bible reading plan for me. I had been toying with the idea of reading Dr. Paul House’s Old Testament Theology along with my daily reading. So, I decided to give it a trial run today and see how it would go. As I was reading, there came to mind a current problem I’ve been dealing with: memory loss. I was tempted to just stop and put the book back on the shelf…I mean what’s the use I’m going to forget it. Well I decided not to do that. I am going to keep reading and get what I can. I then decided to write a tweet about it. Of course, the limited space persuaded me to write this blog post instead. And then, while I’m writing this post, I remember the sermon from yesterday morning. Our pastor made the point that God’s word has creating power. So, He has the power to create in me memory . Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, fight the fight of faith. Read God’s word. Study God’s word. It has power to create in you those things which do not exist and things you hope will exist.
Christ is Our Passover Lamb
We have remained steadfast in our discipline of “Family Friday Night.” It began while we were in seminary because time was very limited and very valuable. So, on Friday night, Dad stopped studying at 5:00 pm and did not start back until Saturday at noon. The Saturday morning was a time my wife could actually have an uninterrupted quiet time (husband, you should add up the amount of time your wife is spending with the kids…she needs a break!). And we are still keeping the Family Night though we are not as busy. That is the history and context of Family Night.
Therefore, we plan each Friday night on Wednesday (or further in advance if we are doing something that needs extra preparation). It usually involves everyone’s input. However, when the Holy Days of old roll around, we incorporate them into our family night. I would like to encourage you to consider using these holidays as a teaching tool for your kids. They are rich with imagery that will help your kids develop categories of theology.
So, we have planned the next several weeks to teach our kids about the Passover, The Day of Atonement, and The Feast of Booths. If you are going to attempt this, check out the material available through Jews for Jesus. They have some excellent resources. You will want to spend some time thinking about this and how Christ is our Passover Lamb before you do this. I hope to post my devotions for the kids as I take the week of our scheduled Passover to lead them in our family worship time each night.
I hope you will be encouraged to use these holy days to point to Christ (and learn yourself) in the following days. Also, don’t think you have to do them on their scheduled dates. It can be overwhelming for someone to do all of them. We have been doing them for a few years now, so it takes time to develop a strategy. You can spread them out or just pick one for the year and focus on it and do it well. May you and your family be blessed!
Saint Augustine’s Confessions
I (Kimberly) decided to begin reading our copy of Saint Augustine’s Confessions the other day. Over the last several months I have really dropped off on reading, outside of daily Bible reading. I have started two or three books and put them down. Anyway, just a few pages into Confessions I am already encouraged. Of God he says on page 23,
“You are unchangeable and yet you change all things.”
Truth: How Did That Happen?
I once had no idea!!! As I encounter things that differ from what I believe to be true, I try to remember that I too did not know the truth. Whatever truth you might think of, often it is believed to be not true any longer. I have to be careful the way I write this post. For, I believe truth is truth–it does not change. However, things that were once true are now believed to be false. In fact, there is a new truth that has taken its place.
That does not mean the truth has changed. It simply means that truth is no longer believed and something false has taken its place.
I think an example will help (in this post I am not attempting to prove the following–yet). Many believe today that the local church is to have only one pastor (not elder or bishop). Yet the New Testament pattern plainly shows the pattern is to be a plurality of pastors. The New Testament also teaches that pastor, bishop, and elder are speaking of the same office in the church. So, when someone teaches the Scriptures and this topic arises many may think it is false because they have a different belief in its place. Therefore, the truth is now thought to be false and what is false is believed to be true.
In response to this teaching, some counter with, ” We can barely afford to pay one pastor, much less two.” Or, that part of Scripture is “for the Presbyterian or some other denomination that believes that way.” “We are a Baptist Church.” These are merely pragmatic excuses for not believing truth.
Now, I will go along way with those who do not believe things the way I do IF they give me biblical evidence. I think the former complaints to be pathetic.
I do not know exactly how truth gets distorted. I would not be surprised that due to such reasons given for not believing now resulted in the abandoning of it in history. Nevertheless, truth is truth. We must embrace what is true whether we have believed what is false for decades.
If you find yourself in this position what should you do? Well, the many times I encountered similar situations through seminary I would talk it out with my brothers in Christ. I would pray over the word and read it carefully. I would listen to sermons on the verses dealing with a particular issue. And I would move slow but remain teachable. We all have blind spots…which really bothers me. I hope I remember my own history.
Also, no matter which side you are on the delivery of truth is painful. It is painful to receive and painful to deliver. Imagine someone believing a superstition that ended the life of their child. Not only is it hard for that parent to hear the truth but it is also hard to tell that truth when it reveals an unnecessary deaf. Truth delivered and received with compassion is the proper way–God’s way!
Groaning For Our Hope!
Enduring life can become drudgery. We are often times so nearsighted in the present, that we are blinded to the hope of eternity. Paul has some encouraging words for us:
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened–not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5
Here he describes this present body as a tent. Certainly the idea Paul is trying describe is that of temporary, fleeting, and transient maybe.
Our present body was fashioned by God to be temporary for our good! The everyday aches and pains can serve us by reminding us that our present TENT is temporary. This does not, however, relieve us of our present responsibilities. In fact, it is a fuel for us to endure the present as we groan for the hope of a glorified body.
The temporal state of our tent was designed by God to cause us to groan for the eternal dwelling, for we were made for eternity. Paul declares that this is the source of his renewal:
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
May we endure as we groan for the hope of a building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens!
Fickle Hearts
Moses is delayed forty days on the mountain in Exodus 32. It appears the people endured several days before making a god to go before them. Does it not seem odd that if someone must make something to go before them then it is not a god? They just witnessed the amazing parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, and water from a ROCK! You would think that after seeing such amazing things they would never disbelieve. O how fickle the heart can be.
Well if you like to one-up everything the people in John 11 move much quicker. John 11:45-46 says, “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.” Of course, this is the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Can you imagine walking away from this scene to tell someone–not how amazing it was–but to build your case against him? This was not even a matter of days but possibly minutes.
Now before we throw these fickle-hearted people under the bus, observe your behavior after reading the very story yourself–encountering the resurrecting power of God before your eyes in this text. Beware! The heart is fickle
The LORD Leads!
“Take courage church, our God fights for us!!!” This was my plea to the church last Sunday as we mused over Exodus 14. This was not the entire story because God is the One who led Israel to the place of needing God to fight for them.
Moses writes,
Exodus 13:17-18; 13:20 – 14:3 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle…20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. 14:1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’
We can take courage, for our God leads His people. Therefore, I concluded that the LORD actively leads His people into impossible situations. Not only that, He displays His power in the impossible situations. And while we are there, He fights for us. There is so much more here in this text, but these are a few of the glorious truths we encountered. Finally, the LORD did this for His glory!!! As we see Israel praising His name in Exodus 15, so we too as we hear of these wonders of God.
One might say, “But we were not there to see the miracles.” I would submit to you that Jethro was not there either. But here is the result of Jethro hearing about these things:
Exodus 18:8-12 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 ¶ Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God
Take courage church, the LORD leads!!!
