Seek The Lamb

Child of God or Adult?

Maybe  we  should rethink this maturity thing. . . .

A few days ago, it was my friend Steve’s birthday.  Laura and I interrupted a meeting at his office to give him a card and gift.  Laura, with characteristic boldness, opened the office door and said: “I don’t know what is going on in here but it can’t be as important as celebrating a birthday!”

Steve came out, laughing, and said something profound. “You know, God called us to be his children, not adults.”

We all laughed, but I walked away from there thinking about Steve’s comment.

 

Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them.  Then he said, “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.                                                                                                                   Matt 18:2-3

But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.                             John 1:10-12

 

You have read many articles in this newsletter about growing spiritually, reaching maturity, and fulfilling your purpose in the kingdom of God.  But there is something to what Steve said regarding our relationship to God as His Children.

When I am walking with my children, and we see a place where there is a lot of mud that we may have to walk through, their first reaction is “Oh boy, let’s have some fun and get muddy” while I think “Let’s not get our clothes dirty.”

Often when we are in Nicaragua at the local swimming hole, where there are trees and rocks to jump off, Luk, Mik, and even Arielle and Moselle are so excited to see what sort of gymnastics they can do before they hit the water.  My thought is first “We are a long way from an emergency room.”  They think of the fun, I think of the potential problems. When it comes time for a trip to somewhere, my children are eager to go see friends, and enjoy the experience.  I often think of the time it takes to get there, and the expense involved, as well as the things that I have to do when I get back.

They think as children, and I as an adult, which is natural.  

I see this also happening in my spiritual life.

When I first go involved with the Miskito Indians over 20 years ago, we had to move a 37,000 container of relief supplies to one of the most remote spots on the planet. Since I had not done this before, my attitude was: “God will take care of this.”  He did, and in a very spectacular manner. If you would like to read this incredible story, Click here: Signs Along The Way

 When Augusto Vicente came to ask us in 1985 to help him begin a school for refugee children, we supplied him with school materials, and the following year Sharon Washburn arrived from Washington to help us train teachers and begin a really effective primary education project.  Again, God moved in a very incredible manner.

I was a “child” in those days.  I didn’t know what it would really take to get a project of this nature off the ground and running.  I had child like faith that God would provide all that we needed to move cargo, and educate children in a very isolated corner of the hemisphere.  Today, I am more of an “adult”.  I know now what it actually takes to make these things happen, and the cost in time, sweat, finances, and emotions.  When I think about starting another school project, or any massive undertaking, I am more an “adult” in my thinking.  That can be good and bad.  I hesitate and think of all the obstacles to overcome, and the personal cost.  That is my “adult” side.  The spiritual child in me says again: “God will take care of all the details.”

Being a child in the Kingdom of God is important when it comes to three things:

Faith

Emotions

Obedience

When I tell my children that I will provide something for them, like a computer, or a bicycle, or even food for the next meal, they accept me at my word without another thought.  I have never heard any of my children ask me: “Poppy, where are you going to get the money for that?”  They know from their life experience with me that when I make a promise like that, they will see it happen.

“We are going to Nicaragua next week kids, start packing your bags.”

“How are we going to do that Poppy?  You haven’t even repaired the ceiling in my bedroom yet from the hurricane damage?  And what about the teacher salaries for this month?  Have you paid those yet?  Do we have any money for our tickets?”

No, this conversation has never happened.  They take me at my word, and let me figure out the details.  That is a good quality for us all to have with our Heavenly Father.  When He says something is going to happen, we should start focusing on getting ready for the event.  That is life in the spiritual world.

Have you ever watched children play?  They get loud, excited, and often very emotional.  They get caught up in the games that they are playing, like nothing else exists outside of the playroom.

When I watch my children playing, often I ignore their pleas to join in, because I “have too much stuff to do”. We often come to a worship service, and spend most of the time thinking about what we just left at home or at the office, and how we are going to figure out the problems that we have.  It takes me a while to actually “get into” worship with my emotions. 

That’s because of my life experience, and my preoccupation about things in my job, family, and personal life.  Look at the meaning for some of the words in Hebrew that are translated “Praise” in the book of Psalms.  One of them is “Hallal”, which literally means to act  “clamorously foolish” when we relate to God.  David did this when the Ark was brought into Jerusalem.  His dancing was “foolish” to his wife Michal, and she was rebuked by David and eventually the Lord for her attitude.  Read the story in 2 Samuel 6:14-23. 

Are we holding back out emotions when we come before the Lord?  Are we bypassing those moments of joy with our children and friends, because we have too many other things piled high on our plate? Do we have a false sense that silence and unemotional behavior in church is reverence to the Lord? Maybe there is another, more godly way. . .

All of my children have tested me at an early age with disobedience in small things.  I watch for this, to let them know that in our family, there is order and a way things are done.  After that, I have generally seen an attitude of “Poppy said that we have to . . . “ with compliance to what I have said.  There are many exceptions to this of course, but generally the Bagby children do the things that we tell then, out of respect, trust, or maybe fear of bad consequences if they don’t.  It’s probably a combination of all three.  What is important is that I have convinced them that I know more than they do, and that I love them, and have their best interests at the center of my heart.

Jesus told his disciples right before He went to the cross:

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”  John 14:15

In essence, Jesus was saying: “If you believe that I love you, and will do anything for you, and we have a relationship of true love and respect for one another, then do the things I am tell you to do, because they are for you own good.”

When my children were all about 3, I took them all to the street by our house and showed them the big trucks and cars whizzing by. “Don’t go into the street”, I told them. “These cars will flatten you like tortillas.”  So far they have obeyed me.  Now I am trying to transfer that “trust and obey” concept to other areas like morality issues with my now teenagers.

God wants us to “trust and obey”.  He after all, created all this, and understands it better than anyone.  What a privilege we have to have Him guide us through life!

The bottom line in all this is generally children have more fun in life, they have less stress, and are more loving to us adults that we are to each other.  This is a lifestyle that I need right now as I am faced with the challenge of paying my bills, accomplishing my work load, raising my children, caring for my wife, and doing this all in a culture that is more and more against me in my moral and spiritual values.

What about you?

Michael

 

Choices

We just went through a season in our nation of making some important choices.  It is a ritual that happens once every four years, and this election was important in many ways.  The issues were very clear: the war on terrorism, sanctity of life, health care, the economy, and philosophy in which we would conduct our nation’s domestic and foreign affairs.  The candidates expressed often opposing views on each. A clear choice was evident. The American people spoke, and the result will be decisions and policies that will affect our generation and ones to follow.

Choices are important, especially in times like these.

Choose: verb; to pick out by preference from what is available;

Choice: noun; implies the right or power to choose, usually by the free exercise of one’s judgment.

The fact that we do have the ability to choose is an indication of what our Creator thinks of us.

Choices surround us, from the moment we step out of bed.  “Do I brush my teeth, do I go for my morning exercise, do I drink one cup of coffee or two?” This process continues through the day. “Will I eat a lunch that is good for me, or good for my taste buds?  Will I treat my employees with respect?  Will I do a good job for my boss?  Will I take some extra moments with my children?  Will I give some moments to the others around me?” As we crawl into bed, the sum of our day really is measured by the choices that we made.

The measure of our lives is the cumulative effect of our daily and moment-by-moment choices.

   As parents, we love to see our children make the “right” choices. What defines a “right choice”?  Think about it for a moment.  What is the element of a “choice” that makes us swell up a bit of pride and say:  “That’s my boy (girl)” ?

To me, it is when one of my daughters or son decided to do something that is good for those around him, as well as himself.  When they decide to live a life that is “Others Centered”, their decisions make me smile.

Jesus once told His disciples:

“Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.                  Matthew 7:12

Doing what is best for others is a summary of what the Mosiac Law  taught.  Interesting!  This deserves some more study! Look at the promise that God made to the Israelites in the desert right before they entered the “Promised Land”:

“If you fully obey the Lord your God by keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will exalt you above all the nations of the world. ² You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields.  You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks. You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread. You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.

The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!                              Deut 28:1-6

 

Obviously this was a promise made to a group of desert nomads over 3500 years ago, yet there are some principles here that still apply.  God says that when we model His style of being “Others Centered” in our moment –by-moment choices, then we will experience His presence and His blessing in our lives. This philosophy of living can be applied to our familial relationships, our businesses, our politics, and the ministries that we are involved in. God says that He blesses us when we make choices that are good for others.

Take a look around your neighborhood.  Dedicate your day to making choices that are good for your family, and good for your neighbors, even if these decisions cost you some personal comfort and inconvenience. 

This is the measure of God’s People:  That they are willing to be used by Him to help others.  

        MB

 

It's Not My Project!

Dawn. . . in the northern Indian Ocean onboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Lt. Mike “Bags” Bagby steps out of the elevator and onto the flight deck and strides toward an A-6 Intruder, the Navy’s $28 million all weather attack aircraft.  He is wearing 30 lbs of torso harness, anti-“G” suit, floatation vest, helmet, and assorted survival gear.  As he arrives at his assigned Intruder, he stops and smiles.  This Intruder happens to have his name painted on the pilot’s side right below the canopy rail. Yes, it was a pride thing. . .

After checking numerous hydraulic lines, electrical connections, structural elements, and even kicking the tires, he climbs up the boarding ladder, straps into the  ejection seat, and begins the pre-launch checklist, knowing that in a few minutes, his 46,000 lb. aircraft would be hurtled down a steam catapult, accelerating from 0 to 185 mph in about 2.6 seconds. . .

 

I went through this launch scene many times during my Naval career. In the early days, it was easy for me to think about a flight off the carrier deck as “me and my jet”.  I was the one zooming off, flying all the maneuvers, and landing back aboard the boat.  It was all up to me, and all about me.  If you have seen the movie “Top Gun”, you can understand this shallow mentality.  However on this particular day, I was to learn a very valuable lesson that still applies to my life, and our work in Seek The Lamb.

As I finished strapping into the seat, I realized that there was no electrical power on the aircraft.  I looked down on the deck, and motioned to one of the twelve men who were standing around “my” Intruder.  These 12 guys, who were called “Troubleshooters”, were mechanics, electricians, and technicians from our squadron, assigned to take care of any maintenance issues before the launch. They all wore different color shirts, depending on their function. At this point in my young Naval career, I really didn’t pay much attention to them, except when I needed them.

A blue shirted sailor plugged the Intruder into an “external power” source from the ship, and immediately lights came on in the cockpit. I reached down and turned on the radio to listen to the weather information. Silence!  I motioned to the green shirted radio tech and he climbed up the ladder, took a look, then opened a panel in the side of the aircraft, and began installing a new radio.

At that point, I checked my fuel gauges, and realized that this Intruder did not have a full tank of JP-4.  I motioned to the purple shirted fuel guy.  Immediately he pulled over a fuel line, connected it to the aircraft, and began fueling.  Then my bombardier/navigator informed me that our navigation system was having problems.  We motioned for another of the “Twelve”, who climbed up his ladder and began running some checks. It was then that we discovered that our radar was inoperative, and soon, one more of the green shirted “Twelve” began making repairs up front.

Finally these problems were corrected, and we were ready to start the engines.  I gave the signal to start the air “huffer”, which turned the engines, and nothing happened.  A value in the port engine was stuck closed.  Two mechanics immediately had the side of the engine compartment open, and fixed the problem.  However as soon as the engine fired up and the hydraulic pumps began working, red fluid began squirting out from under the port wing. Two hydraulic techs motioned me to kill the engine, and they went to work replacing a fitting.  In a few minutes, they were finished, and we started both engines without further incidents.

Following the signals of a yellow shirted taxi director, we moved the Intruder to the catapult. As the catapult officer gave me the signal to go to full power, I noticed all Twelve of the troubleshooters standing off to the side, visually making a final check of my jet.  It was then that I realized each one of those twelve had been vigorously involved with me and “my jet” to get it ready for launch. That’s when it dawned on me:  They considered this Intruder “their” jet.

I went to full power, checked the aircraft systems one more time, and gave a snappy salute to the catapult officer, indicating that we were ready to launch.  In less than a few seconds, the steam catapult fired, and we were airborne and climbing out.

However something was different as we ascended through the humid Indian Ocean sky on this day.  I wasn’t alone anymore.  Besides my bombardier/navigator, there were twelve other men who were flying with us that morning.  They had been the ones actually responsible for getting the Intruder off the deck of the Enterprise.  I was just along for the ride.  I suddenly was struck with the importance of teamwork in getting the mission of that day accomplished.  It wasn’t about “me and my jet” any more.  It was about appreciating the collective efforts that made that Intruder fly.

 

   Twenty Five Years ago, I left on a two-week trip to take relief supplies to Miskito Indian refugees from the Sandinista war in Nicaragua.  Over the next years, I witnessed medical teams coming to help the sick and dying; teachers coming to train other teachers and establish schools, pastors coming to make disciples and train church leaders, and builders arriving to construct schools, houses, airplane hangers, and clinics.  Others who couldn’t come instead sent money to buy school supplies, food, medicines, and pay teachers.  I can safely say that in those early years, it was the efforts of many that caused thousands of Miskito Indian refugees to be helped, encouraged, healed, educated, and lead to Christ. There was a common attitude that I picked up from most of them:  This was their project. It hasn’t changed. 

   The Discipleship project that is happening each day in Nicaragua is not “Mike and Laura’s Project”.  We are simply playing our parts in teaching, administrating, fund raising, and just being there to encourage our Miskito brothers and sisters in their work.  Much of the real work is done by many of you.  It is truly a team effort. Nothing happens without your prayers; very little happens without your financial gifts.  Prayers and Financial gifts are the fuel that gets “this aircraft off the deck.” 

    Paul told his friends in Corinth:

 

   Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.                                                                         1 Cor 12:27

The key words here are “Together” and “Necessary”.   Here’s why:

 

-If Truman and our staff of 84 teachers and administrators decide not to do their jobs, and

-If we decide not to make any more Rio Coco Bead jewelry, not to send out newsletters, not to send any more money to Nicaragua, and not go there ourselves on a regular basis, and

-If you decide not to pray for our teachers and students, and decide to not send your financial gifts,

-Then the project will slowly diminish, teachers will become impoverished, students will not receive their academic and Bible lessons, schools will soon close, and the demonic forces which have ruled the Rio Coco for so long will fill the spiritual void...

But on the other hand:

 

-If Truman, Danilo, Augusto, Onofre, and our many school teachers show up for work every day, prepared for their classes, and;

-If our office staff does our administration job with diligence and vision, and;

-If You take the time to pray for the specific prayer needs included in each newsletter and support your sponsored children, missionaries, discipleship programs and building projects with your financial gifts;

-Then Together We Are Making Disciples, and experiencing an incredible adventure with God that we will later be reminded of as we stand before Him on that Final Day.

It is a Team Effort.  We must all play our part for God’s plan to happen, lives to be touched, and individual destinies changed.  It’s amazing to see how God has planned for us all to work together with Him to accomplish something of eternal value.

We appreciate all of you who consider this“Our Project” and are personally involved through your prayers, gifts, and words of encouragement.  We know that it does not happen without you. MB l

 

A Key To Working A Miracles

Miracles?  Yes, we all want to see them. After all, if Christianity is real, and we can believe the accounts of the lives of Jesus and His Disciples in the Bible, then we should all be experiencing His miraculous power in our lives.

It is interesting to see how Jesus performed miracles as we read the Scriptures, and the circumstances surrounding these miracles.  Let’s take a look at a few.  Mark records that:

 

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “You are willing, You can make me clean.”

^ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ^ As soon as He had spoken, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. ^                        Mark 1:40-42

 

There were many lepers during the time of Jesus.  What prompted Jesus to heal this one?

“Then Jesus moved with compassion. . .”

 

Matthew records that once:

 

^Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  Matthew 14:14

 

Again we see this word compassion, which in the Greek is the word splanchnizomai, which literally means:  to be moved as to one’s bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity), and to feel compassion for, have pity on, have one’s heart go out to someone.

We find this word again in Luke 7:13:

 

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. ^ And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. ^ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ^ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “man, I say to you, .” ^ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He took him to his mother.          Luke 7:11-15

 

There are more times when Jesus was moved “with compassion” and reached out to rectify the situation. Compassion seems always to lead to miracles.

We see another use of this word in a situation where Jesus’ authority was being challenged.  It is a familiar story that bears reading:

 

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

 

So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37 (NKJV)

 

What is the key for us to be able to “love our neighbor as ourselves” according to Jesus?

The Levite and priest passed this wounded man by.  They were in a hurry to get up to the Temple in Jerusalem so that they could perform their priestly functions and “worship God”. The reality is that if they touch this man’s blood, they would have to endure a multi-day ceremonial cleansing.  Their duties at the Temple were just too important for that.

However the Samaritan, considered to be at the bottom of Hebrew society, as they were not “pure blooded” Jews, felt compassion, and this moved him to stop, and care for the wounded man.

As we look around us, what prompts us to step outside our comfort zone and reach out to those in need?  Sometimes it is simply knowing that it is the right thing to do.  After all, love is more an act of will rather than an emotion. But more often than not, it is when our heart is moved with compassion for that person and their problems that we stop, and get involved.

You have probably heard it said that

“Availability is your greatest asset for effective ministry.”

That is true, but availability is often dependant on this key element, compassion.

A dear friend of mine recently said before his congregation:

“Compassion is your greatest asset when it comes to ministry.”

                                                                                        Pastor Buddy Tipton

He’s right.  Compassion is the driving force for miraculous changes in our world.  When we are moved by compassion, then God begins to move through us in force, and that person’s world is changed. 

When we do it enough, and compassion becomes one of our noticeable qualities, then many in our world will take notice, and be drawn to the source of love for one another.

Lord, fill us with your compassion for the lost, the needy, the sick, and downtrodden.  Use us to make a difference in their lives.  Let our compassion flow, as your’s flows through us, to change our world, and bring many who are lost into your family.   Amen

 

Peace On Earth

By Michael Bagby

¹At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ²(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³All returned to their own towns to register for this census. ⁴And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

⁶And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

⁸That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, ¹⁰but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! ¹¹The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹²And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”

¹³Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God:

¹⁴          “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and peace on earth to all whom God favors.

Luke 2:1-14

In John 14:27, Jesus says:

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. ^Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

What peace does the world give you?

Security in your possessions?  In a stable political environment? 

In comfortable surroundings?

What sort of peace does Jesus give us?

Paul once wrote to his friends in Philippi:

How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. But even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.                                                                                                                                               Phil 4:10-14

Look at Paul’s peaceful Life:

Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not.  I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.                                                          2 Corinthians 11:24-27

Peace in the Greek is:

eirene  /i·ray·nay/] n f. the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is. Similar to the Hebrew word Shalom.

We find it in a very familiar story in the book of Judges: Judges 6:11-24 (NLT)

Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the oak tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash had been threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. ¹² The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

¹³ “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

¹⁴ Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

¹⁵ “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

¹⁶ The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

¹⁷ Gideon replied, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me. ¹⁸ Don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.”

The Lord answered, “I will stay here until you return.”

¹⁹ Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with half a bushel of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the oak tree.

²⁰ The angel of God said to him, “Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.” And Gideon did as he was told. ²¹ Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and bread with the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.

²² When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”

²³ “It is all right,” the Lord replied. “Do not be afraid. You will not die.” ²⁴ And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it “The Lord Is Peace.” The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.

Why did Gideon call God the  “Yahweh Shalom”?

What did he know that gave him that realization?

Let’s look at the Biblical meaning of this word Shalom:

Shalom= "the harmony of relationship that comes from reconciliation of a debt, the state of things returned to what they were intended to be from the uncomfortable position of being out of harmony and place."

A form of the word is used in modern Hebrew for the settling of a bill after a meal ("tash'lomim" is a bill).

Another form is the offering in Leviticus 3 (the "Shelmim" offering) which was given as a special thanks to God when a baby was born or some other incredible gift was given by God to you. It was an acknowledgement that a debt of gratitude was owed.

Shalom is translated “Peace” 170 times.

Shalom expresses the deepest need and desire of the human heart..

It means a sense of contentment, a freedom from guilt, and a satisfaction with life itself. 

There is of course a requirement.  It means that we must have a pure heart before God, and live in obedience with his Word and His Plan.

Shalom is translated in a variety of ways to help us see the fullness of the word:

1) Deut 27:6

“You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of uncut (literally “whole”) stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God;”   Deut 27:6

The term is evenim (even-eem) shelmot (shell-mote): "whole stones".

SHALOM:  "in the state of completion that was intended by God".

God's command was that stones were to be left in their completed state to be used in the altar, not trimmed by the hands of men.

When God appropriated the title "Shalom" to Himself, He showed Himself as the One that restores people and things to their original intention!

2)  Daniel 5:26 uses the term shalom as "finished"  or "put an end to" (in NAS).

“This is the interpretation of the ^message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it.                                             Daniel 5:26

God was about to put an end to the King Belshazzar's kingdom in the dramatic "finger on the wall" prophecy. The term "put an end to" is the term is Shalom.

Shalom:  the sense that God would "right what is wrong" and be the "Restorer of the right". 

It is like God "righting" a vessel that has overturned.

3)  To Abraham in Gen 15:

“As for you, ^you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. “Then in ^the fourth generation they will return here, for ^the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”                                                         Gen 15:15-16

There is also a timing sense to God's "Shaloming" of things.

Gen. 15:15-16 promised Abram that he would die in peace after a long and good life. He used the word "shalom".

Shalom: prosperity, with the focus on material abundance, implying an ease of life and contentment, with the focus on the attitudes and emotions of a person tranquility,  peace of mind, peacefulness,

In verse 16, in contrast, God used the term shalom for the Amorites. He said their sin is not "yet full" (KJV), which is again the term shalom. The play on words meant that God was not yet ready to pull the plug on them because it was too soon for their sin to equal their punishment.

Shalom:  God patiently and judicially measures the time when the wicked have sufficiently "earned" destruction.

This seems harsh, but it teaches something about Jehovah Shalom.

He is uniquely qualified to right things in the perfect time, for He knows the measure of things.

I find this to be an incredible encouragement to those who are being persecuted and God seems to be allowing the evil to continue for a time.

4) A final dimension of the word shalom is found in the declarative laws of Exodus 21: 34.

“If a man opens a pit, or ^digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall ^give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.        Ex 21:34

The law is concerning a man that opens a pit and another man's ox falls in. God says the man who opened the pit must "make good" on the loss (the term shalom!)

Shalom: not only the word for restoration, it is uniquely invested in restoring the GOOD thing that was lost.

There is a redemption side to the word shalom.

Specifically, in the Gideon story - how do we apply this title of God?

God was saying that:

1)   He will restore the original intent of the land (returning the blessing to Israel that had been stolen away by the enemy);

2)  He alone would time the events and "pull the plug on the Midianites" according to the time of His plan;

3) He would redeem the land (buy it back) for Israel through the hands of Gideon and those obedient to Him.

Can we relate to any of Gideon’s circumstances?

Can we grab on to any of these principles and apply them to our own lives?

What things keep us from having Peace as God intends for us to have it?

1)  We want to remain in control

Jerry - Michelle story

2)  We have not submitted areas of our lives to Him

Paul says in Eph 1:13 “you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance”,

3)   Our lives are lived in fear

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you. Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that Christians all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.                               1 Peter 5:6-9   

Dean Sherman, a noted Spiritual Warfare teacher with Youth With A Mission, points out that Peter addresses two potential “handles” that satan could use to pull you away from God in this passage. 

First there is the big sin – Pride.  Pride is not needing God in your life, not submitting all areas to him. 

Pride is indeed a bright bold neon sign inviting the enemy to come into your life!

Fear is another “handle.”  Are you believing God and His promises to you, or are you ignoring them and buying into lies the enemy is telling you? 

Fear is disbelief.  Not believing God is calling Him a liar.  That’s sin, and a big handle to turn you away from God!  That’s why Peter says to “give all your worries and cares to God.”

Pride and Fear are great robbers of Shalom!

4)   We don’t understand when problems occur

My Mom’s sickness

5)  We live in the past and future and not in the present

The past:  Bitterness and Unreal Expectations

And don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.                                                                                                                                     Ephesians  4:26-27

The future:

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind               

Ecclesiastes 6:9

The present:

It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work—whatever they do under the sun—for however long God lets them live. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy.                                                              Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Jesus said

“So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing.  Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs,  and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.                                                               

Mathew 5:31-34

6)  We are not in relationship with God

The ostrich with his head in the sand is at peace, even when the charging rhinoceros is approaching!

Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.                                                                                                                                                                                          Ecclesiastes 12:13

How do we cultivate peace in our lives?

Cultivate?  Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in or lives.

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   

Gal 5:22-23

1)  Enter into a personal relationship with God. 

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. ⁵ And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.                                                                                    Romans 5:1-5

2)  Submit all areas of our lives to God and Trust Him to handle all the situations in our lives

My son, ^do not forget my ^teaching,

But let your heart ^keep my commandments;

For length of days and years of life

And peace they will add to you.

Do not let ^kindness and truth leave you;

^Bind them around your neck,

^Write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will ^find favor and good ^repute

In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And ^do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways ^acknowledge Him,

And He will ^make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be ^healing to your ^body

And ^refreshment to your bones.   Proverbs 3:1-8

3)  Understand your calling in life, and flow with God’s plans and purposes for your life

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Eph 2:10

Parable of the Talents                          Matthew 25

5 bags, 2 bags, 1 bag

And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done.                                                                                                                                        Rev 20:11

The Serenity Prayer

By Reihold Neibor

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.                     

Living one day at a time

Enjoying one moment at a time

Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace

Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is not as I would have it

Trusting that You God will make all things right if I surrender to Your will

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with you forever with You in the next

Amen.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  He brings to us

Restoration, - in restoring the GOOD things that was lost.

He “rights what is wrong" and is the "Restorer of the right". 

He patiently and judicially measures the time when the wicked have sufficiently "earned" destruction.

He brings us: peace of mind, peacefulness, with the focus on the attitudes and emotions of a person tranquility, 

He also brings us prosperity, with the focus on material abundance, implying an ease of life and contentment,

Peace - SHALOM:  "in the state of completion that was intended by God".

Now this is something to celebrate!

Please click here to return to "Bags Full" home page.

Keeping Our Cisterns Clean

By Michael Bagby

 

We spent a few days this past month in the Negev Desert, in the southern part of Israel. We were near the Red Sea, in a very remote spot, for a time of reflection after a busy two months of travel and study. We trekked for three days in the Negev with five camels and nine friends along with our guides Shaiya and Yael. The desert is a good place to go to listen to God. There is an absence of modern noise, and life gets down to the basics. It’s just you, your camel, the rocks and sand, and God’s creation. We slept under the stars, made bread, cooked over an open fire, and even had a wolf invade our camp one night and carry off three bags.

One of the places we stopped was a waterfall.

Yes, it does rain in the Negev- about an inch a year on the average. Some years it rains more, and when it does, rivers form in the wadis. This particular wadi (riverbed), called the Wadi Isaron, has a 150 foot drop- to a natural pool/cistern below. We were at this same “waterfall” in September a few years ago, and there was water below in the pool. This time in March, at the end of the rainy season, the cistern was dry. I asked our guide why, and he gave me an explanation that has deep spiritual significance.

 Shaiya told me that the annual evaporation rate in the desert is 4.5 meters or about 14 feet a year. That means that if you have a standing pool of water 14 feet deep, after a year of no rainfall, all the water will naturally evaporate and the pool will be empty. The Bedouins, the desert people of Israel, know this, and they annually would come to this pool, and clean it out, removing all the rocks and sand, which can naturally fill it, so that it’s depth would be at least 5 to 8 meters (16-25 feet deep). This way, when it did rain, and the river formed, and the waterfall suddenly came to life, water would fill the cistern, and there would be water all year in the pool.

The Bedouins could then count on having a secure place to come for water. This is a very important factor in desert life. The key is keeping the cistern clean. If you didn’t, the pool would become shallow due to sand and rock filling it, and even though the pool would be filled during the rain time, water would quickly evaporate. After a few months, the pool would be dry.

Shaiya explained that a Bedouin family who lived to the east in Moab would cross into Israel each year and clean this pool, so that they would have a secure place of water in their yearly grazing and wanderings. Due to the political problems, and closed borders, this tribe had not come to the pool for the past few years, and the pool/cistern had filled with sand and rocks.

 

Even though there had been plenty of rain, there was no place to “catch and hold” the water.

As I thought about this, suddenly I realized a spiritual principle.

God has made me to be a “container”.

But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand. Is 64:8 NAS

He wants to continually fill our container with His Holy Spirit.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, Eph 5:18

However, often my “container” gets filled with other things.

What things? Me, My Desires, Things that the world system tells me I should be doing or desiring, Distractions, Emotions that have nothing to do with God, Schedules filled with activities that have no spiritual significance; Many things actually fill my “container”. Think about what things will naturally fill your container. Simply turn on a television, or go to the internet, and watch how suddenly your “container” gets filled with “junk”. The result is that there is little room for the Holy Spirit in my container. Even when I do get a “filling” at church, or in a private worship or prayer time, or through a rich reading of the Word time, my cistern is so crowded with other “stuff”, that I don’t get enough to last me. It naturally evaporates over the next few days, and once again I find myself dry and thirsty, looking for refreshment.

The Bedouins knew that if they kept their cisterns clean, there would always be water there to refresh then, even during the driest times.

There is a lesson here for me, which I meditated on during the next few days as we walked around the Negev. I determined that I would keep my spiritual cistern, my “vessel”, clean, and always have more than what would naturally evaporate.

Then I got on the airliner for the flight back to Florida. After a 30-hour journey with literally two days of no sleep, I was so tired that my spiritual disciplines evaporated. My schedule began to fill up with meetings and household chores. I found myself reacting to situations with strong emotions, taking offense needlessly. I caught myself watching mindless History Channel programs late at night (since I was still on Israel time). I began eating junk food robotically. Suddenly I realized that my cistern was full of “stuff”. There was little room for the Holy Spirit.

This week, I determined to clean out my cistern. I got to bed at decent hours. I began eating healthy. I dedicated time daily for reading the Word, and praying. I sat and talked with my children, and my beautiful wife. I was more focused on hearing God speak.

Keeping the cistern clean is a life long task. It’s like cutting grass in the lawn- you have to do it on a regular basis. Often I don’t, and that’s when there are problems. It’s essential that we Children of God keep our vessels clean, so that He may fill them up to overflowing. If that happens, then there is a lot of Spiritual Fruit in our lives, because we have an abundant amount of the Holy Spirit with us, even in those troubled moments.

We don’t react according to our human nature to circumstances, but continue to walk through life as God intends us to by loving Him, and those He places around us.

Paul gave an example of this principle of “keeping the vessel clean” to his friends in Thessalonica when he wrote:

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 2For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 1 Thess 4:1-4

This was in regard to sexual issues, but the principle applies across the board with all our “issues”. “Keep your vessel clean!” said Paul. God wants to use you today to touch someone who is in need of His Love.

Are our cisterns fill of sand and rocks? Do we have enough “water” to get us through even the driest times?  Maybe its time to clean these important storages places out.

Please click here to return to "Bags Full" Home Page.

Another View of the Beatitudes

By Michael Bagby

In Matthew Five, Six, and Seven, we find some of Jesus' most profound teaching, especially a section in Chapter Five we call "The Beatitudes"

¹When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.                                                                                                                                                                                     Matthew 5:1-9

Many view this passage as an idealistic view of what disciples should be, with a feeling of  “I could never become that.”  However, there are a few keywords in the original Greek language that help us understand the passage as Jesus’ audience received it. These keywords build upon each other and must be viewed in a “progressive” sense.

The word “Blessed” is “makarioi”, which is a poetic word that gives a sense of a “transcendent happiness of a life beyond care, labour and death” (The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) and indicates qualities of God. This word refers to the joy that is experienced by having a relationship with God and inclusion in His Kingdom.

“Poor in Spirit” is “ptochoes” which refers to a helpless person, who has no physical resources, and is unable to help himself. This is the first step in “Blessedness”.

“Those Who Mourn” is “hoi penthoutes” which in this context means to lament and have sorrow for one’s sins as well as the sins of others.

“Gentle” is “prautes”, which according to Aristotle, is the position between getting angry without reason, and not getting angry at all. In this context, prautes means “having anger at sin”.  One who is physically and spiritually bankrupt, and who has suffered the consequences of sin, and who mourns the effect of sin on his life and the lives of those around him, becomes angry at sin.

“Hunger and Thirst” is “peinao” and “dipsao”, and according to Strong’s Lexicon means to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire and those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened, which in this case is dikaiosyne or Righteousness. Strong’s defines dikaiosyne as integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting.

Merciful is eleēmōn, which translates kindness and goodwill toward those afflicted by sin, and indicates a desire to help. This is the attitude of one who has personally felt the affects of sin, is sorry for it, has become angered by it, and is now living his life in an active personal campaign against it.  “Eleos” (mercy) allows Christians to have compassion on the sinful, unsaved people around them, with a willingness to help them.  It is the heart of a missionary.

Pure of Heart is “katharos  kardia”, and indicates a purification by fire or the condition of a vine that has been pruned and is ready to bear fruit.  It is the result of this process of recognizing one’s own spiritual helplessness, and the sorrow for sin and anger at the effects of sin, combined with the desire to live a righteous life and having compassion for those caught up in sin.

“Peacemakers” (eirēnopoios) are not just those who stop fights, but rather those who bring the peace of God that they have experienced to those around who have yet to receive it.

  Understanding these characteristics of disciples in the context of the original language gives us a more realistic view of our own experience with God, as He opens our eyes to our own process of having God’s character become our character.

Let's face it: This does describe the man and woman who has taken a realistic look at themselves and seen Jesus for who He is.

Please click here to return to "Bags Full" Home Page.