Do you crave God’s Word? Why or why not? Dr. John MacArthur writes: “Babies crave milk, and only milk. Parents care about the color of the blanket, the pattern of the curtains, the decorations in and around the crib, and the way the child is dressed. The baby doesn’t care about any of that. Babies don’t scream because they’re offended by the color of their pajamas. They scream because they want milk. The only thing that matters to them is milk—from the moment they’re born, that’s their only priority. It’s amazing that everything about a baby is so wonderfully soft and cuddly and inviting—except for their voices. A baby’s scream can be piercing and horrific. It’s almost completely alien to everything else about the baby; such an awful sound shouldn’t come out of that adorable mouth. But it’s necessarily so—those irritating screams are designed to ensure that we don’t forget to feed the baby. The child will scream his head off to make sure we know it is time to eat. Moreover, babies don’t care about the convenience of their needs or how they fit into the rest of our plans. There is no negotiation—until his needs are met, that baby is going to let us hear it. That is the imagery the apostle Peter uses to describe how believers should hunger for God’s Word: “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). Do we have that singular craving for the truth of Scripture? Do we get to the place, like Job, where we desire God’s Word more than our necessary food (Job 23:12)? It would be hard for most people to think of anything they desired that strongly—especially in our culture of instant gratification. Nearly anything we want is never more than a few dollars, a short drive, or a couple mouse clicks away. But the helpless hunger Peter describes isn’t satisfied so quickly. Making Sense of the Metaphor There is no mistaking the apostle’s intention here; the term artigenn?ta breph? refers to a suckling infant in the first moments after his birth. This isn’t just any nursing baby—Peter is reaching all the way back to the moments just after a child emerges from his mother’s womb, and the immediacy and intensity of his hunger. The moment that baby is born, he cries for his mother to provide the pure, uncontaminated milk he desperately needs. That milk is vital to the baby’s survival, providing both nourishment and antibodies to protect and sustain his little life. It’s important that we don’t confuse the point of Peter’s metaphor with others in Scripture. He is not merely talking about newborn babies in Christ—this isn’t limited to new believers. All Christians, regardless of their spiritual maturity, need to cultivate a singular craving for God’s truth. Likewise, Peter is not talking about the milk of the Word versus the meat (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12–14). That’s a separate metaphor used by other authors to illustrate a different point. Here, Peter is simply exhorting his readers to hunger for the whole Word of God. We ought to be thankful for such a clear, graphic analogy. A newborn baby longs for his mother’s milk because he cannot survive without it. And in God’s design, various mechanisms go off in that precious little baby to create agitation and irritation when his primary need is not met. This is not just a mild hunger—it’s a critical, all-consuming need. This is a hunger that should be apparent in the life of every believer. However, many Christians have instead cultivated an appetite for spiritual junk food. They prefer shallow sermons, feel-good stories, worldly entertainment, emotional experiences, and sensory overload to clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching. Many in the church have cut themselves off from the source of true spiritual food, choosing instead to perpetually languish in an unhealthy, underdeveloped state. Others are simply starving. My heart goes out to those true believers who can’t find a reliable church that provides real spiritual food. I hear from people in that situation all the time. They’re committed to their local church, but they’re not being faithfully fed. They have to survive with weak teaching, scrounging for morsels instead of feasting on the riches of God’s Word. And in that malnourished state, they develop deficient immune systems, succumbing to heresies and errors they would otherwise know to avoid. That’s the cost of weak preaching and weak pastors—they leave the people under them exposed and vulnerable to lies that wouldn’t afflict stronger believers. Today, too many pulpits are occupied by hirelings who don’t know the first thing about how to feed their flocks—they’re either incapable of feeding God’s sheep or unwilling to do so. My prayer is that believers caught in such situations would find faithful ministries to help supplement the spiritual sustenance they require from God’s Word. The Only True Source of Spiritual Sustenance Ultimately, Peter wants his readers to understand their dependence on the truth and develop a proper hunger for it in light of that consuming need. There is no alternate supply of spiritual nourishment. We don’t have the luxury of options—there is no buffet table or smorgasbord. In a world full of corrupting influences and contaminating ideas, there is only one source of the pure spiritual milk we require: Scripture. And while Peter is commanding us to have that kind of longing for the Word, the longing itself is not the product of external forces or legalistic fears. Nor should our hunger for the truth be a function of begrudging religious duty. It is to rise out of our hearts because of our profound need for it, the way the cries of hunger rise out of a baby’s need. There should be such a compelling discontent that we cry out for divine truth as the food for our souls. That’s far from the conversations some Christians have from week to week as they try to locate their Bibles in time for church, or debate whether they should bother going at all. Such attitudes deprive believers of their spiritual sustenance and stifle their usefulness and joy. Sanctification doesn’t happen by osmosis. We can’t starve ourselves spiritually and still expect to grow in the likeness of Christ. All the facets of Scripture—all its rich benefits and blessings—are not available to those who fail to open it and study. Others do want to see the Word at work in their lives. They simply need someone to point them in the right direction, to show them how to cultivate such a longing for and ability to understand the truth, and to spur them on to pursue the riches found only in God’s Word. For believers like that, Peter offers good help. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he lays out the critical components for developing a deep hunger and desire for the Word of God. And we’ll consider each of them in the days ahead.” Adapted from Final Word. www.gty.org .

How do you know if your “first love” for Jesus is fading? Here are a few significant indicators that your love for Jesus may be waning, and an encouragement to fuel the fire of your love for Him. You can go hours or days without having more than a passing thought of Him. You don’t have a strong desire to spend time with Him. You don’t have a strong hunger for the Word; Bible reading is a “chore”—something to mark off your “to do” list. Spending time in prayer is a burden/duty rather than a delight. Your worship is formal, dry, lifeless, merely going through the motions. Private prayer and worship are almost non-existent . . . cold and dry. You are more concerned about physical health, well-being, and comfort than about the well-being and condition of your soul. You crave physical food while having little appetite for spiritual food. You crave human companionship more than a relationship with Christ. You spend more time and effort on your physical appearance than on cultivating inner spiritual beauty to please Christ. Your heart toward Christ is cold and indifferent, not tender as it once was, not easily moved by the Word, talk of spiritual things, etc. Christianity is more of a checklist than a relationship with Christ. You measure spirituality (yours/others’) by performance rather than the condition of the heart. Christianity is defined more what by what you “do” than who you “are” (“doing” vs. “being”). Your obedience and service are motivated and fueled by expectations of others or a desire to impress others, more than by passion for Christ. You are more concerned about what others think and pleasing them than about what God knows and pleasing Christ. Your service for Christ and others is motivated by a sense of duty or obligation. You find yourself becoming resentful over the hardships and demands of serving Christ and others. You can talk with others about kids, marriage, weather, and the news but struggle to talk about the Lord and spiritual matters. You have a hard time coming up with something fresh to share in a testimony service at church or when someone asks, “What’s God been doing in your life?” You are formal, rigid, and uptight about spiritual things rather than joyful and winsome. You are critical or harsh toward those who are doctrinally off-base or living in sin. You enjoy secular songs, movies, and books more than songs or reading material that point you to Christ. You prefer the company of people who don’t love Christ to the company and fellowship of those who do. You are more interested in recreation, entertainment, and having “fun” than in cultivating intimacy with Christ through worship, prayer, the Word, and Christian fellowship. You display attitudes or are involved in activities that you know are contrary to Scripture, but you continue in them anyway. You justify “small” areas of disobedience or compromise. You have been drawn back into sin habits that you put off when you were a young believer. “Little” things that used to disturb your conscience no longer do. You are slow to respond to conviction over sin—or you ignore it altogether. You enjoy certain sins and want to hang onto them. You are unwilling to give them up for Christ. You are not grieved by sin—it’s no big deal to you. You are consistently allured by certain sins. You are self-righteous—more concerned about sin in others’ lives than in your own. You are more concerned about having the right position than the right disposition. You tend to hold tightly to money and things rather than being quick to give to meet the needs of others. You rarely give sacrificially to the Lord’s work. You rarely have a desire or burden to give when you hear of legitimate financial needs within the body, your church, or a ministry. Accumulating and maintaining material “things” consumes more time and effort on your part than seeking after and cultivating spiritual riches. You have broken relationships with other believers that you are unwilling or have not attempted to reconcile. reviveourhearts.com . Used by permission.

Every few days my youngest daughter, Whitney comes to me with a series of written questions about the Bible. We review the passages together, discuss her understanding of the issues being presented, and then I share with her my interpretation of the events in the narrative. Something that takes place regularly has me thinking about our culture. You see, there are things she is asking about in the Gospels that from my perspective are very self-explanatory. They should be easy to understand. But when she brings me her questions it is apparent to me that she does not understand some of what she is reading. This was bewildering at first because Whitney is no idiot, not by a long shot. She is a bright, intelligent, creative, and observant person. Very often she gets the best of me. So when she has difficulty understanding what I think are simple passages of scripture I scratch my head and wonder what’s going on. Especially when I consider her background. She grew up in a Christian home, but not just any Christian home, she’s grown up in a missionary’s home. She took schooling that taught the Bible. She’s heard her father teach and once in a while fill a pulpit for a morning. So what’s the problem? As we went through today’s questions it hit me: She’s not in a Christian culture. This is not to be critical of my daughter. Everything I’ve praised about her is true. But what I’ve learned is that just because she grew up the way she did doesn’t necessarily mean she will understand the scripture in its fulness at her current level of spiritual growth. First, I have to keep in mind that I’ve been in the scriptures for 30 years, but my daughter has not. She may be a smart adult but she’s not seasoned in the scriptures at my level. This means I must accommodate myself to her understanding. I don’t know everything but I certainly know more than my daughters do, who are young in Christ compared to me or my wife. What to me is basic is instead more advanced to someone else who hasn’t known Jesus very long. I have to keep this in mind. I encountered this with another friend I was helping to disciple. She was a very bright student, but when it came to the basics her interpretations were sometimes way off. Second, when reading the New Testament a recent or young believer in Christ will often not understand the context of what he or she is reading because the Bible was written in an ancient, foreign culture. Some of the references in the New Testament require a good understanding of the Old Testament. Jesus didn’t appear in a vacuum. He came to a people entrenched in a culture that was formed by the Mosaic Law and the Prophets. The Old Testament isn’t her strong suit (yet), so many of the New Testament references go past her. This isn’t sin or bad, it’s just a matter of familiarizing oneself with the scripture and that takes time. When I say that she’s not in a Christian culture I mean that she doesn’t yet have all of the knowledge she needs to self-interpret most of scripture. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with her. It simply means that she’s in a learning process just as any student would be learning any subject. Third, like anyone from any culture, Whitney is naturally interpreting scripture through the lens of the culture she is most familiar with. In other words, she filters everything through a set of preconceived notions that guide her understanding. We all have these filters. The problem is that the Bible was not written using our set of modern 21st century filters. Its text is ancient. Don’t misunderstand me, I do not mean to say that scripture is not applicable for us today. In fact, the scripture is wholly applicable to our lives, but we have to appropriate it in a way that addresses our modern issues without misunderstanding its ancient meaning. That takes time. Sometimes it takes a long time. Now let me apply my discovery to our Christian practices today. When we discuss the scripture or contemporary issues in light of the Bible there are some assumptions we should put aside and replace them with new insight. (1) When discussing the scripture with someone who knows little or nothing about Christian things we must accommodate their level of understanding by speaking in a way which helps them to identify with the Bible at a practical level. This does not mean that people are dumb. It simply means that they are coming to the Bible as something new in their lives and therefore it takes time to help disciple them to a level where they can get the meaning by themselves. (2) We can discuss scripture using “Christianese” but some of our meaning will be lost. Take time to describe things in a more neutral or simple fashion and let your hearer put things together in his or her own time. Eventually he or she will grasp what they need to know. They don’t need to know it all, they just need what they need for the need of the moment. Then, slowly, move on from there. (3) Try your best not to assume that the references you are using, even from the scripture, are automatically understood by your hearer. Here’s a quick example: What does it mean for a person to be redeemed? Do we mean that a person’s mistaken actions can be turned into something good? Do we mean that a person makes a payment to purchase something? Do we mean that there is an exchange of value to buy a slave? Do we mean that a widow is to be acquired by her brother-in-law as a wife? Is the New Testament concept of redemption related to any of these or does it mean something else? Don’t assume your hearer will automatically understand without taking the time to unpack the meaning for him or her. The New Testament, and especially the Gospels, use terms that only have their proper meaning by understanding their roots in the Old Testament. Take time to explain, but don’t overdo it. There is so much richness in the scripture that a person can sometimes be overwhelmed. We are no longer in a Christian culture. Many of the things we might say as Christians are foreign concepts to our hearers. Learning how to accommodate ourselves to our audience is an important part of fulfilling our mission to make disciples. Just as someone was patient and accommodating with you, return the favor to the ones you are helping. It may take time, but they will understand, and learn, and grow to become all that God intends for them to be. guywithabible.com Used by permission.

There was a man who started on a life journey only to see it come crashing down as he exited in failure. What was a hopeful beginning ended in bitter defeat…but that wasn’t the final word! Have you been there? Are you there right now? Can you relate to failure in life? His story began in the early 18th Century on a ship headed to America to bring Christ to the Native Americans. There was much fanfare and excitement for this young man as he was embarking on his long and arduous trek to new lands. But, his journey upon the ocean was not a joy ride. Rather, the tempests wailed as they made their way across the Atlantic and rocked this young man’s faith to the core. However, at one point during the awful storm he witnessed a group of missionaries sitting in peace as the wind blew and the waves roared around them. He never forgot that moment. Their ship did make it to shore and life in this new outpost began. Upon settling into his first pastorate, a young lady caught his eye. He was smitten with love and desire. As circumstance would have it, however, she had already caught the eye of another man. Well, the days turned into weeks and the bitter thought of not having this young lady as his companion weighed too much upon his soul. Reaction was the word of the day, and he–in jealous retaliation of being rejected by her–exercised his position of leadership among the congregation and removed this young lady and her beaux from receiving the Lord’s Supper. The difficulties mounted, and he now found himself having to accept ministerial failure and a tarnished reputation as he set sail back to Great Britain. During their return voyage, they faced even more storms, and this only added to the discomfort of his spirit. At that moment, he was reminded of the unwavering faith and peace of the missionaries he had previously seen on their first journey over to America. He thought about how their faith grew stronger despite the chaos and the imposing danger. However, he couldn’t understand what it was that anchored them to their faith in the midst of such a terrifying circumstance. Finally, the ship landed safely upon the shores of Great Britain, and he was now set upon understanding what anchored those brave people in the face of death. He soon found out that those were Moravian missionaries sent to bring the Gospel of Christ to a lost world. They lived as a community and had small group time and times of Bible study to prepare them for their life’s work. This was all the young man needed to know as he made his way to their location only to spend time developing his gifts of administration and the beginning of his life work. As it turns out this man was John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. Can you relate to failure in life? Can you relate life’s circumstances and challenges? Perhaps his first failed journey is a lot like many of ours? Perhaps not yet? Failure is not if, but when. This is an unavoidable aspect of life. We cannot escape that in time we will fail. But, we often avoid trying new things, because we might fail. We often get paralyzed for fear of failure. We can even allow ourselves to think that failure defines us. What lies. What we need is biblical truth to guide us through life’s ups and downs. We need a God who sees beyond what is, and instead what could be…what will be. This journey of life is full of failures and broken roads…however…that’s not the final answer. Think about Joseph’s brothers. Think about David. Think about Peter. Think about Paul. Think about John Mark. Think about ______. “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” Romans 8:28 Amplified Are you a follower of Christ? Is God your supreme love? Then, rest in the verse above, and step out in faith. He’ll craft your failures for His glory. www.staffandstones.com . Used by permission of dbc.org.

God used a highly unlikely widow-pagan and impoverished, to richly provide for God’s prophet Elijah. Never underestimate. So often we think God cannot use us because we are unlikely. But ordinary people are the only people God has ever used. www.lifechurch.tv/open .

Ever wake up with a pounding heart, racing brain, and knots in your stomach? I hate anxiety. My body and brain are just convinced that the world is falling apart, that I’m going to die early, that I’ll lose all my clients, that something will happen to a loved one, and on and on it goes… It’s way too easy to give in…to hide under the covers and cry. Or worse, to start really believing the lies my brain is yelling at me. The downward spiral is pulling me harder and harder. But there is a way to survive. Notice that I didn’t say that there’s a way to beat it, to win, to overcome. No, for me, it’s a matter of surviving the onslaught to fight another day. Here’s my “toolbox” for surviving anxiety: 1. I take daily meds. Thank God we live in a day and age where it’s possible to put a leash on the neurotransmitters that cascade through my brain and cause my body to hit “fight or flight” mode. Please, never be ashamed to work with a psychiatrist and therapist. It’s impossible to think your way through a brain chemistry issue…get help so you can fight anxiety on a level playing field. 2. “Cast your cares on the Lord” ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). Speak your fears and worries out loud. Tell God exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. He already knows…but simply acknowledging your anxiety verbally can help you figure out the difference between truth and lies. 3. “Put on your shoes of peace” ( Ephesians 6:15 ). Ask God to take away the anxiety, to help you know what’s true, and to fill your heart with His peace. He’ll answer. And you’ll know you’re not carrying all of the stress alone. 4. “Be still. The Lord will fight for you” ( Exodus 14:14 ). Do something relaxing. I love yoga, swimming, reading a great book, or just playing fetch with the doggies. You’re NOT wasting time. Taking a break will help your brain and body reset, bringing you back to a place where you can actually function and be productive. 5. “I will sing of your love, for you are my refuge in times of trouble” ( Psalm 59:16 ). It’s no accident that God calls us to sing hundreds of times in Scripture. It’s literally the only activity where we use both sides of our brain equally! Talk about a reset. I don’t care if you just make a joyful noise. Singing will slow your heart rate, force you to breathe deeply, and quiet your racing thoughts. I use every tool, every time. I’m not claiming that my anxiety disappears. I fall back in constantly. But this is how I survive to fight another day.

Ever wake up with a pounding heart, racing brain, and knots in your stomach? I hate anxiety. My body and brain are just convinced that the world is falling apart, that I’m going to die early, that I’ll lose all my clients, that something will happen to a loved one, and on and on it goes… It’s way too easy to give in…to hide under the covers and cry. Or worse, to start really believing the lies my brain is yelling at me. The downward spiral is pulling me harder and harder. But there is a way to survive. Notice that I didn’t say that there’s a way to beat it, to win, to overcome. No, for me, it’s a matter of surviving the onslaught to fight another day. Here’s my “toolbox” for surviving anxiety: 1. I take daily meds. Thank God we live in a day and age where it’s possible to put a leash on the neurotransmitters that cascade through my brain and cause my body to hit “fight or flight” mode. Please, never be ashamed to work with a psychiatrist and therapist. It’s impossible to think your way through a brain chemistry issue…get help so you can fight anxiety on a level playing field. 2. “Cast your cares on the Lord” ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). Speak your fears and worries out loud. Tell God exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. He already knows…but simply acknowledging your anxiety verbally can help you figure out the difference between truth and lies. 3. “Put on your shoes of peace” ( Ephesians 6:15 ). Ask God to take away the anxiety, to help you know what’s true, and to fill your heart with His peace. He’ll answer. And you’ll know you’re not carrying all of the stress alone. 4. “Be still. The Lord will fight for you” ( Exodus 14:14 ). Do something relaxing. I love yoga, swimming, reading a great book, or just playing fetch with the doggies. You’re NOT wasting time. Taking a break will help your brain and body reset, bringing you back to a place where you can actually function and be productive. 5. “I will sing of your love, for you are my refuge in times of trouble” ( Psalm 59:16 ). It’s no accident that God calls us to sing hundreds of times in Scripture. It’s literally the only activity where we use both sides of our brain equally! Talk about a reset. I don’t care if you just make a joyful noise. Singing will slow your heart rate, force you to breathe deeply, and quiet your racing thoughts. I use every tool, every time. I’m not claiming that my anxiety disappears. I fall back in constantly. But this is how I survive to fight another day.

Share 0 One night after I had gone to bed early, the phone rang, and when my son picked up he heard a woman weeping on the other end. She was crying so hard she could not find her voice, but fortunately my son gently said the right thing. “You want to talk to my mom, don’t you?” She muttered a feeble, “Yes.” And, then my son woke me up to talk and pray with my sweet friend. Who do you call in the middle of the night when you need prayer? Do you have someone you can call who is willing to lose sleep, and comfort you, someone who feels like a rock of stability in the middle of your challenging circumstances? That night I was the one she called, but many times I reach out in tears seeking a solid friend to pray and encourage me, because sorrow is unexplainably common. One of the most precious pictures of Jesus foreshadowed in the Old Testament is the Rock. The early church was fascinated with examples of where they saw Christ hidden in the Old Testament. Paul identifies this Rock portrait in 2 Cor. 10:1-4 when speaking about the desert trek the Israelites made from Egypt. “I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them and the Rock was Christ.” ESV In Matthew 21:42-44 Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22. Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” ESV Jesus knew the Psalmist was referring to him. Jesus is the stone the builders rejected and his once-for-all sacrifice is the sure footing we now stand on in prayer. Through Jesus, God was going to reconcile the world to himself. In our next Rock passages God uses a contentious struggle between Moses and the Israelites to reveal the power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Look at Exodus 17:2-7. “Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord? “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb and you shall strike the rock and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.” ESV Dehydration is a serious problem for people who try hiking in the desert. If you have never felt the pounding headaches or muscle cramps of dehydration, you might not fully understand what these people experienced and why they felt justified in their grumbling. Mercifully, God did understand and even though they complained, God provided water when Moses struck the rock. Unfortunately, this was not going to be the last time they ran out of water on their desert journey. In Numbers 20:2-12 we have our second story of dehydration. “Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates and there is no water to drink. Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them. ” ESV God wanted the Rock portrait to illustrate Jesus’ one-time sacrifice . Compare these two Old Testament stories with Jesus’ sacrifice. In the Exodus passage while Moses was alone with the elders, he was told to strike the rock and water would gush forth. He was not to strike the rock in front of the entire congregation. Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night and was brought alone before the Sanhedrin, the body of the Jewish elders. It was in a secret trial they beat him and condemned him to die because they feared the crowds who had welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem. In the Numbers passage Moses was supposed to speak to the Rock in front of the entire congregation and water would flow. By speaking instead of striking the Rock this second event in Israel’s history was to prophetically point to the power of Jesus’ one-time sacrifice. Now, in our prayers we need only to speak to the Rock of our salvation. God answers us based on Jesus’ one-time crucifixion. Moses was forbidden from entering the Promised Land when he willfully destroyed the picture of grace God wanted embedded in the Exodus. Without understanding that God wanted to foreshadow Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice in Israel’s history, these two desert stories are difficult to interpret. Blinded by leadership fatigue Moses felt he had a right to preempt God’s intentions. With this Rock metaphor, we learn the value God places on his eternal plans. Hebrews 9:24-26, 28 reminds us that Jesus’ sacrifice was a one-time sacrifice. “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” … so Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. ESV Jesus’ sacrifice happened once. This is the solid rock on which we stand in prayer. We don’t come in our own righteousness and try to negotiate with the Almighty. When God commanded Moses to speak to the rock it was to show how we come to God in prayer, through the power of Jesus’ blood sacrifice. Our prayers find merit because we belong to Jesus and his merit has been imparted to us. 1) Why is it hard for us to know the significance of obedience? 2) How does the Rock portrait shatter your understanding of God?

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they that build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1 Marriage can be hard sometimes. Does my marriage, if a healthy one, really help me in my parenting? And what are the three specific ways it helps me? I’ve been married forever. I only got married because I got sick of finishing my own sentences. Just kidding. What are the three ways that really being in love with your spouse helps you in parenting? If you have a firm foundation, whatever is built on that foundation has a better chance of surviving. I love to tell a story of building our house, and 5:00 in the morning they had builders out there and it’s just getting light. I asked, “why are you here so early?” The contractor replied, “It’s foundation day!” The truth is if the foundation isn’t right, your whole home is off. We have to be rock solid, cemented together with a mortar of love and admiration, and respect for one another. And if that foundation is there and you truly do love each other, and you prioritize in your marriage, you will form an impervious wall where the kids cannot penetrate that and divide you in any way, shape or form. Some people are thinking, “Wait a minute, kids are going to divide you?” Yes, they do. They’re hedonistic kids. When you show that you have a lot of respect and you spend a lot of time with each other, and you prioritize and you’re going out for your date night, there are some kids who go, “Wait, you’re going out? What about us?” They’re hedonistic. You have to set the paradigm early in the marriage that the couple matters. You be a better parent because you do talk with each other. You don’t let things build up. You have good communication, and so the kids read that, they learn from that. When your child comes and asks for something and all of a sudden he’s in a hurry, he needs this and that because it’s tomorrow. And you say to a son or daughter, “Honey, wait a minute, how long have you known this?” “Well, I’ve known this for a month,” he says. “Now you’re coming to me the night before and you want this, that and the other thing. I mean, that’s not the way life works, and it certainly isn’t the way things work in this family. I don’t know how you’re going to solve that problem, but I wish you the best at it.” Now, what have you just told your nine year old? Don’t come in here expecting emergency aid and help when he haven’t done his work. That’s not how this family operates. What I’m saying is that kids catch the drift from parents on how to do life. It’s a teachable moment. That’s the last time a nine year old hopefully is going to come ill prepared the last minute with a list of demands for you as parents. On the good ship family on the ocean of life, you have to pick to yourselves, both of you at the wheel of that ship, the good ship family. And again, the question I always like to ask is, do you have a destination? Do have a port of call? Do you know where you’re going? And if you do, the hands on deck will follow suit. People want to pursue and follow a leader. And I’m just saying if you’re a leader, and being together and one on marriage not only helps you obviously spiritually, but emotionally and practically as you deal with your children. Are there some practical benefits to parenting that if you are shoulder to shoulder, as you say, both hands on the steering wheel, that make parenting better with a strong marriage? Sure there are! Your kids will try to please you even more when you give them vitamin E, which is encouragement. “Hey honey, you know I came home and I see that you picked up the front yard. You know what? That was so thoughtful of you. I think those are the neighbors papers, but I noticed you picked him up. That is so helpful. Thank you honey.” Again, keep in mind that kids want to please you. When you see things that the kids do and you just make a general comment of thanks, you’re giving that kid vitamin E. You’re telling them, “Hey mom and dad noticed.” You don’t say, “Well, somebody else is going to pick it up. You picked it up.” Everything you do that’s in a positive way, feeds more positivity. Anything you’d do negatively, feeds what? More negative stuff. In this super busy world that we have, many parents honestly say, “I don’t think I have enough time to do work. Keep the home together, work on my marriage and take care of my kids. There’s one too many things in there, and marriage is the easiest one to drop because someday me and the missus will be stuck together. Why would I prioritize it now when I know my kids are leaving?” When I was a young dean of students at 29 years old, I went in and talked to the head dean, the big guy. And essentially, I was just whining about all the problems I had, because I was the administrator of the code of conduct at a university of 35,000 students. You can imagine I was a busy guy. And I came into my boss’s office and I whined about all the problems I had. The dean patiently listened to me and then he turned and he said, “Well, Kevin, it seems to me and I could be wrong, if you didn’t have all those problems, I really wouldn’t have much need to have you here in the office.” I went and gulped and left with my tail between my legs because he was right. Oh, the whining that we do as adults and children! I always say if your kids are whining you need a whine cellar! That’s my famous one-liner. But kids only continue to whine because you listen to them. In their mind it pays off because you’re listening. You’ve got to draw that line to the kids don’t continue to verbally paw at you, like a baby cub toward their mother. Make time for your spouse. Let your kids assume responsibility. Set boundaries. Good partners make good parents. This article is an adapted transcription of podcast 254 by Dr. Kevin Leman. www.birthorderguy.com .

” If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” James 3:13-16 Carey Nieuwhof describes the battle with selfish ambition that can destroy our spirituality in his article entitled “The Slow Death of Selfish Ambition.” Most of us secretly want to be better known, valued and appreciated than we are. For some of us, that’s just in a wider relational circle. For others, it’s more public. We long to be better known in our ministry, in our company, to see our product selling, our album get recorded, our blog get traction or to find ourselves thousands of Twitter followers or Facebook friends. If we were to pry behind the secret motivation…we think that would make us successful. I know I’ve struggled with this over the years. When I was starting out in ministry, I wanted to be that guy who spoke at conferences and was well respected as a leader in ministry. You don’t talk about that kind of thing much, but if you were to gain access to my sinful mind, the thought spun around in my head from time to time. Then in a season of my life a few years ago, God wrestled that down. Well, that’s putting it nicely. He snapped my ambition. He took me to a place where I realized that as much as I didn’t want to admit it even to myself, much of my motivation was selfish and not God-honoring. I finally surrendered it to him. In fact, I he brought me to a point where I could see myself serving as an effective pastor without ever anyone knowing who I was. I didn’t really want that definition of success. But I embraced it anyway. As best I could, I surrendered my ambition to God. Ambition kills servants of God and turns them into servants of themselves. I’ve come to enjoy the slow death of selfish ambition in my life. It’s not complete, but it’s in progress. Here’s what I’m learning and (now) loving about the difference. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, your personal sense of worth goes up and down with the opportunities ahead of you. When you’re motivated by God, your value is solidly found in Christ every day. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, failure is terrifying. When you’re motivated by God, failure becomes an opportunity for grace and growth. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you think you’re the deal. When you’re motivated by God, you know that He’s the deal. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you use people to get you where you want to go. When you’re motivated by God, you value people as you go. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you take the credit. When you’re motivated by God, you realize how much God and the people around you deserve the credit. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you strive for breadth of exposure. When you’re motivated by God, you focus on depth in your walk and let God determine the breadth of exposure he gives you. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you are always thinking about the next thing. When you’re motivated by God, you’re always thinking about what God wants to accomplish in your life today. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you’re always comparing yourself to the other guy. When you’re motivated by God, you begin to celebrate what God is doing through the other guy. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, it’s hard to say no to any opportunity. When you’re motivated by God, it’s easier to say yes to balance and priorities. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you can feel entitled to any success that comes your way. When you’re motivated by God, you simply feel grateful. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, the need to win is greater than the need to love. When you’re motivated by God, the need to love is greater than the need to win. When you’re motivated by selfish ambition, you are always insecure. When you’re motivated by God, your security comes from His steadfast love. I’m so grateful for these learnings. The journey isn’t over yet, but I’m glad it’s begun. The ironic part of this story is that a year or so after God broke me on this issue, I got a call from a major church to speak at a conference in front of thousands of people. When I got the call, I was a bit blown away, but it didn’t mean what it would have meant a year or two earlier. I could hold it loosely. It was an opportunity for the Kingdom, not just for me. Ironically, I’ve had more opportunities to do what I used to dream of doing than I ever did before God broke me. But I don’t accept all of them – and those I do, I hold more loosely than ever before. And when they’re over, I’m not ‘fulfilled’. Increasingly I’m just grateful that God would use me. www.careynieuwhof.com . Used by permission.

One of my Christian heroes is Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I even asked my wife if we could name our son Dietrich. For some reason she didn’t like that idea. Go figure. Bonhoeffer is a fascinating figure for all sorts of reasons, but one of those is that his ministry took place during the rise of Nazism in Germany. Born into an upper-middle class family in Germany and studying at some of finest schools, he ended up rejecting the German national church, which was controlled by the Nazi party. Instead he threw his energy behind the Confessing Church, a church that resisted the Nazi party. Ultimately Dietrich Bonhoeffer would do more than theologically resist the Nazi party; he would actively participate in helping Jews escape and would ultimately be party to an assassination plot against Adolf Hitler.[i] Although, for obvious reasons, Bonhoeffer never discussed the plot nor his reasons for the decision, it is clear in his letters that he expended a lot of energy working through what his ethical responsibilities were throughout the war. Those who believe he participated in the assassination conspiracy point to his words in Ethics where he says, “the structure of responsible action includes both readiness to accept guilt and freedom.”[ii] Is Bonhoeffer saying that there are times where following Christ means that we might actually be called into guilt (and therefore to sin)? One need look no further than God’s call for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac than to come face to face with this difficult question. As Soren Kierkegaard reflects on this story, he says our jaws ought to drop when we see what God asks Abraham to do. God calls Abraham to murder Isaac. Obedience to this request is “the first movement of faith, the infinite resignation.”[iii] That is, Abraham must resign himself to trust God even in the face of the paradox that the law-giver is asking Abraham to break the law. In the story of Abraham and Isaac, God ends up preventing Abraham from taking Isaac’s life. It is a test of the supremacy of God in Abraham’s life. But Bonhoeffer’s conspiracy takes this one step further. The attempt on Hitler’s life was made. Was the understandable moral calculus that taking one life to save millions was the right thing to do behind Bonhoeffer’s thinking? We don’t know. But it’s certainly a difficult question to wrestle with. How do we choose what is right? Do the ends ever justify the means? When should you fight evil with evil? Let’s consider a similar moral conundrum in the Bible. Saul is hunting down David and his men in the Israeli wilderness. Saul slips into a cave to relieve himself –the same cave that David and six hundred of his men are hiding in. David’s men’s hearts leap: our days of being on the run are over! It’s David’s time to claim the throne! They whisper to David, “Here is the day when the LORD said to you, ‘Behold I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’”[iv] There’s one problem. There is no evidence God ever said that to David. Pressed by his men, David creeps toward Saul, knife in hand. He reaches Saul, knife in the air. But when he brings the knife down, he cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe, not his neck. David slinks back to his men, they are crushed. But to their surprise, David is conscience-stricken “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed…”[v] David hasn’t laid a finger on Saul, and yet he still is racked with guilt. David’s conscience is pricked because his heart is set on God and trusts in God. He recognizes that God is the one who places kings on thrones and, as Paul will affirm a thousand years later with the wicked Nero on the throne, we must give “honor to whom honor is owed.”[vi] So, the answer to when we should fight evil with evil is simple: we may never fight evil with evil. The answer to when the ends justify the means is never. Bonhoeffer navigated one of the most difficult ethical situations with incredible integrity. He surely was a much more honorable and righteous man than I am. But, if it is true that he participated in a plot to assassinate Hitler, I believe that he acted in an ungodly way. The destination to righteousness is only ever found by traveling the road of righteousness. Justice acquired through injustice is no justice at all. [i] There has been some recent pushback regarding Bonhoeffer’s role in the conspiracy for more, see: https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/nonviolence/was-bonhoeffer-willing-to-kill. [ii] Bonhoeffer, Ethics, 209. [iii] Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, 48. [iv] 1 Samuel 24:4 [v] 1 Samuel 24:6 [vi] Romans 13:7 www.thebeehive.live . Used by permission.

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled” (Heb. 12:15). It is impossible to pass through this world without being struck by injustice or heartache. Unless we process our struggles in Christ, a single wounding of our soul can create a deep bitterness within us, poisoning our very existence. In my forty-plus years of ministry, I have known far too many Christians who have perfected the art of looking polite, while living inwardly with an angry, cynical or resentful spirit. They have swallowed the poison of bitterness and they are dying spiritually because of it. The problem is that, as Christians, we know it is wrong to react with open anger toward people. However, rather than truly forgiving and surrendering that injustice to God, we suppress our anger. Anger is a result of perceived injustice. Suppressed anger always degrades into bitterness, which is, in reality, unfulfilled revenge. Embittered People The Bible not only provides the biographies of heroes of our faith, but it also documents the lives of common people, individuals who experienced the same kind of heartaches as we do. Some overcame wounding or loss and subsequent bitterness, while others became examples to avoid. Consider Naomi from the book of Ruth. A famine in Israel led Naomi’s family to migrate to Moab. Without family or friends to support her, as aliens in a foreign land, Naomi then suffered the loss of her husband; his death was followed by the death of her two grown sons. When Naomi returned to Israel with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, she announced to those who knew her, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20). The name Naomi means “pleasant.” We can imagine that when Naomi was dedicated to God as an infant, her parents prayed that her name would forecast her future. Now, however, the very opposite had occurred. Naomi was deeply embittered by her loss, to the extreme of blaming “the Almighty” for dealing “very bitterly” with her. If you have ever listened to a bitter person, there is nothing “pleasant” about them. Yes, we should weep with those who weep, yet a bitter soul is a spirit trapped in a time warp; they live in the memory of their pain. Several years ago I met a woman who had suffered a difficult divorce. I talked with her every six months or so for two years, and each time we talked she said exactly the same negative things about her ex-husband. Although she was divorced from him, she was now married to a bitter spirit that held her captive to her heartache. An embittered soul is one that continually blames someone else for their situation. For Naomi, her bitterness was actually focused towards God. She was angry that He allowed hardship and loss in her life. “The Lord has brought me back empty” (Ruth 1:21). In effect she was saying, My sorrow is God’s fault. Contrast her life with that of Job’s first encounter with loss (Job 1:1-22). Job lost his children and possessions, yet he bowed and worshiped: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). How we handle sorrow reveals the depth of our worship of God. When life cuts us, do we bleed bitterness or worship? Job bowed and drew close to God. Naomi withdrew and talked about the Lord with her back to Him. I have dear friends who lost their only son when he was a teenager. In the midst of their heartache, they have become examples to everyone of true worship. Over the years, their pain actually purified and deepened their worship; their suffering made them more compassionate toward the suffering of others (See 2 Cor. 1:3-4). I also know others who have suffered the sudden loss of a loved one and, within weeks, withdrew from God and became embittered. Adversity does not perfect character; it reveals character. It exposes what is happening inside of us. Poisoned In ancient times mankind experimented with vegetation, seeking to learn which plants were edible and which were poisonous. In his search, he discovered that, generally speaking, if a plant or fruit was sweet, it was usually safe to eat; bitter plants, man discovered, would either sicken or kill. Likewise, the bitter experiences of life, if we ingest them into our spirits, can become a spiritual poison that destroys our hopeful expectations and attitudes. Such an experience may enter your soul via a relational wound or injustice; it can begin through a major disappointment or loss. However, once bitterness enters the human soul, like ink spreading in a glass of water, it can darken every aspect of our existence. Indeed, not only can bitterness ruin our lives, Hebrews warns that a root of bitterness can “defile many” (Heb. 12:15 NIV). A spiritual root of bitterness is a hidden, unresolved anger that is buried beneath the surface of our lives. Outwardly, we look “properly Christian” until we begin to discuss with others the situation where someone hurt us. As we speak, that root “springs up” and it defiles others. If you haven’t dealt with your bitterness, beware when you speak to others, lest you defile them with your words. If you are listening to an embittered person, take heed that the spirit of bitterness is not being transferred to your life as well! Neglect In Genesis we find another bitter soul in Esau, the brother of Jacob. Esau had foolishly bargained away his inheritance when he was young and then lost his father’s blessing when he was old. When Esau discovered he had lost both to his brother Jacob, the Bible tells us he “cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry” (Gen. 27:34). To lose something through our laziness or neglect can create bitterness of soul. Additionally, to have someone deceive us and take what was rightfully ours is equally as destructive. I know people who were lazy and did not esteem their education. Today they are bitter employees working for minimum wage. I also know young, unwed mothers who let deceitful boys steal their virginity, which later also embittered them. Even spiritual people can find themselves suffering with bitterness caused by neglect. I know a pastor who was so devoted to his ministry, he consistently neglected his wife. She finally divorced him. Cry and plead with her as he would, he suffered the bitter loss of his wife, the emotional estrangement of his kids, and the respect of his church. Esau’s loss made him very bitter. Yet, have we, like Esau, lost the more valuable elements of life because of our neglect? Have others received blessings that were earmarked for us, and has that loss created bitterness within us? May the Lord reveal to us these roots of bitterness that, like time-released poison, are quietly killing us. God desires to return to us our ability to love and laugh again. Let us, therefore, sincerely approach the throne of God’s grace and ask Him to show us the garden of our hearts. Yes, and let us see if our souls are truly free of the root of bitterness. www.frangipane.org . Used by permission.