Bible

Thoughts on Foundations

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When I was a boy, I was fortunate to be surrounded by builders. My stepfather amazed me in the ways he intuitively understood how anything was put together. He seemed to just “get it” when it came to construction, electrical work, masonry, etc. His father was the same way. He understood engines, masonry, roofing, wiring, et al. I was amazed. I have an affection for all of the above but I don’t have the aptitude. That’s simply not where my strengths lie.

This morning I was completing my reading through 2 Chronicles and then later found myself in Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” And there was the same principle: the beginning. The foundation.

“The end depends upon the beginning,” is a common aphorism from the classics. It’s sage counsel. There are exceptions, of course. We all know of people who had rocky starts but then surprised us all by the way they turned out. I remember when I was still teaching full-time and had some students that I had serious doubts about, but somehow they pulled through, and I’m thrilled they did.

But in theological terms, Solomon’s aphorism is spot-on: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Pr 1:7). If the foundation is unsound or faulty or cracked or weak, all that’s built upon it is compromised. This is why first things matter so much–our presuppositions.

Sometimes when I look at the culture, I sense that it is unraveling. Things seem to be upside-down. Somehow things that seemed to have been obvious are suddenly not obvious. And it results in things like moral crassness and loss of civility. Whatever happened to “Please” and “Thank you”? People might scoff at such things now. How antiquated, they might say. Well, yes! But what’s wrong with antiquated? Civility is better than what we have now.

But that’s exactly what Solomon was laboring to get us to understand. It’s the moral fool who scoffs at righteousness. The fool is a scoffer; he’s a mocker. He’s the smart aleck, if you will. He mocks the holy. But he’s living a life built upon a faulty foundation. How and where one begins is of crucial significance. I’m with Solomon.

When I reflect on the many times I had to dig footers and mix the concrete, I didn’t realize at the time that the same logic applied in the moral and theological world. But I look back now and am grateful.

The Perils of Half-hearted Obedience: Chaplain Daily Touchpoint #420

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Bottom line up front: The peril of half-hearted obedience

Text: 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless  toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time. 11 The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.  (2 Chr 16:7-12)

Teaching: Until that time, Asa had been a solid leader. He had purged many of the idols from Israel. He had helped turn the people back to Yahweh. But he grew unwise in time. He grew comfortable. He trusted those he shouldn’t have. The king of Syria is just one example of untrustworthy people here. And the prophet Hanani, the truth-teller, rebuked Asa for his shortsightedness, lack of faith in God, and sin. And what’s worse, rather than owning up to his own half-hearted obedience, Asa “inflicted cruelties” upon other people. That’s key, folks. We sinners love to deflect; we love to project our own issues and sins onto others rather than owning our sins and having God rebuke us via truth-tellers like Hanani in this passage or God the Holy Spirit.

Encouragement: Asa began well but ended poorly. We need to learn from his example. Were we half as concerned with our standing before God as we are with comfort, how might that change our spiritual trajectory and witness before God and men?

Understanding the Temple

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There is no paucity of zeal surrounding the understanding of “the temple” from myriad spheres–Christian, Muslim, political, etc. But what is the Bibe’s own testimony regarding the temple? Is it a building that is to be the focus? Is it a place of real estate that is to be the focus? How should Christians understand “the temple”? How do our understandings of the temple affect the person and work of Christ?

Text:

18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, 20 that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 21 And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. (2 Chronicles 6:18-21)

Context, Context, Context: In the passage above, King Solomon was dedicating the temple in Jerusalem. Notice the question asked up front: “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth?” (2 Chr 6:18a). Will God be amongst his people? Will God manifest himself? Will God take on flesh?

The second half of verse 18 answers the question. The answers? No, heaven cannot “contain” God, much less any house or temple. Folks, that’s crucial to understand. Yes, God will be amongst his people. Yes, God will manifest himself. Yes, God took on flesh. That’s the very definition of incarnation.

Christianity is not about a building, a piece of real estate, a political identity, or any such thing. It’s about God. It’s about Christ. Jesus is the temple.

All of the Bible coheres; it all tells one coherent, interconnected, unified story of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. If we misunderstand the temple, we misunderstand the Christian worldview.

Revelation 21:22 reads, “And I [John] saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” How clear is that? Crystal.

Encouragement: The temple was God tabernacling among his people. It was a picture of what God would do in the Son’s incarnation–dwell among us. What happened in the incarnation of the Christ? John 1:14 reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Thoughts Upon “When to Respond”

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Text:

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)

Questions:

  • Have you ever asked yourself if it was wise to respond to someone?
  • Have you ever responded and then later regretted doing so?
  • Have you ever not responded and later wished you had?

If you’re like I am, you probably answered yes to each of the above queries.

That’s the heart of what Solomon speaks to in the above proverb. There are times when it’s wise to just let some folks go; it’s what the Bible pictures as casting pearls before swine. Some folks are just a lost cause. You can try to teach them but you’re wasting your time. They remain bent on being obtuse, and God says to shake the dust from your sandals and drive on. Otherwise, it’s a waste of your time and theirs.

Then there are other times when not speaking to an issue is deleterious. Failing to speak up, failing to address error, etc. can sometimes be a way of the coward. I know there are many times when I sit in meetings and hear a bunch of psychobabble about how to address spiritual issues, and think to myself, I’m surrounded by moral idiots. These pop psychology bromides have about as much depth as a kiddie pool. When I’m hurting, or when another soldier is hurting, or life and death are at stake, I don’t want happy-clappy cliches; I want truth and depth.

Encouragement: When does the wise person respond, and when should he remain silent? That’s the issue in these two verses from Proverbs. The wisdom comes in learning to distinguish between audiences. Some folks are just a waste of your time and theirs; they’re not teachable. So, in sum, move on. At other times, however, the loving and right thing to do is to act with grace and courage by telling the truth–and sometimes that truth may be perceived as hard. But it’s truth that saves.

Prayer that God Honors

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Context, Context, Context: Circa 1010-930 B.C. King Solomon was established as the king in Israel (2 Chr 1:1). He was the nation’s new leader, successor to his son King David. And he did what we almost never hear of nowadays: he prayed for wisdom. He turned to the fountain of all wisdom. He petitioned the Lord for wisdom.

Text: “Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” (2 Chr 1:10).

Teaching: Verse 11 begins by recording God’s response:

11 God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” 13 So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel. (2 Chr 1:11-13)

God graced Solomon with more than he’d asked for. Sounds a lot like the gospel, doesn’t it?

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

Encouragement: Regardless of how many times I read through Scripture, a motif recurs: God destroys pride in those he calls to lead and creates in them a humble heart. Solomon was on the mountaintop here, so to speak. He was doing well. But he’d squander much of his life later because he grew proud and self-absorbed. But for now, he got it right. Humility comes before honor. And those who purport to shepherd/lead/rule well must keep short accounts with God, because there is a reckoning (Rom 14:12).

Chaplain Daily Touchpoint #417: Why the ‘God Question’ Matters

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As part of the church I serve as a teaching elder/pastor, we have begun sending out 60-second reels on social media entitled “Truth Through Theology.” The goals are simple: depth and brevity simultaneously. It’s no use decrying the fact that we live in a culture plagued by short attention spans. Most folks will not suffer through legthy, weighty, deep discussions or lectures or books. I could whine about that. But as the cliche goes, it is what it is. This is simply where most folks are. To gain a hearing, we almost always have to keep it pithy and easily digestible. Hence, our efforts via “Truth Through Theology.”

So what, right? Why should you care? Well, I’m glad you asked. The reason is that theology is unavoidable. Everyone has a worldview. No exceptions. Some folks are atheists. Some are materialists. Some are pantheists. Some are polytheists. Some are monotheists. Some are nihilists. Others, still, claim to be agnostic. The list could continue.

Regardless of the camp, however, everyone has a worldview. And theology is unavoidable. Everyone has a worldview, coherent or not, consciously held or not, regarding basic questions/issues like the following:

  • Where did everything come from?
  • Does God exist?
  • If God doesn’t exist, on what basis should creatures complain about categories regarding ‘justice’? Rocks don’t complain.
  • If God does not exist, are we not by definition just matter in motion, molecules in motion, hairy apes without freedom?
  • Why is there such evil in the world?
  • Where do we get categories of right and wrong, good and evil?
  • Where did mind come from?
  • How do you explain irreducible complexity?
  • Why is there so much suffering in the world?
  • How do we explain language?
  • What happens when we die?
  • What’s wrong with the world and is it fixable?
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?

This list of questions could go on and on. But each worldview has to grapple with these and other foundational questions. Regardless of one’s worldview, you have to grapple with these issues. Hence, “Truth Through Theology.”

In the Christian worldview, we have answers to these profound questions. God does exist. He has spoken. He has revealed himself in creation, in conscience, in the incarnation of Christ the Son, and in Scripture. For example, David wrote in Psalm 19 the following:

19 The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voicemgoes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5     which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat. (Psalm 19:1-6)

This is what’s known as general revelation. God’s creation attests to and manifests his existence.

Illustration: As I sit in my library each night and study, my desk and tables and chairs are littered with books. (My wife lets me know the stacks often grow out of control and that I need to give more of them away. Pray for me!) But here’s where I’m going. As I look at the book on my table beside my chair right now that I’ve put down in order to type this out, I could pose some basic questions about the book: 1) Did it just come into existence on its own? No, of course not. That would mean that it had to exist before it acually existed. Self-creation is utterly illogical. One does not birth oneself; 2) Did not the book have an author? Of course. It had an author. And it had an editor. And it was typed. And it was bound. And it was marketed; 3) And did the book not have a mind behind it, a mind that communicates with my mind through the media of language and culture and ideas?

Takeaway: Theology is unavoidable. Everything that has been created has a creator. Each worldview has to deal with the matter of origins. God is the Author of life (Acts 3:15). That’s enough for this installment, but I hope it encourages you to explore foundational/worldview questions. Thanks for sticking with me. More to follow.

What Sets a Godly Leader Apart?

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Question: What sets a godly leader apart?

Character Study: Many people may have some familiarity with King David from the Old Testament. He was the man after God’s own heart. 1 Samuel 13:14 reads this way: “But now your kingdom [wicked King Saul’s] shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man [David] after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to prince over his people, because you [wicked King Saul] have not kept what the LORD commanded you.

The New Testament, too, refers to David as a man after God’s own heart: “And when he had removed him [wicked King Saul], he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, “I have found in David the son of Jese a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’” (Acts 13:22)

In sum, then, David was God’s man.

Question: But ask the question again, What sets a godly leader apart? Focus with me upon 1 Chronicles 12. It’s a passage about David’s soldiers, his “mighty men.”

Text: 16 And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.” 18 Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, O David,
    and with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
    and peace to your helpers!
    For your God helps you.”

Then David received them and made them officers of his troops. (1 Chronicles 12:16-18)

Teaching: First, notice how David “went out” to his men. That is, he was a servant-leader. He didn’t expect to be pampered. He was amidst the people, not hanging back. Second, he sought friendship with people of character. He discerned between godly and ungodly soldiers and friends. He didn’t knowingly truck with wicked men. Third, David trusted the Lord’s omniscience and sovereignty to vindicate him. In other words, David trusted God. Again, three things set David apart as a godly leader:

  • David led by serving
  • David distinguished noble from ignoble men
  • David trusted God’s sovereignty

Encouragement: There are countless leadership lessons to be gleaned from studying Saul and David as types of leaders. Saul was self-absorbed, self-centered, narcissistic, and insecure. He trusted no one. And he ended up taking his own life. David, on the other hand, was a servant-leader. He worked hard. He “went out” to his men; that is, he didn’t put himself above them. Rather, he led by example. And David cultivated the right leaders. And David truly was God’s man. He was by no means a perfect man, but his heart was a heart for God. When it comes to leadership, these characteristics set him apart, and redound to God’s work in him, and the lessons are for us, too, whether we’re soldiers, veterans, or civilians.

My Servants the Prophets: Chaplain Daily Touchpoint #413

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Questions: What comes to mind when you hear the word prophet? One who predicts future events? Bravery? Truth-teller? Forth-teller?

In Scripture, all of those attributes are true. Think of Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John the Baptist, as just some examples. Each man was used by God to tell the truth forthrightly; each man was brave; each man did speak of future events that would and did take place, etc.

Now think of the text below from 2 Kings:

10 They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, 12 and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only. (2 Kings 17:10-18)

Teaching: Israel once again fell into idolatry and apostasy. They failed to believe God and follow his revealed covenantal promises. They sinned, and they grew increasingly callous. They sacrificed their children by burning them atop idols. The list is long of their abominations. And yet, God sent his servants the prophets. And what was their duty? To call the people back to God, to holiness, to restoration.

Encouragement: As I’ve said countless times to our people, “Soft preaching makes hard people; hard preaching makes soft people.” That is undisputable. If you tickle ears and pimp people sentimentally, you’re a hireling and coward. God hates such shenanigans. God calls his servants the prophets to tell the truth, to serve the Lord, to fear God and love the sheep of his pasture. The fear of man is a snare. If we’re God’s shepherds, we’re to fear the Lord and serve the Lord. And that baseline will shape the trajectory of our ministries because that’s the solemn office to which some of us are called. The crux comes in having people with enough discernment to distinguish between hirelings out for their own fame and fortune and the true men of God who are laboring to please the Lord Jesus and to serve his bride, the true church.

An Uncomfortable Topic

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Suicide.

As a chaplain, I have a duty to minister to those affected by it. It’s not an enjoyable part of my vocation as a minister of the gospel. However, it comes with the territory.

I love what I do, however. I think it’s because I’m called irrevocably by God to shepherd. And shepherding can be pretty dark at times. The valley of the shadow of death is just that–a valley.

Regardless of the means, suicide is dark. I would think I’m not that different from any other person. I have known profound sorrow, profound loss, profound isolation, etc. We’ve all had “those days” where all seemed lost.

But to get to a place where ending one’s life by my own hands, well, I just have not crossed that threshold. But others have. I am not here to judge others’ pain. I am here to try, like my fellow Christian ministers, to help–to come alongside others. I aim to do that by showing up in time.

Recently I had a close friend who is also a military chaplain. He is on the front lines with this latest suicide. He is having to try and minister to the family and friends of the fallen. He is ministering to fellow soldiers.

But what does one say? Oftentimes, it’s what we don’t say; it’s simply that we are there–to sit, pray, come alongside, grieve, weep, hold hands, weep some more, and say, perhaps at the right time, “I’m here now. And I’m here tomorrow, too.”

There are so many ‘reasons’ victims often articulate before they end their lives–loss of a relationship, loss of standing, loss of money, loss of a job, loss of a friend, loss of purpose, loss of connection, loss of belief in goodness, etc. Loss, loss, loss. The list could go on.

But labels don’t return the person to us or to their loved ones. The person is still gone. At least, he’s gone from us. For now.

There’s something in us that longs for explanation. We want to know why. The reality is that sometimes people get to places in life where they believe no life is preferable to their current life. That is tragedy in its most profound sense.

I do not purport to have any answers that other much wiser people have not articulated time and time again. But I do aim to just share this: if you’re in that valley, I (and others) are here. We do care and we will come alongside you and labor to show you demonstrably that all is not lost. That is not psychlogical mumbo-jumbo or bubble gum bromide; it is true.

For my fellow chaplains and Christian ministers, I appreciate you. You, too, are carrying a lot of invisible weight in your spiritual ruck, and it gets heavy. Press on, brothers. The Lord has you in these lives to live as salt and light. Let’s work hard in service to the truth, trusting that the Lord knows our labors, that they’re not in vain, and that God can and does use darkness to bring forth light.

Let us live our creed–to nurture the living; care for the wounded; and honor the fallen.

Learning with Elisha

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Text: When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. (2 Kings 2:9-12)

Many folks would be familiar with the film version Chariots of Fire about Eric Liddell, the runner and Scottish Christian missionary, but fewer perhaps are familiar with Scripture’s historical account of Elijah and Elisha, two prophets of God in the Old Testament.

Context, Context, Context: Elisha was the younger of the two prophets. Elisha looked up to Elijah and longed to emulate him vis-à-vis service for the Lord. Elijah had been used by God in the utter humiliation of idolatrous Baal worship at Mount Carmel earlier (1 Kings 18). Elisha longed for moments like that, too, where God would utterly humiliate false religion in all its forms. Elisha asked his mentor Elijah, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me” (2 Kings 2:9b). But what’s so interesting is the lesson God was teaching Elisha. It was the lesson of believing God’s word. Why do I say that? Because the conversation between the two men was still going on when chariots of fire and horses of fire appeared, separated the two prophets, and the senior prophet Elijah was removed to heaven via a whirlwind.

Let that sink in from Elisha’s perspective: the man you’ve been looking to, learning from, emulating, and from whom you’ve gained wisdom has been removed from your sight. What now? And here it is: believing God’s word, God’s covenantal promise, even when the visual has been removed for a time.

Connection: Don’t you remember Acts 1? The resurrection of Christ has occurred. He had appeared to hundreds of people. He had eaten with them. He had spoken with them. Then in v. 8 of Acts 1, when the disciples are peppering Jesus with questions about the timeline and calendar of events, Jesus teaches them: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And in v. 9, “a cloud took him out of their sight.” The same pattern, you see. Just as Elisha was looking to Elijah, the disciples were looking to Jesus. That’s all well and good and wise.

The hard part, however, comes when the visible leader is removed. What do the troops do then? That’s when you find out if you’ve taught them well. Can they function in your absence? If so, how well and/or how poorly?

Encouragement: Elijah’s removal from Elisha’s sight was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection and his commissioning Christians to press on and go out with the gospel. That’s why the ‘Great Commission,’ as it’s called in church history, has that label. Christians are commissioned as officers to go out and expand the King’s kingdom by proclaiming the good news of what Christ has accomplished via his birth, life, death, crucifixion, and resurrection, and of his bride, the true church. But it entails walking by faith in the covenant promises of God. Elijah knew it. Elisha was learning it. As were the disciples then. As are disciples now. The same pattern, you see. Trust the Lord and his revealed words.