Hands Up

You’re probably familiar with the story in Exodus 17 where Moses ordered Joshua to fight the Amalekites. During the battle, as long as Moses’ hands were raised, they were winning, but when Moses got tired and lowered his hands they began to lose. In case you’re a little fuzzy on the story, in Exodus 17, verses 10 through 13, the Bible says this:

“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”

Often times this story is mentioned when highlighting our responsibility to hold up the hands of our spiritual leaders. I don’t believe that it directly correlates, but I do believe that the sentiment is sound. Though our pastors, evangelists and preachers may not need us to physically hold up their hands in the midst of a literal battle, like Aaron and Hur, we should support them, so to speak. I challenge you to encourage your pastors and let them know that they’re not standing alone in the ministry God has called them to. If they feel like they are operating solely on their own, they may become overwhelmed, and their arms may begin to fall. If our pastors are spiritually healthy, their flock will be also. We can stand in their corner to show them that we’re right there with them in the fight, encouraging them, or even physically helping them, when they are weak or overwhelmed.

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I encourage you to send your pastor an uplifting email or card, volunteer for some of the less glamorous church ministries, and pray for him and his family often. I believe that like Aaron and Hur, we have a responsibility to stand alongside our pastors with love and support as they go about doing the work of the Lord in our body. And I hope you would agree.

Future Glory

Life is filled with highs and lows regardless of whether you believe in Jesus or not. The difference between the state of a true believer and one who doesn’t believe, is not only their perspective on life, but also their perspective on the afterlife. In Romans 8:18 Paul reminds us:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.”

If you get a chance, continue reading the rest of that chapter. It is very uplifting to those who are suffering, or find this life too hard to bear. The Bible tells us that it rains on the just and unjust alike. So, blameless obedient believers may suffer the same trials as some of the most vile souls on this earth. The difference is found in this verse where Paul says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” The glory that he is referring to is eternity with our God in heaven.

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Paul said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” I encourage you to remember that whenever you can, whether things are going well or not. The Bible teaches us to think on heavenly things. Setting our mind on the future glory of heaven certainly qualifies. The Bible also reminds us that this life is like the blink of an eye in the span of eternity. We are like a blade of grass that springs up today and is scorched away by the sun tomorrow. But eternity is forever. So, whatever life deals you, whether good or bad, remember that it will not last. Remember that there is a future glory that will last forever for those who believe and have put their trust in Jesus. If you haven’t made the decision for Christ yet, I encourage you to do it today. No one knows how long they will live on this earth, but we do know how long we will live in heaven or hell; and that is hundreds, thousands, millions more times than the span of this life.

Salvation to the Gentiles

Sometimes I think that we, as Christians, forget that God’s chosen people were never us Gentiles, but the Jews. In fact, if the Jews did everything right, we may have never been on God’s radar. But the glorious, and somewhat tragic, truth is that the Jews did forsake God to a point where he opened the opportunity for salvation to the world. Paul puts it like this in Romans 11, verses 11 and12, speaking about the Jews:

“Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will the fullness bring!”

When my wife and I visited Israel, we met several Messianic Jews - which are Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Many Jews sadly still do not. As I met with these Messianic Jews I began to remember that it is this race of people whom God chose, through the line of Abraham, to be his own. For a time, everyone else was a distant second, left to worship other gods and suffer in their separation from the one true God. I tried to imagine being born a Jew, a descendent of Abraham, one of God’s chosen people. I was awe-struck, looking at these Jews as if they were rock stars. But even though these people were the chosen ones of God, because of their transgression, we have been given the chance for salvation as well. Praise God for his mercy poured out upon the world.

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I encourage you not to minimize the role the Jews (or Israelites) played in God’s grand scheme. They were chosen before we were. God made his covenant with them. He brought them to the promise land after giving them his law. For generations, salvation was carved out only for them. But in God’s great mercy, his plan was to ultimately offer salvation to all men when his chosen people turned their backs on him. This gave us the opportunity to be called “sons of God” as well. Ultimately, when Jesus died, he didn’t die for the Jews only, he died for all of us. So, if you consider the gift of salvation with this in mind, it adds a whole new level to God’s grace, because he didn’t have to pour it out on all mankind. Though out of his great love for the world, he ultimately chose to.

God Carries you

Remember the story in the Old Testament where God brings the Israelites to the promise land, but when they scout it out in preparation of taking possession of it, they lose heart because of the large people and the fortified cities? Because they lacked faith in believing that God would fight for them, they were sent to wander in the desert until the faithless generation died out. When they finally made it back, Moses recounted what happened the first time around. Deuteronomy 1:28-31 says this:

“Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’ Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.’”

The Israelites feared the occupants of the promised land because they were behaving as if their own strength would win or lose the fight. But Moses reminded them that God carried them through all of the hard times from Egypt to the promised land. So in reality it had never been about their strength, it was about God’s faithfulness. We have to remember that as well. When we are going through difficult times, it is God who carries us as a father carries his son the Bible says. If we put our faith and trust in him, he will carry us. Like the Israelites, we need to remember how he has carried us in the past and know that he can also carry us through whatever situation we are facing, or will face, in the future.

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God miraculously ordered 10 plagues in Egypt before delivering his chosen people. Then, he split the Red Sea to rescue them from Pharaoh. He appeared as a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day to lead them. When they were hungry, he made manna appear for them in the morning. When they were thirsty, he made water gush from a rock. Time and time again, God carried the Israelites to the promised land. It was never by their own strength, but by the strength and deliverance of God. We serve the same God who did all of the things we read about in the Bible. And as the Israelites are called his children, if we believe in Jesus, we are called his children as well. If God carried the Israelites, don’t you think he can, and will, carry you as well? He will. And maybe if you consider your life up until now, you’ll realize that he has been carrying you all along.

God's Promises

You’re probably familiar with the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was the man God blessed with supernatural strength that could only be taken away if his hair was cut. What strikes me about that story is how Delilah deceived him twice in an effort to find the secret to his strength, and yet the third time, for some reason, Samson thought things would be different. But, true to form, she deceived him yet again. This time, however, he revealed the secret and his hair was cut. As a result, his eyes were put out and he was thrown into prison. Why after two times of Delilah trying to trick him would he think that things would be different the third time is a mystery. A lesser known story brings these same questions to mind. In Numbers, the prophet Balaam was told by Balak to curse the Israelites. Three times Balaam told Balak that he could only do what the Lord tells him, and three times he ended up blessing the Israelites instead of cursing them. Why did it take three times? I don’t know. But if Balak were familiar with Numbers chapter 23 verses 19-20, he should’ve gotten a clue. In it, Balaam says:

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.”

I like how he says, “Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” You see, God will not go back on his promises. Unlike man who may say one thing, even with good intentions, and not do it, God will keep his promises. So, if God promises something in his word to us, or if he has seeded a promise that he has revealed to us in our hearts, we should know that it will happen. We can bank on it. Our faith should not waver because as Balaam says, “Does God promise and not fulfill?” He is not like men, he does not lie. Remember that the next time you’re holding on to a promise that God has given you. It will happen, so take heart.

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“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” For some reason, Balak thought the third time would be a charm. Twice he told Balaam to curse the Israelites, and twice Balaam blessed them instead. Knowing that God is not a son of man that he should change his mind, would’ve let Balak know that the third time would turn out just like the first two. God is God, and he keeps his promises.