Lunch Bite

Job 1:13–22 (ESV)
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Today is hump day Wednesday you are half way to the end of the week. Maybe it has been a challenging, troubled, or even tragic week. Maybe you feel like you are trying to swim upstream in a raging river. God teaches us a lesson through Job on how to handle these days. Can you imagine and maybe you can what it would be like to get bad news continually as Job did. Four times (my highlighting) one after the other, no time to breathe or to take it in or to process the news before the next messenger arrives. Like a flood that is about to overcome as Job’s life is crashing down around him.

Job’s response to these tragedies and our lesson is to fall down and worship God. It seems impossible to find relief and hope in such cascade of disaster and even more when they response should be to turn to God and worship. Job knew God could have prevented him from losing everything. In that desperate time Job worshiped God.

From this passage I have given advice to others and sometimes remember to apply it to my own life that in the midst of a hard day, a bad day, or even a tragic day to sing a song. To sing to God any song even if we don’t know the words to a song. Sing what we know and worship God. Hum if you must but make a joyful noise to God. Deny sin and Satan the victory of despair blessing God who gives and takes away.

General

Picnic Bite

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28)

The week is done and the work is nearing an end and a time of rest can be had for many. If you will take the rest offered by God I think He has something special for you. Picnics are old fashioned ideas of a simpler times. There is probably nothing more symbolic than a picnic to represent rest, renewal, and restored peace.

The one image from scripture that defines such a time of of love and peace is the last Passover Jesus celebrated with the disciples. The Spirit in the upper room filled the place with love and peace.

Jesus invites all of us into this rest in the Lord’s Supper and to be reminded that everything is going to be okay for the children of God. Think about the love in His body and in His blood that was given for you. Enjoy the a picnic today with Jesus and be reminded that nothing will separate you from the love of God.

If you haven’t be born again into the family of God then Jesus invites you today to believe in faith that He died for your sins and by repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus you can become a child of God by the Holy Spirit to be born again.

General

Lunch Bite

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3–5)

It is natural and of the flesh to try to avoid suffering in life. We try desperately to control the world we live in and when that fails sometimes people find ways to escape the reality of life through life controlling substances, habits, or behaviors. These lead to greater levels of suffering and hopelessness.

What is needed in these times is hope and the way to hope as given in scripture is through suffering. God gives the prescription and the steps to restored hope. It begins by dealing with suffering in a Godly and biblical way. That is to not avoid suffering because this is impossible. To not try to control the circumstances and the world around us, this is impossible and will only lead to greater despair when this fails.

The way God wants us to deal with suffering is to go through it with Him. He will provide the strength we need and the result of that will be a stronger you, one who has the strength to endure, one who is full of biblical character and love for God, and one who is filled with hope. The world is in short supply of hope. God gives us a surplus of hope through this process that we can share with the world.

The is the power and the good news of Christ Jesus. The world needs this message of hope.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8)

General

Lunch a La Carte

There are a lot of words we just use or hear and never really know what they mean. a La Carte was one of those for me. I thought it was a fancy French way to keep from knowing I was eating snails. Yuck! But thanks to the internet age and searches we can find and learn instantly. a La Carte is simply a menu where you can order individual items and not preset meals.

So today is a La Carte and it comes from a question on Matthew 11:28-30. I referenced this passage in a previous Lunch Bite and someone asked what it might mean that they keep coming to this passage in their Bible reading, devotional reading, or referenced by others.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:28–30)

So lets begin first by stating that any passage in scripture has only one interpretation. You cannot derive different meanings from one passage.

In this case Jesus had just rebuked in woe the unrepentant cities and this passage is followed by the declaration that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. In this passage Jesus states that the true rest that comes only from peace with God is to be yoked, hitched, in bondage to Christ.

Because it would make little sense if we are tired and weary and seeking rest to take up another burden, a yoke that was used to work oxen. Jesus is using a contrast of rest and work to show what one truly needs. The burdens are the burdens of sin, of this life and world, of daily living, and focusing on self. Jesus’ yoke is to focus on what he has done to take away that sin by being completely focused on Him. In a yoke shoulder to shoulder, neck to neck you can get real focused on the other person. Following Jesus’ lead, letting Him guide us, and let His yoke of humility always remind us of God’s grace toward us as sinners.

Once we understand the passage a little better then we are in a position to ask why is God bringing me to this passage. Prayerfully and letting God search you heart let him reveal to you what you need from this passage.

What sin has become a burden? Of course all sins are a burden but we tend to pile on more and more and the weight of our favorite sins cling closely and prevent us from running with endurance the race set before us.

This is real important that we not neglect the sins of self and how we may have tried to do everything our way. In the process we have drifted from God and the rest that comes from His peace.

Let God lead you through life. Jesus being in the yoke means that success is certain if will not fight the yoke but instead live humbly in whatever God shows us. If we are continually encountering this passage it seems certain that God is saying that he sees the burden, knows the fatigue, and is ready to take that from you. Do you know the burden? if not ask God. Are you tired? Ask God. All of this is to come before God seeking to be nearer to God, to experience Him more in life, and letting the joy of God be our greatest desire.

General

Late Lunch Bite

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? …
(Hebrews 12:3–5a)

To grow weary or fainthearted. Have you felt that lately? Seems that that everything these days just saps us from the energy we need. Chaos and anarchy in the world and closer still in our own personal lives is meant to rob us of the peace that is so needed for spiritual growth. The weariness deprives us of hope.

Look at how this passage tells us to handle the weariness of life. It points to not to what we should do but what God has done.

Endured sinners, even our own sin.
Shed blood, He gave us life in His death.
All to make us part of His family.

God certainly seems to want us more than we want Him. The greatest battles have already been won, Jesus said, “It is finished.” So this seems to be telling us that the weariness we are experiencing is because we fighting a battle that has already been won.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:28–30)