Tag Archives: Bible

March is Bible Appreciation Month

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Bible Appreciation

As far as I can tell, Bible Appreciation Month was the brain child of Sirius-XM radio’s Christian station, The Message. This is their fifth year of celebrating the Bible all March long by having many of the artists that they play come on the air and share their favorite passages of scripture. The trend is taking off beyond the Message station; other Christian radio stations, bloggers, devotional writers, and churches have joined in declaring March to be Bible Appreciation Month. So I’m jumping on the bandwagon, because I love me some Bible…

Why have a “Bible Appreciation Month”? Shouldn’t we appreciate the Bible EVERY month?
– Of course we should! But just like Valentine’s Day reminds us to pause our busyness to appreciate our sweetheart, Bible Appreciation Month reminds us to stop and think about just how much it means to us to have the word of God.

Can you imagine how far Christianity would have gotten without God’s roadmap to lead us? It’s pretty safe to assume that a generation or two after Jesus’ life on Earth, people’s views and practices would have gotten really far from the original plan, and it’s likely that most people would have reverted to their former pagan practices. I mean, we’ve wandered all over theologically WITH the Bible in hand. I can’t imagine how much further we would have strayed without it!

For me as a historian, the Bible and literacy go hand-in-hand. For hundreds of years in the western world, very few people were literate. The clergy and nobility had a monopoly on written information, and most works, including the Bible, were available only in Latin (the language of intellect and class). The lower classes just had to take their word for it, and many corrupt nobles and clergy took advantage of that monopoly.

As literacy spread, so did new ideas about the practice of the Christian faith. Martin Luther’s reforming work coincided neatly with the invention of the printing press and the expansion of literacy among the non-nobility. One of the things he pushed for was having the Bible printed in the common language of the people rather than just Latin. I imagine that this was a whole new world for the common man. Reading opens so many doors. As I’ve said a million times, if you can read, you can learn anything.

At least a portion of the Bible has been translated into nearly 5000 languages over the centuries (estimates vary because there isn’t one central clearinghouse for Bible translation). People in every corner of the world have access to God’s word in a language they understand. It is the best-selling book of all time. It contains law that guides nations, history that lines up with other sources and verifies the literalness of much of the text, beautiful poetry, powerful prophecy and the fulfillment of many prophecies, romance, drama, tragedy, and more. It offers us a glimpse into the mind and heart of God himself. It works as a mirror, revealing our own shortcomings, as well as a comfort in our troubles. Clearly, as I said, I’m smitten…

My favorite book of the Bible is James. It’s so practical and clear-cut. And I’m not going to lie, “watch your mouth” is something I need to read once in a while… I love Proverbs for the same reason. It’s hands-on, real-life practical. It reads like a parent instructing a child about to head into the world. The gospels are amazing because, Jesus. (Need I say more?) Verse-wise, I think my favorite is the prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good
news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release
from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of
vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

In this passage, Isaiah is pointing to the coming Messiah, Jesus. It’s like a mini-job description of what Jesus would do on this Earth, and in Luke 4, Jesus announces himself as the messiah at the temple in his home town of Nazareth by reading this passage and then telling the people, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” If that’s a description of Jesus’ calling, that means it’s is a description of what Jesus’ followers are called to do. I am called to preach good news to the poor, to care for the brokenhearted and those who are in a period of mourning. I am called to free captives, and shine light in dark places. I am so grateful that it begins with the promise of God’s anointing, because I cannot do all that on my own.

One of my favorite ways to interact with the Bible is through art journaling. This is something I just started in the last year, but it woke up the dormant art geek I was in high school, and I have loved the meditative practice of thinking about a passage while writing and drawing it out. All you need is a piece of paper and your writing/drawing tools of choice. I can’t draw lifelike pictures to save my life, but I love putting color on paper as a means of focusing on the verses. I’ll add a couple pics at the end of this post, and you can see more of my “doodles” at facebook.com/khdoodles if you’re interested. And if you want to give art journaling a try, there are a TON of copy-able fonts and page ideas online.

 

What other ways do you meditate on God’s word? What are your favorite books of the Bible and/or passages? Leave a comment!

Washing Feet and the “Least” of These

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Washing Feet and the Least of These

The big weekend is finally here! Naturally the last minute stuff for the Convoy of Hope Minneapolis rally is taking up a lot of my time, so my blog post today is based on the devotional I have been putting together for the Children’s Shoes volunteer team. If your mission this week is Convoy, serving at your church, or any other means of blessing others, let this word encourage your work!

John 13:3-17 (at the last supper)
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”  “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Right away verse 3 just jumps off the page to me. Jesus KNEW his place in the kingdom. He knew who he was in God’s eyes and had eternity in mind. When we know our worth we don’t have to go around proving it by seeking status. When we keep eternity in mind we’re less interested in the earthly version of position.

Have you ever had a really good boss? He or she probably supported you, encouraged you, and made sure you had the tools to succeed. Bad leaders are all about their own ego and reputation. The best leaders are servant leaders like Jesus. It’s not about being on top, it’s about making sure everyone has the support and resources they need to succeed.

Jesus knew who he was, he knew it was all about eternity, and he led by taking care of others so the message could be magnified.

Matthew 6: 31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I have long been bothered by this word “least.” It sounds like a statement of value, and Americans don’t like that idea. We like “all men are created equal,” not greatest/least. So who are the “least of these”? I don’t think Jesus was referring to value when he said “least.” The Bible affirms the value of people over and over. The psalmist says that God knit you together in your mother’s womb and journaled out the days of your life. Jeremiah reminds us that He has good plans for us. Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the good of those who love God. I think what Jesus means by “least” is those with the least power or least access to resources, like widows, orphans, and those with physical or mental limitations. The people we minister to through our volunteer work are valuable, hardworking people, many of  whom (and for a variety of reasons) have less power and less access to resources. Our role is NOT to judge whether or not they are truly in need or if they are to blame for their own situations. Our only role is to be the hands and feet of Jesus – the same Jesus who forgave prostitutes, healed lepers, and forgave tax collectors.

We volunteer so the hungry, jobless, shoeless, etc. can get back on a more level playing field where we can run the race of life side by side.

We can’t “fix” the poor and hungry. We are broken, flawed people, not gods. But we can recognize that there is need in this world and that we have the means (money, time, etc.) to partner with these people who are just trying to take care of their families. I hope that you to see the people you serve as your equals in value who may be the “least of these” in terms of their power and/or access to resources.

So laugh with a child. Bless a mom who is working hard to get her kids ready for school. Make an immigrant family feel welcome in their new home. Wash some feet. And remember what it says in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.

Screenshot_2015-07-31-09-32-22-1
Two Convoy of Hope trucks have arrived at Spring Lake Park High School for Saturday’s Minneapolis rally

The Power of Prayer

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Power of Prayer

A “funny” de-motivational type post I found on the internet: “Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like you’re helping.” Statements like that make me sad, because they expose a fundamental misunderstanding, and also because they contain a grain of truth.
I know that when faced with the problems of friends or family members we have all said, “I’ll pray for you,” and then promptly forgot. I know that praying for someone does not directly fill their empty stomach or physically relieve them of their burdens. But prayer is NOT “nothing.”

1. Prayer Changes ME: When I pray for others, it raises my awareness of the needs around me. It also changes my attitude. This is why we are to pray for our enemies. Prayer softens my heart and protects me from becoming bitter. But praying for our enemies is HARD! I know I’m supposed to, but we’re enemies for a reason, so I’m always tempted to pray little prayers. “God, I’m praying for my enemy because you told me to. So, um, don’t let them get hit by a bus. A car though, no, that’s still too much. A bicycle, maybe, they deserve that much…” I’m pretty sure that’s not what God had in mind. It’s like asking your child to go get your spouse and instead of getting up and doing what you asked, they just start yelling. I can yell, child, I wanted you to get up and go get him so this house can remain quiet and pleasant. We are called to pray for our enemies, to pray instead of worrying, to pray because it corrects our mindset to be more Godly. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Prayer replaces worry with peace. Prayer replaces bitterness with understanding.

2. Prayer is a Tool that God uses to Reveal Himself to us: Growing up in the church, I heard countless stories of people waking in the middle of the night or being struck in the middle of the day with a sudden urge to pray for a particular individual, only to find out later that the individual they were praying for had endured danger or trials at that exact time. Why does the all-powerful, all-knowing God need me to pray? If he woke me up, clearly he’s already aware of the situation, right? I don’t think that God NEEDS our prayers in order to act on behalf of our loved ones. But he longs to communicate with us. And if He prompts us to communicate with Him and we find out later that there was a real need or an answer to our prayers, our faith is bolstered and we are drawn closer to the God who loves us and wants to communicate with us.

3. Prayer is an investment of time: Not everyone has the financial means or physical ability to serve as a missionary or to feed the hungry. Are nursing home-bound seniors on a fixed income worthless to God? Of course not! Prayer creates solidarity and a feeling of being fully vested in ministry. It is an investment with great value! Prayer does not excuse the capable from physically and financially serving those in need, but it allows us to be mindful and supportive of the efforts of others. Matthew 9:38 commands us, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” If you’re aware of a need in this world that you can’t meet yourself, you are commanded to pray and ask God to provide workers who can.

Prayer does not replace helping others, it supplements it. Jesus went off into the wilderness to pray in preparation for his ministry, and he prayed throughout his time on Earth. But he also healed the sick and fed the five thousand. He had regular, intentional times of communicating with his Father and, fueled by that, he then got up and served, loved, and gave of himself. We are commanded to do the same.
James 2:14-18: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

I love stories of answered prayers. Share yours in the comments!

Bonus: Inspirational Printable on Prayer

Prayer Printable

What Does the Bible Say About Poverty and Hunger?

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What does the Bible say.pub

March is Bible month, so I’m jumping on that bandwagon and taking a look at what the Bible says about poverty and hunger.

Like most comfortable middle-class Americans, I squirm when faced with the reality of a poor and starving world. I’ll admit that I sometimes play dumb and ignore my responsibilities to my fellow man. It’s really easy to feel that I have no time or money to give, or that helping others might put me in danger (picking up hitchhikers is something I will probably never do, sorry Jesus). We have made ignoring what the Bible teaches about poverty into an art form. We pick and choose, brushing aside the directives and attacking the poor with verses that condemn laziness and drunkenness. If we can pass the blame for poverty, our guilt is appeased and we can go back to enjoying our favorite TV show.

It is not God’s plan for you to be guilty and miserable. He isn’t glorified by your guilt.

The simple truth is that there is a big, hungry world out there. Innocent children and hardworking adults suffer as the result of corrupt systems, natural disasters, and physical and mental disabilities as well as bad decisions. It is time for us to put down the remote and take an honest, open-eyed look at what the Bible teaches about poverty and hunger.

As Christians, we are no longer subject to the law God commanded on the Israelites. Jesus paid that debt, fulfilled that covenant, and created a new contract with humanity. But the law still has much to tell us about the God who authored it.

*Leviticus 19:9-10: When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard: you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.
*Deuteronomy 15:11: For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

God’s covenant with the Israelites commanded them to leave enough margin in their lives that they could provide for the poor. Do we have enough margin in our lives, or are we strapped so tight that we just feel powerless and guilty?

The Psalms and Proverbs overflow with references to God’s feelings for the poor.

Psalm 41:1: Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

Psalm 72:4: He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.

Psalm 82:3-4: Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 140:12: I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.

Proverbs 14:31: He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

Proverbs 19:17: He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.

Proverbs 21:13: Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

Proverbs 22:9: He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives his bread to the poor.

Proverbs 29:7: The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

Proverbs 31:20 (The virtuous woman): She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

And that’s just a sampling of the many verses David and Solomon wrote about God’s concern for the poor and our role in meeting the needs of others.

Proverbs also contains a number of verses condemning laziness.

Proverbs 10:4: He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 19:15: …An idle person will suffer hunger.

Proverbs 24:33-34: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

The same author, King Solomon, tells us to give to the poor and that laziness causes poverty. I don’t believe his opinion on poverty changed from day to day, nor do I think Solomon had any idea of blaming the poor for their condition. I think the reason for including both commands is because they are both aimed at the reader, not the reader’s perception of others. Think of it as a parent imparting wisdom to a child. We strive to raise generous kids, and we also want them to be hard working. Solomon wasn’t giving his readers a means to judge others, he was instructing them on how they themselves should live – both generous and hard working.

A few other favorites:

Isaiah 61:1-3 (Prophesy in Isaiah, read and fulfilled by Jesus in Luke 4:18-22): The spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound: To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
If this is a (rather poetic) summary of Jesus’ ministry here on Earth, it is abundantly clear that Jesus didn’t come to bring us prosperity, but comfort, peace, freedom, and hope. Our end goal is to be like Jesus and bring glory to God, so we need to do the same – bring comfort, peace, freedom and hope to those in bad situations.

Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Mercy AND justice. Victims want justice without mercy, and the guilty want mercy without justice. But God doesn’t see it as an either-or situation like we do. He commands us to be fair to others and offer mercy, even to those who are not fair to us. It sounds hard, that’s why we have to walk humbly with our God. Sometimes poverty is caused by injustice that we should fight, but sometimes people need mercy to help them step away from their past mistakes.

Matthew 25:31-46: (from verse 40) Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.
We may be comfortable here in modern America, but as the story in this passage shows, one day we will stand before Jesus and He will want to know why we ignored Him when our fellow man was hungry, naked, or in prison. And judging by the end of the passage, “we didn’t know it was you” isn’t going to be the right answer.

Luke 14:13-14: But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

Acts 20:35: …it is more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3: Though I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

We are instructed over and over to care for the poor, but as the 1 Corinthians verses show, it’s not about the actions, it’s about the attitude. Care for the poor and hungry shouldn’t come from fear of a smiting God, but from genuine love. Seeing the world the way God does, and stepping up to be His representatives to the precious people who are poor and hungry.

John 13:35: By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Obviously, the main source for this post was the Bible. All verses quoted are from the New King James version, and the odd random looking capitalization is included just the way it looked in my Bible app. I also gathered information from Ronald J. Sider’s book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity. Feel free to add your thoughts or favorite verses in the comments!