Study of Daniel 1-3 from Sermon @ Calvary Chapel Tucson

This past Wednesday I visited Calvary Chapel Tucson for an evening service.

I love the worship, communion and bible focused preaching. The speaker spoke on Daniel 3 with Daniel 1-2 as background covered the previous two weeks. The sermon really was just brought to life out of the scripture itself. It wasn't played up with some fancy style. Pastor Pat Lazovich simply preached from the Word of God trusting that the stories of God working in the past were enough and that we would find ourselves in the story just as the pastor did.

Recently I have come to appreciate and really connect with the Old Testament books about Israel's time in exile especially Nehemiah and Daniel. It is just amazing how through hundreds of years of prosperity and ups and downs of judges and kings how much Israel sinned. But it wasn't until the time of exile that some serious changes happened. Israel and many of the leaders made a big turn and really came to believe and follow God alone during exile. This is a great example of how what we want in pleasure and prosperity is often actually not good for us eternally. For Israel sinned greatly in times of prosperity but turned back to God in a time of great trial as the people of Jerusalem and Judah were sent into exile in Bablyon.

But God was still sovereign and still with Israel working for their salvation all the time and also in exile and in their time of trial.

I think I have recently been feeling how we as Christians are a minority and really are a people in exile in a foreign land on the earth. For no nation on earth is God's nation and none are righteous and holy like God and his kingdom. Daniel 2 is a great reminder of the spiritual reality of earthly kingdoms vs God's kingdom as Daniel interprets the dream of the king of Babylon.

Daniel 2

³⁶ “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. ³⁷ Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; ³⁸ in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

³⁹ “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. ⁴⁰ Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. ⁴¹ Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. ⁴² As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. ⁴³ And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

⁴⁴ “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. ⁴⁵ This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

God alone is in control. God gives dominion temporarily to men and to nations but they will all pass away. Christ has risen and his kingdom is here and now and yet still yet to come in its fulness as we know from Revelation. God's kingdom will reign forever. Yet for now it may seem hard to see God and his sovereignty when people and nations and idols are everywhere. But we must remember we are foreigners in exile away from our true home and our King Jesus. But he has come and will come again. 

The real question is will we believe?

And will we follow God?

Or will we follow the world and the powers and idols that rule the earth?

That is the same question that Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah 3 jews in exile faced and their very lives were at stake if they followed God. 

Yet their simple decisions and life of prayer and faith built them up so that they could face this great test. And they were faithful. 

Daniel 3

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliverus^[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

These men gave a great example of faith. For they believed in God, they worshipped him alone even at the risk of their death. And they prayed and believed God could and would save them. Yet they acknowledged the possibility God wouldn't save them and still trusted that God was greater!

Even if the story ended there or those 3 men died for their faith in action it would be beautiful. And so Jesus and the 12 apostles and many more died for faith in God. But in this case and sometimes God works to reveal himself through mighty works:

Daniel 3

²² The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, ²³ and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
²⁵ He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
²⁶ Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, ²⁷ and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the firehad not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

But I pray we would trust not in being saved from the fire but in God who's kingdom will never end. For either way in our life or death God is glorified and we live with him forever! God I ask you to strengthen my faith daily that in life or death I would trust you and follow you alone. 

Desiring Spiritual Gifts1 Corinthians 12

Recently I have felt the pull to seek an aspect of God in the works and power of the Holy Spirit. I feel this is an area I have been skeptical of and avoided. But I believe is absolutely biblical and we can follow Jesus and Paul's example in asking for and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit for God's work and ministry to others. So I am digging into and praying into scripture around the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12

1Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

^... 

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

The biggest argument against asking for and hoping for God's miracles and healings today is that only the Apostles and heroes of the early church had these gifts. But now we have the bible and don't need those same spiritual gifts of healing and miracles. 

But I don't see any evidence of this in scripture. In fact what purpose is there in me reading 1 Corinthians 12 and other passages about the Holy Spirit if they no longer apply? Why are they even included in scripture. What is so different today for us than the churches like the one in Corinth in the early church? Both churches have great facets of their faith and teaching. Yet both are broken and off of the truth and life of following Christ. 

Today churches and the world need the miracles, healing, prophecies and other gifts of the Holy Spirit. I need them just as much in my life and in the ministry to college students!

Another argument against these gifts is 1 Corinthians 13:

If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poorand give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

But I don't think this says anything about gifts being unnecessary or obsolete. It simply points out gifts and power of the Holy Spirit can do no good without love. This also says giving everything to the poor is worthless without love. That is a powerful statement and yet it doesn't mean nobody should give to the poor or give up everything. Instead in all these things it says do them with love and they will be powerful workings of God. 

God as I continue this journey of learning more about the aspect of you as the Holy Spirit who dwells in us who believe in Jesus I ask for your guidance. I ask for your truth and wisdom as guided by your Word and your Spirit! For I believe your Spirit is alive and active in me. I believe I could not understand the gospel or the bible or repent without the Holy Spirit. So I beg, fire of the Holy Spirit fall on me more and more. Not for my glory or for my boasting or my pleasure. I pray for more of your gifts and i desire the greater gifts so that you can work through me more effectively to minister to others. 

Amen

Citizenship: choose earth or heaven

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:18-21 ESV)

We choose between two realities, two life's, two homes where we trust our citizenship. Will we choose the reality that is blind to all things eternal and sets hope in things of this life which are out of our control. Will we choose to live on earth and die in eternity. Or will we choose to die to self carry our cross and believe in Jesus. Will we choose the pain now believing in the reality which is by faith. The reality of eternity where God rules which is actually more real but less visible. Will we choose to walk this world as foreigners loving God or will we love the things which will pass in this life.

These questions are hard because often we want both. I know I walk a fine line sometimes fixing my life after Christ and then losing my focus and chasing after things of this life: relationships success and security etc. 

Lord help me to see the spiritual reality of eternity in sharp contrast to the fleeting and temporary pleasures of this life. 

Lord this week I have come to appreciate this verse more because I have seen the sin and evil of my fleshly body. It is weak and sad and I long for a heavenly body in which I might be holy and glorify you God. But first I believe you have heart work you desire to do in transforming me.

Lord I want to stand with my citizenship in heaven as a foreigner in this land. I want to love the people around me as Jesus did. Yet I ask you help set my heart on heaven that I would not find my identity, worth or value in people or anything in this life. For when my heart is right and set on you Christ I will have nothing to fear. For the worst pain in this life is not worth comparing to the joy and glory that will be revealed in us. 

Amen

Do I really believe in Jesus' healing power today?

These past two weeks I have had a headache and trouble sleeping almost everyday. I will admit I am not a very patient or enduring man when it comes to pain and distraction like that.

In these circumstances I have been praying two prayers:

1. That God would heal my body and emotional health to sleep soundly and not have pain and headaches.
2. That I would grow in faith and joy in the Lord despite the circumstances. Philippians 4:

But these prayers for my own health have tested my faith in Jesus healing like in Matthew 4
²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

I know that I believe in word and as long as it is all theoretical. I even pray for others to be healed. I have asked for others to pray for me. My friend Stu laid hands on me. In these prayers I pray and others pray I know I have tremendous doubt, but I believe God has been changing my heart and growing my faith. 

So as the man prayed before Jesus when his son is possessed so I pray:
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Lord I believe you can heal me and others! Help my unbelief. 

But I also believe regardless of whether you heal me in this specific circumstance. 

One cool way that God has answered these prayers is that kind of randomly my wise girlfriend Ivanna pointed out that I slouch a lot! and that maybe I am causing my own pain and headaches. That was humbling, but I realized how true that is. I have tried to have better posture and it has almost been painful to sit up straight and hold myself with good posture because it is so foreign to my body. We'll see how it goes. But I have been feeling better in the last few days after praying and focusing on better posture. 

Lord thank you for working through others! Especially Ivanna and her sincere and wise spirit!
Lord help me to pray boldly with faith for others that your healing power might come into their lives. 
Amen

My new perspective on Elijah and the widow 1 kings 17: God does provide!

Earlier I wrote on this same scripture from 1 kings 17 and Elijah and the widom, but now I have new perspective from my own experience.

The way God works and provides does not always make sense. I know I often think of myself and especially other missionaries who have a clear calling and vision to advance the kingdom. But then I see them struggle and I have struggled to get enough funding. In InterVarsity campuses and ministries have been affected by staff with insufficient funding.

So when we experience this what do we believe about God, God's goodness, and God's plans?

Sometimes we get angry or discouraged. But I believe we are called to persevere and continue trusting. Elijah the prophet went through exactly that in 1 Kings 17 (Scripture will be italicized) when Elijah begins his ministry by prophesying in the face of a corrupt king of Israel.

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe^[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”

Then in this drought Elijah he seems to have brought about by his word Elijah had to depend on the Lord for provision.

First God provides enough through Ravens for the Lord came to Elijah "You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” verse 4

But God stops providing that way for Elijah his prophet: "Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land." verse 7. 

So here is where we fit into the story as God has seemingly stopped providing and sends Elijah to a strange and crazy place. And so Jesus sends us when our prospect list gets low to some unexpected places asking unexpected people. 

God told Elijah: "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food."

Wait what? Ask a widow? Ask a non believer? Maybe I am going crazy. haha. Then it only gets worse because at first when Elijah asks the widow she says:
“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

When that happens to me or if it did I would say: "Yep, I must be crazy" God didn't really tell me to ask that person. And certainly everyone else thinks I am crazy to ask that person who isn't a believer or who is going through hard times. If I were Elijah I don't know if I could have asked again. And we have heard some really tragic things like this as we fundraise and ask people going through all kinds of life challenges.

What if the story ended there? Elijah and the widow and her son would have died. 

I felt like I was at that point last Wednesday. I felt like I was going crazy and going to have a breakdown. But somehow God picked me up and I just kept doing my best to be faithful to what I knew God had called me to do: to keep asking even people I knew less. And so Elijah asked boldly a woman who was ready to die if she would share the last food she had. God also blessed me with a taste of giving and sharing my contacts this summer as I partnered with Max another missionary from my home church. God also has blessed me to partner with other missionaries from my own income. That same day I had a little breakdown I was able to host a married couple on staff with InterVarsity Justin and Samantha and welcome them into my men's small group to ask for partnership. It was hard and scary at first. 

But I have tasted and seen the Lord's provision abundantly! For the Lord provided for Elijah when he asked twice and risked it. But the Lord also provided for the widow and son who weren't believers when they gave:

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

In the 5 days after that Wednesday of breakdown God provided 16% of my annual budget! And he provided through people I hardly knew and almost didn't even ask. All Praise be to God! For the Lord is good and he provides abundantly. But not always in the timing or way we expect. Lord give me and others encouragement from my story that we might continue to be faithful in fundraising! And always remind us you are the provider and all glory goes to you!

Amen

My psalm 54 prayer to God

O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them. With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. (Psalm 54:1-7 ESV)

Lord guide my words by your Spirit in me to write my heart and pray to you as David did in his time of trouble and times of rejoicing. Let this Psalm of mine be pleasing to you!

Father God, save me by your power, and turn my heart to you by your transforming gospel.

God hear my prayer, listen to me and the small hopes of my weak heart. For my own heart, life, the world, some family, some situations have turned against me. People and structures I thought I could depend on have failed me, I have sinned and depended too greatly on myself and set my hope and dependence in the wrong things. 

Yet I will still rejoice in you Lord.

For God is my helper and ever present protector, Lord you are the one who created me and hold my every day and every part of my being together. Lord you will work against those who work against your gospel. Lord you will work all things out for your good and my good. You will put an end to my sin and reign victorious in me!

Lord in my prayers and my abundance I will rejoice and give back to you and others out of thanksgiving! I will praise and give thanks to you sovereign God! For you have provided all I have and blessed me in giving more. For I tell you our God has led me out of darkness into light and even in times of stress and my own sin you have been faithful and doing new and beautiful work in me and through me. 

Amen

Marriage Commitment: discipleship!

1 Corinthians 7

Ivanna and I studied this section together today. This is a beautiful thing that we can study the Word of God together. This text speaks to those who are married and unmarried. For us the Spirit spoke to us about preparing for marriage and the seriousness of the commitment to marriage.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:3, 4 NIV)

That is some serious commitment. That looks so little like marriages today where when things get hard people divorce. This marriage that models Christ and his bride the church the body of Christ is a loving sacrificial act where each dies to themselves and serves the other even when we don't want to.

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 

(1 Corinthians 7:8, 9 NIV)

Paul is one of those who are able and called to live celibate lives. These verses and later in this chapter need to be carefully considered and not taken to either extreme. We should not hastily jump into marriage without wisdom and consideration to avoid burning with passion. Yet also marriage is a beautiful thing and great for some. Either way in marriage or singleness/celibacy we can serve The Lord. For myself I hope to pursue marriage God willing, and I believe marriage will be good for my own discipleship and it can be a beautiful partnership in the gospel with our spouse.

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (1 Corinthians 7:10-13, 15, 16 NIV)

Wow the call of marriage is serious. Yet this is the way it was intended from the very beginning as Jesus reminded us:

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:5-9 NIV)

Marriage is a lifelong serious commitment without a back door or prenuptials. It is one of the most serious and challenging places of discipleship where our faith and character in Christ is tested and grown constantly. And yet it is one the greatest and most beautiful gifts! But as we learn from Jesus in luke 10 even marriage is not eternal and we must not put our hopes there. Our vows don't say either until divorce or forever. Marriage is neither extreme: it is lifelong and yet not eternal.

Lord bless many married believers with strength and joy to persist despite the worldly culture of divorce. I pray for myself in your timing and planning that I would be a man of God worthy of marriage. And yet I know even in marriage I will continue to sin and need to depend on you and live a lifestyle of repentance. Set my hopes on you Christ and yet I also ask for a wife to follow you with in this life and to bring your kingdom together! I pray you would help me to honor you Lord and my potential future wife now with my body and my heart. For I am full of sin and in need of a savior to redeem and purify me. And it breaks my heart my sin and how it affects myself, a possible future wife and God.

Lord save me!

Amen