God Commands You to Always be Angry or Culture Matters

Do you ever get angry? Ever feel guilty about it? What if you knew there was a verse that not only allowed you to get angry but was a command from God Himself to be angry or, more precisely, to be perpetually angry. There is a catch as the verse goes on to say you are not to sin while you are perpetually angry. The verse is found in the Epistle to the Believers in Ephesus. It is in Chapter 4 verse 26, "Be angry, and do not sin. do not let the sun go down on your wrath." That seems a little odd to be told to be angry perhaps it would be well to dig a little deeper.

The word "anger" is the word orgizo in the Greek and it means to be angry, aroused to wrath, to be angry with someone, not something, whether it is an individual, a nation or Satan. It is a present, passive, imperative verb. Present means the activity is ongoing, something done perpetually. The passive voice tells us that it happens to us. We are passive so the anger rules over us not the other way around. Finally it is an imperative or a command.

Paul writes to the Ephesian Believers that they are commanded to be continually controlled by anger. Many commentaries fail to recognize the verb and give us the impression that we all occasionally "lose it" and that is okay. It is a common issue among humans. Or they go with the second option suggesting that we need "righteous indignation" when it comes to the deterioration of the world and the declining moral condition of society. To have righteous indignation against Satan and the sin that surrounds us. Just don't let this anger cross the line and become sin. A present, active, imperative verb.

Did you notice the change in voice? Anger is to control us but we are to be actively involved in not sinning. And, apparently, if we cross the line, we are not to let the sun go down on our wrath. Once again the word is a present, active, imperative verb. So we are commanded to always have an active role in getting rid of the "wrath" or parorgizo, meaning rage, anger, exasperation and, in a broader sense, rebellion. The Apostle Paul appears to be telling us that we are commanded to be perpetually controlled by anger toward someone, yet also commanded to be personally responsible to not sin or cross the line of disobedience to God's standards, and commanded to never let the day end with any rage, anger or rebellion present in our lives.

There are a few problems with all of this analysis. First, Ephesians 4:31 reads, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice [emphasis mine]." This is likewise a command and the word "anger" is orge, the same root as orgizo back in verse 26. Thus, Paul tells us to be perpetually angry and never be angry in the same passage. The idea that this is all about "righteous indignation" does not fit the context.

The whole letter, and chapter 4 in particular, is about unity. Being "one". One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all. As members of one another, we are to put away all lying, and speak the truth to his neighbor. There is nothing at all about the world or a "right" to be indignant toward the world or anyone else. As to the concept of being perpetually controlled by anger and never crossing the line to sin.......... well, good luck with that. Anger and rebellion go hand in hand and perpetually angry people seldom let go of their wrath before sundown. That situation leads to a violation of Ephesians 4:27, "nor give place to the devil".

Again, we find a present, active, imperative verb. We are commanded to never give the devil any space, no foothold, to be perpetually vigilant so that our anger/wrath/rebellion will never give the devil an opportunity to bring division to the Body. How can both of these statements be true? They are, honestly, contradictory. The call to perpetual anger violate the Lord's teaching to love one another and even our enemies. Anger that controls us is virtually always destructive. What in the world does Paul mean for you and me? Does this verse really give me an out? Am I to be controlled by and express my anger? Am I actually be commanded by God to act this way?

Highly unlikely.

Passages like this are the reasons we need to understand that culture matters. We need to avoid the concept that Paul is writing to Americans with our narrow view that the universe and God revolve around us. We must remember that the Apostle Paul is a Jewish Rabbi writing to an assembly of Jews and Gentiles - a community where the Gentiles have become partakers of the Hebrew covenants and Promises. They are now a part of the commonwealth of Israel (See Ephesians 2:12). Everyone who first read this passage is thinking Hebrew not Greek or American. How does that help? Paul may be writing Greek but his thought process is Hebrew, as are all his readers. Ephesians 4:26 is drawn from Psalm 4. The original readers were well familiar with the Psalms and would have made the connection. The Jews recited the Psalms on a regular basis so they would have recognized where the phrase came from. 

In the King James Version, Psalm 4:4 reads, "Stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own heart upon  your bed, and be still." The NIV and NASB read "Tremble, and do not sin." The Hebrew word is ragaz. It means to tremble, to quiver, to quake, to be afraid, as in awe of God. In a secondary way it means to be perturbed, angry, or enraged. However, in the context of Psalm 4 the psalmist is calling the people to be right before God and each other. To stop going after false gods and to look to the Lord for peace and prosperity. In recognizing who the Lord is we should stand in awe. In knowing who God is, do not sin. Do not be in rebellion. When the sun sets, rest on your bed and search your own heart and be still. Do not be agitated or rebellious or distraught or perturbed with anyone.

In Ephesus, a community of followers of Messiah was meeting together. There were challenges as the Gentiles tried to assimilate into the Commonwealth of Israel. Tensions were, at times, pretty high. It was hard to be "One" with all their differences. Paul tells them to be honest with one another, remembering they are members of one another. How? Stand in awe of God. Accept the command to be continually passive or submitted to Him. And be careful to not sin against Him or each other. Do not let anything fester. Release it quickly and go to bed with the though of examining their own hearts. To be still and seek what the Lord would have for them. To do what must be none to promote and maintain the unity that comes from being members of one another. Never let those irritations fester. Never let the devil get a foothold. Don't steal from one another, rather be generous, don't speak evil but build up, never grieve the Holy Spirit, get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking, and malice. Instead, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, don't be perpetually angry but forgive one another as God, in Christ Jesus, has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:28-32).

Which cultural context seems more likely to you? Our American tradition where we have a right to be angry, even commanded to always be angry. Or the Hebraic culture in which the letter was written? The one where we are to always to be in such awe of God that we will not sin or hold a grudge.

This is why I believe culture matters. This is why I believe we need to recognize that we were made a part of the Commonwealth of Israel, as the Apostle Paul tells us. We do have the option to deny our Hebraic roots and feel justified in being always, perpetually angry. Anger is easier than awe. Anger is easier than stand trembling before a holy God who calls me to never be angry but to forgive, just as He has forgiven me.

When we put Scripture into our own culture and ignore the one in which it was written it provides us with lots of options to get the Bible to say what we want. We get to ignore all the evidence that calls us to be accountable to the God of the Jews and make Him into the God with which we are comfortable. We get to justify those angry moments that damage others. Just so long as it isn't really sin. After all, they were the ones who, " made me angry. I was just standing there passively and the anger happened. And I am not sure, but I think I was just righteously indigent. So I am okay, Ephesians 4:26 tells me so."

That could be the message.

I, however, think it would be better to perpetually stand in awe of my God, the God of the Hebrews. From there, to do all I can to avoid sin while I forgive others. 

How about you?

Do You Really Want Fellowship With Jesus? It is more Costly Than We Think.

Fellowship with Jesus. Oh, yes, that is our desire. Or many of us would say. To have Him close enough to be a friend. Someone there to council and console me when the days are hard and dreary. I also need to toss in forgiveness and graciousness toward me, for I am frail and prone to wander. Fellowship with the Messiah is a nice thing, at least if we can have it on our terms. Close enough to know He is always there but not so close that it might change me or cost me something. Sort of "Fellowship Light" where I feel loved and protected with little obligation. However, I do not think that God sees it that way. Paul shares His desire for Christ in Philippians 3:10,"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and in the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." It is a remarkable request coming from the man who has walked with the Lord for many years. From one who writes from prison due to his ministry for the Lord. "That I may know Him" should be the passion each of us feels who claim to follow Messiah. So, let's take a minute or two and see what Paul meant. Let us see what it really means to be in fellowship with Jesus.

We will need to take a closer look at each of the key words for our English language has a few short comings as we consider the verse. Paul wants to "know" Messiah. The Greek word is ginosko and the translation is accurate as it means to know. However, the Greek has another word, oida, that is also translated "to know". The difference  is in the type of knowing. In Philippians 1:25 Paul says, "and I know (oida) that I shall remain". The difference is cognitive and relational. I know (oida)  how to get to Erie and I know (ginosko) my wife are two different types of knowing. The Greek language helps us out by giving us these two words. Paul does not want to just know about Christ but to know Him relationally. To have an intimacy with his Savior.

Lots of people know (oida) about Christ but do not really know (ginosko) Him. This type of knowing is actually pretty hard to find and even harder to maintain. It demands transparency and vulnerability. We must have the confidence to share our deepest thoughts, dreams, and failures with someone, knowing they will still be there, perhaps at an even deeper level than before. That is why it is still a prayer of Paul even after all these years. To have a growing intimacy with the Lord and shepherd of my soul takes work and an emotional sacrifice that few are willing to offer. However, without it there is no real fellowship.

Paul goes on to tell us he desires to know the "power of His [Christ's]  resurrection". This experiential, relational knowledge of the power, the dunamis, of His resurrection. This Greek word speaks of the sustaining, unrelenting, power of God. It is not the explosive dynamite  blast  we might see in moving mountains. It is the sustaining power of an uninterrupted electric current, only magnified by the very power of God. This unrelenting power is found in the resurrection, in our Lord's victory over death. It is the life of God in Christ Jesus imparted to me so that I might have life. This power of life does not ebb and flow but sustains me for all eternity. It is the breaking of the curse of death and the gift of life everlasting.

The question is, "What will I do with this life now offered to me?" "How will I live this life, in light of the desire I have to know Him?" It is by the power of the resurrection that I may now have fellowship with Him. Not just a sort of nebulous fluffy relationship but one of depth and meaning that comes from the passion and power to know Him more intimately each day. Looking forward, knowing that, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (1 Cor 13:12). Oh, to know him and the power of His resurrection. So far, so good, but now Paul tells us that there is more. More to really knowing Messiah in that intimate, life changing way.

"And the fellowship of His sufferings." SUFFERINGS! What kind of prayer is that? Who asks for sufferings? Before you get too freaked out let us take a look at the words Paul chooses to use. Fellowship, koininia, One of those words you may have heard before. It is a popular word used by the apostle John. It means, association, community, joint participation, fellowship, intimacy, sharing the same goals and passion, being unified with one goal and objective. The word for sufferings just means suffering or affliction. We are to join in the sufferings of Christ.

Here is where we need to make sure we do not lose the contest. What this does not mean is being made fun of because you have a fish on the back of your car. It does not mean being teased or rebuked for your stand on moral issues. It does not necessarily mean being beaten and imprisoned for your faith. It is not about discomfort as much as it is in "knowing". Remember, that is where Paul started. To know the sufferings of Christ is to enter into His passion, His reason for suffering. It is a relational knowing that is related to the purpose of the Lord's suffering. It was to bring life to those who needed life. It was to break the power of sin and death. It was to sacrifice His life for the benefit of others, for those He loved and who were in desperate need of deliverance. Paul's desire was to have the same intimate passion and willingness to sacrifice to bring the message of life to others. To relationally, emotionally, practically connect with Christ's desire for others to have life. 

"Being conformed to His death" is not another prayer to "know" but an explanation of the fellowship of His sufferings. It carries the idea of being willing to sacrifice everything for the Kingdom. It is a recognition that I am not my own. It is the cry of our Savior when, "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done" (Matt 26:42). "Thy will be done." To be in Fellowship with Jesus is to carry the same motivation of personal sacrifice to see others have life. To be willing to put others first in the Body so the world will see our love for one another, to see our good work and glorify our Father in heaven (Matt 5:16).

Do we really want that kind of fellowship? Paul is writing to an assembly of believers who struggle to get along. To a group who need to catch the reality of this kind of sacrificial fellowship with one another and then the world. It is not a comfortable or safe kind of "knowing" or "fellowship". It is not the kind we practice very well. Are you willing to sacrifice part of your retirement savings to help an unemployed brother pay his mortgage? Sacrifice your child's college fund to help pay for another child's cancer treatments? Give up your cruise or vacation to put a roof on someones home? Can we be like those in Acts 4? "Neither was there any need among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that sold, and laid them down at the apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (note, this is not a passage promoting Communism. They, of their own free will, chose to sell their excess and support the community of believers) For many of us the attitude is more like this: "Well, I will pray, and I will encourage and give them a copy of the "help wanted" ads." 

Do we really want to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering? Do we want to be conformed to His death? Or do we abridge the cry of Jesus and just say, "Let my will be done".

Fellowship with Jesus. Is it more costly than you thought? Is it worth the price to know Him? It was for the Apostle Paul. It ought to be for me. What about you?

There is No Thanksgiving in Cartoon Land or I Want to Build a Snowman

I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons. Mighty Mouse and Looney Tunes. Animation has come a long way since those days. I am not thinking of just the technology that allows things to be more detailed and realistic but of the writers and producers that draw us in emotionally. My heart was never moved much by Daffy being disrespected or felt tension as Elmer was hunting wabbits. However I really wanted Elsa to leave her room and help Anna build a snowman. I also have to admit that I got a little misty eyed when Carl Fredricksen’s true love dies in “Up”. After nearly forty years of being in love and devoted to Debbie, if I lost her, I might be tempted to fill my van with balloons and float off to Australia or Scotland and fulfill one of our unrealized dreams.

Yet, even with the advancements and the tug on our heart strings it is still not real. It is still two dimensional. It is still safe. For that matter so is most of our entertainment. We are spectators who allow ourselves to become emotionally invested in what is not real. But that is okay, for we can just wipe our eyes and walk away. Neither Elsa nor Daffy is offended.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have been infected with the attitude of Cartoon Land. Most of our relationships are two dimensional. They are safe. Our emotional commitment is no deeper than that to a Disney animation. This is not what God intends. This is not how the Body of Christ is to function. However, if we are honest, that is our approach fellowship with our family of faith. Having been involved in ministry for over thirty years I can attest to the fact that the Body lives much more in Cartoon Land than in agreement with the Word of God. Participation in a local assembly is a convenience, not a commitment. We keep ourselves at an emotional distance and seem far more moved by the world of make-believe that by the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." So says John 15:17, Romans 13:8, 1 Peter 1:22 and about 20 other references in the New Testament.

God tells us that agape, that love, is not an option. It is a commandment. "As I have loved you" suggests more than convenience. It demands a commitment. To do this we also need to implement Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Forgiveness and love is easier if we keep our relationships sort of two dimensional, you know, where you can just walk away at any moment for any reason and leave the old "body" behind and attach yourself to a new one. We should be most grateful that these verses are not reciprocal. What if Christ forgave and loved us only in the same way we loved one another? How would your relationship with Him be?

The world of medicine has made great strides in organ transplants. Taking parts from one body and implanting them in another. This surgery has been practiced to perfection in the Body of Christ from the days when the Apostle Paul was writing to the churches. We amputate ourselves from one fellowship and attach ourselves to another with barely a skip of a heartbeat. This should not be so. I understand that there are times when we are directed to move to a new ministry or some doctrinal issue demands our parting. On occasion God does lead this way.

But most of the moves I have observed are ones of personal "needs" and ambition rather than the Lord. Things like, "We need a more dynamic worship experience so we are going to X church. They have a bigger band and a better audio visual system." "They didn't pick my color for the nursery." "I don't like the direction of the leadership." The other church has more activities" and one of my favorites, "Johnny likes the other church better, the teaching is shallow but we have to make the sacrifice for him." (Because we all know that a nine year old is more spiritually aware than his parents as to where is the best place to grow spiritually.) The thing we fail to consider is that the donating body almost always suffers loss when the amputated part leaves to attach itself to a new organism. The church in America is more like robotic entities with interchangeable parts and just as much emotion. Yes, we might have to wipe a tear or two as we leave the theater but it will only be a short time when we arrive at a new show. Once again we can join the audience and be moved by the performance, step away any time we want, avoid any real commitment or emotional connection and enjoy living in Cartoon Land.

There are over two hundred "one anothers" in the Scriptures. The New American Standard has Two hundred fifty. The Apostle Paul says we are to: Love, teach, be members of, share gifts with, edify, forgive, encourage, be devoted to, submit to, speak no evil to, and do not defraud one another. Just to name a few. But, all these demand a commitment, actually a selfless commitment to others. It means becoming vulnerable and open. It means giving of ourselves and sacrificing our personal agendas for the benefit of others. It means leaving Cartoon Land and investing ourselves in the local Body we are a part of. The attitude of shallow commitment and easy departure will leave us felling safe, at least in the short run. In the long run we rob ourselves of the experience God desired us to have as a part of His family.

There is one other thing that must be realized. Cartoon Land does not just impact our life in the Body. It has the same effect in the Spirit. If we cannot love the family we see, how can we learn to love the God we cannot? So we rob ourselves of a deeper relationship with God. We protect ourselves from emotional hurt and pain with people and in so doing distance ourselves from the one true God. There are no true relationships in Cartoon Land. No real understanding of joy, or thanksgiving, No real delight in the God who loves us. We cannot shut off one without shutting down the other. Oh, we may have a few who we let in, a spouse or close friend. However, we will never know the full expression of God's love, joy, peace, patience, His fruit without one another.

God did not inspire Paul to give us the "body" illustration because it looked good on paper. He gave it so we could see how important it is for us to be bound to one another. As we have forsaken that commitment and vulnerability we have become two dimensional characters in a Disney animation. The world sees no reality in our midst. We are as plastic and alone as they are. We speak good words but at the end we just wipe away a tear or two and walk away from the theater with little or nothing to offer the world that needs to see the reality of God's loving commitment on display with one another.

In truth, we all know it is safer to live in a Cartoon Land of our own design. Here we write the endings. Here we mark the exits and concluding scenes. Here we can move freely from body to body a bit more like a parasite who feeds on others than the committed part God called us to play. There is no deep reality in Cartoon Land. No depth of love, no understanding of sorrow, no joy in restoration, no real thanksgiving. Just a world of our creation keeping people and God at a safe distance. If we get disenchanted with the director or other actors we can leave the theater at any time and write another shallow chapter and deny the life God intended.

I guess the real question is, "will you stay in the safe confines of your own emotional little room?"  A place where you can leave real commitment and relationships outside. A place where you are the only "one another" you have to deal with. Or, do you want to build a snowman out here with one another?

Is Your New Testament Antisemitic?

Many people have their favorite translation of the Bible. My first Bible was a Revised Standard Version. I was twelve. After I received Messiah as Lord I invested in a King James Version, followed by a New American Standard and a New International Version. My shelves have Greek texts and Hebrew along with the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. There are copies of the Living Bible, the Amplified Bible, The English Standard Version, and the Message. I recently added the Complete Jewish Bible.

As I have studied I have learned that most people are unaware that they probably own an antisemitic version of the Bible, at least an antisemitic New Testament. It is not your fault. It is a choice of those who did the translation work for you. It is also my observation that the more contemporary the translation the more effort there is to remove the Jewishness of the Scriptures. This is especially true in most of our New Testaments. Could it be that the translators decided to deceive you as they considered how to interpret the Greek and Hebrew?

I understand the ongoing discussion over which texts are the most reliable. Some hold to the majority text, which in simplest terms means that as you look at the plethora of copies and partial texts of Scripture, what is the most common or found in the the majority of the texts is likely true. The reason being, the copies with errors would not have been recopied. The King James follows these texts. Most others lean on the oldest documents to likely be the more accurate. Even if the count was found to be one thousand to one, the one older is considered to be the most accurate one. This is true for the New International and English Standard Versions. The New American Standard compromises and includes the Majority Text differences, usually in parenthesis, with a footnote explaining that the older text may not have this phrase. At least that way you know there are groups of scholars holding to the different readings. However, all the English Versions seem to make a conscious effort to make the New Testament less Jewish. 

The most obvious is the simple choice to change the names in the New Testament to sound more western. For example: Mariam becomes Mary, Simeon becomes Simon, Yacob (there is no "J" sound in Greek or Hebrew) becomes James, and Yonas becomes John. Seems like a small thing but the translators are inconsistent. Bar-Jonah is kept rather than Bar-John and Abraham is still Abraham. Just some of the dominate New Testament characters names are Westernized. If you are familiar with the Old Testament genealogies there are lots of challenging names we choose to translate. Some cause our Western tongues to do gymnastics to try to pronounce. So why do they change Jewish names in the New? Could it be that the translators want to distance the "church" from its Hebrew roots? Are they convinced that the time following Messiah is so different than the time before that odd translations need to be invoked to protect the reader from the reality of a Jewish New Testament?

Names are only the beginning. The effort to remove the evidence that Hebrew was the spoken language of the Jews in Palestine at the time of Yeshua is astounding. Older translations translate the word Hebrew accurately in reference to the spoken language but others choose to hide the truth in their translations of the New Testament. Some translators simply choose to be unfaithful to the Greek text in favor of their theological bias.The New International takes the prize, (with the English Standard Version taking a close second), to remove the evidence that Jesus (Yeshua) and the Jewish people spoke Hebrew.

The Greek word Hebrais, and its various forms, appears in the New Testament Scriptures about a dozen times. The accurate translation is the word "Hebrew". However when the word refers to the Hebrew language the NIV has mistranslated the word as "Aramaic". At least until you come to Revelation 9:11 and 16:16.  After the "church age" is over and God is dealing with the Jews again the word is accurately translated "Hebrew" rather than "Aramaic". In Philippians 3:5 they do translate Hebrais as Hebrew but here it refers to Paul's nationality, not the language. In every other instance they translate the Greek word for Hebrew as Aramaic.

For example, in Acts 21:40 and 22:2, Paul is giving his defense before the Jewish people in Jerusalem. Luke tells us as they heard Paul speak in the Hebrew language they quieted down to listen. However, the NIV translates the word for Hebrew as Aramaic. This note is their justification, "Most likely aramaic rather than Hebrew since Aramaic was the most commonly used language among Palestinian Jews at the time" (NIV Study Bible pg 1689, Zondervan Publishers 1985). By volitional choice they have mistranslated the word.

Just a few questions. 1) How do you know? 2) If it was the most common language why are there no Gospel accounts or epistles written in Aramaic? 3) In Acts 21:40 & 22:2, why would the people grow quiet if Paul was speaking their most common language? 4) In Luke 4, Yeshua, quotes Isaiah 49:8-9 and 61:1-2. What language did he speak? It was Hebrew and the people understood well enough to be offended. 5) Why is there no evidence of literature, plays, sonnets, or poetry in Aramaic when there are in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek? Not to mention the ongoing practice of Bar Mitzvah where the young men had to learn, read and memorize Hebrew passages and the that the portions read in the Synagogues on the Sabbath were in Hebrew. Lastly, Many scholars suggest that Hebrew was a dying language, hence the need for the Septuagint or Greek Old Testament. They say it was due to the Hebrew language being in such little use it was no longer understood by the populous of Palestine. No ancient language has ever resurrected itself once it falls into disuse, yet, the Hebrew language is alive and well, even today. However, tradition and theological bias are more valuable that historic evidence and logic.

No one would argue that Yeshua (Jesus) was Jewish or that His mother Mariam (Mary) was Jewish. Few would disagree that the New Testament writers like Jacob (James), Jonas (John), and Judas (Jude - yes we have mistranslated this too as we don't want to confuse the traitor with the NT writer) were Jewish and most likely spoke Hebrew. Yet, their names are disguised to deny their Jewish heritage. Mariam's (Mary's) Magnificat in Luke 1 sounds pretty Jewish. The Old Testament scriptures are quoted and upheld through out the New Testament. So why the deceit? Ahhh, we are Western and Americans on top of that. The world and the universe revolve around us. Our view of the "church", and therefore the New Testament, has little to do with Judaism. So we translate God's Word to fit our agendas. We have mistranslated rather than face the Hebraic reality of who we are supposed to be. 

This post just grazes the surface of what has been done to give us an antisemitic New Testament. So give some thought to your Hebrew roots. We will talk more of this soon. Oh, by the way, the Greek New Testament never says Yeshua rose on the first day of the week.  But we will save that for another post. How is that for a future post tease?

Despair is at the Door

We live in a world that is filled with unrest and is decaying around us. We may be tempted to stop watching the news just to avoid the growing record of loss of freedoms and mayhem that seem to be a daily event. Morality is being distorted to make right wrong and the immoral moral. Profanity, the act of making what is sacred common, pervades every form of media and communication. Those who have standards are intolerant so their right to free speech cannot be tolerated. People chain themselves to trees to keep them alive while they demand public funding for the slaughter of the unborn. Christian practices and expressions are being removed from the public forum while Islam is openly promoted. Our government declares the God's nation of Israel to to be guilty of terrorism while terrorist actions are simple acts of workplace violence. Those in power cast a blind eye to those who are motivated by a zealous conviction of the spread of Islam at any cost, with any sacrifice. They are either willing accomplices or ignorant of the realities of this oppressive religion whose goal is to offer whatever sacrifice is necessary for world domination and destruction.We want them to like us so we give them the financial means and freedom to build the nuclear weapons to destroy us.

Into this very uncertain world my three grandchildren have been born to parents devoted to serving God and determined to rear these little ones in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. My youngest son has become engaged to a godly young woman with a desire to serve Yahweh and His Son as their driving motivation in life. I wonder how long any of them will have the freedom to do so.

At age sixty-two the world is not what it was when I was in grade school. Back then we started each day with a pledge to the flag, a reading of a Psalm, and the Lord's Prayer. It was more routine than religious but God was invited to bless our day, at least until third grade. Now Bibles are forbidden while Muslim prayer areas are sent aside for Islamic students to partake in their daily prayers. America is now a villain and must be cut down for our greatness and freedoms. There is no exceptionalism and no Biblical or Theocratic foundation, even though God's Word is cited throughout our founding documents, both on a federal and state level. It is enough to make you wonder how long this nation will last. It leads me to assume that the reason there appears to be no evidence of America as a world power in Biblical prophecy may be due to the reality that we will not be one when the final events begin to unfold. It can lead one to have grave concern for the coming generations and, if you let your mind run with it, a feeling of despair. Where is God in all of this?

Truth is a hard thing to hang onto when life does not seem to reflect what is supposed to be true. It is not the first time. Persecution of those who believe and hold fast to Biblical truth has been a reoccurring cycle throughout human history. There are times when I empathize with King David: "Behold, these, the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase riches, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocenc. For all the day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning" (Psalm 73:12-14).

Why do the wicked seem to prosper and evil gain victories over those who try to hold a righteous standard? Questions arise: Is God true? Can I rest in His grace? Will I choose to believe that He is in control? Will I believe that the chaos that grows around me and the imposing darkness that slowly brings oppression to my life is, to some extent, an illusion in contrast to His sovereign will? Or will I give in to anxious feelings or cynicism? "This is just how life has become, so ignore what you can and expect it to just get worse." Despair is at the door. There is not a lot of hope and joy in that approach to life. What is needed is a practical application of the sovereignty of God.

These are the times when what we know needs to overrule how we feel. David exemplifies this as he struggles with the apparent lack of God's participation in life around him. Scarred by Saul's betrayal, his own moral collapse, and his son's desire to destroy him David knows what it feels like to be abandoned. He shares his pain and joy in his psalms. "Why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you disquieted in me? Hope in God; for yet shall I praise Him for the help of His countenance" (Psalm 42:5). "But I am poor and need; yet the LORD thinks upon me, You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, oh my God" (Psalm 40:17). David's Psalms are honest enough to let God know when we do not understand and yet we can trust Him. Isaiah reminds us, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord, Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation" (Isaiah 12:2).

The psalmist and the prophets understood that the world is not kind. Rather it is brutal and unyielding. However, they were keenly aware that the LORD God of Jacob was sovereign. He is never surprised and He will ultimately deliver. So David writes Psalm two and asks "Why do the nations rage?" God is the one they will answer to. Job can look at the undeserved turmoil of life and say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). Again David declares, with confidence, "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11).

The world will always have its brutal people attempting to bring despair upon those who trust in the Lord. That really is the key, the answer. "LORD". He is the sovereign Lord in whom we trust. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).

Yeshua, Son of God or Son of Man?

The question surrounding the divinity of Yeshua (Jesus) has been with us for some time. Something like 2000 years. Theological disciplines have researched and categorized verses throughout the Gospel accounts and the rest of the New Testament. The Old Testament has been dissected as well, sometimes giving us valuable insight and other times giving us fanciful interpretations that would never have been seen by the author or the original readers. Theologians already know what they believe so there must be abundant evidence there to support their view. In the process we find creative twisting of passages to support preconceived ideas.  Many also ignore the cultural and historic context as well as the intent of the original author and how their original audience would have understood the text. We do so at our peril, for there are times we distort the message and other times we miss valuable truth.

I attended a Christian Liberal Arts College to study Psychology and Counseling. I was also required to take basic Bible classes which grew into a minor in theology. In the process I took a class called Intro to New Testament and then one called Christology. Being a fairly new follower of Messiah the classes were both challenging and somewhat intriguing. They were also pretty narrow in their traditions. I learned all the standard verses about the deity of Christ, (John 1:1, John 10:30, and John 20:28, Matt. 17, and Matt. 16:16). I was also told that there were four Gospel accounts to give four pictures of Jesus. Mathew as king, Mark as servant, Luke as man, and John as divine. It is a nice Western way to categorize and compartmentalize truth while somewhat ignoring the context and message contained therein.

I believe that Yeshua, our Messiah was divine. I believe that the scriptures cited above help support that truth. But in my study of the Sabbath I discovered that we may have turned the messages of the Gospels a bit upside down. To begin, it seems that it would be good to see how Yeshua responded when asked the question if He was the Son of God, if He was divine. Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62 and Luke 22:69 record that Messiah answered, as He often did, by quoting Scripture. The passage He quotes is a bit surprising. We miss the impact if we do not know the discussion among the rabbis of the time. Yeshua goes to Daniel 7.

Daniel Boyarin documents the ongoing discussion among the rabbis that surrounds the time when Yeshua was engaged in His ministry. According to Boyarin many rabbis raised provocative questions concerning Daniel 7:13-14. The text reads, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed." These rabbis concluded that the passage was in reference to Messiah, and most would agree. Yet there were many who saw that this everlasting authority must mean that Messiah was somehow divine. No mere man would be so anointed by Yahweh to to hold this eternal power and position. The Priests and the religious rulers questioning Yeshua saw His reference as the "Son of Man" to be a claim to divinity not just as Messiah. That is why there is the follow-up question "Are you the Son of God?" Yeshua's confirmation leads to the tearing of their garments and cry of "blasphemy!" Yeshua claims that Daniel 7:13-14 refers to Him. He is the One who will come in the clouds and be given an eternal kingdom and authority by God Himself. He will rule over the kingdom of God forever. Thus He is divine.

There are rabbinic records confirming Boyarin's research. Through this historic lens we learn a number of things. First, Yeshua was proclaiming and affirming His deity throughout His ministry, not just in John. It also explains the strong reaction of the Pharisees to Yeshua recorded in Mark 2. The first comes with the healing of the paralytic. Yeshua tells the man his sins are forgiven, the Pharisees claim Yeshua is guilty of blasphemy for only God can forgive sins. Yeshua responds, "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Yeshua claims that, as the Son of Man, He has authority to forgive sin. He is claiming to be God, claiming to be divine.

Mark's next event concerns the Sabbath as Yeshua's followers, in compliance with Deut. 23:25 ("When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain"), are plucking heads of grain and eating them. The Pharisees claim that they are violating Sabbath regulations concerning work. Yeshua responds that "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath”(Mark 2:27-28). The Son of Man has authority to declare what the Sabbath is, for He is Lord, master, ruler over the Sabbath. Only God has this authority. Yeshua is claiming divine authority concerning the Sabbath. A commandment given to Moses by Yahweh, Himself. Yeshua is claiming the same authority as God. So it seems that Yeshua, Messiah claims that He is divine throughout Matthew, Mark and Luke. There is much more evidence that Yeshua, Jesus, claimed that He was divine  than we might have imagined. Each time He declares or describes Himself as the Son of Man He was proclaiming His divinity. And the religious leaders understood His claim.

The "Son of Man" title that Yeshua uses throughout His ministry would have been in agreement with the arguments of the rabbis, drawn from Daniel 7. It would have been a constant jab at the Pharisees, Priests, Sadducees, and other rabbis who disagreed with this understanding of Daniel 7. If we are not aware of the theological controversy percolating among the Jewish scholars in the time of Yeshua's earthly ministry we miss both His claim and the reason for the growing irritation of the Jewish religious leaders. Yeshua, this nobody rabbi from Nazareth, was doing miracles, teaching to the poor and the masses. He was claiming divine power and authority. He was claiming to be Daniel's divine Messiah who will rule over the kingdom of God forever and ever. Maybe we need to take a closer look at the Gospel records and see the "Son of Man" in a different light? Divinity on display on almost every page.

Do We Really Want Our Daily Bread?

"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11).

A part of a prayer that Messiah taught when His disciples asked Him how to pray. Most of us do not want daily bread. We much prefer weekly bread or twelve baskets of left overs. Daily bread is an uneasy, even scary existence. We want to know that we have enough to last for a while. Many tell us it is best to have a year's worth of income and even food set aside so that we can live between jobs or through some earthly catastrophe. I am old enough to remember my dad's plans for a bomb shelter in case the Russians dropped "the big one". We never actually built one, but our neighbor did. A hole to crawl into and survive for a year until the radiation subsided. It is true that the Word of God tells us to be prepared. Luke 14:28-32 reminds us to count the cost, to not begin building if we cannot finish the project or for a king to negotiate peace when he is vastly outnumbered. We are told to be good stewards and to plan. Yet, that is not to be the motivation for our lives. Looking forward to having enough money to stop working and live a life of ease and a bit of self indulgence is hard to find in Scripture. You will not find a positive example of anyone who banks his resources so he can live a life of ease. Actually the man with the big barns tells us otherwise (see Luke 12: 15-21).

It is indeed a good thing to plan, to "count the cost". However, God seems to be more concerned with us living in the world of "daily bread". Messiah reminds us , "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). We are to live for each day. It is not that we do not plan, but that our plans for the future should not cloud the reality of living for today. Jeremiah says, God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). God does not give us mercies to store or hoard for times when they are needed; we get a fresh supply every morning, because we need His mercy all the time. We can count upon God's mercies for they will never fail, they will never be in short supply for those who love Him. Our culture drives us to look toward the future rather than living for today. So we sacrifice today to take the promotion, to earn more money, to have more security in the future, at the cost of today. Then we live in the big house all alone. The time we sacrificed with those who needed us has reaped its reward. They have grown up, grown apart and moved away. We give up our daily bread for bigger barns only to find the cost was more than we intended.

The children of God had not listened. They had given into fear and not trusted God to take them into the promised land. A generation would die because they could not trust God in the moment of decision. The giants won without a battle. Now a new generation must learn to trust so when their moment came they would not fail, they would be able to trust the Lord their God for great things. So God devised a plan to teach them. He called it "manna". It was God's mercy, new every morning. It was their "daily bread". It was a lesson to teach them of their dependence upon the Lord day by day. They had to learn to live in the moment as they prepared for the future. Each day in the wilderness was a reminder that life was more than collecting possessions. No, life was to be lived day by day.

Our lives are not really lost in big pieces but moment by moment. I have yet to meet anyone at the end of their years who wished he had spent more time away from his children and his wife to pursue his career rather than the little league game or ballet recital. Or anyone who regretted having not vacuumed or dusted or chased after job titles and community events rather than reading "One Fish Two Fish" one more time. And now, as the nest grows empty, we realize that, in our quest for tomorrow we offered up today on the altar of our own desires. We try to somehow hoard our daily bread, to save today's supply for another day. We find, as the Israelites did, that what we thought we saved has turned rotten and reeks of the decay of lost opportunities and lost relationships. We need to learn the lesson of daily bread.

In evangelical circles we look forward to "heaven", even though that is not our eternal destination. We plan for retirement and wait for God to make things better and new. We cannot wait for our new bodies, free from the aches and pains from passing years. We look forward to the time when God will set things right and justice will prevail. We endure today with a hope for tomorrow. We long for the bread of the future and miss our daily bread. Yeshua said He was the Bread of heaven. He is my daily supply for life on this planet here and now. He provides my daily need for mercy and for life. He provides for my future as well, but not at the expense of the moment. He wants me to learn the lesson He taught His people in the wilderness. "You have to depend on Me every day." "I will provide what you need for the moment." "You must walk in dependence." "You may need to sacrifice what you thought was your future to live for today." " Relationship with Me and the ones I have called you to love is your daily bread." "Your daily responsibility must begin with being nourished with  the Bread from heaven to get you through just one more day." However, to be honest, I often focus on tomorrow's needed bread. I need to learn to plan for a future but live in the moment, for that is where my Messiah is.

I write this while enjoying some time with my family on the outer beaches of North Carolina. It has been a yearly place of retreat and refreshment. It holds twenty-three years of memories from tiny footprints in the sand to quiet morning walks on the beach with my children as they moved toward adulthood. They are treasured times that are harder to come by. I have the joy of my eldest and my youngest joining me here. I had hoped my "middlest" child could come as well. She could not get time off from work. I suggested that she could tell them that she had received a call from her parents saying that they did not know how much longer her father would live and they would likely give her the time off. It is true. Even though I am active, healthy, riding my bike about ten miles a day and exercising. Oh, and all those numbers my doctor watches are fine so I am told I am in great health "for my age". Even so, life is uncertain. I do not know how much longer I will live. And neither do you. (I should note that my daughter is in NY at work. We did not carry out the ruse. Nor am I suggesting this as a means for you to get time away from your responsibilities.) All I need is my "daily bread". That is what I am told to pray for. That comes with promised daily mercy and the privilege of  not only enjoying the "Bread from Heaven" in the morning but moment by moment throughout my day.

Daily bread is really a moment by moment life in dependence upon the Giver of life. Yes, it is wise to plan for the future, but never at the expense of the present. Never at the expense of the moment. "Give us this day our daily bread". Are we really satisfied with our Daily Bread? Is a life of dependence really our desire? Is the Bread from Heaven enough for today or are you trying to store up manna for the future while you sacrifice today? Ask the Israelites how well that worked and get back to me.