It Goes Without Saying…

          or Eight Days to Christmas

       Sometimes the Old Testament indicates a number without calling it by ‘name,’ and the story of Noah is one example.  Eight people got into the ark and all eight were saved because of the uprightness of one man, Noah.  The Bible doesn’t indicate anything spiritually or morally about his sons, in-laws or his wife, only him.  Noah was “…a preacher of righteousness…” (2Pt. 2:5)  We can surely see how not all children follow after their parent’s godly examples…

Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. Gn. 6:9

And Noah did according to all that Jehovah commanded him. (7:5)

…Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ark. (7:13)

Behold! I, even I, establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; (9:9)

       Because of Noah’s desire to walk godly, the Lord saved him AND his family from death by the flood.  To think on: Noah could have disobeyed God and put off building the ark (a task which would have been very time consuming), or he could have delayed getting in the ark when God told him to, or left through the window in the seven days they were shut in without seeing the flood come (Gn. 7:10). 

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hb. 11:7

       But Noah’s faith was strong and he knew God would do what He said even though he didn’t see it with his eyes.  He feared God enough to do what he was asked despite being laughed at and mocked like he must have been.  He trusted God before the flood, during the flood, and after the flood.  And because of Noah’s faith, eight lives were saved.  In the movie ‘Evan Almighty’ the Lord asks a modern man to build an ark, and he struggles with the task.  How would we do if God asked us?  Would we do it?  Would we even believe?

Where are The Nine?

          or Nine Days to Christmas

         Sometimes I have to ask about my kids, “Where are they?” especially when it comes to house cleaning, setting up a tent site, decorating the house for Christmas, when I’m in the car waiting for them, etc.  It seems they just disappear when things need to be done!  (Ok, many of us try to avoid things we don’t like: dishes, cleaning, going out in the cold…)  Anyway, it is more difficult to imagine someone giving you the greatest gift and not thanking them in return.

And as He (Jesus) entered into a certain village, ten leprous men met Him, who stood afar off. And they lifted voice and said, Jesus, Master, pity us! And seeing them, He said to them, Go show yourselves to the priests. And it happened, as they went, that they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and glorified God with a loud voice. And he fell down on his face at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. And answering, Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Lk 17:12-17

       Just where were the other nine?  They all went to show themselves to the priests as told (an act of obedience) but when healed, only one turned back to glorify Jesus.  I think Jesus was making a point to those around him: it was a hated Samaritan who worshipped Him.

       How many times a day do we neglect to thank Him for all He’s done?  We woke up breathing, probably walking, talking, hearing, putting on clothes, eating, driving a car, bringing kids to school, going to a job, spending money on coffee, laughing with co-workers, talking on our cell…  The list of miraculous blessings in our lives is endless.

       Most of all, at this time of year, we should be thanking Jesus for leaving his God space to come and live as a poor newborn baby in a filthy, sinful world to be rejected and murdered for our sins which He bore for us on the cross- our death penalty cross!  That salvation is ours every day and so we should be thankful, falling on our knees worshipping the One who gave so much for love of us.

Oh Lord, help us not be like the nine, but to turn back like the one, to fall at Your feet thanking You for every thing big and small.  May we never hear You say of us, “Where are you?”

Ten Servant Throw Down

          or Ten Days to Christmas

       I’ve heard it said that soldiers do fear, but they are trained to fight in spite of their fear.  Now, God often says not to fear (Is. 41:10), but we are human and well, it happens some times.  Is it that we lack faith?  Probably.  Yet, in our humanness we must decide if we will allow the fear we feel to stop us from doing what God wants us to do.

Jehovah said … throw down the altar of Baal which your father has, and cut down the pillar by it. Jd. 6:25

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had said to him. And so it was, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day. So he did it by night. (v.27)

       Here Gideon is told by God to break down the idol Baal of his father’s, which must have been used by the townspeople as well.  Gideon knows full well that his life could be in jeopardy but he does it anyway.  He works around his own fear by doing the job at night, but I think the point is, he did what he was told to do.  The ten servants helped him throw the altar of Baal down- and cut down the grove.

       The enemy wants us to be stopped by our fear.  God wants us to not fear, but at the very least, do not let our fear keep us from obeying Him and His Word.  Maybe we’re afraid to tell a family member about Jesus, stand up to the lies of a co-worker, tell a pastor he’s wrong with what he said, confront someone who offended us, etc.  No matter how we feel, we can overcome that fear by determining to do God’s will in our lives.  For it is not by our own power anyway, but by His!

…My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness… 2Cr. 12:9

I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Jh. 16:33

For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 1Jh. 5:4