Principles of Prayer and Fasting

Tomorrow, we begin our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting here at Hillcrest Church, with our Worship Center open for corporate prayer and waiting upon the Lord every evening from 7-9pm. I believe God is going to draw near to us in a special way as we humble ourselves and draw near to Him.

I encourage you to check out the insights of Dr. Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, regarding fasting. His Seven Basic Steps to Successful Fasting and Prayer and his Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer are both excellent resources written from a solid, biblical and evangelical perspective.

Following are a few rough notes from my own files regarding Scriptural principles of prayer and fasting.

NOTES ON FASTING


When coupled with prayer, fasting becomes God’s great “accelerator” in Kingdom advance. Things happen when we fast and pray with a pure heart, that do not happen when we pray only.

“"Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During those seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and at the festival in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting?” (Zec 7:5 NLT) 

“‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have done much penance, and you don’t even notice it!’ "I will tell you why! It’s because you are living for yourselves even while you are fasting. You keep right on oppressing your workers.” (Isa 58:3 NLT)

"14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:14-21, KJV)

There are two basic, Scriptural motivations for fasting. (These can occur simultaneously):

1. Fasts of contrition and repentance (in the Old Testament, often accompanied by sackcloth and ashes, etc. 2 Sam. 12:16; Neh. 9:1; etc.)

"16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground." (2 Samuel 12:16, NIV)

" On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God." (Nehemiah 9:1-3, NIV)

" 2 It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. 3 And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah." (1 Samuel 7:2-6, NIV)

"17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’ ” 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21 ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. 22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.’ 23 “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24 “Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.” 25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.) 27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” " (1 Kings 21:17-29, NIV)

2. Fasts of separation unto the Lord in order to encounter Him in fresh way (brings more revelation, power, victory, for the consecration of spiritual leaders, etc.)

" In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes … 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” 20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:" (Daniel 9:1-3, 18-23, NIV)

Both of these kinds of fasting are important for spiritual breakthrough.


THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FASTING AND PERIODS OF TIME FOR FASTING (morning ‘till evening, three days, seven days, 21 days, forty days)

1. Absolute, total fast (neither bread nor water)

This is very, very rare (Moses, for example, did it when he spent forty days in God’s manifest presence on the mountain during the giving of the Law of the Covenant and was sustained supernaturally during that time.

Interestingly, there is no evidence that Moses planned this particular kind of fast out in advance. It is just something that happened, almost as a by-product of his encounter with God. It could be argued that Moses did not know when he went up on the mountain how long he would be there or that he would fast. He simply entered into God’s awesome presence on the mountain where there was neither food nor water and did not come out until God was done talking to him…!

“Moses was up on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he neither ate nor drank. At that time he wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets.” (Ex 34:28 NLT)

“So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water.” (Ac 9:9 NLT)

2. Fasting all food (but not water or other liquids)

This appears to me to be the most common type of fasting in the Scripture.

This appears to be the kind of fast that Jesus did in the desert during forty days. Doctor Luke says, “He ate nothing…”

“1 ¶ Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness, 2 where the Devil tempted him for forty days. He ate nothing all that time and was very hungry.” (Lu 4:1-2 NLT)

3. Fasting until evening

“Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the LORD and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.” (Jud 20:26 NLT)

4. Fasting certain kinds of foods.

“1 ¶ In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. It concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship—and Daniel understood what the vision meant. 2 When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three weeks. 3 All that time I had eaten no rich food or meat, had drunk no wine, and had used no fragrant oils.” (Da 10:1-3 NLT)

“1 ¶ During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it with his armies. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah. When Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon, he took with him some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God and placed them in the treasure-house of his god in the land of Babylonia. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, who was in charge of the palace officials, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 "Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men," he said. "Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good sense, and have the poise needed to serve in the royal palace. Teach these young men the language and literature of the Babylonians." 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of the best food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for a three-year period, and then some of them would be made his advisers in the royal court. 6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief official renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. 8 ¶ But Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief official for permission to eat other things instead. 9 Now God had given the chief official great respect for Daniel. 10 But he was alarmed by Daniel’s suggestion. "My lord the king has ordered that you eat this food and wine," he said. "If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded for neglecting my duties." 11 Daniel talked it over with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief official to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 "Test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. 13 "At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s rich food. Then you can decide whether or not to let us continue eating our diet." 14 So the attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the rich foods and wines. 17 ¶ God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for learning the literature and science of the time. And God gave Daniel special ability in understanding the meanings of visions and dreams.” (Da 1:1-17 NLT)

5. Fasting from certain human practices

Paul’s statement concerning a married couple abstaining from sexual relations for a time in order to seek the Lord. He clearly states that this should only be done if both partners desire it and only for a brief period of time, so as not to be a license to sexual sin.

This is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and misused passages in Scripture, and should never be used as an excuse in a marriage for one partner to deprive the other of the intimacy, pleasure, and physical release that God has intended sex to be for married couples.

“1 ¶ Now about the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life. 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3 The husband should not deprive his wife of sexual intimacy, which is her right as a married woman, nor should the wife deprive her husband. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband also gives authority over his body to his wife. 5 So do not deprive each other of sexual relations. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time, so they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterward they should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control. 6 This is only my suggestion. It’s not meant to be an absolute rule. 7 I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of marriage, and to others he gives the gift of singleness. 8 Now I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.” (1Co 7:1-9 NLT)

This principle of fasting from certain pleasurable practices can bring great spiritual benefit when applied to other time-consuming things such as television, sports, etc.

WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL BENEFITS TO FASTING?
1. When I fast, I align myself with God’s Kingdom

Jesus said, “When you fast…” not “If you fast…”

* Jesus Himself declared that when He was taken away, His disciples would fast.

Angels and demons are watching us and fasting is one way to signal which kingdom we belong to.
So do not be surprised if Satan fights you while you fast!

2. When I fast, I am strengthened spiritually.
Fasting is not a “hunger strike.”
We can not starve God into doing anything or starve a demon out of anyone. However, Satan’s basic agenda for our lives is to take our spirits off the throne of our lives and put our bodies or our emotions or our minds on the throne of our lives (or, to invade our spirits with his demonic spirits – this strategy shows how Satan himself realizes that human beings are the most powerful when they are led through their spirits by his evil spirits.)

Fasting causes me to focus on the spiritual part of my existence and, if accompanied by increased communion with God results in my becoming stronger spiritually.

* Jesus fasted forty days and at the end of them was physically hungry, but spiritually strong.

He was able to confront three direct temptations brought to Him by the devil himself and overcome them through rightly applying Kingdom truths revealed in God’s Holy Word. He came out of that fast, “clothed in the power of the Spirit,” with such an anointing upon Him that demons came out while He was preaching…! Through His preaching, He so shook the Kingdom of Satan that demons incited a horde of “church people” to try and kill Him…! (cast Him off of a cliff.)

We must never think that prayer and fasting will make all of our problems go away. Rather, sometimes they provoke more serious problems than ever, but, as we pray through those problems and move forward in the power of the Spirit, more territory is taken than ever before…!

3. When I fast, I become more spiritually sensitive.
Sometimes God wants to speak to me things that I am not positioned or even willing to hear. My mind, my emotions, my body rebel against what His Spirit is saying to me through my spirit and I fail to discern and obey His promptings. Fasting helps clear away that “interference” so that I can clearly hear the voice of the Spirit.

God sometimes exposes sin and uncovers problems when we fast. He also gives us fresh, new revelation that we would not have otherwise.

Daniel
Daniel set himself to fast and pray and seek the Lord in order to receive revelation from the Lord that would explain the vision.

“1 ¶ In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. It concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship—and Daniel understood what the vision meant. 2 When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three weeks. 3 All that time I had eaten no rich food or meat, had drunk no wine, and had used no fragrant oils. 4 On April 23, as I was standing beside the great Tigris River, 5 I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. 6 His body looked like a dazzling gem. From his face came flashes like lightning, and his eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people.” (Da 10:1-6 NLT)

Cornelius
Cornelius set aside a special time of prayer an fasting and had an angelic encounter that changed the course of history.

“30 Cornelius replied, "Four days ago I was praying in my house at three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. 31 He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayers have been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! 32 Now send some men to Joppa and summon Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a leatherworker who lives near the shore.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now here we are, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you."” (Ac 10:30-33 NLT)

Antioch
* It was through a time of prayer and fasting (and worship), while the church at Antioch was waiting on the Lord that the Holy Spirit spoke and revealed God’s plan to send Paul and Barnabas forth to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. That spiritually mature church then gave themselves to more prayer and fasting before laying their hands on Paul and Barnabas and sending them forth. It would appear that additional confirmation and perhaps even clarification came through prayer and fasting.

“1 ¶ Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called "the black man"), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work I have for them." 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.” (Ac 13:1-3 NLT)

“21 After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, 22 where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. 23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church and prayed for them with fasting, turning them over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had come to trust.” (Ac 14:21-23 NLT)

Anna
Anna, the widow, worshipped, fasted, and prayed and had a special encounter with Jesus that others did not have…!

“36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.” (Lu 2:36-37 NLT)

Merry Christmas ... and how do you like the new look?

Trust you are having a great holiday season. Teresa, I, and the children have had a wonderful time, thanks in part to the very generous outpouring of presents from you, our church family! We appreciate that so very, very much and pray God blesses you for it!

Now that the holidays are almost over, I will soon get back to blogging.

For now, I have just been tinkering around a bit with the page layout of this blog, trying three columns instead of the old, two-column format. (That's my hidden "geek" coming out...!)

What do you think? Is it easier to read the old way or this new way?

Take a moment to let me know by clicking on "Comments" at the end of this post.

Blessings!

Mark

P.S. If you are interested in technical matters, Pam Blackstone's Random Byte's page entitled, Build a Three-Column Blogger Template gave me the step-by-step intructions I needed to convert this page, along with some downloaded code from Dutchman Thur Broeders' 3 Column Layout Showcase and Minima 3 Col page.

See you soon...!

I have been greatly blessed by my time out of the pulpit and out of the office the last several days. Teresa and I spent a couple of days together in San Antonio while my parents watched our kids; I feel refreshed; my “batteries” are charged; and I can’t wait to see you all again!

In recent months, God has been sending us a fresh visitation of His Spirit at Hillcrest Church as we have experienced a powerful renewal in worship, going ever further into His word, His presence, and His harvest. I believe He wants to do even greater things among us in the coming New Year.

A very important key to the harvest of blessings many of us have reaped throughout 2006 is the seed we sowed during our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting last January. Don’t forget to prepare to join the rest of our church family again during this special time beginning January 1st and continuing through January 21st. The worship center on our campus will be open for corporate prayer every evening at 7pm, and we are also going to set aside time for personal prayer every morning at 7am, whether at home, during our commute, at school, at work, or wherever else we may be.

Be sure to make plans to be in service with us this coming Sunday (December 10th) as Teresa and I welcome our special guests, John and Lisa Bevere. They are both true followers of Jesus who carry a rich anointing on their lives and have been blessed with unusual favor in many of the world's leading churches. The author of several best-selling books such as The Bait of Satan and Drawing Near, and the host of The Messenger television broadcast viewed in over 200 nations, John preached one of the most powerful messages I have ever heard earlier this year during the WME conference we hosted. I believe John’s "no-nonsense" approach to applying solid, Biblical principles to daily life will be a tremendous blessing to every one of us who come with open hearts, expecting to hear a fresh word from the Lord.

Both John and Lisa, who is also a best-selling author in her own right of titles including Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry, will have many of their materials available for sale immediately following the service in the Atrium. Come prepared to take advantage of this opportunity to add some of their life-changing print and video materials to your personal library. They would also make great Christmas gifts for those you love...!

See you soon…!

Pastor Mark

PneumaBlogs

I have just stumbled across a blog by Rich Tatum called Blogrodent : Pentecostal Rumination and Review. I have just begun reading it and have already discovered that, among other things, he has an interesting list of links to other blogs called PneumaBlogs and a call to fellow Pentecostals and Charismatics to begin blogging.

God is on the move in France...!

Before Teresa and I came to Hillcrest Church, we spent many years of our lives focusing on ministry to Europe in general and France in particular. Recently, we were privileged to welcome Pastor Michel Balverde and his son, Samuel, to Dallas for a few days and were overjoyed to hear the good news of how God is moving in that nation. The Lord has given them specific and innovative vision on how to reach a new generation of French young people through outreaches, conferences, and all forms of media, especially the internet.

To find out more, check out their primary website: France Advance. It includes a couple of English language videos produced by French young people: a newscast style video talking about the spiritual needs of France and a short feature film about the spiritual oppression French Christians and their leaders must overcome. There is also a page giving statistics about the spiritual need of the country.

Their Connaître Dieu (French language) and Looking for God (English language) website (also available in German, Dutch, and Chinese) has over four hundred people per day registering first-time decisions for Christ! Click here to see who is logged on right now and from which countries in the world.

The affiliated Top Chrétien Christian web portal has welcomed over 10 million unique visitors in the last five years. It is a great way to brush up on your French and to get a feel for what God is doing in France!

The Muddled, Meandering, Musings of the Mad

A recent piece in the New York Times by George Johnson entitled, "A Free-for-All on Science and Religion," (free registration required to read) details how the deep animosity certain secular scientists have developed toward all religious belief boiled to the surface at the Beyond Belief: Science, Religion, Reason and Survival forum this month at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. Richard Dawkin's comment summed up the prevalent attitude,

"I am utterly fed up with the respect that we - all of us, including the secular among us - are brainwashed into bestowing on religion ... Children are systematically taught that there is a higher kind of knowledge which comes from faith, which comes from revelation, which comes from scripture, which comes from tradition, and that it is the equal if not the superior of knowledge that comes from real evidence..."

What never ceases to amaze me is how anyone so brilliant could have such blind, absolute faith in the power of individual or collective reason. After all, since man is a finite creature, by definition, all individual or collective human knowledge and experience is also limited. That being true, atheism (the outright denial of the existence of God) is clearly a form of intellectual dishonesty, since an atheist must therefore admit that God may exist somewhere outside the realm of their personal (or humanity's collective) knowledge or experience. The moment a person acknowledges that God might exist, they have ceased being an atheist and have become a mere skeptic (one who is simply unsure about the existence of God). Any skeptic who is really seeking truth must make a personal search for God their highest priority, since, philosophically speaking, God's existence profoundly affects every other realm of knowledge, including meaning, ethics, and so forth.

The real issue with every atheist I have ever dialogued with has always turned out to be either emotional or moral and not intellectual. They are either angry and bitter at God over the reality of some form of evil (often something very painful that has happened to them personally), or they are simply unwilling to live their personal lives according to His standards of right conduct. In my experience, the issue has never been purely rational. As the New Living Translation renders the Apostle Paul's words to the Roman believers, "Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness ... (Romans 1:28)"

Here's the great news - if we seek God with a heart that is willing to serve Him if we find Him, then He will reveal Himself to our hearts. As the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, articulated it, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT)"

What a powerful, precious promise!

Pray for the young people at New Life Church

Several months ago, Teresa and I were able to attend weekend services at New Life Church while we were in Colorado. We were deeply touched during our visit by the very large number of young people and career adults, including young families, that have been flocking to the church.

As recent events have unfolded and the news stories continue to flood all forms of media, I keep thinking about those young, tender, bright-eyed, passionate, "babes in Christ." My heart is very, very heavy today as I remember what we saw. If you read this post, please pause for a moment and pray for them, as well for the entire Haggard family.

Grappling with God

In my sermon a couple of weeks ago on Luke 2:41-52 entitled, "The Power of Positive Parenting," I mentioned an article I had read recently by Phillip Yancey on prayer. It contained a couple of wonderful, very thought provoking insights about intercession, including this statement regarding the story of Sodom and Gommorah's destruction, "...Abraham quit asking before God quit granting."

Simply put, I think that is one of the most profound comments on prayer that I have ever heard. Yancey goes on to write,

What if Abraham had bargained even harder and asked that the cities be spared for the sake of one righteous person, his nephew Lot? Was God, so quick to concede each point, actually looking for an advocate, a human being bold enough to express God's own deepest instinct of mercy? As Abraham learned, when we appeal to God's grace and compassion, the fearsome God soon disappears. "The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion" (Num. 14:18). God is more merciful than we can imagine and welcomes appeals to that mercy.
...

"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance," writes Archbishop Richard Trench. "It is laying hold of his highest willingness."
...

Like Abraham, I approach God at first in fear and trembling, only to learn that God wants me to stop groveling and start arguing.

...

Prayer in its highest form and grandest success assumes the attitude of a wrestler with God," concluded E. M. Bounds, who wrote eight books on prayer. Our no-holds-barred outbursts hardly threaten God, and sometimes they even seem to change him.

I read his article in a hard copy version of Christianity Today and was really disappointed to discover that it had not been posted to their website, because I wanted to post it for your enrichment. This morning, it suddenly popped up, so I urge you to read it by clicking here while you have the chance...!

Weblog: 'Christianity in America Won't Survive Another Decade'

I often find Ted Olsen's incisive comments on a variety of issues worth reading. Here is a link to his reaction to the New York Times cover story about evangelicals loosing their youth, among other things. It has lots of links to other articles and news items related to the subject.

New York Times - "Evangelicals Fear the Loss of their Youth"

Today's New York Times ran a top-of-the-fold cover article on Ron Luce and Teen Mania Ministries, one of the premier youth ministries in America entitled, "Evangelicals Fear the Loss of their Youth." Every parent, grandparent, and friend of a teenager should read it. Clicking on the article name (above) will open it up in your browser. If you have never registered on the New York Times website before, you may have to go through that first, but it is free (you do NOT have to subscribe to the paper.)

Staying in like

In her article on Christianity Today's website, Annie Chapman says, "People get married because they love each other. But they stay married because they like each other."

What a great quote! And, so very true.

She then goes on to say, "Partners who like each other have a relationship founded on respect. When respect, and the "liking" it fosters, flourishes in a marriage, you can bet the relationship rests on solid ground. "

She ends her short, pithy article by outlining five ways to put more "like" in your marriage. It's well worth the couple of minutes it will take you to check it out!

Evangelical...?

Have you ever wondered what the word, "Evangelical," means and where the movement came from? Here is a link to an excellent article by eminent historian Mark Noll from Christianity Today magazine's website on that very subject, entitled, "Where We Are and How We Got Here."

Madonna mock crucifixtion vs. Veggietales

Don't worry, I am not going on an extended "rant" about this, but I want to pass on a further link of interest concerning the last item I posted about NBC's decision to not air Veggietales videos without editing out certain references to God. On Rick Warren's Pastors.com website there is this item contrasting NBC's stance on Madonna's mock crucifixtion, their stance on controversial cartoons regarding Islam, and their stance on mentions of God in Veggietales. It is worth reading!

Godless Veggietales...?

If you have small children, grandchildren, close friends who have small children, or spend any time at all with small children, you have probably heard of the Christian cartoon series called, "Veggietales." In the words of their creator, they blend, "Sunday morning values and Saturday morning fun." While browsing the Men of Legacy website a few moments ago, I noticed that NBC has decided to air thirty minute Veggietale shows on Saturday morning, after editing them for what they consider to be inappropriate references to God.

Having lived in France for a number of years, I have long since stopped expecting commerical media to conform to my spiritual values and convictions, but as a parent of a four year old and a seven year old, for a mainstream media outlet like NBC to regularly air some of the trash they do during prime time, without any concern for its impact upon viewers, including children, but to then remove generic references to God (remember, these are not even references to Jesus...!) from Veggietales shows in order not to offend, strikes me as absolutely insane. CNN's news item on the subject states concerning Veggietales's creator,

"Had he known how much he would have to change the show -- including Bob and Larry's tagline, 'Remember kids, God made you special and he loves you very
much,' that concludes each episode -- Vischer said he would not have signed on
for the network deal. 'I would have declined partly because I knew a lot of fans
would feel like it was a sellout or it was done for money,' he said, adding that
'there weren't enough shows that could work well without those (religious) references.'"

This link will take you to the item on the Veggietales website that gives more of their response to the stir this has caused. My frustration, by the way, is not with the creators at Big Idea Productions - I understand why they made this decision and have nothing but respect for their integrity and the great blessing they have been to so many children - but with what I perceive to be a very hypocritical approach and evident bias at NBC.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I feel much better...! (Smile!)

Bibles and cell phones

Here is a cute item that was part of a missionary newsletter that I received today from Greg and Cristi Nemer at www.missionswithpurpose.com

Cell Phone vs. Bible

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?
This is something to make you go...hmmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cellphones, we do not ever have to worry about our bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

Have a blessed day!

Listen to Luke chapter two

This coming Sunday, I am going to be preaching a message entitled, "Simeon's Song," taken from the prophetic praise uttered by an elderly man who was waiting at the Temple the day Jesus was circumcised. This episode is part of the Gospel of Luke, chapter two. You can listen to this passage online for free by clicking here. This particular version of the audio Bible is my favorite. I find I can actually listen to it and follow it.

You need to download and install the free, Realplayer by clicking here if you have not already done so. Please note that there are two versions of Realplayer, one is free and the other one must be purchased. The link I have just provided you should take you directly to the free player download. For more information, check out Realplayer's website by clicking here.

Go Gideon...!

While preaching this morning, I mentioned in passing six things God did for Gideon in Judges chapter six. Each one corresponds to something God says to us as we respond to His call upon our lives...

1. I will be with you.

"11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”" (Judges 6:11-12, NIV)

Gideon had a hard time believing this because of the very difficult circumstances he found himself in. He responded to the angel's greeting by asking,

"13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."" (Judges 6:13, NIV)

And, yet, the Lord was already with him. Sometimes, God takes us through a difficulty instead of around a difficulty. Jesus made us the promise that He would always be with us, no matter what would come our way.

"20 ... I am with you always, to the very end of the age."" (Matthew 28:20, NIV)

2. I will send you.

"14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”" (Judges 6:14, NIV)

The angelic visitor turned out to be the Lord Himself, something theologians call a “pre-incarnation Christophany,” i.e., God showing up in the flesh before He was born in a manger at Bethlehem. Rather than agreeing with Gideon’s self-assessment that he had been abandoned by God and was incapable of delivering Israel from the hand of the Midianites, the Lord commanded Gideon to go anyway. Jesus wants to send each of us somewhere to do something for someone in His name.

"21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”" (John 20:21, NIV)

3. I will help you.

"15 “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”" (Judges 6:15-16, NIV)

"34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him." (Judges 6:34, NIV)

What God promised, He delivered. The Spirit of the Lord “came upon” Gideon, giving him supernatural power. Jesus promised each one of us the help of the Holy Spirit when we respond to His call.

"8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”" (Acts 1:8, NIV)

4. I will show you.

"17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” 19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. 20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. 21 With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared." (Judges 6:17-21, NIV)

Gideon asked God for a supernatural confirmation of His promise, and God graciously granted his request. Later (verses 36-40), Gideon “put out a fleece” before the Lord, but it is interesting to note that his faith continued to grow until he recognized the voice of God so distinctly, and was so entirely persuaded of the Lord’s faithfulness, that he stopped asking for signs.

Sometimes God grants our requests for confirmation when we are unsure of His direction. After all, He wants us to be sure of His will, but we should never “put out fleeces” before the Lord when we already know what God wants us to do. Practices such as opening the Bible at random and taking whatever verse the eye falls upon, etc., are very unwise and can lead us astray. Rather, we should seek to walk so closely with God that we are able to clearly discern His voice.

5. I will speak to you.

"25 That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”" (Judges 6:25-26, NIV)

That very night, after the angel had disappeared, God spoke directly into Gideon’s spirit. He no longer needed the angel to tell him what God was saying. Supernatural experiences and encounters with God are always intended to draw us into a deeper, ongoing relationship with Him. The word God gave Gideon was a very specific plan of action. He was to take a particular bull (the second one), do a particular thing (tear down his father’s altar and Asherah pole, a occultish fetish meant to resemble a human phallus), and offer a sacrifice in a particular way (use the wood from the altar and the pole to provide the flame that would consume the flesh of the bull.) In a similar way, when God showed Moses on the mount the pattern for the tabernacle, He gave him very detailed instructions.

Sometimes, God initially gives us only general direction, but other times when He speaks a word to us it is very specific. He told Elijah, for instance, first to go to a particular brook, and then to a particular widow’s house in 1 Kings 17. If we feel called by God to a particular thing and are carrying a word from Him in our hearts, but all we have is a dream and not a plan, then we may just be a dreamer and not a leader!

6. I will protect you.

"27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. 28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29 They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” 31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32 So that day they called Gideon “Jerub-Baal,” saying, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he broke down Baal’s altar." (Judges 6:27-32, NIV)

When Gideon stepped out to obey God, he knew he was undertaking a very dangerous assignment. His faith was not yet strong, but he acted upon a very important principle enunciated by the angel, “Go in the strength you have.” (verse 14) Gideon was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to confront the forces of darkness in broad daylight, as Elijah would do in 1 Kings 18, so he did it under cover of darkness.

When an angry mob surrounded his home demanding retaliation, it was his own father who protected him by speaking a word of wisdom! Because Gideon obeyed the Lord’s command with what faith he had, God protected him through granting him favor with his father, the owner of the altar and pole he had destroyed! It does not matter how few friends or allies we may feel that we have in a given circumstance, when God commands us to do something, He will take care of us as we do it.

Pictures that are worth a thousand words

Most of the time, my posts on this blog have something to do with the life of our church or my personal spiritual journey or the life of my family, etc. After posting the comment below about the new photo my team chose, I thought you might enjoy seeing a few links to a couple of my favorite paintings.

In the National Gallery of Art is one of Rembrandt's renderings of the Apostle Paul. (Click here to view it.) Although Rembrandt painted Paul more than once (click here and here and his self-portrait as the Apostle here), my favorite is the one in Washington, perhaps because I once had the opportunity to view it in person. If you want to know more about some of Rembrandt's other depictions of Biblical scenes without having to surf museum websites from around the world, check out the following downloadable pda file from the Getty Museum's website. (Click here).

Rembrandt depicted many common, everyday scenes with tremendous grace and beauty. I believe this was in part due to the influence of the Protestant Reformation upon his perception of truth and spirituality. During the Middle Ages, a false conception of spirituality had arisen that included a false dichotomy between the material and the spiritual, with "holy" people portrayed only in "other worldly" ways including such things as halos around their heads, etc. The Reformers understood that we should live all of our lives under the lordship of Christ and that "secular" activities such as baking bread or trading in commerce could bring Him glory when done as acts of worship to Him.

On a lighter note, as a lover of good books, I always chuckle and admit I see a bit of myself in a painting hanging in the rare book room of the Milwaukee Public Library entitled, "The Bookworm." (Click here or here) I do not know much about the artist, Carl Spitzweg, but while looking for a link to point you to, I also came across his humorous, "The Poor Poet." (Click here)

Like polished arrows, September 17, 2006

In my sermon this morning, I referred to a statement the prophet Isaiah made:

" 1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. " (Isaiah 49:1-2, NIV)

After service, a young man in our church named Gabriel Lazaro was talking with me and said something like this, “God is the archer, the church is the bow, and the members are the arrows.”

What a beautiful image...! God creates us for a special calling and then sends us forth to fulfill that destiny through our local church after working in our lives like an archer straightening the shaft of his arrows so they will fly strait and true toward the target.

This is what took place in Acts chapter thirteen:

" 1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus." (Acts 13:1-4, NIV)

Saul had already been sovereignly called by God on the road to Damascus while he was still a persecutor of the church. No church leader of that time would have chosen Saul, later known as Paul, to become an apostle and one of the world’s first cross-cultural missionaries, but God called Saul anyway, without consulting with church leadership. Writing about spiritual gifts later on, Paul declared, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:11) God reserves the right to call who He wants to, when He wants to, where He wants to, to whatever ministry He wants to, without asking anyone’s permission or needing anyone’s advice.

Having called Paul, God then took several years in Tarsus and the deserts of Arabia to fashion Paul into an arrow He could use. Notice the clear biblical pattern. Having called Paul through a direct, Holy Spirit encounter, the Lord then sends him out into the ministry He called Him to through a local church. God calls people directly but He wants to send them through a local church. This is the biblical pattern and this is the vision of Hillcrest Church:

“To BRING everyone we can into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, HEAL them everywhere they hurt, and TRAIN them to live according to biblical principles so they can LEAD by serving others as we SEND them to make disciples of all people everywhere.”

Sometimes the process of being fashioned into an arrow God can use is painful, but it is also extremely important. God calls some of us to go across an ocean, He calls others to go across town or across the street or across the backyard fence, but He wants to send all of us somewhere to do something for someone. Our local church leadership is committed to helping you walk through the BRING/HEAL/TRAIN/LEAD/SEND discipleship cycle so you can find your place in God’s plan and fulfill your destiny.

There are three simple things you must do in order for that to happen. First, you need to get into God’s manifest presence through regular times of prayer and worship. Second, you need to get into God’s Word through your personal devotions and our public worship services. Third, you need to get into God’s harvest by reaching out to those who do not know Jesus. It will amaze you how quickly God’s plan for your life will begin to unfold as you consistently take those three important steps.

Let’s go for the goal...!

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

No reserves, no retreats, no regrets...!

Last summer, I felt impressed to take this motto for this school year as a Christian and as the Senior Pastor of our church, "No reserves, no retreats, no regrets!" Those phrases were made famous by one of the 20th century's Christian heros, William Whiting Borden. While I was preparing for my sermon this morning, I came across the following links that tell more about this amazing man:

Short synopsis: http://thetask.org/thETASK/Heroes/Aug03/default.asp

Photo from Cairo, Egypt: http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bulletin/bu0308.htm

Other photos from around the world trip: http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bulletin/bu0506.htm and

Evangelistic tract Borden wrote, entitled, "What does it mean to be a Christian?": http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bulletin/bordentract.htm

Short book on his life: William Borden

How many sacrifices...?

Following my sermon this past Sunday (which you can listen to by clicking here), Charlie Dunn emailed me some very interesting comments and questions last night regarding 2 Samuel 6:13 and the number of sacrifices David offered while bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. His insights and calculations are quite thought-provoking and certainly worth serious consideration, so I'm inserting excerpts from our email exchange here with his permission...

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

From: Charlie Dunn
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 8:43 PM
To: Mark Brand
Subject: 2nd Samuel Sermon August 29, 2006

Pastor Brand,

I found your sermon this Sunday to be very insightful and full of many great points. God truly speaks through you. You mentioned in your sermon that all of us are subject to human error, even the prophet Nathan as you discussed. In reading Chapter 6 of 2nd Samuel, I found that my translation (NIV) only mentioned that David "sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf" after the first six steps, and not after every six steps. Certainly David's sacrifice was of great significance as it re-consecrated the role of the Levites as the Lord's ministers and affirmed God's faithfulness to those who followed his Words. Furthermore, those first six steps were surely taken very tentatively in light of the recent death of Uzzah. With the first six steps completed, it was evident to David and to those in the procession, that God would bless this venture. Accordingly, David offered sacrifices of thanks to God. He would later offer "burnt offerings and fellowship offerings" once the Ark had been delivered to the tent, but from what I can understand, not repeatedly along the way.

It is possible that you are aware of some pertinent information that I am not, but according to what I can see, it would be nearly impossible for David to have offered sacrifices every six steps. As 1 Chronicles 13:13 informs us, Obed-Edom was a Gittite. Thus he was either from the Philistine city of Gath, located 30 miles from Jerusalem, or more likely from the Levitical city of Gath-Rimmon, located in the inheritance of Dan, a little more than 10 miles from Jerusalem. The latter option would make a great deal more sense, as it would place his home closer to the city, and would justify David's deposit of the Ark at the home of Obed-Edom, a Levite. Whether Gath-Rimmon or Gath, the distance would be no fewer than 10 miles. Therefore, if a mile is 5,280 feet, than each mile would take approximately 6,000 steps, or 1,000 sacrifices. Assuming only ten miles, the sacrifices would total over 10,000 bulls and 10,000 calves! Suffice it to say that time alone would not permit such an exorbitant method, nor would it be feasible to carry and consume all of the sacrificed meat.

I would like to reemphasize my appreciation of your service to God, and the open and bold way in which you and Hillcrest Church worship God and proclaim His Word. I took a great deal away from the sermon, and I look forward to attending again. I was just curious about this point, on which I may be lacking a critical piece of information. Otherwise, I thought you might benefit from this. God bless you and may he continue to use you for his kingdom.

In Christ,

Charlie Dunn


On 8/29/06, Mark Brand <MBrand@hillcrestchurch.org> wrote:

Hi Charlie!
Thanks so much for your very enlightening email and for the calculations! Wow! That is certainly thought-provoking!

To be honest with you, from my reading of the NIV, it seemed to my eyes to infer an ongoing process, but that certainly would be a lot of animals, and having re-read the verse carefully in light of your comments, you may well be right...!

In any event, your email caused me to do a quick check of the commentaries and dictionaries, etc., I have loaded on my computer to see which side they would come down on. I skimmed them quickly, since I have a lot of other work that I need to do before I go to bed tonight, but a superficial investigation brought a couple of interesting facts to light...

First of all, it appears that some commentators think there was some form sacrifice offered at some regular interval along the way, apparently in part because their take on the Hebrew words, etc., used in the phrase is such that they believe the part that speaks to the issue of "taking steps" implies a sort of military, ceremonial, or royal cadence that involves paces interspersed with stops. In their minds, this implies some sort of ongoing pattern of stops, accompanied by sacrifices. (What comes to my mind is the kind of "stutter-step" that brides sometimes do when coming down the aisle at a church wedding, i.e., taking a step or steps, then halting.) And I don't know that the passage actually states how many hours or even days or weeks or months the journey took.

The second thing I found is references to Solomon's displacement of the Ark from David's tabernacle to the Temple (obviously a much shorter distance...!) where 1 Kings 8:3-5 says, "When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.[emphasis mine]" Cf. also 2 Chronicles 5:6 where the same reference is made to an innumerable number of sacrifices.

However...

Then, I looked at 1 Chronicles 15:25-26. It says of David's procession, "25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed." The question that then comes to my mind is, "Since 2 Samuel 6:13 mentions only one bull and one fattened calf (no rams), were the seven bulls and seven rams mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:26 sacrificed at some interval along the way or, as the text seems to indicate (apparently referring to the fact the God had helped the Levites complete the work of transporting the Ark), does 1 Chronicles only mention the sacrifices that were made upon arrival in Jerusalem, and not those offered after the first six steps or periodically, depending on what one thinks about 2 Samuel 6:13?"

Quite honestly, I do not have the answer to that, but it does seem to me that 1 Kings 8:3-5; 2 Chronicles 5:6; as well as 1 Chronicles 29:21 (where a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand male lambs were offered simply because Solomon was acknowledged as king); 1 Kings 3:4 (where Solomon then appears to have personally offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord, separate from the inaugural event just referenced); and 1 Kings 8:64 (where the ground in middle part of the courtyard had to be consecrated because the bronze altar, though significantly larger than what had been in the Tabernacle of Moses, was still too small to contain all the sacrifices that were brought), all seem to indicate an extraordinary propensity among the Israelites for sacrificing very large numbers of animals on very important occasions.

So, I don't know that I have a definitive answer for you regarding 2 Samuel 6:13, Charlie. Taken at face value, apart from the other passages I mentioned such as 1 Chronicles 29:21 where at total of three thousand animals were sacrificed, a minimum of 20,000 does seem an like an awfully lot, and verse 13 taken all by itself sure does seem to read the way you interpret it, when I read it and think about it more. But, then I ask myself, "Is not '...so many...that they could not be counted...' a lot more than 20,000?"

At any rate, I want to thank for your very, very thought-provoking email and questions! I always love this kind of dialogue and I certainly do make many mistakes while preaching. May God give us more people like you and the Bereans in Acts who " were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, fore they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:10-12)

Blessings to you, my brother, and please do not hesitate to email again when you have a question about something I've preached. It does not offend me at all!

Mark

P.S. Would it be okay with you if posted your email and mine on the internet on my blog (hillcrestchurch.blogspot.com) so others in our church could read and benefit from our interaction?



From: Charlie Dunn
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 9:45 PM
To: Mark Brand
Subject: Re: 2nd Samuel Sermon

Pastor Brand, Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my email. You have certainly given me a new perspective to think about as well as a strong argument for the possibility of the ongoing sacrifice. Whether a one time event or a repeated process, David certainly invested his time and resources into his pursuit of the Living God, a point you well illustrated this Sunday.

I particularly appreciated your reference to the tone of the Hebrew as Biblical languages are of great interest to me. I will be a Freshman at Dartmouth this year studying Latin, Greek, and Hebrew and then hopefully relating them to God's Word in Seminary down the road. It is always exciting when God reveals new Truths as we study His Word.

I look forward to listening to your sermons over the Internet and viewing your notes on your Blog while I am away. I would be honored if you posted my email with yours, and may God continue to bless your ministry.

Charlie Dunn

Pray for the Jews...and for the Arabs...!

An article I came across on Christianity Today's website this morning (to read it, click here - be sure to read the other articles it links to!) drives home the complex realities of war in the Middle East. As a Bible-believing Christian, I of course have a very special love and appreciation in my heart for the Jewish people and their unique role in God's plan for human history. We are, for instance, commanded by Scripture to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." (Psalms 122:6) I preached not long ago in Tel Aviv for Avi Mizrachi. (www.dugit.org) During the recent conflict, I kept thinking of where he lived, some miles north of the city, and wondered if the missiles had reached as far south as his home. He is a precious man of God with a wonderful wife and beautiful daughters. I remembered the bomb shelter built into his house, and was glad he had it.

I also found myself deeply moved whenever I thought of bombs falling even farther north. Having spent a few blessed days ministering to some two hundred Arabic speaking pastors and wives from across the region during the during the same trip that included my stop in Israel, I kept thinking of those I had met from Lebanon. "How were they?" I wondered. "Were their little children safe? Were they traumatized by the shelling? Had their church buildings been destroyed? Were any of their flock killed by Hezbollah when trying to flee the affected area?"

At the feet of Jesus, there are no Jews, Arabs, Syrians, Iranians, or Americans, but only sons and daughters of God. (Galatians 3:28) My heart aches for all of them...as I am sure His does!

Pastor Mark

More Bible reading websites

I just found another web page with an entire list of Bible reading plan websites. I have not taken the time to check all of these out, so I do not know what all of these sites contain, but simply provide the list for your convenience:

The Bible Condensed - Excerpts from Genesis to Revelation in 365 daily readings with commentary.
Bible Reading Plan - Beginners - Readings selected for novice Bible readers. Printable charts to track progress.
Bible Reading Plans - Multiple plans, translations, and languages available online or by e-mail subscription.
Bible Reading Schedule - Color-coded, chronological reading plan through the entire Bible in one year.
The Bible Through the Seasons - A three-year cycle for reading the Bible, one passage a day. Each day of the week is dedicated to a part of the Bible. The passage is introduced by a one-minute "Firestarter" that sets the mood.
Bible-Studies.Net Reading Plan - Plan for reading the New Testament in a year.
Daily Bible - The King James Version, American Standard Version, and World English Version. Read by book or follow the daily plan to read through the Bible in a year. Offers to e-mail scripture daily.
Daily Bible Reading - Daily readings in English and Spanish: Long readings (read the Bible in a year), short readings, and daily verse.
Daily Bible Readings in English - Two Old Testament and one New Testament passage for each day in order to read the entire Bible in 6 months.
Daily Bible Verse - One day, one verse.
Free Bible Email - Sends 4 or 5 chapters from the Bible via e-mail each day. Enables the reader to read the whole Bible in a year.
Fruits of the Vine - Six plans by email: Read the Bible in one, two, or three years; Old Testament; New Testament; or Psalms and Proverbs.
Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary: One Year Plan - Presents readings in chronological order. [PDF]
Into Thy Word Bible Reading Plans - Several plans online and downloadable (DOC).
Michael Coley's Pages: 52 Week Bible Reading Plan - A plan to read through the Bible in a year. This plan assigns a portion from a different part of the Bible each day of the week rotating through the epistles, Torah, history, Psalms, poetry, prophecy, and gospels.
One Year Bible Blog - Reading a portion of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs each day. Related blog discussion groups.
Read the Bible in a Year by Email - Daily readings by email with selected Bible versions and choice of plans: alternating verse, start-to-finish, or chronological.
Reading Through the Bible in a Year - Calendar with links to daily Bible readings from books in the Old and New Testaments.
ReadingPlanner - Free software to create custom Bible reading plans for Windows or Palm OS.
The Vine - The Word for Today daily devotional reading online or by e-mail. One year Bible reading plan.
Yearly Bible Read Through - Design custom online reading plans with choice of books, number of months, and preferred translation or follow their plan to read the Bible in a year. Offers audio and RSS options.
Zondervan: Bible Reading Plans - An introduction to the Bible, every book in the Bible, and several reading schedules.

Listen to the Bible online

Here are a couple of ways to listen to the Bible online.

http://www.mp3bibleplayer.org/ - As I understand it, this website and its content was developed by Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California where Chuck Smith is the Senior Pastor. One nice plus is that they have a small, free program that you can download to your computer that allows you to bring up a small window that allows you to select what passage you want to listen to. The only drawback is that they only provide the New Living Translation, the King James Version, and a popular Spanish translation, but not the New International Version.

http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio - This takes you directly to Biblegateway's audio Bible page. Select your language, the passage you want to listen to, and ... voilà! ... you're in business!

If you would like to have the actual mp3 audio files, you can download them online (even specifying which particular book, etc., if you do not want to pay for the whole Bible) so that you can use them on your ipod, for instance. Here is one way to do it: http://www.listenersbible.com/productlisting.html?m=M Alternatively, I know that at one time Greg Laurie's ministry was offering a free version of Calvary Chapel's Bible audio cds for only the price of shipping and handling: www.greglaurie.org I did not find it currently listed on their website, but it is worth a email to them to see if they have any more available. There are also many commerical version widely available in Christian bookstores.

Enjoy!

Let's Go Through Luke...!

On Sunday, September 10th, I will begin preaching a series of messages that will take us through the life of Jesus, based on the Gospel of Luke. I encourage you to read this Gospel in advance. That way, you will obtain maximum benefit from our studies together and you can share the thoughts God gives you with others via this blog.

There are many websites that allow you to read and/or listen to the Bible online in a wide variety of languages and translations. Many of them include free access to commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and other helpful resources. My two favorite sites of this type are: www.biblegateway.com and www.blueletterbible.org

Other websites provide various reading plans that will take you through the Bible in a year, etc., either by emailing you the text you need to read every day or by providing you with a link to click on that opens up a window via the internet with that day's reading. By clicking here you will be taken directly to one site that allows you to set up either an online reading plan or an email plan that will take you through all four Gospels in a month.

Many of these kinds of sites allow you to specify which language and version you want to use, and some even allow you to listen to it via audio instead of having to read it. If you are interested in exploring these kinds of Bible reading plan links, I suggest that you begin here: http://www.bibleplan.org/others.htm This site has many different plans of their own and also provides clickable links to other sites that offer the same service. You can also search on Google or Yahoo, etc., for "Bible reading plan" and you will come up with many more options.

Ezekiel's Glimpse of God's Glory

This morning, I preached about David's desire and determination to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Here are a few more thoughts on the subject of God's glory that I jotted down last week, taken from one of the Old Testament prophets...

Ezekiel's writings contain some of the most unusual passages in the Bible, and certainly some of the most difficult to understand. They speak of things both strange and wonderful, but, also mysterious. Reading some of his descriptions, one quickly comes to the opinion that the guy had a supernatural encounter with God of the highest order, seeing and hearing things so incredible, so otherworldly, so awesome, that he felt at a loss to know how to convey them in ordinary human language. No wonder he frequently used such Hebrew words translated into English as "like" and "appearance" to describe things that were completely beyond any earthly experience.

Try to visualize in your own mind, for instance, what he sees as he describes the four living creatures:

"⁵ ... in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, ⁶ but each of them had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf ... ⁸ Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, ... ¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle." (Ezekiel 1:5-10, NIV)

Can you visualize that? ... Not me!

Or, how about this:

"¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷ As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around." (Ezekiel 1:15-18, NIV)

What is a wheel that intersects a wheel that can move in any of four directions without turning? And, why does this kind of wheel have eyes on it...?!

And, that's just the first chapter...!

The apostle Paul declared that the natural mind cannot understand the things of the spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:13-14) That certainly applies to Ezekiel's words. My human thought processes begin to break down when I try to picture such scenes.

When I awoke early last Monday morning, though, and moved into the still tranquility of our living room for one of those special moments alone with the Lord, I felt prompted to read Ezekiel again. I thought about what he wrote for a while in an attitude of prayer, but I have to admit that I still did not have a completely clear idea of what his unusual descriptions actually mean. I looked the chapters up in a couple of commentaries to see if that would help me grasp things better. Predictably, each of their authors had an opinion, and maybe one of them is right, but quite honestly, what they wrote reads to me more like speculation than deep conviction. About the only thing we know for absolutely sure concerning these passages is that the four creatures are cherubim, a high order of angels, closely associated in Scripture with the throne of God (10:20).

In spite of the uncertainty surrounding some of what Ezekiel wrote, even a casual reading of his prophecies makes one thing very clear - this man's encounters with God's manifest presence impacted him in a very profound way. The first time he glimpsed a physical manifestation of God's glory, he was so overcome with awe that he fell face down to the ground.

"⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north-an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal...²² Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome...."²⁶ Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. ²⁷ I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. ²⁸ Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking." (Ezekiel 1:14, 22, 26-28, NIV)

Ezekiel's passion for God's glory must have caused him tremendous sorrow when he wrote chapter ten. In that passage, he describes how God's glory leaves the temple. That terrible thing was certainly not what God wanted to happen, and it did not take place all at once, but came about in stages. First, the Lord's manifest presence that resided over the mercy seat above the cherubim moved away from the altar to the threshold or door of the temple. Then, it arose and moved to the east exterior gate. In chapter eleven, it finally moved out of the temple door to the Mount of Olives, east of the city.

As I read those verses, I found myself wondering, "Did anyone notice that something was different when this occurred?" By the eye of the Spirit, Ezekiel saw what was transpiring on a spiritual level, but I wonder if anyone could tell what was happening on a natural level. Crowds of people may have continued to throng the temple area. After all, it was the only place pious individuals could offer the sacrifices required by the Law of Moses. Since the temple was also the center of Jewish social life, personal interaction, deep friendships, and other long-lived relationships may have continued to draw other people to its courts. In any event, even after the glory was gone, the temple building itself retained all its architectural splendor and an entire class of religious professionals continued to carry out their ritual functions and duties.

Seen from the human perspective alone, things probably seemed to be the same as they had always been, but the spiritual reality was that the manifest presence of God had gradually slipped away from the midst of it all. Because Israel's spiritual leaders committed persistent, serious sins, God eventually withdrew His blessed anointing from what was taking place. In the book of Judges, chapter sixteen, we read that Samson arose and shook himself as he had done at other times, thinking that he would experience supernatural help from the Lord as he always had before, without realizing that the Lord had left him. Confronted with a problem too big for him to solve without divine intervention, he came to the very rude awakening that the anointing had lifted from off of his life without him even knowing it. What a sobering thought...!

I suspect something similar happened in the temple when the glory of God left. Because of His great love for Israel, the Lord did not remove His manifest presence in a single moment, but lessened it in stages, giving their spiritual leaders the opportunity to respond in repentance by turning away from their self-sufficiency and back toward Him so He could return in all His fullness. The first sign that something was seriously wrong was when God's presence was not quite a strong as it had been before and His glory was no longer at the center of all that was taking place.

This same thing can happen in the life of a local church. Imagine for a moment a congregation where there is still enough of the Holy Spirit's work for a few people to get saved every now and then; other individuals are having their needs met through its various programs and ministries. Enough good things are happening that, at first glance, it appears that everything is as it should be. When you look a little more closely, though, you discover that some other religious or social activity has become more important in the life of that body than the pursuit of God's manifest presence. In such a context, it is very easy for that body's leaders and members to be lulled into thinking that everything is okay, when in reality, it is only a matter of time until their church has evolved into a mere social entity, devoid of any true spiritual life.

This has happened many times throughout church history in many different sectors of the Christian church. One way to guard against this tendency is to ask ourselves these important questions from time to time: "If the Holy Spirit were suddenly removed from the world tonight, tomorrow morning, would it just be 'business as usual' around here or would we keenly sense our loss? How much of the life and ministry of this church really does depend on the Holy Spirit's help? How much of it can we do without any supernatural intervention? How clearly do we see ongoing evidences that He is still working among and through us, or do we just take that for granted by faith?"

I am very glad that Ezekiel did not end his prophecy in chapter ten! He went on to write chapter forty-three, describing how God's glorious presence returned to the temple, accompanied by the promise that it would never leave again. This followed a deep, cleansing work of the Spirit in the Israelites as the result of their repentance. This is certainly the heart and desire of God for every local body of believers.

I am so thankful that we are experiencing a fresh move of His Spirit among us at Hillcrest! As I preached this morning, let's be like David and do everything it takes to keep His manifest presence in our homes and in this "house!"

Pastor Mark