February 9, 2023 — “Doubts, or Faith?”

“And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan.” But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we.” So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Numbers 13:26-33

“It’s always a possibility when you realize that the future is uncertain and good things never come without a struggle. That’s why I think it’s helpful to look at this passage and learn from it. There are three truths I want you to see. First, anything can happen. Life is filled with uncertainty. Second, nothing can happen that God can’t use. And finally, because of God, there’s no reason to be afraid of tomorrow! Let’s look at each of these truths more closely.” (Preaching.com)

The Israelites had crossed the Red Sea. Their enemies, the Egyptians had been destroyed behind them. They had come at last almost to the borders of the Promised Land. Here the people camped while the spies went to see the country. They passed through it and viewed the land and the people, and presently came back with their report. It was a wonderful land — a land flowing with milk and honey. The samples of the fruit they brought back were large and plentiful. Of course, the people were at once very eager to possess such a land, but the questions and the doubts soon came to possess them: “Are we able to do so?  What kind of people are they over there? Are they good fighters? Are they courageous? Do we have what it takes to defeat them?”

There were those among the people who wanted to move forward – and there were those among the people who doubted that this would be a good idea. “What was behind their eyes—doubts, or faith?” In the end, the doubts won out – and the people were destined to wander for many years until two more generations were born to these wanderers – they would be the ones to enter the promised land. That is the thing that really counts: do we doubt the power of G-d? Or will we trust the Lord to lead us and guide us.  We need to get rid of our doubts, look to G-d, and learn to trust with hearts of faith.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, thank you for your word Jesus, loaded with grace and truth. Help us to hear your word and trust your guidance. Help us to grow through it and to have the faith of Caleb — to encourage the people of God in difficult times. Amen!

Pastor Dave

February 8, 2023 — “Egg-Shell Christians”

“When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40

“The folks around him (Jesus) were arguing about whether or not it is right for religious people to pay taxes to the government, and who’s going to be married to whom in the resurrection. Then one of the religious men, in an effort to pin Jesus to the wall, asked him what may have been the toughest question of all: “What is the most important of all the commandments in our religious laws?” Jesus never hesitated. Perhaps he was relieved that someone had finally asked a question that had some substance to it. This was his immediate reply: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” According to Jesus, what’s absolutely essential is loving God, and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. Those three relationships — with God, with our neighbors, and with ourselves — sum up everything that’s ever been said or written about God’s will for the world.” (The Presbyterian Outlook; Nov. 29, 2022)

If we are always looking for slights by other people we shall see plenty of them—even where none were intended. If we are expecting to be wounded by someone’s words, we shall receive them even when no one intends to wound us. Self-love, or better said “self-sensitivity” has a great imagination. It can see a great many evils, it can hear a great many slights, and it can be offended by many a comment where none was intended. It is like a petulant and spoiled child. They are truly “lovers of their own selves.” Paul said, “When I became a man, I put away childish things.” It is high time that we, as Christians, start doing the same thing.

Suppose Christ had been as sensitive as so many people are today, would he have saved the world? If Paul had been an “egg-shell”, would he have endured the persecution and dangers and tribulations and misrepresentations that he bore to carry the gospel to the world? Look, we are to learn to love ourselves if we are to love others. However, loving ourselves is not supposed to lead us to being so sensitive. We should look for opportunities to serve others, not to spend our lives looking for slights.

We are called to love G-d and others with the intensity that we love ourselves – but not allow self-love to mire us in negative emotions. The secret is to love G-d with all our heart, mind and strength, and to love the others in our lives just as Christ loved others more than he loved himself. ; therefore he could endure all things for the sake of the world, so that all people might be saved.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, I know I must learn to love myself. Help me to love myself and still learn to love the unlovable, including myself when I stray into selfishness. Amen.

Pastor Dave