The Guise of Familiarity - August 26, 2018

There is something to be said for tradition. While some practices may seem archaic and out-dated to younger generations, traditions often have more significance as a person ages. Possibly there is some fear of losing touch with the past and the uncertainty of the future. However, if we take a close look at many family and societal customs, many were born out of the Puritanical eras of the 17th and 18th centuries as well as the 19th century Victorian era. Rather than re-embracing these qualities later in life, previous generations often lived this way from cradle to grave. As stated, much of the younger generations have lost an appreciation with many of the manners these prior generations engendered. However, it would appear we have lost something in our age by the insistence to forsake these values. To understand how this has affected our society at large, it would help to look at one of the most intact cultures in the world---the Jews.

Of all the Middle Eastern cultures, the Jews, to the most part, have survived with their culture intact. Why is this so? One only has to look at what they value. First of all, they believe in the Torah (Pentateuch), the words handed down from Moses. Within these first five books of the Old Testament there is a respect for each other, the earth, and most of all, God Almighty. Secondly, their later development of the Talmud elaborates on the written law, defining life to finite detail. Through the centuries, the Jews have attempted to live up to the expectation of these prescribed laws and edicts, at times more successfully than others. However, they have done it well enough to keep their society intact. Conversely, one would be hard-pressed to find a contemporary Hittite or Phoenician. They did not survive because they, like countless cultures, compromised their lifestyles to "fit in" with others. Therefore, the blending became ubiquitous with no outstanding characteristic of any other Middle Eastern people. They simply disappeared because of their lack of identity.

As aforementioned, traditions often become more "valuable" to someone as they age. Then again, I have witnessed large families who seem to keep traditions alive because they refuse to give them up. Others have to reach a certain age to see their importance. We may look at the example of the Prodigal Son parable (see Luke 15:11-32) and understand when the wayward child "came to his senses" that he realized the importance of family and what his father had sought to create for his posterity. The "ancient boundary", as suggested in our lead verse, became of paramount importance as the son realized the stability of their family's heritage. Many today might seek to forsake family and to minimize the importance of cultural traditions. Personally, the older I get the more I yearn for the common respect I was taught as a child. I remember growing up and how most people would not dare call someone by their first name unless the other had given permission to do so. I am constantly taken back when customer service people on the telephone or otherwise believe they have the liberty to call me "Rick". They are often taken aback when I ask them for their last name. If it is Smith or Jones or whatever I often say, "Well, Mr. Jones, I don't know you well enough to call you by your first name and I would appreciate you calling me Mr. Roeber as I will refer to you as Mr. Jones. If we ever become better acquainted, we may feel the need at that time to go to a first name basis." This is shocking to many people in our society today, but it shows a common respect which does not take for granted a familiarity that must be earned over time. As the saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt". The ancient Jews did not allow it to compromise their culture, and neither should we.

I believe that respect toward the authority of tradition in our culture is directly tied to how we either reject or embrace it. If we do not regard it as important, our children and grandchildren will likewise not show respect to cultural mores which have built society. A simple thing such as a child calling an adult by their surname is a small step toward the revival of cultural norms in our modern world. The absence of regard toward authority and the ancient boundaries will only result in further decay of long-term cultural norms. If, as adults, we do not show respect to each other, how will our children behave? They will grow up with an attitude of familiarity which says I have a right to treat people however I deem appropriate, without any consideration otherwise. It is time to step up as the church, as fathers and mothers, as grandparents, as uncles and aunts, and insist upon respect. Only then will others learn the importance of not moving the boundaries related to ancient and tested traditions. These are what helped the Jewish people survive for millennia and inevitably what will also allow us to survive in this crumbling modern society in which we live. We must stand up for the family and for common respect, otherwise we will be diminished to the point of no return.

Heavenly Father, may You give us the wisdom to see how traditions and their values are indispensable to our survival. May You open our eyes for our need to stand up against familiarity and not to allow us to be diminished as a church, a society, or as a culture any further. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Self-Prophecy - August 19, 2018

Psalm 43:5 - Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. 

I became reacquainted with a famous quote at the finish of a marathon I once ran. While its author is unknown, it has been stated in various ways, but here is the synopsis: One who lacks courage to start has already finished. How true this is! I would further state that not only beginnings require courage, but often various stages of our respective journeys take fortitude and gumption to see something to its end. Often, things might start off well and then sour later. Look at the initial defense of the British against Hitler's invading blitzkrieg (lightening war). The Allies believed they could resist Germany and the Maginot Line that defended France's border would quell the invaders. However, Hitler merely invaded France through Belgium and bi-passed the multi-million dollar defense the French had installed. The Nazis conquered France with lightening speed and backed the English forces into the small port city of Dunkirk in Northern France. It looked like there was no way out. However, Operation Dynamo (or the Evacuation of Dunkirk) was the miracle they needed as thousands of British and Ally soldiers were evacuated to the British Isles. This setback was not a result of not having the courage to start, but the wisdom and understanding to retreat, regroup, and eventually deal Hitler a crippling blow five years later.

If they would have given up at that point and not tried to escape, Great Britain would have probably fallen into Nazi hands. Through the words of great men such as Winston Churchill, Ally leaders spoke words of confident withdrawal to those in this bleak situation. While we may not always have some one coming along side us in our dire situations, we as Christians have been given all the tools of self-prophecy to either speak success or failure to our souls. God, through His Holy Spirit, allows us the privilege to speak to ourselves when things seem hopeless or insurmountable. There are many examples of great leaders who did such in the Bible, but maybe none so demonstrative of this principle as David when he was estranged from Saul. For sixteen months, David and his renegade band lived in the small town of Ziklag given to him by the Philistine king, Achish. (I Samuel 27:5-7) Toward the end of their sojourn in Ziklag, David and his men returned to their lodgings to find the city still smoldering from its incineration by the Amalekites. Not only had they burned it to the ground, but they had kidnapped their families and taken all their possessions. (Some have suggested that David was out of the will of God, living in compromise with the Philistines.) David's men were so saddened and angered by these turn of events that they threatened their leader's life. However, something extraordinary occurs. 

The scripture tells us how David does not allow the grimness of the situation to overwhelm him. In I Samuel 30:6 we become privy to David's dilemma and its solution. The writer states: "Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." The King James Version uses the word "encourage" rather than "strengthen" but both are appropriate. They both come from the Hebrew word chazaq which means to strengthen or to harden one's resolve. What a glorious picture of David speaking to himself what God was declaring about their situation! Rather than being defeated, he allowed God to prophesy truth through this tough situation by taking God's words and encouraging himself. He allowed the Maker to harden his resolve in order to stir up the courage to take back what was rightfully his own. We are told that David does not defend himself to these men who sought his life, but instead he sought God and his counsel. (I Samuel 30:7-8) 

How often do we behave likewise when presented with a situation that seems overwhelming? Or, do we act like David's men, ready to accuse and blame without having a solution of our own? We all have the power to self-prophesy. We can either speak defeat or victory, depending on whether we believe God or not in our respective "dire" circumstances. No one likes to think they talk to themselves, at least not audibly. However, we all converse with ourselves throughout the day, whether in a negative or positive manner. We may pride ourselves that we pray to God in a continual manner, but how many of us speak to our souls regarding what He has shown us? As the psalmist reveals to us in our opening verse, we can literally speak to our inner person and direct the outcome when presented with a challenge. Just as Revelation 19:10 tells us the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, we must continue to testify of Jesus' power to our inner struggles. God will often answer our prayers with the power we need to overcome. However, He wants us to use the power He has given to speak to our problems and prophesy victory over them by the testimony of Jesus. Are we prophesying to our souls, beloved, the words of God which He has spoken over our problems? If not, we might be speaking calamity to ourselves rather than victory. We must continue to align ourselves with His words and give no occasion for the enemy to ensnare us in the defeating words of negativity. May we speak only His words as we self-prophesy His victory over our lives and those lives in which we care.

Heavenly Father, help us to strengthen ourselves through the words You speak to us. Help us to prophesy them to our souls and to be built up in our most glorious faith which You have bestowed upon all who love You. May we not allow the defeatist attitude of our flesh or the devil to make us impotent, but may we speak life to our souls through Your life-giving word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Walking on Water - August 12, 2018

Matthew 14:30 - But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Anyone who has been in a boat in stormy conditions knows the peril which can often ensue. Mariners will tell you that even if a vessel capsizes, the safest thing is to stay with the the boat until help arrives. I have been in many boats and even small ships when the weather was contrary. I can remember when I worked on offshore supply boats in my early 20s out in the Gulf of Mexico. These were really supply haulers (180 foot in length) which carried drilling supplies out to the drilling platforms in the Gulf. Often, we would tie up to these oil behemoths for three to four days as we off-loaded supplies. It was common to be tethered to a rig twenty miles out in the Gulf when a storm would roll in. A usually placid sea would suddenly be rocking the vessel with 10 to 20 foot waves crashing over the wide loading deck. As deckhands, we were advised to always have a safety line attached to our life preserver required to be worn during rough seas. Without this precaution, one rogue wave could sweep you over the side and you would vanish in a heartbeat.

Having worked stormy gales in the open sea, I can appreciate the significance of when Jesus came to the disciples walking on water that fateful night. We are told in Matthew 14:24 how the small fishing vessel was "battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary." This means they were probably heading into the wind and therefore they were zigzagging back and forth to gain the wind's advantage. However, in doing so, they would not be hitting the waves with their prow (or the front of their boat). Instead, the waves would be battering the sides of the small vessel and the disciples would have felt the full force of the waves as they rocked them to and fro. Fortunately, these men were seasoned sailors and knew how to keep the boat from being swamped with water. Undoubtedly, it was still a rough journey. We are told in Matthew 14:25 how the Lord came to them, walking on the water in the fourth watch, or sometime between three and six a.m. The disciples first reaction was that they were beholding a ghost. However, Jesus soon calmed them, saying: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

We should all be thankful of what transpires next. It is a mixture of success and failure. We would not know mere mortals were capable of walking on water if Peter would not have dared to do so. It is a bittersweet lesson that continues to teach us the meaning of obedience and faith. For without the former, the latter is impossible. We are told in Matthew 14:29how Peter stepped out of the boat and "came toward Jesus." How did Peter know which way to go? His gaze was still intent on looking at the Master. However, as soon as he took his eyes off the Lord, then he began to sink. We are told in our opening verse that three things quickly transpired with immediate consequences. The first was Peter's loss of SIGHT.Peter did not see the wind, for as we know, wind is invisible. However, he saw the result of the wind and the tempestuous waves the gales created. He had taken his eyes off the Master and put his eyes on the circumstances at hand. The second was Peter's FRIGHT. The disciple who moments before was full of faith found himself now paralyzed with fear. The obedience which moments before had created faith allowing him to participate in this miracle had suddenly turned to disobedience and fear. Lastly, Peter lost the MIGHT or the power connected to faith. His lack of faith had now become visible to all, including the Lord who rescued the frightened disciple after he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 

So what can we learn from Peter other than the obvious? Most of us have heard sermons about Peter's loss of faith because he took his eyes off the Lord. Gazing toward Jesus when the storms of life besiege us is of paramount importance. However, I believe there is something more to learn than merely keeping our gaze upon the Lord. What if Peter would have made it to Jesus and they would have walked hand in hand to the boat or to the other side of the Sea of Galilee together? Gazing toward Jesus will not only get us to Jesus, but it will also allow us the opportunity to go wherever He is taking us. It is not enough to be part of the miracle, but to be part of the miraculous journey. Like Peter, we should throw caution to the wind and forsake any "safety equipment" and head doggedly toward Him. And, beyond that, we should be ready and willing to continue our miraculous walk on water with Him, no matter how high the seas of life might assail our faith. Jesus allowed this story not only to teach us about limited success, but about unlimited possibilities if we will first obey, then trust in faith, and then move in his might and power. The journey will always be unpredictable and the destination unsure. However, the company we keep will be outstanding and forever faithful to see us to our final goal!

Lord Jesus, thank You for this wonderful example of faith by Your beloved Peter. Help us to know we can do greater things in these last days if we will but trust in You to complete us in our journey of faith. Allow us to first walk to You on the water and then to walk with You wherever You might will. It will be a wonderful journey indeed as long as You lead! In Your holy Name, Jesus Christ the Almighty, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Ears to Hear, Eyes to See - August 5, 2018

Matthew 11:15 - He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 

Most of us listen better, at times, better than others. Wives might comment and say that men have selective hearing where they become attentive when it is only something that interests them. There is probably some truth in this. Conversely, spiritual hearing and godly sight seem to be gifts that we can choose to accept or reject. Several times in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus use the ear as a metaphor for understanding the word of the Lord. For instance, our lead verse is Jesus' final word to the crowd after telling them the Parable of the Sower. I believe it is important to note how Jesus uses this phrase (and others which are similar) when He is teaching those who have come to hear Him preach. The multitudes are admonished to choose to "hear" what Jesus is telling them. It is not a command or necessarily a demanding statement, but more of a plea. Jesus knew, both then and now, how the vast majority will not have ears to hear. Many in Jesus' day did not seek to understand, in the same way as many today refuse to look for the Lord's wisdom (Proverbs 2:3-5).

According to the Scriptures, Jesus does not seem to require spiritual sight before spiritual hearing. He understood then as well as now how mankind must first be able to hear the word. For in so doing, faith will come by hearing (Romans 10:17). Often, people want spiritual sight without first hearing what God is saying to us His word. They abort the process of true understanding by not allowing the word of God to do what it must in a man's ears, then in his heart. As aforementioned, faith and true understanding can only come once the word of God is allowed to fall into the fertile soil of which Jesus spoke (Mark 4:8). As the parable suggests, the word of God is a seed (Mark 4:14). Jesus tells us unless a grain of wheat (or a seed) falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. If, however, it dies it brings it brings forth much fruit (John 12:24). Within context of this passage in John, Jesus is speaking of His own death and His soon to come resurrection. However, He is also speaking for us today so we might understand that when we hear the word of God---and we can identify with Christ's death and resurrection within us---then we will also grow up in Christ to bear much fruit. At this stage begins the journey of spiritual sight.

Even as a plant is unseen while it is growing in the soil, it is nevertheless still a plant. However, when it breaks the ground's surface, then it becomes evident to all. It instinctively turns toward the sun to reap the benefit of its life giving power. In a real sense, it now has "eyes to see" which way to turn to most benefit from this solar energy. (It is quite remarkable to watch sunflowers do this during the course of the day as they follow the sun's course.) While a plant may not yet bring forth fruit, it is obvious to all when it buds and then blossoms, that fruit will one day appear. These are most demonstrable through sight (although smell might be involved regarding the blossom's fragrance). As already stated, the word of God can only come to life within us when we hear the word of God and then die to self and live to Jesus. It should be noted how Jesus only mentioned "eyes to see" in regard to those who were converted, such as the disciples. While the Scriptures show us how hearing the word of God is our choice, it is also our choice to have "eyes to see." Jesus reprimanded the disciples when He said, "Having eyes to see, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?" The Lord is telling the disciples they have been saved through the hearing of the word and the understanding of spiritual eyesight. Now, they must walk in it.

As believers, we no longer have a critical need for "ears to hear" as we did when we came to the Lord. We have heard the word of God and he has implanted it within us which is able to save our souls (James 1:21). What we need, if we are truly saved, is spiritual sight. Paul prays in Ephesians 1:18 for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened. He knows they have heard the word within their hearts. Now, they need to walk in it with faith and obedience. Jesus' words to those most in need of correction in Revelation 3 was to buy "eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see" (Revelation 3:18). Hearing the word of God is good. However, we must go beyond merely hearing and perfect our sight with eyes of faith. For if we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and understand with our hearts and return to our God, then He will make us mature sons and daughters of the King (Matthew 13:15). However, if we merely hear the word of God and do not allow the Lord to open our spiritual eyes, then we will bring forth no fruit and be ineffective for Christ's kingdom. How shall we respond? Shall we desire to not only hear, but to see ourselves as God sees us? If we will, He will grow us into the image of His Son as we continue to turn toward His glory and grace!

Holy Father, thank you for sending Your word. Thank you for implanting the seed of hope within our hearts. Now, let us see how we must continue to grow in faith and obedience. Give us eyes to see the glorious heritage You have given all whom You have redeemed. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick