Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Joshua provided a bright testimony of faith in the midst of fear. When Moses sent “spies” into the Promised Land, ten spies returned with a fearful report and only Joshua and Caleb returned with positive testimony. The message of the ten was a message of fear. They told the people, “We can’t!” Joshua responded with a message of faith. His words provide the recipe for overcoming fear. It is simple, yet easily forgotten. Do not be afraid – the LORD is with us. Because of fear, entry into the Promised Land was postponed for a generation. Several years later, after Moses died, God called upon Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land. What was God’s message to Joshua? “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:8) Notice a pattern? Many of us memorized the 23rd Psalm as children. When we face our fears, we must remember “though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me.” (v. 4). Fear paralyzes us, but the presence of God in our lives releases us to move forward.
About Me
- Paul Metler, Ph.D.
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- Hello. Thanks for stopping by. If you care to read about what's crossing my mind or sticking in my heart I welcome you to my latest post. So, I hope you enjoy my ramblings. More importantly, I hope I can encourage you to join me in my quest to be a faithful follower of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Faith or Fear
Numbers 14:3
Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?
The book of Numbers begins with a military census. The Lord commanded Moses to count all men who were twenty years old and above except those men who were a part of the priestly tribe of Levi. Then, Numbers continues the narrative of the journey of God’s people from Mount Sinai though the wilderness. The fact that it begins with a military census seems to foreshadow the battles that are soon to come. The battles were not just military battles. They battled fear, discouragement and discontent. Too often, they just complained. It’s a great lesson for us. We may be counted as “soldiers” in the Lord’s army, but are we prepared to fight? The battles on the inside usually determine the result on the outside. In the midst of the book of Numbers is a disappointing answer. When the people came to the edge of the land that God had promised, they refused to go in because of their fear. Faith lost. Fear won. Their complaints are telling. “Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword” (Numbers 14:3). Their view of God became distorted through the lens of fear. Turn the tide today. Let faith overcome fear.
Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?
The book of Numbers begins with a military census. The Lord commanded Moses to count all men who were twenty years old and above except those men who were a part of the priestly tribe of Levi. Then, Numbers continues the narrative of the journey of God’s people from Mount Sinai though the wilderness. The fact that it begins with a military census seems to foreshadow the battles that are soon to come. The battles were not just military battles. They battled fear, discouragement and discontent. Too often, they just complained. It’s a great lesson for us. We may be counted as “soldiers” in the Lord’s army, but are we prepared to fight? The battles on the inside usually determine the result on the outside. In the midst of the book of Numbers is a disappointing answer. When the people came to the edge of the land that God had promised, they refused to go in because of their fear. Faith lost. Fear won. Their complaints are telling. “Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword” (Numbers 14:3). Their view of God became distorted through the lens of fear. Turn the tide today. Let faith overcome fear.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Psalm 24
Psalm 24:1-4
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who do not put their trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
In this Psalm, David compares the distance between unholy and holy in terms a steep climb up the mountain of God. Who can climb a mountain so steep? An even greater challenge awaits us at the top of the summit. Who can stand in God’s holy presence? The Psalm provides an answer. Only those with clean hands, a pure heart and trust in the true God can ascend. In the next verse, David rejoices in the blessing that comes from God our Savior. Don’t miss the irony of this beautiful picture of grace. We struggle with the climb. God knows it. The Gospels fill in some necessary details about our climb. Rather than make the climb easier, God descended. God came down and made His dwelling among us. He did not forsake His holiness. He brought His glory to where we are and revealed grace and truth in human form. Through His sacrificial death Jesus washes our hands and purifies our hearts. Then, after dying for our sins and rising from the dead, “He ascended”. Jesus came down from the “mountain of the LORD” and Jesus leads the way for us to enter into His holy presence. Now, we are left to answer the question. Will you put your trust in Him?
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who do not put their trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
In this Psalm, David compares the distance between unholy and holy in terms a steep climb up the mountain of God. Who can climb a mountain so steep? An even greater challenge awaits us at the top of the summit. Who can stand in God’s holy presence? The Psalm provides an answer. Only those with clean hands, a pure heart and trust in the true God can ascend. In the next verse, David rejoices in the blessing that comes from God our Savior. Don’t miss the irony of this beautiful picture of grace. We struggle with the climb. God knows it. The Gospels fill in some necessary details about our climb. Rather than make the climb easier, God descended. God came down and made His dwelling among us. He did not forsake His holiness. He brought His glory to where we are and revealed grace and truth in human form. Through His sacrificial death Jesus washes our hands and purifies our hearts. Then, after dying for our sins and rising from the dead, “He ascended”. Jesus came down from the “mountain of the LORD” and Jesus leads the way for us to enter into His holy presence. Now, we are left to answer the question. Will you put your trust in Him?
Monday, October 3, 2011
Holiness
Leviticus 11:44
For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.
As I make my way through the Old Testament preparing for messages on Sundays, I have arrived at Leviticus. Leviticus can be one of the most challenging books in the Bible. Too often we feel a distance between the details of the sacrificial system contained in Leviticus and our contemporary situation. Yet, in the study of Leviticus, we discover a message that cannot be overlooked. Leviticus offers a stark truth that is often dismissed in our world today. God is holy and His expectation is that we are to be holy. For some reason, we seem to feel comfortable dismissing the standard of holiness along with the details of the priestly service of the Levites. We treat the idea of a holy life as obsolete. But, that is a grave mistake. In fact, I believe we can learn a practical lesson from the details contained in Leviticus. No, I am not advocating a return to the sacrificial system of Leviticus. Jesus has provided a sacrifice for sins once and for all. But, I do believe we need to recover the connection between holiness and our daily life. Jesus prayed that we would be “in the world but not of the world”. His prayer reminds us that holiness is not about isolation. It is a way to commune in a sacred relationship with God even while surrounded by an “unholy” world. It is our privilege and calling to reflect God’s holy character on a daily basis. Impossible? Not really. The Apostle Peter reminded the early church that God has given us “everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).
For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.
As I make my way through the Old Testament preparing for messages on Sundays, I have arrived at Leviticus. Leviticus can be one of the most challenging books in the Bible. Too often we feel a distance between the details of the sacrificial system contained in Leviticus and our contemporary situation. Yet, in the study of Leviticus, we discover a message that cannot be overlooked. Leviticus offers a stark truth that is often dismissed in our world today. God is holy and His expectation is that we are to be holy. For some reason, we seem to feel comfortable dismissing the standard of holiness along with the details of the priestly service of the Levites. We treat the idea of a holy life as obsolete. But, that is a grave mistake. In fact, I believe we can learn a practical lesson from the details contained in Leviticus. No, I am not advocating a return to the sacrificial system of Leviticus. Jesus has provided a sacrifice for sins once and for all. But, I do believe we need to recover the connection between holiness and our daily life. Jesus prayed that we would be “in the world but not of the world”. His prayer reminds us that holiness is not about isolation. It is a way to commune in a sacred relationship with God even while surrounded by an “unholy” world. It is our privilege and calling to reflect God’s holy character on a daily basis. Impossible? Not really. The Apostle Peter reminded the early church that God has given us “everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).
Friday, September 30, 2011
Trust
Timothy Willard and Jason Locy set the stage for a compelling question about our willingness to trust Jesus on a daily basis.
"Think of Jesus, the Son—God among us. In the Gospels, we see him traveling with his disciples, healing lepers, helping prostitutes, touching blind eyes, telling riddles, celebrating at a wedding feast, weeping for a friend, violently protecting the sacred, praying alone on a mountainside, speaking to the wind and calming the storm, cooking fish for Peter and the disciples on the beach, face to face with Satan, baptized by his second cousin, eating and drinking with the corrupt and wicked, challenging his friends to follow him to death, abandoned by those closest to him, beaten, spit on, condemned, and silent. Is he not someone in whom we can relate? Is he not someone in whom we can trust? Was killing him not enough for us to see his humanity? Was his resurrection not enough to strike our hearts with awe and thanksgiving?"
"Think of Jesus, the Son—God among us. In the Gospels, we see him traveling with his disciples, healing lepers, helping prostitutes, touching blind eyes, telling riddles, celebrating at a wedding feast, weeping for a friend, violently protecting the sacred, praying alone on a mountainside, speaking to the wind and calming the storm, cooking fish for Peter and the disciples on the beach, face to face with Satan, baptized by his second cousin, eating and drinking with the corrupt and wicked, challenging his friends to follow him to death, abandoned by those closest to him, beaten, spit on, condemned, and silent. Is he not someone in whom we can relate? Is he not someone in whom we can trust? Was killing him not enough for us to see his humanity? Was his resurrection not enough to strike our hearts with awe and thanksgiving?"
Monday, September 26, 2011
I can't be still
Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
It’s a short verse that paints a big picture. Like so much of the Bible, there is part that we love and a part that we love to ignore. We love to hear that “the Lord will fight for us”. We are not so excited about the command to “be still”. “Be still” is hard for us to receive. When we are in a threatening situation everything within us wants to run rather than to be still. In our distorted way of thinking, movement means relief. Busyness promises relief. This is clear in the context of Exodus 14. The Israelites were trapped between a rock and a hard place. Specifically, they were trapped between an Egyptian army and the sea. Their response was twofold. First, they were terrified. Note to self…I rarely make my best decisions when I’m terrified. Second, they decided that they preferred slavery in Egypt. Again, not the best thought process. Maybe that’s why the Lord wanted them to “be still”. Take time to read Exodus 13. Why were they staring at the sea and the army instead of the pillar of cloud and fire? The Israelites needed to remember that God was with them. We do too. They needed to catch their breath before they ran in the wrong direction. We do too. It’s interesting that the next instruction from the Lord was for the people to “move on”. So, taken in sequence the Lord told them to “be still” and then “move on” in the proper direction. Not a bad pattern to follow in life. Don’t move until you have taken the time to recognize God’s presence. Don’t allow a threatening situation (or any other situation) to set your course this week. First, be still and look to God. Then, follow His lead.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
It’s a short verse that paints a big picture. Like so much of the Bible, there is part that we love and a part that we love to ignore. We love to hear that “the Lord will fight for us”. We are not so excited about the command to “be still”. “Be still” is hard for us to receive. When we are in a threatening situation everything within us wants to run rather than to be still. In our distorted way of thinking, movement means relief. Busyness promises relief. This is clear in the context of Exodus 14. The Israelites were trapped between a rock and a hard place. Specifically, they were trapped between an Egyptian army and the sea. Their response was twofold. First, they were terrified. Note to self…I rarely make my best decisions when I’m terrified. Second, they decided that they preferred slavery in Egypt. Again, not the best thought process. Maybe that’s why the Lord wanted them to “be still”. Take time to read Exodus 13. Why were they staring at the sea and the army instead of the pillar of cloud and fire? The Israelites needed to remember that God was with them. We do too. They needed to catch their breath before they ran in the wrong direction. We do too. It’s interesting that the next instruction from the Lord was for the people to “move on”. So, taken in sequence the Lord told them to “be still” and then “move on” in the proper direction. Not a bad pattern to follow in life. Don’t move until you have taken the time to recognize God’s presence. Don’t allow a threatening situation (or any other situation) to set your course this week. First, be still and look to God. Then, follow His lead.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Real Leadership is dangerous
They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
Exodus 14:11-12
I have enjoyed the opportunity to address some doctoral students in seminary regarding leadership this week. It's been great to engage in some rich dialogue about leadership in the 21st century. What is the profile of a great leader? Would you include Moses on your top ten list of great leaders? The Bible provides a substantial historical biography of Moses. What does it take to be a great leader? The list of virtues is long. But, do not forget to include "courage". Leadership requires courage. No matter how noble the quest, how clear the need for change or how large or small the team, the life of Moses shows us why leadership is dangerous. Leadership involves asking people to change. Movement toward a promising future requires a departure from the familiar present. In the words of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky,
“You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Although you may see with clarity and passion a promising future of progress and gain, people will see with equal passion the losses you are asking them to sustain.” (Heifetz and Linsky, 2002, Leadership on the Line)
Exodus 14:11-12
I have enjoyed the opportunity to address some doctoral students in seminary regarding leadership this week. It's been great to engage in some rich dialogue about leadership in the 21st century. What is the profile of a great leader? Would you include Moses on your top ten list of great leaders? The Bible provides a substantial historical biography of Moses. What does it take to be a great leader? The list of virtues is long. But, do not forget to include "courage". Leadership requires courage. No matter how noble the quest, how clear the need for change or how large or small the team, the life of Moses shows us why leadership is dangerous. Leadership involves asking people to change. Movement toward a promising future requires a departure from the familiar present. In the words of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky,
“You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Although you may see with clarity and passion a promising future of progress and gain, people will see with equal passion the losses you are asking them to sustain.” (Heifetz and Linsky, 2002, Leadership on the Line)
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