A Garment of Praise

"Do not be afraid...Remember the Lord, Who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes...Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there.  Our God will fight for us!"

(Neh. 4:14,20)



True story:  It was Easter morning 1799 and the people of Feldkirch Austria were terrified.  Indeed they believed this Easter would most likely be the worst day of their lives.  Outside the city gates stood Napoleon's army and they wanted in.  The citizens were ready to raise the white flag and surrender their town, homes and families to the enemy.  But the Bishop of the town had another agenda.  In a voice trembling with emotion he said to the people:  "This is Easter Day!  This is the Day of our King's mighty ressurrection.  We must have one moment of triumph.  Let us at least ring all the bells of Easter."  Fearfully the people agreed and soon the sound of church bells pealing out a celebration of victory filled the air.  Napoleon's army was astounded.  What could it mean?  It didn't take long for the general to conclude that there was only one possible explanation for the celebration...the Austrian army must have arrived during the dark of night to help defend the town.  The bells of Easter's triumph had not yet stopped ringing when Napoleon's army broke ranks and fled.

The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians:  "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."  (2Cor.10)

Paul says we have weapons (plural) to fight.  As God's people we have the Word as a weapon and we have prayer.  But I believe another of the weapons we fight our spiritual battles with is praise.  I don't know if you've ever thought of praise as a weapon but consider this event from 2Chronicles20.  Jehoshaphat, one of Judah's kings who loved God, was told that a vast army from several kingdoms was coming to make war against God's people.  He sought God's help through fasting and petition and in a great statement of humility cries out:  "We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do but our eyes are on you."  God speaks through one of His priests and tells King Jehoshaphat to fear not because the battle is not his, but the Lord's.  All the people fell down in worship before the Lord at these awesome words, and then stood up and praised the God of Israel with very loud voices.  Listen to this description of the ensuing battle:  "...Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army.  As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the enemy and they were defeated."

This is just one battle in the Old Testament where praise went first and the Lord fought the battle.  You can read about Gideon's battle with the Midianites in Judges 7.  The Midianites were 135,000 strong and Gideon had only 300 faithful men; 450 to 1 odds!  Yet when Gideon had his 300 men blow 300 trumpets the Lord caused the enemy to turn on each other with their swords.  In bible times the trumpet was used to warn of approaching danger and to signal a time of meeting but Psalm 47 also tells us it is used as a celebration of God as King over all the earth; a source of praise to the Sovereign King.

In the Book of Acts Paul and Silas were thrown into prison.  We read:  "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God...there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken...all the prison doors flew open and everyone's chains came loose."

Psalm 149 says this about God's people:  "Let the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands."  This is our battle stance, praise on our lips and the double-edged sword of God's Word in our hands.  Yet so often when we are in the midst of a seemingly overwhelming problem we are paralyzed by fear, worry and discouragement.  When we are faced with the most difficult circumstances we can let doubt and worry consume us; our focus becomes so limited that we can only see the problem and our view of God grows dim.  Yet if we can't see Him how can we praise Him?  Think of it - it's like we've thrown down one of our weapons in a time of war.  Can you imagine a soldier in the middle of battle throwing down his rifle?

Nehemiah called the people to remember God and be ready with the sword in one hand and the trumpet in the other.  Jehoshaphat, Gideon, Paul, Silas, all chose to focus on God and Who He is rather than their own dire circumstances.  God fought for them all - and if He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (and He is), He is not only able but willing to do the same for us.

Isaiah 61 speaks of God's people wearing a garment of praise rather than a spirit of despair.  So let me ask you:  Do you need to trade your spirit of despair for a garment of praise?  Can I speak to you as the priest spoke to Jehoshaphat and tell you:  the battle is not yours, but the Lords!  Can I be like Nehemiah and encourage you by saying:  don't be afraid, remember the Lord Who is great and awesome!  Put on your garment of praise.  Look to the Lord; remember His goodness in times past.  Praise Him for Who He is.  In your battles you have weapons; one of them is praise.  Oh, wear it like a garment!  Put it on each and every morning, no matter the circumstances! 

If you need a 'visual' of the mighty Lord Who fights for His people, turn to Revelation 19:11-16 to see our King of Kings and Lord of Lords on His mighty white horse, and the armies of heaven following behind!  And then return to the verses just before that awesome sight; the praises of His people precede this great event!

Oh, and one last thing lest you still need convincing that praise is one of our weapons in fighting the enemy.  When God formed His Nation Israel into 12 tribes in the desert, He was very specific in how they were to rise up to move in and conquer the Promised Land.  The tribe of Judah was always to go 1st.  Do you know what Judah means in Hebrew?  Praise!

Living Water

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  By this He meant the Spirit.

(John 7)

When Jesus spoke these words to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem, they would have understood the term 'living water'.   As you can imagine, in this region of the world sources of water held great value.  The area has a long rainy season starting after the fall harvest and carrying on into the spring, but much of the land is limestone and very porous.  The heavy rains are quickly drained away and lakes that were formed became like miry clay.  If you spoke to someone in Jesus' day about water, he would understand 'living water' to be water that had movement from streams, rivers or fountains.  It was fresh running water provided by the hand of God as opposed to water a man might collect and store in cisterns.  Cistern water had no movement or 'life' in it; it eventually would evaporate and become so stagnant and polluted it wasn't fit to drink.  'Living water' on the other hand gave a sense of bubbling up, gushing forth, flowing;  it's alive, active, moving, bringing refreshment to all who would drink of it!  It literally was life to people in this part of the world.  The Samaritan woman at the well in John's gospel understood it.  Remember how excited she got when Jesus spoke of living water.  "Give me this water", she said.  Jesus responded:

"Whoever drinks of the water that I give him shall never thirst;  indeed the water I give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."  (John 4)

The Jordan River in Israel is a good example of living water.  It has it's beginnings about 9,000 feet up in the heights of Mt. Hermon.  In the spring when the winter snows start to melt they descend very rapidly into the Jordan River.  The River in Jesus' day was hundreds of miles long; it twisted, turned and moved, entering in on the north side of the Sea of Galilee, coming out on the south end of that Sea and then continuing on to its end, where it pours into the Dead Sea.  The Jordan River moved!  It was living water!

Where the River ends at the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet - about 1200 feet below sea level.  It is called the Dead Sea for a reason.  Roughly the size of the city of Los Angeles, it takes in about 6 1/2 million ton of fresh water each and every day.  Despite all that water flowing in, nothing lives there.  The Sea is unable to sustain normal marine life and the area surrounding it is desolate and harsh.  You see, in spite of receiving all this fresh water each day - life-sustaining, living water from the flowing Jordan River - the Dead Sea has no outlet.  The living water flows in...and goes nowhere.  The fresh water flowing in each day is never able to penetrate the salty surface of the Dead Sea; it just floats along the top of the Sea and in the scorching heat of the day it evaporates.  Jesus said:

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink...Whoever believes in Me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.  (John 7)

Look carefully at these words of Jesus.  When we belong to Him then from within me, within you, should flow streams of living water, bubbling up, gushing forth, flowing, with the idea of refreshment.  Alive, active, moving!  He pours in - and it flows out from us!  Oh, I do not want to be like the Dead  Sea, always receiving, letting this life-giving water skim across the top of my life, never penetrating the surface, never going deep, evaporating in the heat of the day.  If the streams of living water are flowing out of me as Jesus says they should, then there will be refreshment - not just for me but for all who come in contact with me.  It is after all 'living' water.

Psalm 1 says:  "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates both day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."

Like a tree planted by streams of water - living water; a tree which allows the water to penetrate deeply into its roots, and then does not wither but produces fruit in season.

I had opportunity last fall to hike in the Judah Wilderness, a desolate place.  It was hot - 115 degrees - and we had just made a high ascent.  I was sweating and tired, trudging along and looking at the boots of the hiker in front of me.  I kept thinking 'just one more step' and then again 'one more step'.  Finally we came over the ridge and I saw this huge sparkling blue body of water; it shone like diamonds flitting across the surface.  I imagined people cresting that same ridge thousands of years ago in desperate need of finding living water; and then seeing that beautiful sight and thinking:  Oh, if I can just make it I will be alright; I will survive in this drought-ridden desert.  But when they came to the Sea seeking refreshment, seeking life, there was none; only death.  Here in the midst of this dry barren desert there is this large body of water which receives so much living water that never penetrates, never goes deep.  It's appearance says 'come' but its taste is only bitterness.  What a waste of the living water provided by the hand of God from the Jordan River.

I don't want to be like the Dead Sea.  I don't want to take all the Lord pours into my life and only let it skim the surface, never penetrating, never going deep.  I don't want to be like the Sea, appearing to offer refreshment for people going through the 'deserts' of life but offering nothing.  I don't want to settle for 'just enough' of His Holy Spirit - I want the streams that He says will flow out of me. 

 Oh Jesus, you are the giver of life - even in the desert; let me be a tree planted by the streams of living water, yielding fruit in season.  For your glory. Amen.

Waiting...

"Yet those that wait for the Lord will gain new strength,

they will mount up with wings like eagles,

they will run and not get tired,

they will walk and not become weary."

(Isaiah 40)

(This last year has been a bit different for us at Tulare Community Church.  We have been searching over a year for a new head pastor and are still waiting.  During this extended search process I was reminded of what it means to 'wait for the Lord' from a Hebrew perspective.)

We don't like to wait; it is inconsistent with our culture.

Ask anyone who has had to wait 10 minutes in the drive-thru lane for 'fast' food.

Have a question you need answered?  Google it and get an immediate response.

Send a text and expect a return text right away.

We have become people who not only don't like to wait but we've become people who don't know how to wait.  Perhaps that's because in our Western way of thinking we tend to think of waiting as passive, not accomplishing anything; being inert; time marching on while we are missing out on the parade.

The prophet Isaiah, speaking of those who 'wait for the Lord', had an entirely different concept in mind.

In Hebrew the word for 'wait' (qavah) comes from the same parent word as 'cord' (tiqvah) like the scarlet cord that Rahab hung from her window as a sure sign that she would be saved (Joshua 2).   'Waiting' then has a sense of "binding together by twisting, with the outcome of being strong, robust; to expect...it carries a notion of binding fast.  To collect, a collection of fibers".  (Gesenius Lexicon/Complete Hebrew Dictionary of Old Testament Words).  

The idea of  'waiting' in Hebrew is definitely not passive!  It is not sitting back without hope.  There is something going on in the waiting. 

 When we wait for Him, God uses this time to bind us fast to Him.  Just as a cord is made strong through twisting, pulling and tugging to bring any loose ends in close and tight, we too are made strong as we wait for the Lord.  Perhaps the process is painful for us, all that twisting and pulling and binding.  But the result God wants is that during those most difficult times in our lives - those times of waiting for Him - we would be so bound to Him that we would not unravel, that we would have new strength; that we would mount up with wings like eagles, and we would run and not grow weary.

As we wait for the Lord to reveal who He has selected to shepherd His church, may we lean in strong to Him and each other, allowing the binding to strengthen and unite us.

"Two are better than one...

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

(Ecc. 4)

Temple Stones

The temple where Jesus worshiped and taught is known as Herod's temple.  King Herod, in addition to being a wicked, evil man had a passion for building on a magnificent scale.  He had built many pagan temples, his own opulent palace, the Antonio Fortress (named after his friend Marc Antony) and must have decided his capital city, Jerusalem, should have something equally magnificent.  Whatever his reasoning the project, which was begun in 18BC was such a massive undertaking that although the temple proper was finished in about a year and a half, it would be another 70+ years before all the outbuildings and embellishments were finished.  Then, of course, it stood in all its glory for about 5 or 6 years before it was utterly destroyed in 70AD by the Roman army.  At the time of Jesus' death, the temple had been under some type of construction for almost 50 years.

The Jewish historian Josephus describes the Most Holy Place itself as being built on an immense foundation of solid blocks of white marble covered with gold.  Each block of marble measured 67 1/2 feet by 9 feet and the structure rose to a height of 188 feet.  The stones which built up the sides of the temple were enormous.  Some were as long as 45 feet, 10 1/2 feet high and 11 to 14 feet thick, weighing well over 400 tons each. Imagine the engineering that must have taken place to be sure they all fit together as they rose up in beauty and magnificence.  Man's attempt at a building fit for the presence of the God of the Universe!

And yet when Jesus died on the Cross all those years ago, the Temple Veil in the Most Holy Place was torn in two and as a Rabbi friend says:  "God left the building."  50 days after Jesus' death, on the Feast of Pentecost, God took up residence in another temple.  We are God's Temple the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians.  We are :

 "...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.

In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become

a holy temple to the Lord...

a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit."

Eph. 2

The Apostle Peter writes that you and I together:  "...like living stones are being built into a spiritual temple to be a holy priesthood..."

We are Living Stones.  Think about that analogy for a few minutes with me.  Remember the stones in the Temple in Jerusalem?  Remember how massive - some 45 feet long and weighing 400 tons?  They had to fit together perfectly, block upon block making up this beautiful building that rose towards the sky!  If there were bumps, if there were rough edges, if there were pieces that jutted out - they would have to be chiseled, cut, sawed off, smoothed out in some way.  Because if one stone did not fit right, the integrity of the whole structure would be in jeopardy.

We as living stones being built into God's spiritual house, into His holy temple, have our own rough edges as well; pieces that jut out, that cause friction; things about us that get in the way of another living stone being able to fit perfectly alongside us, or to lay level on top of us.  God will take those rough edges and He will remove them, He will smooth them out, He will chisel them away.  As a contractor friend would say:  Perhaps a Change Order is necessary at this point of construction.  Sometimes that Change Order from our Master Builder hurts, but consider this as you go through the refining process that allows us to fit together:   God left Herod's temple - in all its opulence, all its gold, marble and great beauty - to make His home in us.  Living Stones, Temple Stones. Imperfect, not so magnificent perhaps, but home to the God of the Universe.  What a thought!  Who else but God...