Punish or Redeem?

In First Timothy 1:20, Paul in writing to Timothy says that he has given, "Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." On the face this can seem as a harsh move by Paul, however he had redemption in mind. It was Paul's desire that these men be
in such a position that they would once again seek God and return to their faith.
This verse leads me to ask two questions of myself. First, why is it always easier to punish than redeem? Unfortunately, at our core, punishment makes us feel good. It seems to satisfy the feeling that we have of being put upon by another. Punishment doesn't often make a person better, just more careful. Redemption on the other hand is hard. It takes forgiveness. It takes putting ourselves last behind the best interest of another. It means we may not experience the perceived justice we think we are due. But the result may mean that a person becomes closer to God and useful to the Kingdom and others. Second, what is God's nature? Though God has punished evil people throughout history, His nature is redemption. That is what the cross is all about. That is why we have the opportunity to have a relationship with God. God's nature is that all of us are redeemed to His Kingdom.
When I am tempted to punish, I need to be reminded of this passage in First Timothy. I need to remember that since God's nature is redemption, that must be my nature as well.

Greetings?

Paul’s greeting to Timothy in 1^st Timothy 1:1 says, “Paul, and apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.”

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I am in such a hurry to read what comes after the greeting I miss what it contains. When I studied this greeting with the help of Barclay, Paul reminds us of a few important things.

“Paul and apostle.” Paul saw himself as an ambassador or envoy of Jesus. We are familiar with ambassadors. Their job is to represent a person or country in the best possible way.

“By the command of God.” Paul thought of himself as holding a king’s commission. He was not only given a job to do, but had the authority to accomplish it.

“Christ Jesus our hope.” Jesus is only the hope we have; hope of moral victory, hope over circumstances, and hope of victory over death. Jesus is our hope.

I then need to ask myself a few questions. How am I doing as God’s ambassador? Am I representing Him well? Am I fulfilling the King’s commission? God created me for a purpose, and has gifted me to accomplish that purpose. How is my hope? Is my hope in Jesus alone, or do I hope in things other than Him?

Short greeting; powerful lessons.

Spinning an Egg

How can you tell an egg in hard-boiled or raw? Spin it. A raw egg will not spin very well. A hard-boiled egg will spin like a ball. That way, you tell what’s inside. That’s what I was able to talk about with a group of kids last night. We know what’s inside of a lot of things because we have experience with them. Some examples are a jack in the box, a jelly-filled donut, and even an inflated balloon.

If we are Christians, can people know what’s inside of us based on what they see on the outside? James 1:22 reminds us that to hear God’s Word and not do what it says is useless. When this is our approach to God’s Word, we are deceiving ourselves about what’s in us. James says we need to not only hear God’s Word, but do it as well.

I reminded the kids that God wants hearers and doers, not just doers. When people look at us, can they tell God lives in us? Do we treat others in a way that would be pleasing to God? Our actions are like spinning an egg; it will show what’s in us. Hearing and doing; easy to understand, harder to accomplish.

The Desert; Really?

At the end of the book of Numbers, prior to the Israelites entering the promised land, Moses is recounting their journey. They moved from place to place, many of which I have a hard time pronouncing, until they get to a point of decision; go with God and take the land, or, "let's go back to Egypt where we had it so well." You know what happened next, rebellion and forty years walking in the wilderness. Why is it that we are so willing to wander than follow God's direction? Is it really so much better in Egypt?
This is the message of Christmas. God sent Jesus to us so we would not have to wander in the wilderness of life, moving from problem to problem without guidance or direction; without the peace and the joy implicit in walking with God. During December in Kids Quest we have been looking at Joy - finding a way to be happy, even when things don't go your way. We have discovered that joy is a choice, and that we find true joy in the greatest gift ever given; Jesus.
I hope your Christmas is filled with joy. I hope your life is filled with the direction of God, not wandering in the wilderness. Yes, we face giants from time to time, but as we were reminded in Kids Quest, we serve a God that is bigger than all things. This is a truth for all of us. May you have a Merry Christmas with this reminder from the book of Numbers.

Something From Nothing

This past Sunday, I was reminded in a sermon about one good way to help people understand that there must be God. We all have stuff. Most of us have too much stuff, but stuff we have and it all came from somewhere. Everything we have, had, or will have had a beginning. In fact, we cannot think of a thing in our existence that did not have a beginning; that is unless we include God. Even the most ardent Big Bang Universe people have to come to the conclusion that all the stuff that went "Bang" had to come from somewhere. I am not saying I am a proponent of this theory, but if one is, the stuff that went "Bang" had to start somewhere. That leads us to the Creator, God. Genesis 1:1 reminds us that in the beginning was God, and that is all that was. He spoke and the universe as we know it happened. All that ever was and will be came from His creative genius. This is a great reminder for kids as they are told many things in school that may not line up with a creator. There is a simple answer; it all had to start by someone, and that someone is God.

What A Crowd

So during my quiet time I have begun reading the book of Numbers. I know, hold the excitement. What I have discovered over the years is that God can teach me something new in any part of the Bible, and chapter one of Numbers is no exception. As I am reading the list of the tribes and how many men over the age of twenty there are, it strikes me that Moses is literally trying to usher around two million people through the desert. Then it hits me that the entire time these people are moving from place to place, God is providing food and water for everyone, every day. Talk about a Big God.
Then I am reminded that if God can do this, He can care for my family and yours. You see, it's not about numbers, it's about God's desire to love and care for people. I don't know about you, but the times my family was in a place that was not good, it was usually due to my poor decisions, not God guidance. His desire for families is to guide them through this journey of life while providing for their needs. If He can do it for two million, He can do it for a family.

Little Princess

Debi and I recently spent a week with our children in Georgia. We had a great time with our children and grandchildren. As many of you know, EllaGrace joined our family several months ago, arriving from Ethiopia with a sippy-cup and the clothes on her back. A little orphan girl who had spent a few months abandoned on the streets of a large city was adopted into a loving family. She is now a Dantzler, just like her sisters. She has a mother and father whom she loves and who love her. She is family. There will not be a time when she is not a Dantzler.
As I was thinking about this one of the times EllaGrace and I were taking a lounge in the chair, I was reminded that this is our story. We were alone, trying to survive life the best we could, then one day through faith we were adopted into God's family. We will always be part of that family. We are part of a family that loves us and cares for us. Just like EllaGrace will always be a part of our family; through Christ we will always be a part of God's Family.
I am grinning as I think about that sweet face smiling at me; the one that reminds me the grace and mercy God shows us as undeserving as we are. What a family.