There Was Nothing New Until the Rock

That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. 11 There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still. —Ecclesiastes 1:9–11

I’m not sure who wrote Ecclesiastes. But if it was Solomon—as traditionally thought—it was a grumpy Solomon who wrote Ecclesiastes, compared to the hopeful Solomon who wrote Proverbs. It could be that he wrote Ecclesiastes at the latter part of his life as a grumpy old man and Proverbs towards at the beginning as a youthful idealist. Whoever wrote the book, I found myself thinking about it after pastor Nick’s message on Daniel 2 this past Sunday.

 

What is written in Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 9 is so true—there is nothing new under the sun. If we wait long enough, I’m sure that the bell-bottoms of the ‘70s will be back in style. I just read yesterday that Will Smith and Kevin Hart are remaking Steve Martin and John Candy’s Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. We are running out of new ideas and so we prove that there is nothing new by recycling old ones. Give anything enough time and it will re-emerge.

 

Nick reminded us this Sunday that all of human history is subject to repeat itself. Nation after nation (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron, and now most likely some form of iron and clay) will rise and fall from power until a supernatural ROCK is thrown into the mix of human history.

 

We can continue trying to make something out of the mundane repeating cycle. But Einstein (another smart guy) had it right when he said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

 

The writer of Ecclesiastes (maybe Solomon) spent the better part of his life in pursuit of meaning. He eventually came to realize that there was no hope in that pursuit. We too would be considered wise (by God) if we heeded the advice of his conclusion found in chapter 12, verse 13:

“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.”

The culmination of God’s law—His commandments—is the person of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:4). The one true new component that changes everything is the supernatural rock flung into the unfolding human experience. As Nick pointed out, Jesus Christ is that rock and He changes everything.

 

We are living—as everyone throughout time has lived—in times seemingly doomed for destruction. If we nurture a close relationship with God characterized by our desperate dependence on Him, we will easily discern the incorrect philosophies, pursuits, values, political platforms and so many other worldly agendas that contradict Biblical truth. And we will have chosen the only hope of new life. I like the way John Sammis put it in 1887:

“When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way.”

Trust and Obey folks… there really is no other way.

Choose For Yourself This Day Whom You Will Serve

This morning I was reading from 1st John chapters 4–5. Everything that I read is with an awareness of the current societal woes that we are experiencing in the U.S. in the midst of the ongoing pandemic and the lawlessness we read about daily in our papers since the unrest exacerbated by the murder George Floyd. 

It seems like our society is demanding that every thought we have be aligned to the side where our allegiances fall. The categories that readily come to mind are: Democrat or Republican, White or Black, Religious or non-Religious. 

In light of all of this, here are several verses that jumped off the page as I read.

"They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them." 1st John 4:5

I thought back to August 2019 when the democratic party's leadership promoted themselves as the party of non-religious affiliation—specifically welcoming all atheists and agnostics because of their like-minded platform agenda. The heading in my Bible above these verses is "Testing the Spirits." I can't interpret the Democratic Party's proclamation as anything but an announcement of the spirit of antichrist. 

The next verse that jumped out fell under the same heading:

"If someone says. 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God who he has not seen." 1st John 4:20

I was convicted reading this passage as I thought of the many times I have said, "I don't like the way President Trump communicates his message, but I agree with the agenda and the promises he is keeping." Supporting a leader who speaks so unkindly towards others—calling them "nasty," "terrible," "dummy," "whacky," and "crazy" to name just a few—reveals that I am not testing the spirits well. Our president's demeanor and communication style rob God of His glory and reveals his own antichrist spirit. 

The last verse that made an impression on me fell under the heading "Overcoming the World" in chapter 5:

"Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5. 

The victory that we are promised throughout Scripture comes as we place our faith in Jesus—as we align our lives to His teaching. As I follow Jesus I will stand against hate, injustice, inequality corruption, enslavement, violence, destruction, and ungodliness of all kinds. I will stand up for love, joy, peace, patient, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and all forms of godliness. 

I am not anti-politics, in that I think Christians should avoid political involvement. However, I am against picking sides of man-made institutions above and away from the agenda/teaching of Christ. 

As Christ-followers we have already chosen a side—the side of Jesus Christ. Is our practice reflecting that choice? 

July 4th

"In that day you will say, 'Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.'” —Isaiah 12:4

Today is the 4th of July. It is the 244th birthday of the United States of America. My family and I are in our fourth day of mandatory quarantine, having just visited the mainland in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, to say the least, this was a very different celebration from what we are accustomed. 

I watched the national celebrations from Washington D.C. and listened to President Trump's address to the nation. By and large, I appreciated what he had to say. But there was one point when I wished that more focus was placed on God as the initiator of our national success rather than the accomplishments of individual "heroes." 

We may be a symbol of freedom in the time with which God has blessed us. We may even be the light God is using to demonstrate His glory to the world at this moment in time. But there is nothing eternal and there is nothing that we can take credit for in and of ourselves. 

I'm currently reading the book of Isaiah in my annual Bible reading plan. It is obvious in these readings that God uses the rise and fall of nations to display His sovereignty to the entire world. 

My prayer for the Church and for my country is that we would recognize God's work and His power in making us who we are today. 

Today I celebrate the freedoms that I have and the accomplishments of these United States of America. But I celebrate with the knowledge that God is behind it all and I give Him the glory for the good work He has done.

May God bless the U.S.A. as we make known His deeds among the peoples. 

What Precautions Is Kapahulu Bible Church Taking To Make KBC Gatherings As Safe As Possible In Light of COVID-19?

As many of you are aware, the COVID-19 (a.k.a. Coronavirus) has found it’s way to Hawaii. The first confirmed case was found this past Friday and a second was discovered on Sunday. This shouldn’t cause wide-spread panic, but we should be wise and vigilant in our response as a faith community.

KBC will be taking extra cleaning precautions at this time. This includes:

• Wiping down all common area touchpoints (e.g., doors, light switches, countertops, etc.) Throughout the day with an EPA certified disinfectant.
• Searching for hand sanitizers* to be placed in common areas throughout the building

* currently, most stores are sold out of hand sanitizers and our current stock levels are low.  

What precautions can people take when they come to KBC?

We encourage everyone to take certain steps to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, flu, and other illnesses, including:

• Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
• Not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
• Staying home if you are sick
• Covering your cough or sneeze
• Disinfecting objects and surfaces regularly

In addition, we encourage everyone to take commonsense precautions and consider creative interactions (like elbow bumping instead of handshaking).

I’d like to also encourage you to stay informed as information becomes available by going to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.” 

One last advice for all of us from the apostle Paul:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I love you all and I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

In sub-mission,

Pastor J 

Trusting God Secures Our Hope

The Lord said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and named it The Lord Is My Banner; and he said, "The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation." Exodus 17:14–16

This follows the Israelites' first battle after leaving Egypt. God promised them that He would utterly destroy their enemy (the Amalekites). But the battle against them would take place from generation to generation--the battle would be ongoing. 

God wanted His people to trust Him in spite of the presence of their enemies. However, since the Israelites left Egypt just weeks before, they had been grumbling against Moses because they feared they would die of thirst and hunger. Their complaints were ultimately complaints against God because they didn't trust Him. 

God had promised the Israelites security and peace as He fought their battles. He had more than proven Himself trustworthy through the ten plagues of Egypt, through the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground, through bitter water being made sweet, through provision of food from manna and through water from the rock. And yet they still were struggling to accept that God would be their secure hope throughout all the difficulties life brought their way. 

God has promised us life eternal with Him through the miraculous life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The miracle of His Son far outweighs the miracles of the Israelite Exodus. And yet we struggle to accept God as trustworthy when faced with life's difficult experiences. 

The Israelites will have their nation in spite of the Amalekites (foreign enemies) as a reminder of God's trustworthiness. We (as Christ-followers and true children of Abraham) have our faith, joy, strength, and hope in a fallen world as a reminder of God's trustworthiness. Just as He will one day utterly destroy Israel's enemies, He will one day return and sets all things right. 

The lesson we all need to learn is to trust God through the difficult processes of life--our hope is secure. 

When Running Is A Great Offense

From my morning Bible reading:

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:12-13‬

Claim this promise in the seasons of temptation. Choose to rely on God's strength through his Spirit’s empowerment. Seek the way of escape and utilize its path.

Don't Miss Your Blessing

After reading Genesis this year, I thought about the continued blessing that God gave to His chosen people.

I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:2–3).

This blessing was handed off from Abraham to Isaac, from Isaac to Jacob (over Esau the older), and from Jacob to Judah. The whole family of Israel experienced the blessing, but specific individuals were blessed with the position of leadership ushering in the ultimate blessing--Jesus. 

Judah was fourth in the line of birth order from Jacob. His older brothers, Rueben, Simeon and Levi, missed out on the continued blessing because of sin. Whereas a general blessing from Jacob was given to all his sons (49:28), these three were skipped over for the special "leadership blessing." Reuben, the oldest, was passed over because of his sexual sin with Jacob's wife (49:4, 35:22). Simeon and Levi were skipped over for the revenge-killing of the Hivites, disregarding their father's wishes (49:5, 34:30-31). Sin had its consequences.

It would seem that mainstream culture today eschews consequences for any wrongdoing that robs an individual of opportunities. Think about it, it used to be that even the suggestion of a political candidate having an extra-marital affair was enough to disqualify them from public service (ie. Gary Hart/Donna Rice). And yet today an extra-marital affair does not stop one from climbing the ladder of success in politics. 

In God's grace, the blessing of continued relationship is not taken away because of sin. However, sin does matter and it can have lasting consequences on those who commit it. Even though Jacob only blesses one of his sons to lead, He does bless ALL of his sons. 

"Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet" (49:9–10).

"He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him" (49:28).

It's important that we own our sin and not complain about the consequences we experience. We still have the opportunity for blessing after we sin. But, it is true, our sin may disqualify us from certain opportunities. Levi missed out on the "leadership blessing", but in my humble opinion, he received a better blessing than that of his brothers when they entered the promised land. Rather than inheriting the land, Levi inherited God Himself (Deuteronomy 10:9). 

Bottom Line: Be willing to accept the consequences of your sin so that you don't miss the relational blessings God has for you. 

High And Lifted Up Is The Person Blessed By God

A three-word phrase caught my eye this morning in Genesis 47, verse 7:

"Jacob blessed Pharaoh"

A picture shot through my mind of me praying over an important world figure (pick your favorite). It would be considered an honor, as I'm sure it was for Jacob praying over Pharaoh. It would be a privilege for any world leader to be blessed by a child of God (whether the world figure recognizes that or not). But most significantly, it would be a testament for any Christ-follower, of the faithfulness of God. God takes our lowly positions and exalts us beyond our imagination as we humble ourselves before Him as our modus operandi for life. 

I don't have to think too long before I see how God has exalted the circumstances of my own life (I know I could come up with many examples). One of the most obvious examples that I remember every day--especially on February 14th--is God's faithfulness in blessing me with the wife that I have.

The thought of this reminded me of another one of my favorite passages. And as luck or fate--or sovereignty would have it--this passage was also part of my daily Bible readings:

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD" (1st Corinthians 1:26–31).

So today, why not spend some time boasting in the Lord. You may not be called upon to bless a king… but you have been blessed by the KING!

I thank God for you every day Karen!

Ministering From Your Overflow

Thinking of Jesus as fully divine comes easy. Thinking of Him as fully human does not. In my recent readings--Mark chapter 11 through chapter 14--I saw something I hadn't noticed before. While reading chapters 11 and 12 I began to see something new. Verse 10 is drawing from Psalm 118:26, and then in chapter 12, Jesus quotes from the same Psalm.  

"The Stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes" (Mark 12:10–11 and Psalm 118:22–23). 

Jesus's mind appears to have been camped out in these Psalm passages. 

Later on, in the same chapter (Mark 12) Jesus schools the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Scribes on the resurrection and who the Messiah would be by using another nearby Psalm, this time from chapter 110.

The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet'" (Mark 12:36, Mark 14:62 and Psalm 110:1).

Again, Jesus's thoughts were focused on this portion of Scripture leading up to His death. A couple chapters later He uses the same Psalm when declaring that He is the Christ before the high priest. 

Here's what I saw that I hadn't noticed before: Jesus was sharing what He had been studying with those around Him. These passages were fresh in His mind because He was pouring over them.  

Have you ever had that experience? You read/study the Word of God, and then you are able to share with others throughout your day the truth from those passages. This is called "ministering from your overflow." You fill yourself up with the truth of God's Word and then you pour out an extra blessing on others with whom you have contact. 

I think that's what Jesus was modeling. I'm not sure if He had scrolls with Him as He traveled around. I've met people who have been very good at memorizing Scripture. I'm sure Jesus excelled in this discipline. I imagine as Jesus got closer to the cross He was studying or thinking through everything from Scripture about the plan of God for the Messiah. Of course, He knew what His Father was calling Him to do, but that wouldn't have stopped Him from pouring over God's Word on the subject. I believe Jesus had been filling up on these passages in Psalms and was--in His full humanity--ministering from His overflow.

Jesus modeled how we're all supposed to function; the same way that Timothy instructed:

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." 2nd Timothy 4:2

It is neat to think of Jesus having daily devotions similar to what we have. It's cool to think He lived a life just like we're living life. He truly was fully human as well as fully divine.

Easter Egg for Jeffrey and Jasmine

There is so much to share from the recent Bible readings--God's Word is so rich. Today in my readings I'm in Genesis, Job, Mark, and Romans. I could write a post for each reading. But I'll just focus on my FAVORITE passage. 

Romans 7–8 is my all-time favorite passage. 

Today I'll share what I wrote in the margin of my Bible--one of the Bibles I'm gifting to my kids at the end of the year. By year's end, it will be filled with *Easter Eggs such as this. 

"This is my favorite passage in all the Bible as it explains the victory that is possible through the Holy Spirit of God. It describes our identity and holds the key to our ability to experience consistent victory over sin. Jeffrey and Jasmine, when you read this I hope that you understand my desire is for you to STUDY this passage in-depth so as to understand how to live in victory this side of eternity."

My primary desire is for Jeffrey and Jasmine to "get this." But in a close second, I hope that if your reading, you "get" this as well.

 You are more than a conqueror (8:17) because of God in Christ. 

* In popular culture, Easters eggs are text, images, visual gags, jokes, or other content that authors intentionally hide in their works for their viewers' discovery.

Jesus Is the Son of God

The past several days the M'Cheyne readings have taken us through Mark 3–6. We know that these chapters are connected in that they are one story. However, I often treat the chapters and the sub-headings as smaller (if not separate) stories. These chapters in Mark demonstrate the importance of connecting them as one story for a greater understanding. 

In chapter 3, Jesus healed a man with a deformed hand. Because of this healing and Jesus's teaching, He was attracting large crowds. The religious leaders felt threatened and began accusing Him saying,

"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "He casts out the demons by the ruler of demons." 

Jesus addressed the crowd, explaining that their claim was not possible--it wasn't logical. 

"How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."

Jesus then went on to teach using parables (earthly stories with a divine meaning). The disciples wondered why He taught that way. Why not just teach plainly and directly so that everyone will understand. Jesus answered,

"To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God but those who are outside get everything in parables, so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven."

Jesus was quoting Isaiah 6:9 to teach His disciples that they were part of God's greater plan. A plan that would lead to His sacrifice for us at the cross. Jesus taught directly and plainly to those who were given the mystery of the kingdom and would continue the work of that kingdom work after His death and resurrection. In the following chapters, we'll experience that direct and plain teaching.

Jesus taught the disciples that He was the Son of God… that He was, in fact, God. In Mark 4:35–41 He showed them that He has control over nature. The disciples asked themselves:

"Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

The obvious answer is that He is the Son of God… He is God. 

In Mark 5:1–13 Jesus cast out the man who was possessed by Legion, several thousand demons. This was a front-row seat for the practicum that proved Jesus's answer to the religious leaders "How can Satan cast out Satan?" Satan can't and he wouldn't cast out his demons, but Jesus can. The disciples at this point should have been asking themselves, "Is this the Son of God? Is this God?"

In Mark 5:21–43, Jesus healed the woman that had been bleeding for twelve years and raised Jairus's daughter (btw, he was a religious leader) from the dead. The woman who was healed of her hemorrhaging was healed as she intentionally reached out in a crowd and touched His robe. Jesus stopped in a crowded street and asked:

"Who touched My garments?"

The disciples were puzzled, they asked in essence, "What do you mean who touched you? Hundreds of people have touched you." Once again they should have been thinking and talking about how Jesus must certainly be from God to know when someone touches Him for healing. And they should have been proclaiming it boldly when He brought someone back from the dead. 

Imagine the wonder the disciples were experiencing when Jesus fed five thousand people (that's only counting the men) from five loaves of bread and two fish. They must have been saying "Surely He is from God. He is the Son of God. He is God."  

But then just a few verses over, in verse 49, they thought He was a ghost when they saw Him walking on the water past their boat. If we don't read these accounts as one complete story, we will question the harshness of the commentary found in Mark 6:52.

"He got in the boat with them, and the wind stopped and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened."

It's true, their hearts were hardened. Who wouldn't be jumping out of their shoes proclaiming Him as God after all these miraculous events take place? He had given the disciples a front-row seat to His plain and direct teaching and had them participate in the miracles that proved His teaching. And yet, they still didn't understand. 

I can't wait until Wednesday when we're scheduled to read Mark chapter 8. It's there that Peter finally proclaims what we think they should have been saying all along.

"You are the Christ." 

I Want To Be Satisfied With The Life I Live, part 2

In today's reading (Genesis 32) we're introduced to a transformed Jacob. The Jacob we know from earlier is the one who traded soup for Esau's birthright, who stole his father's blessing from his brother and whose name we learn is "deceiver."  He's since lived in the land of his mother's family where he got a taste of his own medicine as uncle Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah and took advantage of him by changing his wages ten times. This process seemed to have changed Jacob for the better through the years, as we see him now as a much humbler man. In chapter 32, Jacob's humbler demeanor was clear as he referred to Esau as his "lord" and to himself as Esau's "servant."

In the middle of the two brother's reunion, as Jacob demonstrates his new and improved self, God blesses him. We see the blessing in verses 24–32 as Jacob wrestles with the man of God. It's an amazing test of strength--or maybe pure grit--to have wrestled all night long without giving up. In the past, I've rationalized that Jacob received the blessing through force, strength or pure determination. I now realize there is a different reason for Jacob's blessing having recently re-read Abraham's blessing being promised in chapter 12, the blessing being given only after growing in faith in chapter 22 and then the blessing realized in chapter 24. The blessing is experienced only after the change/transformation takes place. Jacob's blessing came just like his grandfather's came because he grew mature in his faith evidenced by change.

My question today is: In what area does God want me to grow?

I hope that we have the strength of character and the determination that comes with faith so that we too can experience all of the blessings that God has for us.

Be Kind To Sinners

Romans is probably one of my favorite books in the Bible. I believe that Paul wrote it as an introduction letter to the church in Rome. He wanted them to know who he was and what he was all about. So, he gave a detailed overview--not exhaustive in scope--of what he believed. The book/letter is filled with great doctrinal truths. 

As I read Romans chapter one yesterday, and then chapter two today, I made an interesting connection. Paul taught that we are to be kind to the sinners who we don't think deserve kindness. We all experience sin in others that become our personal pet peeve--those sins in others that annoy us. The sin that annoys me most in others is when a person avoids physical or spiritual work--SLOTH. Slothfulness is a legit sin, even though it's the one deadly sin that most people have the hardest time remembering. 

In chapter two Paul is very clear that we should demonstrate loving sensitivity towards those who are struggling with sin. Even the sins that so easily annoy us. 

Do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:3-4)

Paul's words made me think back to chapter one as he talked about those who reject God. In verses 26–27 Paul mentions how God's punishment against unbelief can ultimately lead to a specific sin:

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 

A culture's rejection of God can lead to God removing his hand of protection and guidance from that culture. And a potential result for that culture is the sin of homosexuality.

I grew up in a generation where the majority of people I knew in the Church considered homosexuality to be the most egregious sin (it was their greatest pet peeve). The commonplace response of the Church was persecution by ostracizing and mocking the gay person in the community. I'd even go so far as to say it was considered an acceptable response. The result of this harsh response, that spanned a generation, is now the overwhelming belief that the Church hates the LGBTQ community. Because the Church did not respond with the same kindness, tolerance, and patience that drew them out of sin and subsequently transformed their lives, the gay community is largely resistant to the overtures of the Church today.

We all come up against sins that annoy us and rise to the level of our personal "pet peeve." Paul is teaching the need to be careful to show kindness, tolerance, and patience towards the sinner who is seeking God but isn't yet as perfect as we are (btw, that's sarcasm). Seriously though, God doesn't give us a license to stop loving people. We should be able to love anyone because perfect God has loved imperfect us.