Sounds a little harsh, doesn't it? Isn't God gracious, forgiving, abounding in love, and wanting us to turn to him?

Yes, He is.

But step back for a minute and listen to the whole story.

The Book of Judges is a tail of ups and downs between God and God's people.

God blesses.

The people disobey.

God removes the blessing.

The people cry out to God.

God hears and blesses.

They disobey again.

God removes the blessing.

The people cry out to God.

God sends a prophet to warn them.

Then God hears their cry and blesses them.

As of chapter 10, God has had it.

It's as if he says, "No more! Stop playing games. I'm tired of it."

And we wonder...is this really it??

Have they gone beyond God's patience?

Will God abandon them forever?

Have they used up all of God's forgiveness?

....

...

...

...

In verse 16 the people who have sinned, repented. They put away the foreign gods and worshiped the LORD.

But would it be enough?

...

...

...

...

...

...

And in verse 16b (or the second half of verse 16) we get the answer.

"he could no longer bear to see Israel suffer".

That one little verse says so much to me.

It says God is willing to watch us suffer for a time.

God's ultimate concern is not my ease or safety or comfort. God's ultimate concern is my character and my allegiance and my relationship to God.

But it also says God is so concerned about God's people that God can't sit by and do nothing forever.

If at this very moment you are wondering if you've gone too far to receive God's forgiveness and mercy, if you are worried you may have used up God's forgiveness, I would say two things.

1. I'm not exactly sure where God's line is at, but DON'T TRY AND FIND IT!! Use this moment of sensitivity in your own heart to respond to God with all of the authenticity, wisdom and passion you can. Confess where you've blown it, confess where you've been faithless or uncaring and unresponsive to God's overtures. And ask God to give you a new heart and a new will that intends to follow and be obedient.

2. If you are asking the question about how far is too far, if you're concerned about straying too far away from God, give thanks. It is God's spirit at work in you that allows you to be responsive to God's invitation, conviction, correction, and encouragement. (And then see #1 as you respond to God's spirit.)

May we take God's discipline and forgiveness seriously.

Grace & Peace

The Psalmist begins by exalting God (v1) because God lifted him "out of the depths".

I've experienced some pretty low, deep places recently. I have a couple of folks who know the details and have walked there with me. I have some who have been good friends, just what the Lord provided at the right time.

But only God has been able to lift me out of the depths.

Only He has been able to turn my "mourning" into "morning".

So close are these two words. They sound exactly alike to the ear.

But to the heart, there is a WORLD of difference.

To the mind, they are opposite ends of two different galaxies.

MOURNING can be a place of desperation, unutterable sorrow, helplessness, hopelessness.

I remember one time when the five of us went shopping. The kids were small. One of them got away from the group. We spent what seemed like an immeasurably long amount of time looking for them.

Had someone taken them?

Were they hurt?

Where could they be!??

What should we do??!

All of a sudden they were found and we were back together again.

The heart rate begins to slow down as does the mind which was racing to all of the worst conclusions.

The darkness of mourning was gone....

MORNING had come.

Hope.

Celebration.

Newness.

Safety.

What more could you want?

Maybe you are living through a period of MOURNING today. Lost job. Lost hope. Lost health. Lost relationship.

My prayer for you is that

somehow,

someway,

sometime

soon,

God would show up and turn MOURNING into MORNING.

Grace & Peace

Seems strange to make an agreement with people who aren't even present at the moment it is agreed upon, doesn't it?

Can you imagine making an arrangement with your bank to pay your mortgage but the bank isn't represented at the meeting?

So who are these people who are not here today?

Were they people who stayed in their tents or were unable to get out to physically join the proceedings? Maybe. But I think God and Moses had others in mind.

Certainly the covenant included those who had come before. Read the next verses.

You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here...

Some who were entering didn't experience all of this personally. Their parents or grandparents had. But the previous generations stood as witnesses to faithlessness of the people and the faithfulness of God.

That generation had blown it. They could testify to just how true to His word God really is; either for benefiting the obedient or for disciplining the disobedient.

But the covenant also includes those who were yet to come. Time and again God and Moses set their sights on future generations. They can see the blessings and cursings that hang in the balance for those not yet born, based upon the choices of those living today.

Think about it.

We know biologically that what a pregnant mother eats, breathes, and drinks will have an effect on the not-yet-born-baby she carries.

So how difficult is it to believe that choices mothers and fathers make on how they spend, what they watch, or the god they worship NOW will have an effect upon their children LATER?

God and Moses were telling the Hebrews the covenant, the agreement between them, comes out of a history of those who have come before and begins to shape the future for those yet to come.

May God give us such a vision and help us to live holy, intentional, God-devoted lives.

Grace & peace

If you see your brother's ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it... (22:1)

Do the same if you find your brother's donkey or his cloak or anything he loses (22:2)

I had several friends of mine do that very thing for me in the last day or two.

It can come in a lot of forms. What it might it look like for you to help lift them up again today?

- Maybe you might listen to what someone else is saying, rather than thinking about your response.

- Maybe you might mean it when you ask, "How are you doing?"

- Maybe you might think of a chore someone has to do on a regular basis and do it for them without being asked.

- Maybe you might think of someone who hasn't been to church in awhile and send them a note, an e-mail, or make a phone call and simply say, "It's not the same when you're not here."

Carry one each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

May we do that today.

Grace & peace

Keep me safe, O God,for in you I take refuge....my body also will rest secure because you have not abandoned me to the grave (or "Sheol").You have made known to me the path of life;you will fill me with joy in your presence,with eternal pleasures at your right side.

Yesterday I read that passage for myself. I whispered it. It was for me, about a situation that involves me directly.

This morning I tweaked my reading plan and went back to it.I read it as again, this time as an intercession for someone else.

I began to claim those words for them. I read them out loud.

As I type it to you right now, I find new strength and power in the words safe, refuge, secure.

I find hope and promise in the words you have made known to me the path of life.

I pray that sometime today, you will find at least one moment where you are still enough, and quiet enough, for God to bring a living, breathing, timely, powerful, personal word into your life. Maybe through Psalm 16. Maybe through another passage of scripture. Maybe through some other moment in your day.

However you experience the closeness of God's presence today, may He speak to you and may that encounter benefit those you love and for whom you are responsible.

Grace & peace

I have been visiting some of the schools within our school district this past week. The school board is getting ready to make some tough decisions about ways to keep our district financially flexible through tough times of lower enrollment and a shrinking tax base while health care and utility costs continue to rise.

My visits have been strictly voluntary. No one forced me to make them. But I'd like to get as many of the facts as I can before we are asked to cast a vote in a few days.

On my little fact finding junkets, several things have become clear to me:

1.) Every decision we make leads to effects for students, teachers, and parents.

2.) We will only be able to see some of those effects prior to implementing our decision.

3.) We live in a community and as such, the right attitude and sense of "we're all in this together" is often as important as which decision we will end up making.

4.) Anger, frustration, and hurt are logical responses by those whose lives are being changed without their input.

5.) Good "governing" and "lawmaking" dictates that we constantly communicate every step along the way, clearly keeping in mind the way these decisions will affect others, both for the short-term and the long-run.

It is some of that same desire for good governing and lawmaking that lead God to command Moses to implement "cities of refuge" in Numbers 35:6-34.

Notice that the cities of refuge laws assumed several things:

1.) Vengeance is not always the right response. Sometimes tragedy occurs by accident. We say something stupid or we do something at the wrong time and bad things happen. It does not mean it was intentional or that the perpetrator deserves to be punished to the fullest extent. God instructs Moses to allow for a trial, for fact-finding, prior to any decision being made.

2.) Life is valuable. If someone dies, their life matters enough that one who killed another, even accidentally, may have to move and live somewhere else for a time.

3.) Sin must be punished. If the death was pre-meditated and found to be murder, there is no acceptable response except by spilling the blood of the murderer. Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death...(35:31-32).

4.) Those who are close to the victim have every right to be angry. The one who was at fault for the death lost their protection if they left the city of refuge (35:26ff), even if they were innocent.

5. Response to sin reflects upon and affects the community. Bloodshed pollutes the land...Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites (35:33-34).

I wonder how we do when we come up against circumstances in our lives.

Do we take time to corroborate the story of someone who delivers bad news to us? Or are we quick to assume it must be true and immediately begin to plot our revenge? (Multiple witnesses were needed before action could be taken in Numbers 35).

Do we allow others the right to be angry and hurt over changes in life or losses they experience? Or do we expect them to simply get over it?

How we handle such situations reflects upon the God we serve and the community He is seeking to create in us and through us. God wants justice and reason to be part of the equation.

May we be wise, reasoned, measured, and living so closely to Him that we can take bold actions as He leads our community.

Grace & peace

Moses utters these words in the midst of a rebellion: people were not convinced Moses and Aaron were really chosen to be their leaders. So rather than inquire of the LORD, these people rose up against Moses. Unfortunately for them, this also meant they were rising up against God...and that didn't bode well for them.

The leaders were immediately disciplined:

(T)he ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them...

The rest of the group didn't fare any better:(F)ire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 followers.

Do you ever wonder what would be revealed if God came near to us and showed who is holy and who belongs to Him?

Would the earth open up and swallow me?

Would God's fire come down and consume you?

Surely there are times in our lives when we deserved that and worse.

Such thoughts ought to be a regular part of our meditation and reflection.

Such thoughts will drive us to rely upon God's graciousness.

Such thoughts will remind us of our sinfulness.

Such thoughts help to cultivate the fear of the LORD (which scripture teaches us is the beginning of wisdom).

Such thoughts can help us to live an intentional life, close to the God who has given us breath, and has taught us how we are to live.

May God use such thoughts today to draw us close to Him and be conforming us to His image.

Grace & peace

Seems as though such humility ought to get you a little something, right?

Don't you think people might notice how humble you are and give you credit?

Or leave you alone?

Or follow your lead?

But no.

Such humility didn't carve out that type of path for Moses.

In Numbers 12 his own sister and brother oppose him.

In Numbers 14, all the people of the community rebelled.

In Numbers 16, three leaders and 250 of their friends and family became insolent.

In Numbers 20, the people gathered in opposition to Moses.

Moses had it. He struck the rock (instead of simply speaking to it) and uttered the fateful words. "Listen, you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock?" (Italics are mine.)

Not the most humble of moments for old Mo. WE? You mean "God" right Moses?

Humility doesn't make life easier.

I don't think that's why God calls us to be humble.

We are called to be humble because we are reminded WHO GOD IS and who we are.

We are called to be humble because it is the character of God displayed in Jesus.

We are called to be humble because it is in this mindset that we are better able to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Where does God desire to display humility in and through you today?

Grace & peace

"The liberty which every (person) was born to, if it were sold or forfeited, should...return at the year of jubilee...This was typical of our redemption by Christ from the slavery of sin and Satan, and our restoration to the glorious liberty of the children of God...(W)e are sure it is the Son that makes us free, and then we are free indeed." (Matthew Henry)

"Jubilee" (according to New Wilson's O.T. Word Studies), "is an onomato-poetic word, signifying a cry of joy, joyful shout, and then transferred to the sound or clang of trumpets."

I am amazed at the all-encompassing nature of the liberation and other effects of the jubilee, both for those in Leviticus, and for those of us in Christ.

Our sins are forgiven.

Debts and finances are set right.

Relationships are restored.

Families are put back together.

The world is able to fulfill its intended purpose.

No part of the created order is off limits. God just can't seem to stop!

As others have observed, "Jesus is our jubilee!"

We have the privilege and the responsibility to get in on God's people-changing, world-changing, mission. We can experience it and we can participate in it.

God has begun the jubilee. It is breaking in, bits and pieces, here and there, in our world.

Where does God want to bring liberation to you or through you today?!

Grace & peace

Grace & peaceJeffUpdate on Haiti Earthquake—Week 3

Port-au-Prince, HaitiFrom General Superintendent J. K. Warrick in the Caribbean RegionWednesday, 27 January 2010

Dear Nazarenes:

I want to give you another update on Haiti while we are traveling on the Caribbean Region to conduct district assemblies. Haitians are never out of our hearts and minds, and they are always in our prayers.

Word has just been received from the General Treasurer’s Office at the Global Ministry Center that giving to Haitian Nazarenes for earthquake relief has reached $1.1 million (USD). Thanks be to God for your generosity!

After prayer, money is the most important contribution Nazarenes can make right now.

If you would like to give to the relief effort, you may do so through the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries website (www.ncm.org/haitiearthquake).

It is now three weeks since the earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Haiti on 12 January 2010. According to the Associated Press, the death toll is currently estimated at over 150,000.

Nazarene Damage Assessment in Haiti

Reports from the Caribbean Region indicate the following damage as of 26 January:

Scores of churches in the South Central District have been ruined.

The churches in Boutin and Tabarre report that their buildings are destroyed and numerous members are injured.

Many members are dead or missing from our Bel-Air church in Port-au-Prince.

A great number of members of the Petionville church have lost their homes.

More details will be forthcoming as regional, district, and local church leaders continue to assess the extent of these tragic events.

The Nazarene Response

The denomination has 555 churches in Haiti and nearly 120,000 members. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is great faith and strong spiritual leadership among the Haitians; there are no missionaries. The strength of our church in Haiti is the result of your prayers, the efforts of Work and Witness teams, and faithful giving to the World Evangelism Fund.

There are Nazarene responders on the ground in Haiti—primarily Haitian Nazarenes who are working diligently to provide relief and comfort to their own people. You are making this possible with your prayers and monetary gifts.

We know there is a strong desire in the hearts of many to go to Haiti and help. Nazarenes are people of action, but there is a need to keep order in the church’s response. Some volunteers from other organizations have arrived in Haiti with no supplies of their own and have had to depend on relief organizations to assist them. This consumes scarce resources needed for Haitians.

The church’s time in Haiti for further relief work, including reconstruction, is coming soon. Medical teams are already assisting; other kinds of help will be needed for the longer term.

In Closing

I leave you God’s Word:

"Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs" (Psalms 12:5, NASB).

Prayer is the most important thing the church can do. Keep praying that the Lord will provide safety for Haitians in the midst of this devastation.

In and for Him,

J. K. WarrickGeneral Superintendent

bgs@nazarene.org