Author: Steve Vandop

Eyewitness Testimony

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In a court of law an eyewitness account is often the most trustworthy and reliable source of testimony. Also known as a percipient witness, this person testifies to what they perceive through his or her senses, through seeing, hearing, smelling or touching. Testimony by hearsay does not hold as much weight as an eyewitness account, you would know this well if you have ever played the “telephone” game.

Let me go on the record and make this statement, “I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God given to man, recorded by many, so that we can grow in our understanding of who He is.” The Gospel of John reveals to us the authority and person of Jesus Christ as both The Son of God and our redeemer. John’s gives us his testimony of who Jesus is through these words in chapter 1:33, “I have seen and testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (also translated as “The Son of God”) He says it again in verse 1:29, “When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (our redeemer). With the knowledge and understanding that these words are trustworthy and true, we have before us a written eyewitness statement (testimony or confession) that reveals the incredible truth of who Jesus is.

God reveals himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. When you read scripture this fact becomes abundantly clear. John witnessed with his own eyes the incredible act of the Holy Spirit anointing Jesus for the continued work in his ministry and mission. If that wasn’t incredible enough, it is written that “a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” God reveals himself to us, he speaks to us today primarily through His word, have you taken taken the time to hear from Him today?

That’s Handy

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HandThat’s handy… Can I give you hand with something?… That’s a job for the handyman… They were welcomed into membership with the right hand of fellowship… She has the upper hand in this challenge… I could use an extra pair of hands to get this setup… There are a handful of expressions I could write to complete this paragraph, yet, I will leave it in your capable hands to come up with some of your own.

The book of Isaiah has a wealth of imagery that reveals who God is through the descriptive words and references to His hand. Here is a great example, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?” (40:12). The deep hollow and incredible breadth of his hand reveal to us the immensity of God and his sovereign power over all creation. Chapter 5:25 reads, “His hand is raised and He strikes them down”. These words reveal his mighty power, his anger towards sin and mankind’s disobedience which ultimately leads to the actions of his divine justice. Chapter 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” These words so beautifully reveal the reassurances of the compassion and love that God has for his people. With his righteous right hand, with power and authority he will not let us fall.

There are many other examples I discovered in reading through these incredible words written by Isaiah. One of the most powerful and meaningful verses that made an impact on my understanding of who our God is can be found in chapter 8:11, here it talks about “his strong hand upon me”. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel make reference to these words which reveal to me that our God is a personal God, one who is present among us through the work of the Holy Spirit.  The hand of God leads and guides every life that he creates, helping us to navigate life in a world of sin and temptation. Whose hand are you holding on to in life? Grab a hold of God’s hand, it is reaching out for you today.

Move That Bus.

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Bus“Bus driver, move that bus.” This was the moment everyone was eagerly waiting for as work crews put the finishing touches on the massive surprise home renovation project for a family in need. Huddled behind the bus, a family who had just returned from an all-expense paid vacation waited in anticipation for the grand reveal of their new home. As crowds gathered around the family, they all together would yell “bus driver, move that bus”, and ever so slowly the bus would drive forward and reveal the newly renovated home.

The book of Exodus is filled with many extra-ordinary examples of how God revealed himself to his people. Why move a bus when you can move a mountain? “The smoke billowed up from it (Mount Sinai) like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently” (19:18b). Can you imagine the feeling of power and the impact of that moment on the lives of the Israelite people? What about the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud that directed and protected the path of the people as God led them away from Pharaoh and his army in Egypt. God reveals himself as the provider of life by supplying the physical needs of nourishment through a daily portion of manna and quail and draws fresh water from a rock. We read about the supremacy and authority of God as revealed through the incredible events surrounding the parting of the Red Sea. The ten plagues are an important reminder of God’s promise of deliverance to the forefathers of Israel, each plague revealed the wonders and power of God that eventually brought Pharaoh to his knees just as he promised in chapter 3:20, “So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.”

God continues to reveal himself to us today through the bible, through the events and lives of those who came before us. God reveals himself to us through nature and his creation, through other believers, and through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. God revealed himself to us through his Son Jesus Christ. Is there a “bus” blocking the way for you to see God today? Just remember, God can move mountains, He can calm storms and He has the power to change lives. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mathew 7:7-8) What “bus” can you ask God to move today?

 

Rewrite

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IMG_1733Have you ever worked extremely hard on a research paper or project and felt like the weight of the world was lifted off your shoulders as you handed it in to your boss or teacher? Then, with silent expectation and a slight sense of nervousness you wait for the final mark; in the back of your mind your hoping it will come back with great accolades and a well-deserved pat on the back. So, your paper comes back, profusely marked in red ink and the word REWRITE is scored across the cover page. Now what? Where do you go from here?

God’s justice is righteous and true and will be delivered by him to all those who believe in him (Hebrews 10:30). To be judged as righteous and true according to his will means we will be favored and accepted into the fullness of eternal life with him. The author of the book of Hebrews writes these words, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.” (Hebrews) God, the author of all life provides an opportunity through his Son Jesus Christ to “rewrite” his will for our lives on our hearts. The prophet Jeremiah uses some strong imagery to describe what it is that God is rewriting “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point, on the tablets of their hearts” (Jer 17:1).

Our lives, much like that of the people of Judah and the generations that follow have the markings of sin etched deeply into our hearts and minds. God’s offers us a “rewrite” in life when we accept and believe in the power of the death and resurrection of his Son for our sins. Justice for our sins has been served on our behalf, Christ paid for all of those sins. “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more”. (Heb 10:17) The deeply etched marks of sin are wiped out, a heart of stone replaced by a heart of flesh ready to be led by the spirit to follow the will of the Lord. (Ez 36:26-27) So, now what? Where do you go from here? TAKE the second chance, this is the rewrite of your life, an opportunity to grab ahold of the saving power and grace God gave us through His Son.

Drawing the Line…

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Photo Credit: Garry Firth

If someone knows where to draw the line, they know at what point an activity or situation stops being reasonable and starts to be unacceptable. If you draw the line at a particular activity, you would not do it, because you disapprove of it or because it is so extreme. When we visit a tropical beach like the one pictured here we can without a doubt know where the shallow waters and the deep waters meet, you have a clear indication when you’re getting into deep waters.

The Apostle Paul draws a line for the Corinthian church near the end of his letter in 2 Corinthians. Paul uses language that is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets who warned the people of Israel of God’s “razor sharp” justice in response to their disobedience of His laws and commands. “I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. (13:2-3) Paul speaks with authority and confidence through Christ and the work of the Spirit in his life. His genuine concern is that the church (the people) are falling into the catches of sin in their lives; there is jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder taking over the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control they are called to live in together through Christ.

The “line” in the water is the created by the contrast of light and dark. This picture or metaphor in scripture often highlights the life we live in Christ (light) and the life we live in sin (darkness). There is a transparent and reflective quality to the “light waters” of life in contrast to the mysterious and hidden “dark waters”. Paul’s concern for the church comes as he sees them heading into deeper, darker waters, and how this will lead them into the hands of a powerful and just God. Paul’s closes his letter with these final words of encouragement that bring hope, reconciliation and unity for the church, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (13:14) If Paul was here today, I am confident that he would have the same concerns and words for us as a church.

A Close Shave

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straight-razors

When I was younger, I would go to Frank’s Barber shop to have my hair cut, there was an older gentleman there who was all about doing things “old school”. After you sat down he would pull out a long leather strap along with his unusually lengthy straight blade; with great care and a seemingly sinister look on his face, he would hone the edge so it was razor sharp. You never told him what kind of cut you wanted, and he never asked, you just sat as quiet and still as deer staring into the headlights of a car while he meticulously worked his blade around your head cutting and shaving until each and every last hair was touched.

The book of Ezekiel describes God’s judgement on Israel like that of a razor (chapter 5). Take a second to this about these words: annihilate, eradicate, obliterate, demolish and destroy. In the first thirty-three chapters the main theme or message is all about doom, the plight of the chosen people of God because of their disobedience to his law. Statements like “I will inflict punishment on you… I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again… I myself will shave you… I will not look on you with pity or spare you.” (5:8-12) The word shave used in the NIV is used to explain the idea of being cut off, removed or withdrawn. God, who is righteous and just in his actions, tells the people through Ezekiel that they will be cut off from His presence, he will withdraw from their lives just as they have withdrawn from life in him. God’s swift razor of judgment came through the finishing actions of the sharp sword, famine and plague.

In between the words of doom and destruction we are reminded of God’s promise to carry a remnant of people through the impending judgement on them. Thinking in terms of a close shave or well-defined hair in respect to the straight razor, I am reminded that the remnant of hair left on top of my head was also affected by the sharp cut of the blade; it had been cut off, damaged and left to grow again. God did not promise that the remnant, those who were scattered among the nations would not be affected by his judgement, I can only imagine what happened to them left visible and defining scars both in a physical and mental sense; a reminder that God’s promise of justice over the whole nation of His people were not just empty threats. “They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. And they will know that I am the Lord” (6:9-10a)

Light in the Darkness

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pinhole cameraHave you ever used a pinhole camera? The pinhole camera is one of the most basic cameras you can construct with only a few materials. This simple camera works on a basic principle of light and dark, how a small amount of light shining into a dark box through a hole made by a pin can create an image, an image of something much larger. The pinhole acts as a lens similar to that of a regular camera only on a much smaller scale.

The book of Lamentations is not an easy read. It is filled with passionate expressions of grief and sorrow. The author of Lamentations voices his deep concern and disappointment for the sinful acts committed by the people of Jerusalem. Their direct and open acts of disobedience to God’s word has unleashed the promised destruction of their city. God brings the gavel down and serves the people with his mighty hand of justice. The author records the destruction of the temple and the suffering of the people, “The enemy laid hands on all her treasures; she saw pagan nations enter her sanctuary” (the Babylonians ransacked the temple before burning it down). “In fierce anger he has cut off every horn (power) of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand (his presence, power and protection) at the approach of the enemy. There was a darkness and feeling of torment that fell over all of those who disobeyed God.

Lamentations 3:22-24 reveals the “pinhole” that casts a light of hope into the darkness of the fervent laments of the author. In the middle of his discourse he changes his perspective by focusing on the hope that he still has in the Lord. “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” Through the “pinhole of light” we have the picture of God’s everlasting promise of goodness and compassion. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail.” (3:22). This pinhole of light (salvation) comes from God. As hard as it is to read through the deserved sorrow and despair of those before us, we can learn from their actions and suffering. Today, with the same hope (because we serve the same God), we have to wait patiently through our own suffering and expectantly look forward to the salvation that we have been promised in Christ.

Faithlessness vs. Faithfulness.

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ping pong

March 23, 2014 was when Peter and Daniel Ives set the world record for the longest table tennis (ping pong) rally. 8 hours, 40 minutes and 5 seconds. Consider for a moment the number of paddle hits this would be. Based on my calculations (one paddle hit per second) that would be 31,205 hits. Normally the object of the game is to score points against each other but the game changes when you work together.

Reading through the book of Jeremiah (especially chapters 2-20) you will read about the judgement of Judah and Jerusalem, judgement (justice) served by God for their unfaithfulness to Him. Through these oracles or stories of judgement we get a glimpse not only into the mighty power of God as he delivers his justice, but we see the faithfulness of God (his grace and mercy) through the covenant He made with Moses and His people. God chose Jeremiah to bring a message of both destruction and hope. Over and over God calls the people back to him in spite of their faithlessness, “Return, faithless people” (3:12,3:14, 3:22, 4:1). Jeremiah, through the power of God relentlessly tries to teach the people that their actions, their disobedience (their faithlessness – turning away from God) is not going to end well for them.

Jeremiah did not have it easy, in light of the hopelessness of where the people were heading and the resistance from the people to listen, he continued to share the word of God. He did this with the knowledge and understanding that God would always remain faithful to his promise of deliverance into the promise land. God’s justice and mercy continue for us today through the cross, through the forgiveness of sins that was made possible through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. God is faithful and just, and despite our faithlessness from time to time He always welcomes us back. We need to be “Jeremiahs” today; we are called by God to continue sharing his word with confidence in a fallen world so that when he (Christ) comes again he would find many who have put their hope and trust in Him.

The Wash Cycle

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LaundryHave you ever wondered what goes on inside a washing machine? Probably not. If you’re like me you throw the clothes in, put a bit of soap in and let the machine do the rest. Some of these machines can be complicated if you look at all the settings and cycles that are available. Each cycle (regular, permanent press, knit, delicates, light, medium and heavy, extra rinse, extra spin) have a purpose. Ultimately, if the machine is working as designed, when you reach the end of the cycle you have clean clothes.

When you read through the book of Judges you will find a pattern of events related to Israel’s continuous cycle of sin and restoration. If we were to label this cycle we could describe it like this: relapse, ruin, repentance, restoration, rest, relapse. God raises up 13 unique judges to bring his justice into the lives of the Israelites, 13 different cycles. Some of these cycles varied with intensity, in verses 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 8:33-34, 10:6, 13:1 (seven instances) we are introduced to the cycles of relapse and ruin with the words “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord”. If we were to run these stories through the wash cycle we would choose “heavy, extra rinse and extra spin”. There were also times when you could categorize this cycle of life for the Israelites as “light” or “delicate”, a time when scripture does not record much about the actions of God’s people, presumably these could be the times of rest.

One of the highlights of reading through Judges is the picture of hope that we can see in God’s faithfulness, to forgive and provide for his people, a truth that still holds today. We see over and over the significance of the people coming before God (repentance) seeking his forgiveness and the power of God to forgive and restore them as a nation. Today we often fall into the same patterns of life like the Israelites, we tend to run amuck on our own, forgetting how God has complete control in the happenings of our lives. The illustration of the wash cycle always ends with fresh smelling clothes, clean and ready for work and play. When we put our hope and trust in God, when we come to Him in faith and ask for forgiveness, we are washed of those sins.

 

The Meaning of Life

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Question mark sign

With the vast amount of information now available online we have access to all kinds of “wisdom” to help us find the answer to “What is the meaning of life. “Google it” has become a verb in which many of us use today. Wikipedia has become a free “reliable” source of information that covers nearly any topic you can imagine. Just for fun I searched for “the meaning of life” on Google, the search engine returned about 274,000,000 results. It took Googles servers 0.82 seconds to come back with all those results, it’s going to take you more than a lifetime to read them all. Here is a shortcut…

The author of Ecclesiastes has really given us something to think about when it comes to understanding wisdom and life.  He, presumably Solomon, takes us on a wild and at times confusing journey of trying to find meaning and purpose in life through pleasure, work, prosperity and wisdom. “Meaningless! Meaningless! Says the teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (1:2) “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (1:14) Solomon was in his time one of the wisest men in the world, “God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.” (1 Kings 4:29) So here we have the words of a very intelligent man, one who was given a gift from God to lead and guide his people, to help them find purpose and meaning in life so that they could lead a life holy and pleasing to God. This collection of life experience and Godly wisdom written for the people of that time is transferrable to our lives today. We all live in the same world of sin and despair today. God, who is our hope in life and in death has revealed to us through his word the true meaning of life.

So, can Google or any other online search help give you and answer to what the meaning of life is? Yes, I believe it can, but it is like finding a needle in a haystack. Our online digital world is relatively new compared the writings of the bible which date back much further and much deeper into history. Understanding wisdom, finding meaning in life has been a journey many people have made before us and God inspired man to record it for us in His word. The author of Ecclesiastes comes to a point in his journey that brings him to this conclusion about life, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” (12:13) Our attitude in life is one that needs to focus on trust and obedience to the word of God. Yes, life is difficult. Live and grow in the knowledge and experience found in this collection of teaching on wisdom written by Solomon, it is the needle in the haystack of 274,000,000 hits on Google, and it will only take you an hour to read it.