Author: Matt Otto

All Forward, Hard!

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

Over the years of serving as a youth pastor, my wife, Krista, and I have taken many students down to Appalachian Bible College in Mount Hope, West Virginia, for what we called our Faith Fusion Trip. The purpose was to “fuse” the incoming freshmen into the senior high group through three days filled with cooperative adventure activities. While we utilized a variety of measures like a high ropes course, caving, rappelling, and paintball, the most impactful activity for accomplishing our “fusion” goal was the whitewater rafting trip down the Lower New River. It was a mentally taxing and physically demanding day that left every participant feeling exhausted, accomplished, and connected.

However, before our group could even think about navigating down the river and through its treacherous rapids, the river guides put us through an essential training course on crucial commands and rowing techniques. It was important to quickly understand, respond, and obey the commands of the guides and to do so in unison. Understanding the difference between “All forward!” and “All forward, hard!” and “Highside!” can make the difference between staying in the raft or the raft flipping and all its contents winding up in the river. Everybody in the raft is essential in serving the greater purpose of getting down the river and protecting the valuable contents inside the raft.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul reminds his readers that those who serve the Lord should be viewed in a particular way. By extension, they should regard themselves in the manner described in chapter 4:

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful… do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)

The text defines Paul and his fellow workers as servants or “under rowers” and stewards or “caretakers” of the Gospel. What is more, every follower of Jesus is likewise to be faithful in serving and administering the Gospel. As under rowers we are to pick up the oars and dig into the waves while our Captain, the Lord Jesus, providentially directs us. And while we may not receive recognition for our efforts below deck, our Captain above will not forget our faithful labor.

Malachi 3:16-18, describes this dynamic as service springing from a person that has great reverence and high regard for God. In turn, God commends the few but faithful “who feared the LORD and esteemed His name.” He describes them as His treasured possessions, His sons, and as being distinct in their devout service. The prophet Malachi explains that these servants “spoke with one another” (v. 16) in order to encourage each other to remain faithful. He further indicates that God would record their service in a “book of remembrance” and ultimately reward them for their devotion.

The truth is, “rowing” for the Lord and for the spread of the Gospel can sometimes feel exhausting, thankless, and without demonstrative results. Also, being “below deck”, we may not see where our Captain is leading. Nevertheless, He is the Captain – the Guide who will direct us to the places in which He has providentially prepared for us to serve. His command is, “All forward, hard!”

So, are you rowing? Are you grabbing the oars of service to take the Gospel wherever God directs so that He may be made known? If not, join in! It’s worth it! And if you are, remain faithful, so you may be rewarded by hearing the Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV) – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

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Cheerful Giving

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

Have you ever wondered what might be the most subtle of faith killers? There are quite a few cunning sins that could fit the bill: lust, hypocrisy, anger, pride, and others. However, as a believer who has trusted Christ in simple faith, is desirous of His transformational work, and determined to carry out His mission, this subtle faith killer sneaks its way into our everyday routine in the form of a question: “But, what if …?” It is this question that in spite of our redemption, sanctification, and commitment has the capacity to undermine our faith. What is this most subtle of faith killers? Worry. It is a state of anxiety over actual or potential problems in spite of God’s proven role as the Ultimate Keeper and Giver.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus informs His listeners of the danger of worry. Interestingly, the Lord Jesus connects the threat of worry to money and material possessions – material things we are all familiar with like our daily food and necessary clothing (Matt 6:24-25 ff):

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Jesus makes it crystal clear that whom we trust is our master, and that we can only choose one. Shockingly, He describes it as choosing love and devotion over hate and disdain. Woah! Let that sink in. If we are devoted to Jesus, we disdain stuff OR we are devoted to stuff and we disdain Jesus. There is no alternate option.

Yet, did you also notice the connection between worry and money/material goods? The everyday stuff, including but not confined to food and clothing, is not to worry us. Material stuff is not inherently evil or sinful, but there must be a distinction made between the “spiritual” stuff and the “material” stuff. Warren Wiersbe puts it this way, “It is not wrong to possess things, but it is wrong for things to possess you.” Sadly, we often find ourselves unaware of our misappropriation of God’s money and material goods. We worry about the less significant material stuff rather than the priceless spiritual stuff. Similar to Israel, when we are challenged regarding our devotion, we respond to God’s plea with surprise, even ignorance. Israel’s paraphrased reply to the Lord’s call for repentance shows its complete lack of self-awareness: “How can we return when we’re not even lost?” (Malachi 3:7).

In Malachi, God charged His people, Israel, with robbing Him by neglecting to offer the tithes and contributions that God deserved. Whatever the reason for their negligence, they were more concerned about meeting their needs than trusting God to meet them. Sadly, by failing to do so Israel not only robbed Him, but also robbed themselves and the surrounding nations. God challenges them with these words:

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need… Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:10, 12)

When we give as godly stewards, entrusting the Lord with our sacrificial gift, we give for a divine purpose, participating in sowing for a divine harvest, and certain of receiving a divine blessing. Remember, as the Ultimate Giver, God gives the Priceless Treasure, Jesus and “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3). And that’s enough! So, give generously, cheerfully, gratefully, and graciously in order to benefit others and glorify the Divine Master and Owner of all. He is holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, righteous, glorious, infinite, eternal, immutable, sovereign, loving, gracious, good, just, merciful, faithful, compassionate, matchless, and so much more! He is worthy of our undivided heart!

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV) – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

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And Justice For All

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

The first English words I ever learned , besides “What’s up, Doc?”, were the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. When work moved my family stateside, my parents quickly enrolled me at the local elementary school. I was both terrified and excited. While I felt like an alien among all of my classmates, I loved my teacher, Ms. McDonald, and was thrilled about our school’s mascot – the Wass Wolves! Every morning at Wass Elementary School in Troy, Michigan all the little fifth grade girls and boys would stand up next to their desks, face the American flag, place their right hand on their heart, and recite the pledge in unison. Can you still recite it today? I am certain you can:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
And to the Republic for which stands,
One nation under God,
Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Do you remember participating in this morning routine? For many children it is a formative exercise helping them to appreciate traits that are to be the foundation of community and society in general: unity, freedom, and justice. Maybe more importantly, these values are firmly established in the character of God. The God of the Bible is eternally triune, the Rescuer of those shackled in sin, and the just Judge of all (Ecc 3:17; see also Isa 33:22).

Now to be honest, when justice crosses my mind, it is usually from the perspective of having been wronged. I desire God to fix a wrong perpetrated against me. I often equate justice with “fairness”, in particular when I am the one holding the short end of the stick. Consequently, I selfishly and presumptuously wag my proverbial finger at God and label Him as heartless, indifferent, and unjust when His justice fails to align with my expectations of equity (Mal 2:17). Rarely do I realize that God’s standard of justice consistently finds me as the perpetrator and breaker of His law. The truth is, you, me, and everybody else has either been wronged or wronged someone else, because everybody sins and falls short of God’s perfect standard (Rom 3:23). We are all guilty before the Judge and awaiting our rightful sentence. The surprising twist is that God functions both as Judge and Justifier. The prophet Malachi details God’s plan of justice in the following manner:

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:1-4)

In these verses God promises His people that justice will be served. God’s plan will include a messenger who will clear the way for Jesus’ first arrival as a sacrificial substitute (see also Jn 1:23; 1:29). Furthermore, the Messiah will come a second time to His Temple, fulfilling all of the Old Testament promises, and cleanse His people, Israel. Those who repent and believe in Jesus’ substitutionary work will be declared righteous. The verse that follows (v. 5) indicates that those who reject the provided Substitute, Jesus, will ultimately be found guilty and condemned. In short, God’s justice is satisfied through the punishment of either the Substitute or the condemnation of the sinner.

The amazing conclusion that we must come to is simple: God’s justice is right and good. He will NEVER be unjust. His goal is twofold: first, it is to refine us like silver (Mal 3:3) in order that Christ’s image might be reflected in our soul. Second, it is to declare us righteous in Christ and to perfectly judge His enemies. Glory to God for His compassion and abundant pardon!

Isaiah 55:6-9 (ESV) – “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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The Weight of Glory

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

There are places that put a lump in your throat, bring tears to your eyes, cause your gaze to fall and your voice to drop to a whisper. Maybe, like me, you have stood silently in the rain observing the sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, sat in the 130-year-old pews of the Ryman Auditorium visualizing the artists that have graced its stage, or gazed upon the beaches and waves below the Normandy American Cemetery where thousands of young men gave their lives on D-Day.

These places, and many like them, overwhelm their visitors with a sense of honor.

It seems that in today’s culture it is necessary to define the word “honor”, for the word has lost both meaning and, more importantly, practice. To honor someone means to esteem and respect them in light of their position or actions. Furthermore, it means fulfilling and keeping certain obligations that demonstrate this high regard. Honor could be described as awe, reverence, and adoration. In the Old Testament it is often used interchangeably with the word “glory” and used in the context of worship.

God begins the book of Malachi by proclaiming His love for Israel (1:1-5). Yet, there is a sharp contrast between God’s devotion and love for His chosen people, and their heartless disrespect for their Father (Jer 31:9) and Master (Is 42:19). Even more surprisingly, the ones who should have understood God’s deserved honor most readily, were the ones who made God’s worship offensive and shameful namely, the priests. So, Malachi challenges the priesthood to give God the glory He deserves:

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name …” (Malachi 1:6)

How could it have come to this? How could the priesthood – those familiar with His statutes and commandments – despise God’s name? Why would God need to rebuke His sons and servants of their negligence, apathy, and hardheartedness? Could it be that they had forgotten that their Father loved them, that their Master owned everything, and that, as King, He deserved devotion and obedience? Is it possible that we, a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9), also lose sight of God’s glory and worth?

A few years ago a friend of mine introduced me to one of C.S. Lewis’ books that I was only familiar with by its title, The Weight of Glory. My friend indicated that other than the Bible, it had become the most influential book in his life, so much so that he read through it every year. Before he moved out of the area, my friend gifted me his copy of Lewis’ book and it has received a special place in my library ever since. In any case, the author makes this powerful observation and indictment of people finding gratification in lesser things:

Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Wow! Honoring the Father, fearing the Master, worshiping the King, is not merely giving God what He deserves. It also has a powerful effect upon us! Apparently, the priest’s boredom with God caused them to ignore His commands and experience His rejection. In contrast, an arresting awe of God functions dynamically as His transforming grace is bestowed on us! As we honor the Lord, walk in the Spirit, and live in His presence, we share in His glory. Paul encourages us with these words: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:12-18). Just another reason to make worship a constant, enthusiastic, and conscious way of life!

Psalm 100:1-5 (ESV) – “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

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Indubitably!

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , , ,

“I doubt it.”

It’s a common, quick response to a variety of questions: “Will you join us for dinner while you’re in town?” or “Do you think you will pass the exam?” or “Is there a chance we might get a discount?” “I doubt it.” Though the response can be applied to both positive or negative outcomes, it seems to carry an apathetic tone that rarely leaves the hearer satisfied. It lacks a sense of certainty and clarity.

In contrast, I love the word indubitably. Just the sound of the word makes me smile. When employed, it is almost exclusively connected to optimism and positivity. It carries with it a sense of anticipation that something wonderful is about to happen: “Are you going to have ice cream after dinner?” or “Do you have that sweatshirt in my size?” “Indubitably!” The word gushes with a tone of “without a doubt” and “of course”. It’s definitely a word we should use more often and follow with a big, fat exclamation point, don’t you think? Indubitably!

Clearly, there are some things that require hesitation and care, but there is one truth that should never be doubted – God’s love for you! As the curtain falls on the Old Testament, God has one last message that will be delivered by His messenger, Malachi. In many ways, God’s oracle is an echo of what the prophets preceding Malachi have told Israel: “Return to your God!” However, God has a powerfully personal proclamation for His people. Malachi begins his announcement this way:

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob …”

What a tremendous statement! “I have loved you.” In these four words, God communicates that His love is pledged, proven, plenary, and personal. He lavishes it on whomever He chooses (1 Jn 3:1). There is nothing particularly lovely or lovable about the recipients. As a matter of fact, neither Jacob, his brother, Esau, nor their father, Isaac, nor his father, Abraham, were particularly “good”. On the contrary, they were rebellious sinners, as were their descendants whom God was admonishing. None of them, including the twin brothers, Jacob and Esau, had anything that would make them worthy of God’s affection. We too were once self-righteous, powerless, indignant, and given over to destruction (Rom 3:24, 26, 28). Yet God didn’t leave us in our hopeless wreckage. He sent His Son as Savior – a Redeemer greater than all of our sin:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

God sets His love on sinful, rebellious, hateful, and ignorant people. He doesn’t find people who are beautiful to love. Rather, He makes the objects of His love beautiful! His love changes everything about us!

May we truly be grateful and confident in God’s love for us. As objects of God’s lavish love, our reasonable act of worship is to love our Heavenly Father in return. We should loathe our own sin, dream of being holy, and trust Christ to continue our spiritual transformation. Pray that our church would never doubt God’s love for them and that He would always receive the glory due Him. Doesn’t that make sense? Indubitably!

Ephesians 3:16-21 (NIV) – “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

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Plot Twist

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

A plot twist is only truly effective if the reader or viewer of the story has little to no premonition or warning of the twist, causing an exclamation of, “Woah! I didn’t see that coming!” In my opinion, a well designed plot twist is one of the most deliciously satisfying morsels placed at strategic points in a story or revealed at its astonishing conclusion. One beautiful example of this technique is the 1999 Oscar nominated psychological thriller, The Sixth Sense, in which the writer and director, M. Night Shyamalan, included numerous verbal and color clues to hint at the story lying below the surface of the main plot. Some of these “tips” seemed so obvious to him, that he second-guessed himself on several occasions and wondered whether he should remove them from the film prior to its release. Alas, he left them in and made the plot twist at the film’s conclusion even more powerful.

Similarly, as we read the final chapter of Nehemiah’s account, we are initially surprised by its concluding plot twist. Previously, Israel – convicted by the reading of the Torah – reinstated the annual festivals, confessed their sins, promised to steadfastly follow the Lord, and enthusiastically worshiped and celebrated God’s faithfulness (see chs. 8-12). It seems like we will witness a happy end, right? Yet there are hints throughout Israel’s history and the writings of the prophets indicating an upcoming plot twist. As a matter of fact, the hints are quite obvious if we know what to look for. Israel’s relationship with God is simply a non-stop cycle of rebellion, that begins with sin and moves through oppression, repentance, deliverance, and peace, only to begin again with sin. So, as Nehemiah concludes, Israel has already grown complacent in its obedience and broken its promises made just a few chapters earlier. How can this be? Why can’t God’s people get out of their own way? How can they continually forget His grace and mercy?

The truth is that we are not much different than God’s people, Israel! While the Apostle Peter describes believers as “… a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, … called … out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9), the Apostle John indicates that we, like Israel, continue to battle sin:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
(1 John 1:8)

Even the great missionary to the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul, continued to wrestle with sin and recognized its sinfulness (Rom 7:15-20). Similar to Israel, we need more than external reform by following a set of rules to shake sinful habits. Following rules, no matter how determined we are, simply is not sustainable, because it doesn’t change our heart. We need a heart that is alive and beats with passion for God’s glory. So, John gives further help:

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
(1 John 3:9)

By God’s grace and through faith in Jesus’ atoning work, we are born again into God’s family (Jn 3:5-7). Our dead heart is replaced by a new, living heart and we are metamorphosed into an entirely new creation (2 Cor 5:14-15, 17). Practically speaking, God, the Holy Spirit takes residence in us. He guides us into truth (Jn 16:13) and convicts us of sin and righteousness (Jn 16:7-11). Also, He produces fruit in our life – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Finally, we are given the privilege to call on our Heavenly Father at any time and from any place, admitting our limitations and turning to Him for strength to do what is right (1 Jn 5:14-15).

It is shocking how often we are surprised by our sinful failures as if they were a plot twist. Our repeated failures are part of the battle we continue to wage in our flesh, plain and simple. We should be vigilant, but never surprised. By the way … Never forget! When you fall into that sin that continues to stalk and trap you, repent and be engulfed by His grace and mercy!

Romans 7:15-20 (ESV) – “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

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True Courage

Matt Otto D-Groups , , ,

Courage takes various forms. However, one thing is for certain: courage is never self-serving but rather fuels gospel witness! Consequently, for a follower of Jesus the alternative – cowardice – is not an option. No wonder that even a cursory reading of the Bible shows that God calls His children to be courageous and bold (Deut 31:6-7; Joshua 1:6-7, 9; 1 Chron 28:2; Acts 4:13, 9:27-28, et al.) while lending His presence and support.

As the story of Nehemiah climbs to its celebratory climax in chapter 12, we are reminded that Jerusalem remained largely uninhabited (Neh 7:4). Despite the temple and city walls having been rebuilt and restored, the former exiles remained in the surrounding villages and towns. So, in order to repopulate the city, one out of every ten individuals was chosen to move into its confines through the means of casting lots. Additionally, volunteers courageously joined the plea to move to God’s city. Nehemiah describes the process this way:

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 11:1-2)

Courage originates from within, from the heart (cor, latin for heart), and is not an absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Those who voluntarily offered to live in Jerusalem are described as “valiant men” (v. 6), “men of valor” (v. 8), and even “mighty men of valor” (v. 14). In other words, they were courageous! Why was their volunteerism considered courageous? Because, with the completion of the temple, the rebuilding of the wall, and the hanging of the gates, Jerusalem became a target for marauding armies. It became a dangerous place to live. Furthermore, their move likely required a change in occupation, loss of income, and uncertainty of their future. Nevertheless, the volunteers recognized their return from the Babylonian captivity as an opportunity to glorify the LORD who brought them back. Since they owed everything to this faithful and gracious One, they freely offered themselves to Him – to do what He wanted them to do and go where He wanted them to go. By inhabiting Jerusalem, they signified that it was God’s city from which He was to be made known to the world.

Pastor J.D. Greear insists that “courage believes not only that God is bigger than the opposition but also better than all the alternatives.” This type of courage should be evident in the life of every Christian – yours and mine! It should astonish the lookers and the listeners, because, though we are frail and simple, we never lack the presence and support of our Savior when we do His work in His way and for His glory.

Acts 4:13 (ESV) – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

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Walking the Walk

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

Talk is cheap, but actions are expensive!

It is incredibly easy to discuss needs, make promises, and talk of doing something. It is an entirely different thing to put discussion, talk, and promises into action. Most of us experience this truth at the same time every year when we make our New Year’s resolutions. We discuss our need to exercise more consistently, read more broadly, budget more faithfully, and so on. We then promise to fulfill these good intentions. Finally, we talk and share our goals with others only to realize that we are usually incapable of meeting these goals. Similarly, changing and growing in our spiritual life takes more than talk and good intentions. It is costly, demands action, and requires the Holy Spirit’s work.

Nehemiah 10 is the logical extension of the written promise that God’s people signed at the conclusion of the preceding chapter. Chapter 9 records Israel’s prayer of confession, detailing the history of their habitual disobedience and God’s faithful patience and forgiveness. The next chapter begins with God’s people, from the leadership on down, taking three action-steps to ensure that their confession and promise are not just empty words. They will walk in God’s Word, separate themselves unto God, and support worship of God. The first of these three action steps is foundational for the success of the other two and for our spiritual success as well:

… the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. (Nehemiah 10:28-29)

The Word of God has the power to save, cleanse, and sanctify. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is able to do what our pitiful promises and our impotent intentions cannot. Yet, we often forget that its transformative power is unleashed only when we “walk” in it, allowing it to become part of our very being (Col 3:16). Walking in the Word doesn’t just happen on its own. It is costly. Resembling physical walking, it demands balance, skill, and has a predetermined destination in mind. To put it more clearly, it starts with personal study and takes continued practice to “walk the walk of the Word” and move toward a deeper relationship with Jesus that is consistently fruitful.

So, “meditate” on the Word! As one Hebrew scholar, Chad Bird, defined the term based on Isaiah 31:4: “When you meditate, you are a lion crouching over its prey. You are the eater and the Word is your food. Take a bite, chew it, taste it, crunch the verbs, salivate over the nouns. There is no rush… Savor the feast. Growl over the words you swallow.” Begin today. And if you falter, start again. Remember, it takes practice to walk. Don’t quit!

Psalm 1:1-4 (ESV) – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”

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Confession and Worship

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

It is amazing how technology has changed in such a short period of time! One area in which this is especially noticeable is in the realm of photography. With the advent of digital photography, the power to take and retake, edit and re-edit, post and share photos has been placed in the hands of every smartphone carrying individual. However, there is much more to taking good photos than a quick trigger finger, a high-resolution camera/phone, and a fancy app that applies a variety of filters. Oftentimes it has to do with composition, dimensions, and angles. In other words, it takes a proper perspective.

Perspective is also essential in your spiritual walk, firstly in your appreciation for God’s mercy and grace. Consider this question for a moment: what makes mercy so marvelous and grace so amazing? Our songs are saturated with their themes while our sermons and prayers are speckled with their jargon. But do we truly grasp the expanse of His patience? Do we truly fathom the depths of His favor? Secondly, a proper perspective includes an understanding of ourselves. It is uncomfortable to admit that the “old nature” still entices us. Do we truly comprehend how corrupt and sinful we are if left to our own devices?

In Nehemiah 9, God’s people take care of unfinished business. A few weeks earlier the people of Israel were convicted of sin and rejoiced in the reminder of God’s presence. Now they responded by confessing their habitual rebellion and celebrating God’s everlasting mercy and grace. These two reactions are described as “confession and worship”:

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. (Nehemiah 9:1-3)

True worship springs forth from an understanding of God’s attributes and actions. The text describes these as mercy and grace – patience to those who deserve punishment and favor to the unworthy. Beholding this kindness makes our sinful rebellion seem even more egregious and “is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom 2:4). On the flip side, when we see our true mutinous selves in the mirror of God’s Word, God’s mercy and grace shine even more brightly into the darkness of our heart. Recognizing our guilt and unworthiness makes God’s kindness even more dazzling and brings praise to our lips (Ps 63:3).

Without placing God’s mercy and grace alongside of our sinful nature, our perspective is skewed and the composition is unimpressive. It will neither lead us to lift our hands in worship nor fall on our faces in confession. Practice confession and worship side by side every day. You will be blessed when you do!

Psalm 106:43-46 (NIV) – “Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.”

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Lost In Translation

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

The Bible – God’s Word – is truly remarkable! On the one hand, it is a complex literary masterpiece, incorporating a multitude of literary genres and expressing a broad spectrum of emotions. On the other hand, it is incredibly simple in its central message, prompting some cynics to label it as “silly” or “illogical”. It is widely recognized as being comprised of 66 books and being written over the course of nearly 2000 years, by 40 authors, on three continents, and in three languages, yet it “is the story of one problem – sin – with one solution, Jesus Christ” (Geisler & Nix, 194). We must conclude that the Bible is both incredibly intricate while remaining singularly unified in its message and doctrine.

There is another reason the Bible is remarkable and like nothing ever written – it has the power to transform and bring joy. As Nehemiah puts the finishing touches on the re-construction of Jerusalem’s walls and gates, his attention shifts to the re-consecration of God’s people who are to populate God’s holy city. Since Jerusalem and the Jewish people play an integral part in God’s plan for the redemption of the nations, Nehemiah begins the dedicatory process by re-introducing the people to the Law of Moses and, by doing so, reminding them of their commitment to the Lord and His faithful promises (Deut 6:1-9). With the help of Ezra the priest and a trained group of Levites, the people hear and respond to the Scriptures:

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also … the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:5-8)

Based on the text, God’s people needed to have God’s Word explained to them. For some reason the Scriptures had become so foreign to them that its truths and commands were lost in translation and needed clarification. God’s Word needed to be introduced into their presence (Neh 8:2), opened to them (v. 5), and finally explained (vv. 7-8). Their response was both physical and spiritual. “Truth, truth,” they answered as they lifted “up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground” (v. 6). Interestingly, Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites admonished the people not to mourn or weep, but rejoice. Why? Certainly the Bible is to bring conviction and lead to repentance, right?

Yes. The Bible is a deposit and treasure worth guarding (2 Tim 1:14). It is breathed out by God and is profitable in knowing what is right, what is not right, how to get right, and how to stay right (see 2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, it is the primary tool God uses for our sanctification. It is a seed that produces life (1 Pet 1:23). And, as it does, it brings joy because God’s grace is applied. Mourning leads to comfort and dancing (Matt 5:4; Ps 30:11).

So keep the Bible near you at all times. Open it often. Memorize it. Study it. Listen to it! It is milk that nourishes (1 Pet 2:2), sweet as honey from the comb (Ps 119:103), and a lamp that gives light (Ps 119:105).

Psalm 119:33-37 (ESV) –
“Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.”

Source
Geisler, Norman & Nix, William. 1986. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody.

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