Author: BJ Armstrong

Exodus 28-31, Phil 2

What is humility?  Google says that humility is “a low or modest view of oneself.”  I don’t like that.  Humble people can still be confident.  God never asks us to take a low view of ourselves.  How could he?  Remember, he created us in his image!

Another, common definition says that “humility is not thinking less about yourself, it’s thinking about yourself less.”  That’s better than Google, but it is still weak.  It lets me off the hook.  It makes me think that I can be humble, and maintain my position, my dignity and my status.  This is not what the Bible says.

Perhaps the best definition of humility comes from Philippians 2:8.  It equates humility to obedience.  It reads, “And being found in human form, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  In short, humility is obedience.  That is a very demanding definition.  It’s obedience, even when it costs us everything.  Jesus was robbed of his position, his dignity and his status.  That did not stop him.  He also lost his life.

Or, did he?

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

Exodus 10-12, Ephesians 2

I pray more for success than glory.  Whether myself or for a project is irrelevant, it’s the same thing.  The mistake comes in thinking that they are the same thing for God, that his glory comes also from the success of the project.  While this could be true, it might be absolutely untrue.  The hardest prayer is for His glory.  “God, be glorified” puts my project and my personal well being secondary.  They may be scuttled to achieve the objective of exalting God.  This was true of Moses too.  His plans to free the Israelites were scuttled over and over.  They were thwarted by the very God that called him to the job.

Ten times, God called Moses to approach Pharaoh.  Ten times, Moses stepped up and planned for success.  Ten times, God hardened Pharoah’s heart. Ten times, Moses failed. Or, did he?

I think Moses would have gone back eleven, or twelve, or twenty times.  Did you notice that Moses never asked God why?  He didn’t complain or resent the failure, he just kept saying yes.  Instead of asking God, “show me what to do,” or “fix this situation” Moses kept working for God.  So, how many times in would Moses go back to Pharaoh?  “Enough,” says Albert Mohler, “that there is no possible way anyone could have mistaken the outcome to be anyone’s other than God’s.”

Genesis 49-50, Galatians 4

Today, we finish the story of Joseph.  We’ve witnessed his many trials and his extraordinary success.  It’s a fantastic story.  So good, in fact, that it overshadows another story.  The story of the brothers.  Did you pay attention to them?  They are in trouble.  The death of their father, Isaac, has them worried that Joseph will now retaliate.  Genesis 50:15 says, “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.”  They were scared.  They knew their guilt, and they deserved what they had coming to them.

Here’s what I don’t understand.  Joseph forgave them.  Fully and openly.  Joseph has no animosity; he only has love.  Joseph doesn’t want revenge on his brothers; he wants to reward them. In fact, he does reward them.  Genesis 45:18 promises “I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.” They are receiving the best of the best from Joseph.  So why are they now afraid?  Something inside of them keeps reverting back to who they were and remembering what they deserve.

Our response to Jesus is often the same.  He came to save us.  He came to give us life, abundantly (John 10:10).  He came to be our provision.  Jesus wants to reward us.  For what?  For nothing.  That’s the problem.  I still feel guilty for what I have done, and I still feel inadequate for what I haven’t done.  Why would Jesus ever want to reward me?  Because he loves us.  He loves us ridiculously, unreasonably and unconditionally.  There’s only one catch.  We have to allow Him in.

Genesis 35-37, Psalm 12, Mark 14

Today, in Mark 14, Jesus and the disciples are in the garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus is distressed.  He knows the day has come.  This is it.  They are coming to take him away.  He knows his fate.  In his grief, he turns to prayer and additional support from Peter, James, and John.  Heading off on his own, he tells them to “keep watch.”  To keep watch means to be on guard.  To be alert.  But for what?  On guard for Judas, the betrayer?  On guard for an angry mob?  Not this time.  Jesus already knew he would be taken away.  He’s accepted his fate.  He wasn’t looking to guard against that. No, Jesus wanted them to “keep watch” so that they would not fall into temptation.

Normally, when I think about temptation, I think about cookies and ice cream.  But that’s too simple.  Temptation also shows up as gossip, complaining, jealousy, envy, lying, and cheating. Are these what Jesus wanted the disciples to “watch” for?  Not this time.  There are two major temptations that show up in times of crisis, doubt and distrust. 

Our first temptation when under self—preservation is doubting God’s power.  Imagine you are one of three people on a sinking ship and there are only two life preservers, what do you do?  Jesus says, “keep watch.”  We may also be tempted go doubt God’s provision.  Envision you and two others are on a deserted island.  You have a bag of rice that nobody knows about.  What do you do?  Jesus says, “keep watch.”  The temptation, of course, is to hoard resources.  That does not work in Jesus’ economy.  If we are keeping watch, we are guarding our hearts from these temptations.  A successfully heart,  has an outward focus of love rather than an inward focus of self.  To be like Jesus, we must “keep loving one another earnestly, and show hospitality” (1 Peter 4:8). Especially in a crisis.

We are in crisis mode far more than we realize.  They range frozen water lines, to chaos in Israel.  I hear Jesus calling us to “keep watch.”  Our response to today’s crisis is an opportunity for others to experience Jesus.  John 13:35 says it best, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 (NLT)

Genesis 26-27, Mark 10

I am humbled today by Isaac’s patience and humility. This starts in the beginning of Genesis 26 when there was a famine in the land. To continue providing for his family, Isaac needs to relocate.  As he is deciding where to go, God has an interesting message for him. In effect, he says, “Don’t go to Egypt. Don’t leave. Stick around here and hang out in this land. If you stay, I will be with you and bless you. In fact, remember the promise that I gave your father, Abraham? I told him that he would be the father of nations. If you hang out with me here, you will be the one who helps me establish my promise to him.” That is a serious honor. Isaac does what any of us would do with such huge prospects ahead of us. He stays, settling in Gerar, the land God suggested.

God kept his promise.  He blessed Isaac making him very wealthy, very quickly.  But this causes a problem.  King Abimelech and the Philippines don’t like it.  They demands that Isaac and his family leave the valley.  How would you respond?  Think about it.  You find land to work and you work hard.  The land produces and you are successful.  Then, your competitor comes along and says, “Leave.”   

“No way,” I would insist.  “It’s mine.  In fact, God gave it to me.”  Not Isaac.  He doesn’t seem to mind. Without delay, he packs up and moves on, displaying incredible patience.  Where does this patience come from?  Perhaps Isaac has bolstered his patience with the prospect of using his father’s old wells.  Surely he considered these to be part of God’s provision.  I certainly would have. Unfortunately, he quickly discovers that the old wells were no longer useful.  Out of spite, the Philistines filled them in.  Isaac was not deterred. He rebuilt the wells.  Then, he gave thanks.  It seems to be an odd response for getting kicked around.

As I read through this story of Isaac, God reminds me that His promises are good, trustworthy, and guaranteed. That does not mean that the path will be easy.  Isaac faced  trouble everyday, never taking God’s promises for granted.  He worked hard and gave thanks.  God took care of the rest.

Totay’s post is authored by Freddy Armstrong.

Genesis 19-20, Psalm 1, Mark7

Genesis 19 is about Lot and his family leaving Sodom. When he was warned by two angels, he tried to tell his extended family, but they didn’t take him seriously. Lot, his wife, and his daughters flee into the nearby town of Zoar, while God rains fire on the city of Sodom. While they flee, Lot’s wife looks back on the city, disobeying God’s command, and turns into a Pillar of salt. The daughters, thinking the world was over, got Lot drunk, and were impregnated by him to try and preserve their bloodline. 

We must not question Divine Judgment. God has laid a plan for us, it is on us to stay obedient. Even if it’s not clear, there are cascading effects each time we disobey the Lord’s plan. Wickedness has consequences. Even the smallest thing (all Lot’s wife did was LOOK BACK) can have terrible effects. Our bad choices may not seem consequential in the moment, but each time we disobey, there are consequences. In Romans 19:20, Paul writes: “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?” 

Psalm 1 is a comparison between the Righteous and the Wicked. Reading this, you can draw parallels between those we deem righteous, and those we deem wicked in today’s world. I’ll start with the wicked. Today we live in a world where the wicked have become more present than ever, especially here in the United States. Music artists are doing clear satanic rituals in their concerts. Sexual degeneracy is at an all time high. Less people are having children. 

What about the Righteous? They’re fleeing the world. All major cities in the United States have seen a sharp decline in Christianity in the last 20 years, while atheism and Islam are growing. Even in our own communities, the mainline protestant churches have been hijacked by secular humanists. Since 2001, historic protestant churches have experienced deep declines in attendance, while evangelical non-denominational churches have seen tremendous growth. As soon as liberalism started to enter the church, many theologically conservative Christians fled. Now we’re left with local historical mainline churches hanging rainbow flags, and even denying the divinity of Christ. Yes, this Psalm tells us not to walk in the path of the wicked. But it did not

tell us to HIDE from the wicked. We must stand strong in the faith when surrounded by the wicked, and they will begin to follow. Our retreatest mindset is not correct. 

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.”

Ask yourself: “Where do I sit?” Are you somebody who walks in the step of the wicked? This can come in many forms. Like: following their ideologies (supporting subversive culture), attending their ceremonies (concerts, festivals, any sort of revelry), or changing your code as soon as you’re in a room with secularists. As a young man, I’ve been guilty of each of these. If you find yourself in the step of the wicked, take a step to the right, carry your cross, and call on the Lord’s strength to help you forge a new path. Thanks to Christ, our fruits are great. We’re not an exclusive club. We’re not persecuted like the early church. When the Romans persecuted Christians, they didn’t flee. 

Note: There’s nothing wrong with Non-Denominational churches. I wasn’t even alive for this stuff. We should definitely try and take back the culture, and the historic protestant churches, though. Also, I don’t think we should try and form our churches to look more like secular culture. Young men and women are searching for tradition. 

In Mark 7,The Pharisees confront Jesus after they criticize Jesus and his disciples for not following certain ceremonial washing rituals. This is where Jesus declares all food to be clean. The Pharisees condemn Jesus for not washing themselves before eating. Jesus says: “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them” 

Health is a big focus of mine. Eating the correct foods, controlling what goes into my body to make me stronger. But we must remember that this isn’t our main focus. We must control our spiritual food, in order to control what comes out of us. If we are consuming what comes from the wicked, (like certain secular media, ideas or traditions) we may find ourselves reciprocating it. It’s not all about what goes into our stomachs, or our physical health markers, it’s about the spiritual energy we surround ourselves with. We should feed ourselves spiritually with prayer and communion, so that our hearts can show Christ’s love. 

Genesis 9-11, Mark 4

2024 is officially here.  I set big goals and laid out some general plans for their accomplishment.  I might even pick a word of the year, something that will help me define and remind me of my intentions.  I know that I will need discipline and focus to achieve the lofty goals in front of me, but there is something else.  You see, something is going to come up that you didn’t plan on, something that no amount of discipline will help you overcome.  Covid, for example, derailed everyone. No, I am not predicting a global pandemic in 2024, but life will happen.  It might not happen to you directly, but your life will be affected by illness, accidents, employment changes, cavities, and flat tires.  Someone you know will pass away, and someone else will receive a terminal diagnosis. The question is, will you give up?  Is it worth it?

I am reminded of life’s troubles today in Genesis 4.  This is where we are introduced to Abraham.  Most of the time, we are focused on his accomplishments.  I mean, he’s called “father Abraham,” meaning he is the father of many nations.  You probably remember the song about his seven sons.  He did great things!  But, he didn’t do great things because he had a great life.  No, he did great things in spite of his tough life.  In this short passage, he experiences two of life’s greatest hardships; death and infertility.  Both experiences can leave us feeling rejected and blaming God.  But not Abraham.  He pressed forward with great faith. In fact, Hebrews 11:10 describes Abraham as “ looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

Abraham is my reminder today that God is calling us.  Calling, according to Frederick Buechner, is where our great joy and The worlds great need intersect.  If we are to experience it, we must utilize the hardships, continually looking forward to that great city, just like Abraham.

Psalm 23

When I was young, I went to church camp.  They had a special name for kids that had graduated 8th grade and were headed to high school; “tween week.”  Tweens are not quite high schoolers; neither are they middle schoolers.  Tween’s are “in-between.”  The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is another “tween week.”  It’s not really 2023 anymore, but it’s not quite 2024 either.  This week, if we choose, can be a gift.  Don’t delay;  we only have a moment.  Next week, the pressures and problems of work will reappear.   

Truth is, I don’t know how to respond to this time in-between.  I have nothing to run to and nothing to run from.  This morning, I found myself hurrying down the beach.  It is my habit.  But it should not be for today.  Today, I am not trying to win, and I do not need to run for my life.  I need only to be.  Pausing my walk, I glanced across the still water and suddenly noticed the cool mist in the air.  As I yielded my spirit I realized that God has done exactly what he promised.  “He has led me beside peaceful waters.  He is renewing my strength and guiding me along paths of righteousness, bringing honor to his name.” (Psalm 23:203)

God is faithful, indeed.  He has given us the gift of in-between if only we will stop to experience it.

Job 31-33, Psalm 102, Rev 19

I feel beaten down.  For the last several weeks, we have been listening to Job and Revelation.  It can be depressing.  Job’s life is destroyed, and the seven judgments are being poured out upon the people on earth.  Suddenly, a loud voice from a great multitude cried out, “Hallelujah!”

What is this sudden turn?  Why have I found myself reeling from the pain and anguish that the people of earth are enduring while all of heaven is proclaiming, “Hallelujah?”  They do it because they know the truth, and they know what is to come.  Hope has arrived.

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, he judges and makes war.  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)

Why sing Hallelujah?  Because Jesus is here!  But, not the Jesus that you knew before.  This time, he is not a baby lying peacefully in a manger or the gentle pastor with children gathered all around, nor is his body beaten and broken.  He is full of fire, crowned with jewels, and armed for battle.   Victory is assured.

When I see the warrior, something happens.  Hope isnt something far off, hope is right now.  I find joy in vengeance over the enemy, but that is not the biggest thing.  The sight of the warrior, my savior is overwhelming.  I am not afraid.  He is for me and  I am prepared.  He is fighting for me as I fall to my knees and proclaim, “Hallelujah!”

Job 18-20, Psalm 141, Rev 15

When will it end?  For the last several days, we have been with Job.  We’ve witnessed him losing his family, his farm, all his possessions, even his health. The world has betrayed him.  God, according to Job, has betrayed him.  The pain and torture is unrelenting.  As if his physical and  mental anguish were not enough, Job’s friends also criticize him.  He can’t take any more.  “Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,” he cries out.  “Why do you, like God, pursue me?  Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?”  Incredibly, through all of this, Job’s faith is not shaken.  He knows that something more is coming, confidently claiming the promise he is given.  “I know that my redeemer lives,” he says.  Redemption where his fantastic hope comes from.  So does ours.

We have all found ourselves in a mess we cannot get ourselves out of.  Most of the time, our messes are a result of our poor choices.  The resulting shame and circumstances reinforce our fear that at any moment we will be fully abandoned, by our friends and by God.  Job can help us overcome that fear by reminding us that our efforts are futile.  If we are to be full, we must be redeemed.  We cannot just erase the past, we must be bought out of our mess.  Someone must pay the price.

Today’s world pretends to have the answer, but it falls short.  Positive thinking, exercise and education only go so far.  We didn’t see Job trying to double his effort or modify his beliefs.  He clung desperately and relentlessly to one truth, “my redeemer lives.”  This is our truth too.  Ephesians 1:7-10 tells us that “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”  So, I, like Job, do not lose heart because my Redeemer lives!