dpeace85 - Tumblr blog

dpeace85 · 4 years

Text

The Gospel

On reading the word:

A lot of people seem really stressed out these days. I’d say politics is the main source of it. But the pandemic is running a tight second. I can’t help but notice the helplessness I see in the people around me. It just seems like everyone is lost. Not just mentally or emotionally, but spiritually. And that’s what concerns me most. I read my Bible and listen to what self-professing Christians around me say, and what I hear is very different from what I read. I’m no scholar, but the scriptures just don’t seem, to me, to be hard to understand. I believe the problem is most people read the Bible the wrong way. Yes, there is a “right” and “wrong” way to read. That’s true of any text. If I’m browsing the isles of the local bookstore and come across a title I’ve never heard of or seen, and decide to buy it, I’m going to read that book much differently than I would the New York Times bestseller. The difference is the method of interpretation. The terms used for this are “exegesis” and “eisegesis”.

Approaching a text exegetically simply means reading the words and interpreting what is being said. This is quite easy to do if you’re unfamiliar with a book. In fact, exegetical is the only possible approach to an unfamiliar text. You have no preconceived notion or ideas about what you’re about to read. You simply open to page one and begin reading. By the end of the book, you’re likely to have a clear idea of what the writer wanted you to know. You’re not reading the book, while simultaneously searching for a “spoiler” your heard prior to buying it. There’s no confusion as to what you read, and what you thought the outcome of the story was supposed to be.

Eisegesis is just the opposite. The NYT bestseller is the one everyone is talking about. It’s been pre-released to the author’s biggest fans. It’s been talked about on all the morning shows, and it's the one people can’t wait to get their hands on. You already know what the story is about. You just don’t know how it ends. Or maybe it’s the classic. Most everyone has read it. You know the story, and how it ends. You’ve heard the highlights, and all the real-world implications of the text. So, when you finally get your hands on it, you start searching at page one for all the things you’ve heard. As you read, your mind constantly wanders back to those things, and certain parts of the book are a little confusing, because the interpretation “they” gave wasn’t exactly the way the text offers it. So, you just skim over those parts and get back to the stuff you know is there. This approach robs you of the full enjoyment of the book. It’s also a waste of time on behalf of the author. They wrote the book with the intent of all readers enjoying the full essence of the story.

Sadly, the Bible is almost always approached eisegetically. In all fairness though, it’s been around a while. Since the scriptures were first written, they have been passed through the generations almost exclusively by spoken word. In the early 1600s, King James I of England changed history for us all. Until then there was no English translation of the scriptures. The king believed people should be able to read them for themselves, instead of relying on someone else to do so. Since then, the Bible has been translated and printed in virtually every language on Earth. And because of this, it’s nearly impossible to pick up a Bible, open to Genesis 1:1, and begin reading without any preconceptions of the text. With that said, however, how many Christians try? And therein lies the problem with the modern Gospel – which is no Gospel at all.

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve received most of my Biblical education sitting in a church pew on Sundays, listening to a guy hiding behind a pulpit. Don’t get me wrong. I know there are no perfect people, and I’ve had some God-ordained leadership over the years. But I’ve also come to realize, in my adult faith, that several of my pastors and teachers over the years were – and some still are – sorely misguided. My entire Christian education can be summed up very simply: “Do your part, and let God do the rest.” What a waste of the Gospel. There’s infinitely more to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than just “let go and let God.” Put away the Bible studies. Put away the commentaries. Turn off the podcasts.

Read God’s word.

On God:

You must understand who God is. God doesn’t need you. God never needed you. God will never need you. You are because God wills you to be. Between the words “are” and “because” you can add anything your heart desires, but it will never be the result of anything you’ve done. When “the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen. 1:2) He knew that on this day, at this very moment, you would be reading these words. Not only did He know, He willed it. At this very moment, God knows exactly how many milliliters of blood are flowing through your heart with every beat. He also knows, at this very moment, how many milliliters of blood are flowing through every beating heart on Earth. Not only does He know, He is aware of every single one. He doesn’t have to think about it. He doesn’t focus on one thing, while something else slips by. He is deeply and intimately aware, at this very moment, of the number of times a bird in the Amazon must flap its wings to reach its next drink of water. Not only is he aware, but He willed it before the creation of the world. One might say God could just snap his finger and make everything disappear, but there’s no finger snap needed! God willed your life into existence before the creation of the world. He knew the exact moment of your birth. He knows the exact moment and means of your death. A person who is conspiring to kill you, and even takes action to do so, has no control of whether you live or die. No accidental death is truly accidental. No chronic disease was ever truly undiscovered or unexpected. God’s will is sovereign over all things and all people. Understanding this should cause us to fear God, because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7).

God is not your buddy. There’s a verse in an old song I heard many times growing up that says, “I am a friend of God, He calls me friend.” It’s a fast-paced, clap-along, feel-good song. And the message of the song is based on John 15:15 where Jesus tells the disciples, “I no longer call you servants... I have called you friends.” But instead of an eisegetical approach to this passage, start at verse 12 and just read it. Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know is master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you.” Jesus starts by telling them to love like He loves. He then tells them the greatest example love is to die for your friends. He later dies for His friends. He also tells them His Father’s “business” which includes His death, and their future trials and persecution. In this passage, He’s telling them they must lay down their lives for Him, so that they can be called His friends. I’ve never had a buddy tell me he is going to die for me, and I must also return the favor. I can only conclude that my skewed definition of “friend” is a result of my modern Christian education. I know now that I must be called a friend of God if I want to spend eternity with him. I must be willing to die to gain eternity.

The part about dying doesn’t really concern me that much, though. I'll talk more about that later. The part I focus on is the “business” that He has made known to us. The Bible is our “master’s business.” It’s all written down and, thanks to King James I, we all can read it. It’s not a secret! Yet some Christians live every waking moment worrying about what’s going to happen next. Whether it be at work, at home, in politics, or in health, they worry. Why!? He’s already told you the end of the story! John wrote an entire book about it (Revelations). Prophets talked about if for centuries. Jesus talked about it often. We know God’s will. This should strike a deep fear in your heart! Not a fear of the future, but a fear that when God’s will comes to pass, you will be called an enemy of God, instead of a friend.

Pray that God will give you understanding of who He is.

On death:

If I understand I must lay down my life for God, to be called His friend, I must accept the fact that I am going to die. I must live with an awareness that this life will end. I see Christians every day that are consumed by fear of death, and it confuses me. I must admit I haven’t read my Bible cover to cover yet, but I’ve read many scriptures that tell me I’d much rather be dead than alive. It’s easy to sit at a keyboard and type such bold statements, but it’s very difficult to live them day to day. I know that if one of my children were to die, I’d be devastated – there are a million other words I could use there, but it’s safe to say none could truly describe the pain I’d feel. But at the same time, I can say with confidence in my faith, I know God knows the exact moment each of my children will leave this world. No matter how violent or unexpected that moment may be, He knew it would happen before he created the world. He willed it to happen that way. This brings me to a question I got the answer to when I started reading the Bible: Does life matter?

The murder of Abel in Genesis 4:8 is the first recorded death in history. It was sudden and violent. Having children of my own, I can assure you Adam and Eve took this pretty hard. I’m sure there were many tears and sleepless nights. Their lives were forever changed that day. Since that time in ancient history, however, not one single person has lost a minute’s sleep over Abel’s death. The story lives on thousands of years later but focuses more on Cain’s anger than the son Adam and Eve lost that day. There are six-year-olds in Children’s Church that can tell the story, from Abel’s burnt offerings to Cain’s punishment; all with a prideful smile on their face. Abel was beaten to death with a rock, and now his murder is featured in children’s story Bibles.

Then we move on the flood in Genesis 7. God himself killed everyone on Earth except for Noah and his family. And that’s pretty much all that’s said about all the people that died. Somewhere that day, some guy was sitting with his wife and kids at the dinner table, and it started raining. At some point over the next few days, he and his wife were treading water, desperately trying to keep their children’s heads above the surface. They all eventually sank slowly below the surface of the water and drowned. That happened to families all around the world, but the scriptures make no mention of it. The scriptures focus on Noah’s obedience to God, rather than the massive loss of life.

In Exodus 12 God kills the firstborn child of every Egyptian. Thousands of people – men, women, and children – all die at the same exact moment. Weeks before, a woman walks her child through the market, holding his hand so he wouldn’t get away from her and get himself hurt. The woman has never heard of Moses; has no knowledge of the struggle between Pharaoh and the Israelites. Her time is consumed by her toddler son. But soon, all the animals die. Locusts destroy the crops. The river that gives life-sustaining water to her child turns to blood. Through all of this, however, she manages to keep him alive and healthy. She’ll do whatever is necessary to keep her son safe. But one morning she awakens to find her son’s lifeless, cold body. He was just one of thousands. Exodus 12:30 says, “... there was a loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.” Thousands dead in one night, and all the Bible offers us is a “loud wailing.”

These events are some of the earliest events in history. We can tell these stories, along with many other stories in our more recent history and feel virtually no emotion. But the thought of losing someone close to us makes us sick to our stomach. The fear of dying leads us to extraordinary means of self-preservation. The current pandemic (COVID-19) is a perfect example. Over the course of history there have been numerous plagues and outbreaks of diseases that have claimed the lives of millions. However, those are not real to us because we weren’t there. We weren’t there when the first murder was committed. We weren’t there when everyone drowned. We weren’t there when the death angel came. We weren’t in the concentration camps. We weren’t in the Twin Towers. But we are in the pandemic. We have lost loved ones to COVID-19. This one is real to us. We isolate ourselves. We isolate others. We’re willing to help, if we can do it from a distance. The virus is deadly. Meanwhile, in countries like India, Peru, and Ethiopia, children dig through piles of rotting garbage for food, and drink contaminated water. Their parents have died from diseases we as Americans are vaccinated for as newborns.

At some point after you die, no one is going to remember you. So, the answer to my question is obviously, “No, life doesn’t matter.” Yet we fight so hard to keep it. It’s an end for us. So many people in the Bible embraced death. They rejoiced in it. They ran to it with open arms. Paul lived a miserable life after God changed him. He spent the rest of his days on the run, in prison, being beaten, starved, and homeless, but genuinely rejoiced in his sufferings. Paul wasn’t always under persecution. There were days when he was just in a bad situation. He spent days on a ship during a storm. He and the others on the ship were close to death on more than one occasion, but he never lost faith or doubted it was God’s will that he was in the storm. If he had died during the storm, it would have still been for the glory of God. He was a friend of God.

John 12:25 says, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” There are a lot of Christians out there who seem to really, really love their life.

On politics:

Since the beginning of time the vast majority humans have lived under some variation of a Monarchy. A king rules and the people obey. There is no such thing as a “God-given right to be free.” In the Old-Testament, God led many nations into battle. He led them to fight for His will and purposes. But for most of the Israelites’ - God’s chosen people – history, they were slaves. As Americans it’s hard for us to imagine any other way of life than what we’ve always known. We’ve reached a point in our nation where Christians feel they have a right to complain when the waitress wasn’t paying attention and got the order wrong. We think it’s necessary to cancel church services because the power is out. And we wouldn’t dare live without our guns. God has blessed America because of how good we’ve been as Christians, right? He gave us our right to be free, because we have honored him, right?

In Daniel 2, Daniel is interpreting a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar. The dream is about a statue made of various metals. Each section, from the head to the feet, each made of a different metal, represents a different kingdom in history. The last section of the statue is the legs and feet. The legs are made of iron, and the feet of iron and clay. Daniel tells the king this represents a kingdom in the last days. He describes the kingdom as “strong as iron” (v.40) and says, “it will crush and break all others” (v.40). Then he says the feet of iron and clay represent a divided kingdom, “partly strong and partly brittle” (v.42). He goes on to say its people will not remain “united” (v.43). During the time of this kingdom, Jesus will return, destroy all earthly kingdoms, and rule for eternity. This last kingdom Daniel refers to is the United States. The US has become the most powerful nation in history. Its power has enabled it to render aid to, protect, and even destroy other world governments. But the US is more divided now than ever. Our nation is weaker than it has ever been. We are no longer pure iron but have been mixed with an equal amount of clay. God’s moral standards still have a stronghold in our nation but are slowly diminishing by the day. So, if I believe Daniel is prophesying about the US, I must also believe our great blessings have nothing to do with what we have done and has everything to do with God’s will for His people. There is nothing we as Christians can do to turn our nation back to God. Biblical prophecy tells us time and again that’s just not going to happen. Our nation will remain divided until Jesus returns and destroys all nations... including ours.

So why are so many Christians so passionate about politics? The outcome of an election has no bearing on the moral declination of our country. It really doesn’t matter who the president is, or who our government leaders are. We as Christians have been called to do God’s will. Should you vote? If you want to, sure. Are we called by God to vote? Absolutely not.

In Matthew 8, several disciples are pledging their allegiance to Jesus. One of the disciples tells Jesus he will follow Him, but his father had just died. He says to Jesus, “Lord, first let me go bury my father” (v. 21). Jesus replied, “Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead” (v.22). This man was grieving. His father had not even been dead long enough to be buried. Jesus is telling him the work of the Father is more important than burying dead people. He also implies the man’s family is also dead even before they have died. He was referring to their souls.

What Jesus is teaching us in this passage is that we should not concern ourselves with worldly traditions. Let the world do worldly stuff. We need to be focused on eternity. Our future is not here on Earth. Our future is with God our Father.

On freedom:

So why am I writing all this? I just feel like a lot of my brothers and sisters in Christ are hurting when they don’t have to be. If you find yourself in a state of depression, or feel like you keep running in spiritual circles, open your Bible and just read the Word. God makes it very clear that He is in control. Understand you can do nothing to change or influence God’s will. You can’t read the scriptures and conclude you have any control over the world around you. The Bible tells us exactly what is going to happen to us and our nation... and every other nation on Earth. It’s all going to end. Our money, our homes, our stuff, our body, and our lives all have a time limit. We were never called to get a job, start a family, save for retirement, and live the American dream. We are called to repentance. We are called love like Christ loves. We are called to follow Him. Knowing this frees us. We can be free of stress, free of worry, free of depression.

But how do we gain this freedom? The generic answer would be, “Give your sin to God", or “Let go of your sin.” But Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). What slave has ever been able to just “let go" of their master? How can you give something away if you belong to it? You can’t. The idea that you have to take action to gain freedom in Christ is sinful. Jesus came to set us free, because we are slaves to sin. In order to be freed from sin, we must pray for God to release us. Only He can break those chains. This is the truth of the Gospel.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Dusty Peace

2/16/21

0 notes

dpeace85 · 5 years

Text

Subliminal Sin

Ripples on a stagnant pond,

Beginnings of turmoil,

Pennies to a vagabond,

Seeds penetrating soil,

Deceit takes root within the soul,

Subtle by design,

Blinded by the lie of hope,

Festering with time,

A widow’s web of diligence,

It spins within the mind,

No offering of recompense,

While withering the vine,

Stone by stone the walls close in,

A desolate prison cell,

Making jest of vilest sins,

The slow descent to Hell,

But what of those who turn away,

Who shun the morning star?

They reach to Him from death’s decay,

And bid Him set afire,

The thorns of which amongst they crawl,

A brummagem state of bliss,

They hasten to escape the fall,

The blackening abyss,

And on the day of winnowing,

On Earth, His threshing floor,

His Son will come for gathering,

The harvest for the store,

Amidst the tempest winds they’ll stand,

In righteousness anew,

Pardoned from the trial of man,

By blood the spearhead drew.

Dusty Peace

July 29, 2019

0 notes

dpeace85 · 5 years

Text

The Social Circus

Aren’t we all just adrift,

In our own little ships,

Like lifeless little forms,

Hoping to dodge the storms,

No different than blind mice,

Trying to navigate the night,

We build castles of stone,

Only to find they’re Styrofoam,

Our lives , a neverending race,

Sprinting at a snail’s pace,

And at the end we find,

Countless memories of wasted time,

When we were young we liked to dream,

About the grown-ups we would be,

Now standing at the end,

Dreaming of all we could have been,

Too busy to run and play,

Until our children have moved away,

Can’t wait to hear from them again,

They’ll find the time but not sure when,

After all, they’re finally grown,

Building castles of their own,

Drifting in their little ships,

Trying not to lose their grip,

They’ve watched us barely pass the test,

They’ll grit their teeth and do their best,

They'll see one day, they did just fine,

Have better memories of wasted time,

They’ll have their children to play with,

They’ll find the time but not sure when,

And so the snowball slowly grows,

Into a world of restless souls,

Who all began with some great purpose,

But got lost in this social circus.

Dusty Peace

7-11-2019

0 notes

dpeace85 · 5 years

Text

Soulmates

Never in a thousand years,

Would I’ve ever thought we’d make it here,

That August day in ’99,

Is now just a memory in a distant time,

The best memories I have are all of you,

And for the worst, thank God, you where there too,

The older I get, the harder it seems,

To remember the times before you and me,

And as memories of me begin to slowly fade,

I’m left with only memories of us, and with that I’m okay,

Watching you, my children’s mother,

Raising a baby sister and the sweetest big brother,

A better way I’d be hard pressed to find,

To make new memories that last a lifetime,

So as time passes and our hair turns gray,

I’ll walk with you along the way,

Or carry you if such a need be,

So I’ll always know you’re here with me,

And when our time comes and we’ve passed on,

And our children are making memories of their own,

They’ll know if ever one soul was made complete by another,

It was the soul of their father when he found their mother.

Dusty Peace

7/5/2019

0 notes

dpeace85 · 6 years

Text

Job

Job was a very unfortunate fellow. Job was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He was also a man of great wealth. But, for seemingly no reason at all, God tested him. God allowed Satan to personally attack Job. Now one thing you should understand is, Satan is the father of all evil and sin. He was, and still is, the most powerful of all created beings. There are very few people who can say they’ve been attacked by Satan himself. Satan is not omnipresent like God. He can only be present in one place at a time. His demons are at work all throughout the universe, but on this day, Satan wanted to personally inflict physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain on Job. Satan just had to get permission from God. Job suffered… greatly. But in the end, Job was restored… or was he? I’m not so sure he was.

It all begins with Satan. Remember the part where Satan gets permission from God to attack Job? This idea that our loving God would allow such great suffering to someone “blameless and upright” seems cruel and unjust. I’m pretty sure I would not allow my children to be physically, mentally, and emotionally abused for any amount of time for being well-behaved and kind. It just doesn’t make sense. It didn’t make sense to Job either. In one day, Job lost everything. I’m not referring to the important things in his life. I mean, he literally lost everyone and everything he had. Yes, I know his wife and a few friends stuck around, but we’ll get back to them. Job not only lost people and possessions, he also lost his health, and most importantly, his hope. Job said, “My days are swift, and come to an end without hope.” (Job 7:6) The only thing that keeps someone going in hard times is hope. Without hope there is no reason to keep going. In the deepest, darkest times in our lives we still have some glimmer of hope that things will get better. If not, we have no reason left to live. There are many different reasons people commit suicide, but there is one emotion they all suicidal people share… hopelessness. Job was hopeless.

At least his wife was there, right? Well, she told him to curse God and die. My wife is my closest friend. We have no secrets. I love her more than any other person on this planet. If I had to choose between my children and my wife, I’d choose her. If that is not the relationship you have with your spouse, you’re wrong. There are so many things in life I do, and don’t do, because of my wife. I’m sure Job was no different. He and his wife where “one flesh.” In his darkest hour, she told him to turn his back on God. In fact, she said, “Curse God and die.” His own wife told him to blaspheme the name of Almighty God and then die. It appears she was annoyed or irritated by his troubles. I consider this a loss to Job. Although she was there in the flesh, Job lost his wife.

Then there were his friends. True friends are hard to come by; those you trust and can count on to be there when you are in need. Job had such friends. They heard about Job’s plight and immediately came to comfort him. Job 2:12 says, “When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.” Their actions were part of a custom to show great remorse and heartache for someone; a sign of grieving like our modern custom of dressing in black clothing for a funeral. Job’s friends grieved for him. This reminds me of my grandfather’s funeral. My dad had a friend that lived far away and only saw him a few times each year. He called my dad often and when he heard about my grandfather’s death, there was no doubt he was going to make the long trip to be at the funeral. When he saw my dad, he sobbed. Not just cried; he sobbed. He grieved for my dad. Job’s friends were so grieved at the sight of him they didn’t speak a word to him for seven days. But eventually they had to throw in their two cents.

First up was Eliphaz. He uses two chapters of the book to ramble on about how Job’s past will determine his future. He reminds Job of all the good and righteous things he’s done and ensures him God will not give him more than he can handle. We’ve all heard that sermon. It’s a very self-righteous approach to life’s hardships. If I just remember how good I’ve been and all the good I’ve done, surely God will see me through this. The good always outweighs the bad, right? Isaiah 64:6 says, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” That’s a strong statement. That money you gave to the homeless guy; filthy rag. That time you paid for the food for the guy behind you in the drive-thru; filthy rag. How about the all the time you spent at the hospital, sitting beside your loved one, prying for and comforting them? Filthy rag. There was a reason Job was being tested, but he knew his righteousness wouldn’t pull him through. He knew only God could intervene. But Job truly believed God would not intervene and this was, in fact, the end of his life. He even begged for death.

Next up, Bildad. He offers a message of perseverance. Keep fighting the good fight. “Your beginnings seem humble, so prosperous your future will be.” (Job 8:7) Bildad was the equivalent of a prosperity preacher. Trust in God, follow the rules, keep believing and soon enough, God will deliver you. This is dangerous thinking. This is the most common approach to hardships today. Everyone is waiting on their blessing. That brings to mind something my wife experienced at work. She worked at a bank and on one occasion a member told her she was “just waiting on [her] blessing.” The lady was referring to a settlement check from a lawsuit. I can assure you God will never bless you with money for a new car that was obtained through a frivolous lawsuit. Job saw right through Bildad’s self-centered advice. Job said, “(9:12) If [God] snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ (9:19-20) If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him? Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.” Job knew his life may not get better. He knew that his death was still an option for God.

Then we have Zophar. Zophar was a worker bee. You earn your forgiveness. Zophar was certain there was an unrepented sin in Job’s past. If only Job would meditate and ask God to reveal the sin, maybe God would restore him. Job knew better. Job knew there was no unrepentance in his past. He was dedicated to his God and made sacrifices often, even on behalf of his children. This pushed Job to his breaking point. He then lashes out against his friends. (13:4-5) “You however smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! If only you would be altogether silent! For you that would be wisdom. (13:9) Would it turn out well if he examined you? Could you deceive him as you might deceive men? (16:4) I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. (16:6) Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away.” Job was experiencing pain that could not be explained or relived with words.

Although Job had his wife and friends by his side, he was alone. Their good intentions were useless to his suffering. Job was a broken, sick, and lonely man. He had lived at the top but was now at the lowest of lows. Job had it all. Thousands of heads of livestock, thousands of acres of land, ten children, and many servants. In one day, his children were killed, his livestock was either stolen or killed, and most of his servants were killed. He received this news all at one time. Can you even begin to imagine the grief? He was then stricken with a terrible disease – boils from head to toe, fever, and weakness. It’s safe to say most of us would consider suicide at this point. Job had no reservations about voicing his grief. He cursed the day of his birth. He longed for death that would not come. He pleaded with God to let him die and erase all memories of him from the earth. There are few people who have ever lived that have experienced the great sorrow Job experienced. However, through it all, Job never cursed God. Job knew, no matter what, God had a reason for his pain. But Job was still angry with God. He questioned God over and over, pleading for an answer to why he was suffering.

During Job’s conversation with his friends, there was another ear listening. There was this kid in the back of the room patiently waiting to offer a few words. His name was Elihu. I like this kid. He waited to speak, out of respect for the elder men in the room. But he could no longer contain his emotions. (32:7-9) “I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.” I love this passage. This kid was uneducated, untrained, and seemingly unqualified to offer advice on spiritual matters, but he was the wisest man in the room. He reminds Job that we are all products of God. No matter how blameless and upright we are, we still deserve every punishment or test God decides to throw at us. Elihu goes on to say, (35:2-3) “Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I will be cleared by God.’ Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning?’ (35:6-7) If you sin, how does that affect [God]? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? (35:12-13) He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.”

Jobs eyes were opened. While the boy was speaking a great storm arose outside. God then began to speak to Job through the storm. He wanted Job to remember who the God of the universe really is. He asked Job, (38:31-33) “Can you build the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth? (40:2) Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Job was speechless. (40:4-5) “I am unworthy – how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more.” God goes on to say, (41:11) Who has claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.” There was no mistaking that God was in control of all of Job’s plight. Job was so agonized he nearly forgot his place with God. Job replies to God, (42:5-6) My ears had heard of you but now I have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

The Bible I use titles Job 42, “Job is Restored.” Job 42:10 says God made him “prosperous again”. God gave him twice as much as he had before – livestock, servants, children, and wealth. But was he really restored? Job had suffered beyond any stretch of the imagination. He buried 10 children, all at the same time. The God of the universe turned his back on him. I can’t bring myself to believing Job became a happy, jovial, content man after all he had been through. There is no way he was “restored” to his former self. He had more, but I doubt he was a better man. I believe he was a better servant. He had been broken and humbled.

But how does Job’s life apply to us today? I’ve heard this story presented, numerous times, in the most superficial ways. This is the message – God tests us; we persevere; God blesses us. That is not the lesson Job took from his time of sorrow. Job truly believed God had turned his back and death was knocking at his door. It’s easy for us to read the story through and think, “Oh yeah, God had this the whole time. God’s going to see me through and bless me.” Well, what if he doesn’t? What if he doesn’t heal your sick child? What if he doesn’t send the money to keep a roof over your family’s head? What if he doesn’t stop the war? What if he doesn’t protect you? What if… I could go on for days. It really, really annoys me to sit in a room full of “Christians” and hear them complain about the “shape our county is in”, or how bad the next generation will be, or who we hope the next president will be. The fate of the world and all mankind were written down literally thousands of years ago. This isn’t news. But these things are real concerns for “Christians” today.

We feel let down or rejected by God when we lose our job, but as you read this, millions of children – not adults, children – around the world scavenge for food in piles of garbage. We worry about the corrupt leader we have, while thousands, upon thousands of Christ followers around the world are slaughtered by their government for their faith. We become angry with God when our loved one succumbs to cancer, while millions of people in third-world countries die yearly from diseases that, thanks to modern medicine, Americans haven’t seen since the ‘70’s.

So, what’s the takeaway here? What do we really need to learn from the book of Job? Here it is: If you are facing hard times, know this – it may not get better. In fact, it may get worse. But God always has a reason for our suffering. It may be to open our eyes; to humble us or redirect our attention. Or, maybe our pain is for another’s benefit. Maybe the trial you’re facing is an opportunity to let God use you to open someone else’s eyes to his grace and love. You may fight your way through the hard times, reach the other side, and never know why you suffered. But to be honest, it doesn’t matter. Philippians 1:21 says, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Just in case you forgot, Christ suffered… a lot.

The next time you face a trial in your life just remember, the worst it can do is kill you.

Dusty Peace

11/06/2018

0 notes

dpeace85 · 6 years

Photo

0 notes

dpeace85 · 6 years

Photo

Some of the recent projects.

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Text

Forgive, Love, Pray

The worst of times always come at the worst time. You never hit a wall until it's inconvenient. I've spent a lot of time on a soapbox with hopes of encouraging someone who's facing a trial in their life. I haven't spent a lot of time facing my own trials. So when they come along, God says to me, “Put up or shut up.” For a few days now, I've shut up. That’s quite unlike me. I've always been self sufficient. I know where to find the answer to any life question. One question I refuse to ask is “Why?” The answer to “Why?” is always “God's will.” The appropriate question – no matter the severity of the trial – is “What are You going to do with this, and what do I need to do until then?” I “put up” today. I asked that question. I got an immediate answer. The answer to the first half of the question was, “You'll see.” The answer to the second half of the question is as follows: “Forgive, love, and pray… in that order.”

1. Forgive - Jesus said, “If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” You can't love as God loves if His love is not in you. His love is not in you if you are not forgiven of your sins. Your sins are not forgiven if you cannot forgive.

2. Love – 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love others deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.” There is no sin against you which cannot be covered by love. When those who have sinned against you see your unconditional love for them, they see God. When they see Him in you, you're doing it right.

3. Pray – Philippians 1:4 says, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.” It seems an oxymoron to pray with joy for someone who has sinned against you. But if you have forgiven them and love them with His love, there is no longer a sin against you. If there is no sin, that leaves only a prayer of joy.

These are things I want Ryan and Eva (my children) to understand. Right now they cannot read or understand these words. However, they can understand my actions. When others sin against them, it is my responsibility to show them (with my actions) how to respond with Godly wisdom.

There are some sins that cannot be overlooked or “swept under the rug”, and all sin has consequences. But with all sin against us, we can forgive, love, and pray.

Dusty Peace

8/7/2017

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Text

The Journey

We traveled alone, my wife with me

Along the road near Galilee.

We came upon another man,

A bridle lead wrapped ‘round his hand,

The poorest donkey I’d ever seen,

A shambled cart he struggled to lead,

And in the cart there sat a girl,

Whose eyes seemed to hold the weight of the world,

The man looked worn, deprived of sleep,

Hardly able to lift his feet,

They looked at me, I gave a smile.

No words were spoken for quite a while,

Until my wife said a soft, “Hello.”

She forced a smile, he stared at the road,

I said, “Dear Sir, I mean not to pry,

But the night cannot hide the pain in your eyes,

Nor the fearful stare in the gaze of your wife,

Who carries within her the gift of life.

If you don’t mind my asking, what burdens you so?

How far have you come, and how far to go?”

He said, “Please forgive my inability to hide,

This heavy burden I carry inside,

Of which no other can understand,

Therefore, alone we travel this land.

Our journey began in Galilee,

To register as the king decreed.

Our journey is long but soon will end,

In the City of David, In Bethlehem.”

We walked in silence for a few miles more,

But I could not dismiss what I’d heard before;

“Of which no other can understand”;

What such burden could weigh on a man?

A burden no other has ever borne,

That’d render this man so tattered and worn?

I could not bear it anymore,

“Dear Sir, about what you said before,

I myself have suffered great plight,

Have felt the weight of the loneliest nights.

But never have I heard before,

Of a burden no other has ever borne.

Forgive my persistence but what, pray tell,

Would grieve you so, and your wife as well?”

He said, “I will tell you but soon you’ll believe,

The story I have is madness indeed.

This story I’ve told to only a few,

And because of your kindness I will share it with you.

The woman with me is not yet my wife.

The child she carries is also not mine.

A messenger sent from the Holy One,

Revealed to her she’d give birth to a son,

Betrothed to me by promise of hand,

The child in her is the Son of Man.

Proclaimed by the prophets, through virgin birth,

He’ll establish His kingdom, both Heaven and Earth.

I know it seems impossible to believe,

I arranged to divorce her secretly,

But an angel appeared to me in dream,

And said, “Fear not, for He who sent me,

Has found favor with you this night.

Do not be afraid to take her as your wife.”

So now we travel by faith and not sight,

But we fear the unknown; That is our plight.”

Nothing he said made sense to me,

And madness is exactly what I thought it to be.

I could not believe what my ears had heard.

For the rest of our journey we spoke not a word,

Until the time came for us to part ways,

I bid them farewell at the dawn of day.

Some time had passed as we journeyed home,

And for most of it, we were still alone,

With exception of the occasional passer-by,

But on this particular day, as morning drew nigh,

We were met by a group of polite young men,

Who asked for directions to Bethlehem.

They explained they were going to greet the new king,

I was taken aback when I heard such a thing.

“New king?” I asked with obvious surprise,

I could see the joy in each of their eyes,

“Indeed! An angel appeared to us in a field,

At first we were filled with a terrible fear,

But the angel said, “Do not be afraid,

For unto you is born this day,

In the little town of Bethlehem,

Our savior, The Heavenly hosts for Him do sing,

He will free us from sin and forever be King.”

At once we left to find the child,

The journey is long, but the reward worthwhile.

Now we’ll be on our way, we travel with haste,

No gifts we bear, we possess only faith.”

I couldn’t believe what my ears had just heard,

I thought of the scriptures I’d read in the Word,

And of the fearful couple we’d met,

The burden they carried, I could not forget.

We continued our journey to where we did start,

And I quietly pondered what I’d heard in my heart.

We could see the village of our hometown ahead,

So we stopped for a while to rest our weary heads,

As we sat, a glistening caught my eye,

And I knew at once what was passing us by,

A caravan of camels clad in the finest silk and gold,

Oh, what a sight they were to behold!

Wise men from the East they were,

In the air, an aroma of frankincense and myrrh.

Just when they were about to pass,

The caravan stopped and one rider did ask,

“Dear Sir, may we offer you some kind of assistance?

You look as if you have traveled some distance.”

I said, “A great distance we most certainly have gone,

But the village below is the place of our home.

Kind Sir, I must ask, what brings you through our small town?

For rare it is here to see men so renowned.”

“We are the Wise Men from the East,

We’ve come to worship the new-born King.

Just as the prophets proclaimed long ago,

The Father has sent His Son to us below,

To save the lost souls from their every sin,

And to establish His kingdom to rule with no end.

A star in the heavens has lead us this way,

We’ve waited many years for this glorious day.”

I bid them farewell and we both parted ways,

Then I pondered aloud for the rest of the day.

I said to my wife, “What’s the meaning of this?

Could it be the King was born here in our midst?

In the lowly town of Bethlehem, could it be Almighty God would send,

His only Son to be the King and save the world from sin?

It must all be a great misunderstanding,

A rumor has spread and on desperate ears has landed.

How could the Messiah, the King of Kings,

The God of the universe do such a thing?

That’s it, it’s madness just as the man said.

It’s time to get home and rest in our bed.”

We finally arrived and greeted our friends,

I was relieved our journey had come to an end.

The night was calm, the sky was clear,

And from a distance I could hear,

A beautiful song of flute and lyre,

Seemed to play in rhythm with the flames of the fire,

And in the sky I saw from afar,

What seemed to be the brightest star,

With a tail similar to that of a kite,

No moon in the sky, it lit up the night.

It was greater than any star I’d seen,

I didn’t know why but somehow it seemed,

To rest low in the sky toward Galilee,

Maybe further, but brighter than others indeed.

With a song by the fire and the star in the sky,

I retired to my bed and closed my eyes,

And as I slept, I dreamed a dream,

Of shepherds, wise men, and a new-born king.

Many years have passed since our journey then,

And today we were traveling through Jerusalem,

The streets were full of angry men,

Shouting and chanting, “Crucify him!”

My wife and I hurried to move away from the crowd,

We finished our business and as we left town,

We passed by the place of crucifixion,

A crown of thorns on His head gave a gruesome depiction,

But a plaque overhead mocked “The King of Kings”

Suddenly, I realized the dream I dreamed was not just a dream.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

Dusty Peace

12/24/2017

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Photo

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Photo

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Photo

A few recent projects

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Text

Just Another Day

I watched a man die today,

Watched him as he slipped away,

Watched the life fade from his eyes,

Watched his family as they cried,

Heard the cries of a praying son,

Pleading to the Holy One,

Saw the tears on a hundred faces,

I stood there thinking of all the places,

I’d rather be than right there and then,

And all the places I could have been,

Had I chosen not to answer the call,

Had I chosen any other career at all,

But such is the life of the average cop,

Seeing the worst at almost every stop,

Moving along from call to call,

Thinking each time you've seen it all,

But I watched a man die today,

Then took the next call as I walked away.

Dusty Peace

11/6/2017

0 notes

dpeace85 · 7 years

Text

Fruits and Works

I believe true salvation is widely misunderstood. Some believe to be a true Christian one must act like a Christian. Do the things Christians are supposed to do: attend church, read scripture daily, tithe, pray aloud, bless each meal, etc. But, to me, this all sounds more like obeying laws than living like Christ. Then there are others who think they are good enough for salvation. These are the ones who give to charities, donate time to service, wear Christian apparel, post scripture on social media, etc. I call these “show ponies”. They are only concerned with how it looks from the outside. Now it may seem I'm being judgmental. After all, aren't we taught only God can see what's in the heart? I agree, but the Bible also teaches that God's Holy Spirit lives in us if we are followers of Christ. This gives us insight – also known as wisdom – others do not have. Nowhere in scripture does it say a man is saved by his words or actions. Jesus said, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away.” I think the problem lies in the misinterpretation of the word “fruit”. For years I associated that word with evangelism. I understood this verse to say, “If you're not winning souls, you're not saved. If you're not acting like a good Christian, you're not saved.” I've spent the majority of my life feeling like I can't meet the salvation standards. I felt like, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't change my heart. I was right. Studying Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia was an eye-opener for me. I realized that my heart didn't need a change. It is exactly the heart God needs it to be. Galatians 5:19-24 says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanliness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkeness, revelries, and the like… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” This scripture lists eighteen examples of “works of the flesh”; “and the like” tells us there are more. But it only gives nine “fruits of the Spirit”. It seems to me you have to work twice as hard to live in the flesh. In fact, according to the scripture, fruits require no work at all. Notice it labels “works” of the flesh, and “fruits” of the Spirit. All of the worldly practices require physiological action. Fruits are produced naturally within the Christian. I have to intentionally practice works of the flesh. Fruits of the spirit will be a natural - unintentional- reaction to any given situation. Because of this, I can use wise judgement to asses the people I choose to surround myself with. I'm not saying we should condemn others based on their actions. I'm simply saying we are to be mindful of who we allow to influence us. If I'm out at a restaurant with friends and the waitress gets my order wrong, my reaction will be an indicator of where my heart is spiritually. I can choose an “outburst of wrath” and demand she correct the mistake, or I could show “kindness” and “self-control” and accept the order as is. The latter would be the natural reaction of a true Christian. Don't get me wrong. There are times I become angry and say or do the wrong things. But the majority of the time, I tend to respond, unintentionally, with fruit rather than works. This is reassurance that God in fact lives in me. The Bible teaches that we will be judged by our fruit: John 15:2 “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:5-6“He who abides in me bears much fruit. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” Matthew 3:10 “Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” God is pretty serious about the fruits of the Spirit. Now there are those who argue that faith -and fruits- alone are not enough for salvation. That too is misunderstood. James 2:19 says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” This verse alone would lead you to believe there is some amount of work required to receive salvation, but James 2:21-22 says, “Was not Abraham our father not justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the alter? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” Good works is the byproduct of faith. The scripture doesn't say you have to have faith and good works. It says you can't have faith without good works. Good works are the effects of faith. Faith is the cause of good works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” This is not a contradiction to James 2. This is a reminder that salvation is a gift. It cannot be earned. It is true only God knows the heart of all men. There is however a heart that every man knows; his own. If we take time to asses ourselves, it won't take long for us to truly know whether or not the Holy Spirit is in us. Are you working hard to reach personal goals in your life? Are you striving to meet the expectations of others? Maybe you’ve created an image of good works and now realize they are not fruits. The only remedy is to accept your mistake, turn from it and let God start producing fruit in you. Dusty Peace 08-22-2017

0 notes