Valentines Day All Month ~ Day 2 ~ Provision

February 2, 2014 · Valentines Day All Month ~ Day 2 ~ Provision

Are you married to a Boaz? A man who is a wonderful provider? This is who Boaz was. All through the book of Ruth you see his character. You see amazing character traits that every man should try to emulate, but mostly you see his provision for Naomi and Ruth. I love Boaz. I love his history, which is where his character was really born. Far before the events of the book of Ruth took place, a story was being weaved; a story that is quite silent but also not silent....it just takes some digging and some bible knowledge, but it's there. ....his history began with his mother; the beautiful soul mentioned in Hebrews 11, but found in Joshua....a scarlet cord in her hand...a foreigner....a prostitute. Do you feel the weight of that? His mother....a foreign prostitute....a history no one would really want...a woman no good Israelite would want....except there was this one Israelite who did want this woman named Rahab. Nothing but his name is mentioned in scripture but nothing need be mentioned of him; this man named Salmon. His son Boaz reveals all that Salmon was. Salmon redeemed a prostitute, for his wife. He loved and cherished her; provided for her needs. He washed her stains and made her clean because he rescued her, just as Christ wants to do for you. Are you the Rahab in your marriage relationship? The shameful, rebellious one, whose character and history is very colorful? Her faith took her all the way to Hebrews 11 and Matthew 1...the great great great.....grandmother of our Lord Jesus Christ. His great great great....grandmother??? That is a story only God can weave. A story of grace, forgiveness, redemption. A story like you could have. A story you could have if you have a Salmon in your life and The Lord Jesus in your heart.


Are you the Salmon of your marriage relationship?...not much flare...nothing to really tell about you except your name in a genealogy? Sometimes a name says it all. Sometimes that is all that is needed. Sometimes just your name is mentioned because your story is so special it's reserved for heaven alone. To be told to the Saints....To be told to the curious believers who love a great story....a precious testimony. Are you called to be Salmon? The quiet one who loves, forgives, provides a sacred place of rest and acceptance to the colorful one? To the one no one wants? Will you be the Salmon who becomes such an example to his children that people associate your name with your offspring? Will you raise little Boaz boys and girls, who redeem the foreigners, provide for the widows and even their mother-in-laws...with tangible provision and emotional provision? The beacon babies? Maybe God calls you to raise a Rahab child. You can raise all your children the same and you still might get one or two who despite your care, your prayers, and your teaching, is a Rahab child. This is when it's out of your hands and it's where God weaves the tapestry....the story. The beautiful redemption story. This is where the little Salmon's of the world become the bearers of Christ's image to a dying world. A world that needs their love and care...their forgiveness and acceptance...their grace and affection. These things that Rahabs need to make it to Hebrews 11. If you are a Salmon, keep going, keep digging into God's word and tapping into his power. If you are a Rahab, you have responsibilities, too. Rahab had to change. She had to turn her back on her sinful ways. She had to take every thought captive so she wouldn't live in life-long shame. She couldn't go to the places she used to go. She couldn't see the people she used to see. She couldn't listen to things she used to listen to. After all, she had a little boy now. She had to be an example to Boaz. She had to provide also, but in a different way than her husband. She provided stability, ability to teach from her past mistakes, ability to extend what Salmon had given her, and she taught Boaz gratefulness, contentment, and faith. Her boy grew into such a man that he deserved a whole book of the Bible. In the book of Ruth you see the character traits he learned from his mom and from his dad. Read it with new eyes! No matter if you are the Rahab or the Salmon, or a mixture of the two, make sure you provide well, from what God has given you! References: Joshua 1 and 6 Ruth 1-4 Matthew 1 Hebrews 11

Valentines Day All Month ~ Day 5 ~ Gentile Soldier

February 5, 2014 · Valentines Day All Month ~ Day 5 ~ Gentile Soldier


We are all Gentiles unless born as Israelites, but there is a uniqueness in the Gentile Soldier. Even more-so the believing, washed-in-the-blood, redeemed, righteous, Gentile Soldier. Rewind 2000 odd years...imagine a brown and green sandy shore, palm trees and ugly olive trees scattered around, walled houses of the town in front of you, fishermen, boats and nets, and the Sea of Galilee behind you. Capernaum. An Israelite man, the Word wrapped in flesh, wearing sandals and a robe, enters the town. He's greeted by Jewish elders sent by the Roman soldier. The Centurion. The one said later, to be the greatest in faith in Israel. The Gentile. The Jews hate him. He only has a few Jewish friends....the ones he sent to Jesus, even though he's done much for the Jews. He's a delegator. He has a hundred men under him. He's busy. Plus, he has this problem that's stressing him out. His servant, who he regards highly (listen...he respects those lower than he...he respects a slave), is sick and close to death. He sends his Jewish friends to Jesus. Why didn't he go himself? There's three reasons, plus a bonus reason. They unlock why he was the greatest in faith in Israel, but not only that: the reason any soldier is great, or becomes great....

Number 1: the soldier knew that he had to multitask. He needed to use his time wisely. He needed to maximize what had been given him. So he delegated. He shows wisdom, commitment, maturity, stewardship of his resources, responsibility, and fore-thought. All Of these qualities make up a great soldier.

Number two: He sent his Jewish friends, so that it would not cause a ruckus in the presence of Jesus, since Jesus was likely on his way to the Jewish synagogue...if he had gone himself, it would have caused an uproar because he was hated by most of the Jews. This would have prolonged the healing of his slave-friend. Again, the soldier shows tactful thinking, logical reasoning. He's smart. More great qualities in a soldier.

And number three, the exact reason (if you've ever wondered) why this soldier was said to have the greatest faith in all of Israel: this man knew that he didn't need to be present to have his orders carried out, JUST LIKE Jesus didn't need to be present to heal his slave. It only took faith. And not just plain ole faith. This was faith from a roman gentile who had no religious or Christian upbringing. He was just like many of us.


If these things aren't enough to blow your mind, there's also this tidbit tucked away in Luke 7: he didn't come to Jesus himself, because he felt he didn't deserve to be in the presence of his Lord. He demonstrated a humility not often seen in soldiers. Even though he had a hundred men UNDER him, he knew there was still authority OVER him. He lived humbly under the Lordship of Christ. He carried out his duties with honor. He surrounded himself with men (the Jewish elders that he had befriended) who could teach him. He wasn't above being taught. He wasn't below giving orders. He led with competence but lived under Lordship. Not only this but think about it: why would any of us feel we don't deserve to be in the presence of Christ? Maybe there was some shame behind him. Maybe there was some sin behind him that made him feel he didn't deserve to be near his savior. Maybe he didn't quite know his identity yet, but I can guarantee you that if he had been Moses, I doubt he'd need to be asked to remove his sandals at the burning bush. Just saying.


And one last quality of this great man: He HAD a servant but he WAS ONE! He served Christ by helping to build the synagogue in Capernaum. We don't know if he literally helped build it with his hands or if he donated money for it to be built. If he donated money it was probably anonymously done. Wow! No wonder Jesus said in the hearing of self-righteous Jews and hypocritical Pharisees, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." While he likely mopped the brow of his servant-friend fretting over his life, and dare we imagine: probably changing his bedpan and bedding, he lived out Jesus's words without even knowing it...."Whoever does something for the least of these, does it for me", said Jesus. 'Last will be first'...'Least will be greatest'... 'God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud'.... ........God gives grace to the humble...... I daresay.....God in human flesh probably gave a lot of grace that day in Capernaum. He healed a soldier's servant-friend....AND....told him he had the greatest faith in all of Israel.... And maybe....just maybe that Centurion had killed Christians in the past....maybe he had been a carouser.....a drunkard....greedy.....an idol worshipper....HE WAS SOMETHING....SOME KIND OF SINNER LIKE WE ALL ARE..... God gives grace to the humble.... <3 References: Luke 7:1-10 Note: The story is also told in Matthew 8:5-13, to which it is written that the Centurion did go to Christ himself. This is not a contradiction but a difference in how it was written and why, by each author: In dealing with the messengers Jesus was dealing with the centurion. Matthew wrote to Jews, so he emphasized the gentile man's faith. Luke wrote to Gentiles so he emphasized the good relationship between the Jewish friends and the Centurion, trying to highlight the need for barriers to be broken down (racial, ethnic, and social barriers). It's also good to remember that Luke is known for his more detailed writing than any of the other gospel writers. Hope that makes sense. :)