What do you think of when you think of the life of the guards at Buckingham palace? I think of routines, regimentation and precision. My life has turned into a very rigid routine. When I wake up, the morning routine is taking a very carefully calibrated steroid and anti-seizure medication. I have some freedom for the rest of morning after taking my medications, but at 2:00 pm my routines start all over. I take an anti-nausea medication at 2:00 p.m., and from this point on until 5:00 p.m. I can only drink water. At 3:00 pm I take my chemo pill.
The next part of the routine is a 10 minute trip to Mayo for my treatment and various appointments. I check in to the radiation waiting room, and between 3:45-4:00 pm. I am taken back for radiation. They put a mask on me that is like a hockey goal tenders mask. I climb on a table, and they radiate my brain. How long do you think radiation lasts? It is surprisingly short. It seems no longer than 5 minutes most days.
After radiation I head home for my night time ritual of medications. Because of the steroids, I am very hungry, and I am eating like a bear and gaining weight. I’m into the 190’s now. My son jokes with me and says I’m getting into nose tackle weight range! I am happy that I am being weaned off the steroids. I have one more week at 1mg of steroids. This should help with my voracious appetite and my difficulty sleeping.
Prayer Requests:
I have started to experience some pain in my knees and ankles, and strangely, it is not consistent. It makes me feel just a little wobbly on my feet. Pray that this pain goes away.
I am still not getting great sleep through the night. Pray for consistent, long periods of sleep at night.
Routines and Your Relationship with God: I’m not usually a routine kind of guy. I am spontaneous and kind of make things up as I go each day. In this season, I have learned the value of routines. Here’s a few thoughts on routines and our relationship with God.
God doesn’t want a routine relationship with you, but routines can help you have a great relationship with God. If prayer and reading the Bible and going to church just become a box you check on your things to do list, then you’ve missed the point of the routine. Routines can be meaningful moments of meeting with God to worship Him, to pour out your heart to Him, to learn the promises and commands of His Word. But if we’re not careful, routines can turn into boring “have to’s” that don’t help us have a relationship with God.
Matthew 15:7-8
You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying:
8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.
What God wants most is your heart. Whatever routine helps you connect with God, feel closer to God is the right routine. There is no one size fits all routine for intimacy with God. I have a friend who takes walks in nature which helps him meet with God. Others meet with God through listening to worship music. I don’t do devotionals books, but if that works for you great. I use the Lord’s Prayer to guide my time with God. I start with praising God. I worship Him for who He is. I hallow his name. I spend time thanking him for my daily bread and all his blessings in my life. Routines aren’t bad as long as they don’t turn into ruts!!
Imagine someone two hundred years from now reading these words, “That ice around your neck is so cool!!
Two hundred years from now, how would someone reading the words “ice” interpret the word? Is ice a liquid that is frozen solid and being worn for decorative purposes around people’s necks for cooling purposes? How would they know what “ice” is referring to? They would have to study the usage of the word in the 21st century and make sure they didn’t impose their understanding of the word “ice” two hundred years later on the word “ice” way back in our day. We all know that “ice” worn around someone’s neck in the 21st century is a reference to a diamond.
Context controls the meaning of words. The cultural context in which the original word was used is what determines meaning, right? So Paul’s use of grace is determined by how the word group grace and gift (charis, dorea, dorema, charisma) is used in the 1st century, not by 16th century reformers or present day theological systems that are protecting atheology of grace! Grace (gift) was a common, ordinary word in the 1st century that had no special theological significance and Paul used the vocabulary of the day.
Think of grace as the glue that helped the poor survive. Life in1st century Greek, Roman and Jewish societies was a struggle for one’s daily bread. You did favors for others with the expectation of return when you might need help. It was all about storing up good will for when you were hungry or in need. Grace was insurance that you wouldn’t starve to death.
Grace was circular in nature meaning it was like throwing a ball back and forth. There was a continuous back and forth of favors done that held society together in tough times. Gifts came with an expectation of reciprocity! The gift came with obligation. You might call this expectation “strings attached” or “quid pro quo.” Sometimes the only strings attached are a response of gratitude or honor given to the giver of the gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Is it possible that we have messed up grace and missed the real meaning of grace? Could it be that we have imposed 16th century or 21 century theological ideas of unmerited favor, unconditional gifts that is far from what grace meant in the 1st century?
Sometimes when we seek to define a word, we push the word to an extreme excluding all possible meanings of the word except one. I call this killing the frog in order to study the frog. Words can have a range of meaning, not just one meaning. I’ll confess that I have killed the frog of grace by making grace one dimensional. I would passionately and persuasively argue that grace ceases to be grace if you add any conditions to it, but I was wrong. Grace doesn’t always mean “unmerited favor”! It doesn’t always mean “free gift”. For example look at the verses below.
1 Corinthians 16:3…your charis (financial gift) to Jerusalem
Romans 1:7charis (favor or generosity) to you and peace from God our Father
2 Corinthians 9:15charis (thanks) be to God for his indescribable gift
John Barclay came along and opened my eyes to 1st century context for grace. He exposed a major blindspot in how scholars and preachers were interpreting the term grace (charis). We should be wary of imposing our assumptions about gifts on other people or other periods of time, and we should operate with an open mind, since modern, Western construals of gift are by no means inherently “right.” (p. 4) If the 1st century context means anything, then Grace comes with expectation and obligation. The circular nature of grace which has obligation and reciprocity sets off theological chain reactions. For instance, read 1 Peter 2:24
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
The cross comes with the expectation and obligation to live for what is right. The cross is not a free gift that we can choose whether or not we want to take it up and follow Jesus. 2 Cor 8:1-13 is a good example Paul urging the Corinthians to reciprocate generosity because of the gift of Christ. Paul doesn’t command the reciprocity but seems to appeal to a sense of obligation stemming from Christ’s generosity to humans
John Barclay is profound when he says, “The grace of God is unconditioned (without prior consideration of worth) but not unconditional, if we mean by that the noncircular perfection of grace that expects nothing in return. Grace, for Paul, is not a gift from a disengaged benefactor who would rather be left alone; it is not a donation “with no strings attached.” to the contrary:” (p. 73)
Let’s get grace right! When we present the gospel, let’s not promise them something that God doesn’t promise them. The gift comes with expectations of obedience, of holiness. of living for what is right. I really love Romans 1:4 we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake. NASB
This week was week 2 out 6 weeks of radiation and chemo treatments. All went well except for the MRI scanner broke down on Thursday, which means I had to miss radiation. They can’t do radiation if they can’t find my brain with MRI. So they add an additional day to the end of my treatment, which will now be November 8th. I’m hoping for no more delays or extensions of my treatment into November. After radiation and chemo, the brain needs time for swelling to go down so they can accurately assess how effective the treatment is being in killing the cancer. I am supposed to have four weeks off from chemo and radiation after my last treatment. Pray that there are no more technology, mechanical delays. Over the Thanksgiving holidays I want to be able to visit my dad in Madison, Mississippi as well as celebrate Thanksgiving with family in Baton Rouge, LA if all goes according to plan.
Out of the blue my voice started sounding raspy. It started to sound like it sounded when I came out of my brain surgery after being intubated, but it has been over a month since since my brain surgery. If you are familiar the Clint Eastwood Movie, Grand Torino, he is a grumpy old man who doesn’t like his neighbors. We called my new voice my Clint Eastwood “Get off my lawn Dragon Lady voice” voice. I have a little infection in my throat that can be a side-effect from chemo. They prescribed some antibiotic lozenges that have worked very well.
My appetite and energy remain strong. I am still able to work from home. I am the Academic Dean of the Awakening School of Theology. We have 1300 online students who are in their fall semester that we serve, and we are gearing up for enrollment to begin in November for our Spring 2022 semester. Needless to say, there is plenty to do, and I love what I get to do. I love the people that I get to work with at Awakening. I’m very excited about some great new initiatives that I’ll be leading in the School of Theology.
I’m writing a book that is taking the research from my doctoral work on the gospel and making it more accessible on a popular level. The working title of the book is: The Gospel of More: The gospel is more of Jewish Journey than a Romans Road. This week I finished up my last chapter, “The Gospel is More than the Cross”. It is the cross and resurrection, but resurrection really only gets talked about one week out of the year at Easter, but it needs to be talked about every time the gospel is talked about.
There are no coincidences. If you know Wayne Austin, then you know what I may say next. He has faithfully reached out to me after my surgery and ongoing cancer treatment. For those of you who don’t know, many in Baton Rouge calle him Pappa. He is a spiritual Father, a Godly man, who pastors many pastors and people. He is loves the Word and loves people. He is known for wise sayings like this when we people encounter trials, “We face facts, but we hold on with faith and believe the Father. He is also known for saying we need to have a “Third Day Mentality”. That’s having a resurrection mentality. Resurrection and power go together. Resurrection is the power source for our life in Christ.
Ephesians 1:19-20and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Philippians 3:10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Pappa knows what is talking about! In a text he sent to me he said these profound words, “There is a level beyond resurrection. It is His life living in and through us that is resurrection power.” This is Galatians 2:20 truth!
I’m so thankful for each and every one of you that pray for me and Team Phelps. I pray for you as well that you will have a Third Day Mentality and live out God’s resurrection power on a daily basis! King Jesus wants to reign in and through you in everything you say and do. (Romans 5:17)
Let’s be wise builders who build our lives on the Word of God (Matthew 7:24-27) and seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) above all else in this world. Think of the Bible as the Constitution of the Kingdom of God.
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 NIV
I love my country. We live in such a great country where dreams can come true through hard work. These powerful and poignant words attached to Statue that welcomed immigrants to this country. These open arms produced a great nation.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
and her nameMother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes comman
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries sheWith silent lips.
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Sounds alot like Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
COMPASSION: This term in Greek literally means bowels. It means at the deepest part of Jesus, his guts were torn up, twisted up because of how much he hurt for those experiencing hardship, who were scattered and faint.
I’M CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF COMPASSION OF CHRIST FOLLOWERS AND CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD! 4000 people under a bridge on the border of Texas, and many Christians could care less and were even condemning and angry at these poor people hoping for a better life in our great country. Let’s apply the Word of God and Kingdom values to borders of our country. Hear the heart of Jesus and what matters to Jesus and maybe even what makes him mad. It seems to make Jesus mad when Christians don’t care for the hurting and faint among us.
Matthew 25:41-45 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to
Throughout this judgment scene it is made clear that the service of the lowly, the insignificant, the unimportant in this world’s eyes is in the last resort the test of discipleship. To fail this test is sheer calamity.Leon Morris The Gospel According to Matthew p. 641
FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WHAT DO YOU DO WITH JESUS’ WORDS ABOVE IN MATTHEW 25??? Now take a look at the heart of God again but these words are from the Old Testament.
33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 NASBI included the New Living Translation to make sure the meaning of Leviticus 19:33-34 is as clear as possible in our current culture.
33 “Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. 34 Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 NLT
WHAT CAUSED THIS LACK OF COMPASSION? The compassion of the King and the Kingdom has been replaced by fear and scarcity mentality.
I see posts like the ones below regularly from mature, Godly men and women that I respect: The following are a couple of recent post regarding the the 4000 people under the bridge in Texas. Is there fear in these posts?
Facebook Post #1: Just as a husband who loves his wife and a father who loves his children will stand between them and an intruder, these brave men and women understand that simple, common sense principle. The intruder nor the beggar is hated but a boundary of safety must exist or chaos will prevail. Thank you Lord for courageous and dedicated officers who are willing to put their very lives on the line to protect us all!
Facebook Post #2: Somehow, it’s no problem that millions of people tearing across the border illegally with satchels of God knows what–drugs? Weapons? Soup? Who knows? And some bringing children–are they theirs? Are they trafficking? Kidnapping? “Borrowing” so in case they get caught they’re immediately released? Who knows?
Can you smell the fear? What would cause these 1000’s of people to take these kinds of risks? Women and children risking their lives to get to the border. Haitians living in great poverty trying to get to the promised land. Here’s what I know about the majority of these people. These are the people that will take jobs that very few Americans want or are willing to take. These are the maids. These are the roofers in 100 degree heat putting roofs on houses. These are the people in meat packing plants. These are dishwashers and cooks in restaurants. I in no want to denigrate any of these jobs.
To be perfectly clear, I’m not advocating for open borders. Every single alien, stranger trying to get into this country should be thoroughly back ground checked. The vast majority of these people are people fleeing poverty and gangs and looking for a better life. Are there some criminals in the crowd? Most likely! Could there be drug smugglers or human traffickers among them? Yes. Could there even be terrorist among them? Yes. I’m all for thorough background checks! But I am advocating for compassion and concern for the least of these and increasing the numbers of immigrants we allow into this country. More importantly I want Bible based and kingdom shaped values that guide the hearts and minds of those who follow King Jesus. Are your views based on what the Bible says?
GOD’S WORD IS SO BLUNT! SO PLAIN AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR! Literally hundreds of times we are told FEAR NOT! DO NOT BE AFRAID!! One of my favorite writers on the spiritual life, Dallas Willard, said, “The Kingdom of Gods is a perfectly safe place to be.”
Luke 12:5-7 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
It’s very important that we define what the kingdom of God is and is not.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
When we say Jesus Christ, we are saying, “Jesus the King”. Christ comes from the Greek word Christos which mean anointed one. Christ is not Jesus’ last name. No one ever called Jesus, “Mr. Christ”. Christ is an honorific title for Jesus like Augustus was an honorific title for Caesar Augustus.
Kingdom is NOT some vague general concept of God’s will getting done on earth. It is more than God’s sovereignty and social justice. It is about a rule and realm, a people and place. A King without a place and a people isn’t much of a king.
Kingdom has always been about a people and a place. First, King Yahweh called Adam & Eve to be fruitful and multiply and to reign and rule with with him. The rule of Gods through a people passes through Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and his family—Isaac (Genesis 17:6), Jacob (Genesis 35:10-11), Judah (Genesis 49:10). The nation of Israel is described as a kingdom of priests in Exodus 19:5-6. Jesus came to create a community, a people who would express and embody the rule of God among themselves showing the kingdom of God in action. (Matthew 16:18)The gospel is about king and kingdom as seen in Colossians 1:12-13.
We all as Christ followers have a role to play in being the church. When we live out the one another’s of the Bible, the world sees the kingdom in action. We are not human doings. We are human beings. When the church just “BE’s”, we are being renewal to a world that has rebelled and rejected Christ as their king. The church is the people and place over which king Jesus rules. We, the body of Christ, the family of God are to embody and express the values of the kingdom!
WHEN KINGDOM AND COUNTRY CONFLICT: Unfortunately I have to address this conflict. What do we do when the laws of the Kingdom conflict with the laws of land?
Exodus 1:15-17 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see themupon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. The Hebrew midwives disobeyed the laws of the land to obey God’s law. God’s law and kingdom values is, ” Human lives are more important than laws.”
Joshua 2:5-6 They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” 6 (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out. NLT The King of Jericho asks Rahab where the spies are. She lies in order to protect the lives of the spies. She obeyed God rather the king of Jericho. Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1)and the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11. Evidently Yahweh approves of her lies to protect the spies. There are times when absolute commands to be good citizens conflict the commands to be good citizens of God’s Kingdom.
The laws of the Kingdom supersede the laws of the land. When country and kingdom conflict, the citizens of the kingdom must follow their true king. I can hear you objecting and screaming, but what about Romans 13?
Romans 13:1-2 Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
Context is everything in interpreting Romans 13. Rome is a world power and oppresses through brutal imposition of its power. Caesars are actually described as gods, as saviors and are worshipped. Paul is slyly being very subversive with his words. He is subtly saying to the superpower of his day, “God is more powerful than you. God is in charge, not you!” Romans 13 is not a blanket endorsement of all government. Romans 13 is not saying that Christians should obey brutal dictators like Nero or Hitler!
All discussion and dialogue is welcome as long as it Bible based! The constitution of the kingdom of God is the Word of God. It is important to base your views upon the Bible. Disagreement is welcomed as long as you back it up with the Bible.
