He Came With a Sword

Wednesday, September 3, 2026

“I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how it consumes me until it is finished! Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.  From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.  They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”  Luke 12:49-53

The “sword” that Jesus brought with him in the first century was not made of tempered steel or iron; rather it was the dividing line of an offer to stand with Him, or against Him.  And the dividing line is so sharp, just as a lethal blade can slice anything in its path, this dividing ideology of for Jesus, or against Jesus impacts eternity for whichever side an individual chooses.

To say that humanity is somewhat divided is to miss reality by light years.  Have you listened to a political debate or newscast lately?  Read the daily reports of crime and violence, or check the statistics on divorce, and even children seeking emancipation from their parents.  And the major reaction from any generation to a former generation’s ideas is the eyeroll that proclaims a definitive statement, did the asylum give you a day pass?

Now that division which Jesus came to bring is not simply generational arrogance.  Rather it is the starting point for any discussion of theology.  To be on board in Scriptural understanding, we must first settle who is in charge; is it the latest fad of cultural bias, old time religion that grandma said, a denominational booklet of do’s and don’ts, or is it the Creator, Lord of Heaven’s host, Son of God, the everlasting King of Kings and Lord of Lords? 

In this text recorded by Dr. Luke, Jesus said He came to bring that division; He claimed HE is in charge of the universe and everything (and person) in it.  That is the meaning of “LORD”!  Forget the earthly “lordship” of kings and land barons, this is THE LORD of time, space and eternity.  He created it all, and has the deed and title, signed, sealed and delivered, from in the beginning!

So, it was this LORD who decided there would be a dividing line.  Now remember, Jesus said He brought the division with Him; He did NOT say He wanted to divide people.  It’s just that when there is a yes and no, up or down, right or left, people will make their choices; that is where the division originates, in the minds and hearts of people.  Jesus was bringing light to the pathway of making the right choice, which is to open your heart and let Him shine that light on the sins anyone has still lodged in their hardened hearts.

For You Today

With His own blood, Jesus offered the free gift of redemption, the forgiveness of all our sins.  Have you made the choice to receive that forgiveness?  That’s important, because there is coming a day when the opportunity to make choices will come to an end.  On that day Christ will come with the sword of judgment for unforgiven sins – those for which you didn’t kneel and confess, and Jesus washed you clean. 

This is what Jesus said that next moment in eternal history will look like:

 A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty.  Revelation 19:15

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title and Other Image by    Roger Casco from Pixabay

Unless noted, Scripture quotes The Christian Standard Bible^© 

 

 

 

Hope Renewed

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love.  He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.  So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.  It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.  How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.  Amen.  1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

A friend who, with her husband, is facing a mountain of medical problems recently shared how, even though she and her husband have faith that is strong, there are valleys of fear the enemy throws in their way.  I know how she feels, and so do you.  We can say that without shame or embarrassment, because one of the pillars of the New Testament fathers, apostle Paul, shared the same, being greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering.  That encouragement came as Timothy brought news of the Thessalonian believer’s faith “standing firm” which renewed his hopes for their strong witness.  Paul said that good news was like new life.  Paul’s faith is unquestioned, yet the “wear and tear” of years on the road battling human and spiritual opposition do take their toll. 

The apostle’s reaction, having his hope renewed, led to an outburst of joy that he might soon see those dear friends and be able to contribute (filling in the gaps of their faith). 

In this we stand certain…strong faith in Christ is what renews hope in hard times.  And with hope renewed for the downtrodden, oppressed, and marginalized, the result is greater vision for a future of God’s blessing.  This is what the church stands for, not building bigger sanctuaries, larger attendances, better programs, and slicker organizations; the church stands for the hope of Christ in each of us[1], a testament to the marvelous grace extended to all who, though unworthy, are willing to bend a knee at the cross.  It is the message of forgiveness and love, born in Heaven, fleshed-out on Calvary’s hill, and celebrated with every breath in those who have received Christ.

For You Today 

If you’re facing trouble of any sort, and any size, don’t manage it by yourself.  Just as my friend shared with her community, keep engaged with those of strong faith; it is there you will be in a perfect place to find your hope renewed.  And with that hope renewed and shared to others, you just might start an explosion of faith!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

Deception's Farce

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus.  They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition?  For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”  Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?  For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’  But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you.  For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’  In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.  And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.  You hypocrites!  Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,  ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”  Matthew 15:1-9

If your first thought after reading this exchange between Jesus and his detractors was how Jesus never answered their question, you may have the same problem they did.  The Pharisees and Scribes were nitpickers, focusing like a laser-rocket on tiny details, rather than the larger picture.  But that was not their main problem; secretly, they were more committed to their agenda than getting at the truth.  Jesus had been teaching people how to love and honor God.  The critical committee was “concerned” the disciples might have a germ on their hands when eating.  To the uninformed listener, or someone who bought-into the Pharisees’ authority and credentials, it may have sounded like high-holy righteousness.  However, Jesus saw through their deceit; they were trying to find enough fault to pick him and his teachings apart.  Jesus rebuked them by showing their hypocrisy.

There is a particularly ludicrous form of that deceptive hypocrisy in the culture of the 21^st century.  It is the nit-picking (so-called) “spirituality” of those who have never truly knelt at the foot of the cross and experienced the forgiveness of Christ’s love.  Among the leaders of such are those who came close to the faith, but turned and walked-away.  Having a glimpse of salvation’s glory (and cost), they must self-validate their empty decision to reject the Lord of Glory by tearing his followers apart.  I have seen it too many times to miss this…the most vehement of those who would destroy the Kingdom’s grace in others are those who would never kneel to the Lordship of He who came to forgive and save.  Like the Pharisees, they say they serve the cause of good, but their hearts have fingers crossed behind their backs.

For You Today 

If you have recognized yourself in this, from either side of being guilty, or the target of the guilty, there is only one response…forgiveness.  Offer forgiveness freely if you’ve been attacked; pray for forgiveness if you’ve blundered enough to be the attacker.  Living a life of eternal truth is to destroy every last bit of hypocrisy that wants to eat your soul alive.  Anything less is a deceptive farce; it certainly isn’t worship!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

When Moses Sat at the Well

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work.  During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews.  After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.  The next day, when Moses went out to visit his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting.  “Why are you beating up your friend?” Moses said to the one who had started the fight.  The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge?  Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?”  Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Everyone knows what I did.”  And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses.  But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian.  When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down beside a well.  Exodus 2:11-15

Even people with a marginal connection with church and Scripture know of Moses’ great events, dividing the waters, getting more water to gush from a rock, the Ten Commandments, and so-on.  But today’s text takes us back to long-before the hero stuff. 

The context is that Moses has just found out his true heritage is Hebrew, not Egyptian.  When, at age 40, you find out your whole history has been hidden from you, it’s bound to produce a crisis, filled with poor knee-jerk reaction choices.  For the one chosen by God to lead Israel out of bondage, that is an understatement.  Before he even begins to understand the culture from which he was bred, Moses begins to use the power-tactics of Egyptian taskmasters to right the wrongs of Egyptian domination…killing, threats, and totalitarian bondage.  He was wrong.

As a result, Moses finds himself banished to the wilderness.  He arrives at Midian and sits down at the well, where he meets Zipporah, whom he eventually marries, and it leads him to all the hero-stuff when he starts doing things God’s way. 

But, for this moment, let’s look down the deep well where Moses was sitting.  It wasn’t a new age reflecting pool…this was a life-giving watering hole for sheep.  But for Moses it was the needed rest from fleeing Pharoah’s threats.  We can only imagine the thoughts running through Moses’ mind as he looks down the hole:

·       Oh…I’ve really messed it up!

·       Life will never be the same.

·       What was I thinking?

In all transparency, this is exactly what I have said at times.  In retrospect, each time I’ve gone to that well, it was always after a period of failing to do things God’s way.   And I think that is always God’s way…He leads us through the wilderness of wondering to give us time to pray, understand our wrong direction, and repent.  That took 40 more years for Moses, but at the end, the bush burned brightly, and he learned to say:  thus saith the Lord, instead of, listen to me! 

As with Robert Frost’s poem about two roads diverging in a yellow forest, Moses eventually took the one less traveled by, and that…made all the difference.

For You Today 

For any of us who truly admits what we find when we stare down the well of our history, the road less-traveled is always God’s way.  In our disobedience we find He dips into the cool, life-giving water, and offers us a better way.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Searching for JOY - Part 5

Thursday, June 29, 2023

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart . You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.  Philippians 1:6-7

Being assured of some things in life is a necessity.  Without a certain amount of confidence you cannot function like God intended.  What are you absolutely certain about?  Death and taxes?  Government corruption?  Long Sunday sermons? 

What really important things are you certain about?  You know, stuff that will still matter a hundred years from now.  Paul was convinced about salvation.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

Are you that certain of heaven?  If you are, let me remind you that heaven is a place better than any other – and it's yours!  Listen, if that doesn't produce genuine joy in your soul, your joy bone is broken!

There's a certain joy about participating together in kingdom work.  There is a camaraderie that develops when people work together.  Now, there’s no doubt that you can certainly experience cooperative spirit and a family atmosphere in your job, civic work, or helping a neighbor.  But, there is nothing better than kingdom work, sharing in God's vineyard.  The reason is that we not only participate together, we participate together in the grace of God.

This letter to the Philippians:

·       is a call to the community of faith (away from our isolation);

·       it is a call to self-denying serving (away from our selfish ways);

·       it is a call to standing for Christ-likeness and Godly living (despite today's pluralistic trends)…

·       it is a call to respect and cooperation between men and women of God, and all persons – a partnership in the gospel. 

·       and it is, thankfully, a call away from Mudville – a place of no joy, into the matchless joy of the Kingdom of God. 

And there we would find our purpose, our peace, our prayers in partnership, our persuasion, our participation in the gospel, and our joy ...real joy!

For You Today 

Let’s end our time today with a prayer:

Father, often we are so flat and joyless.  That’s so different than what Jesus told his first disciples…that he had come and shared with them so that his joy would be in them, and their joy would be complete. 

Jesus, talk to us like that; place your joy in us – fill us so that it’s bubbling-up from within, and running all over anybody we meet. 

We pray in the Name of the Father, Because of the Son, Cooperating with the Spirit…Amen!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Searching for JOY - Part 4

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.  Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  

Philippians 1:2-3

We left off yesterday with discovering a sense of purpose for your life.  That is an intregal step to experiencing the joy of peace through prayer.

Here is a marriage Paul performed - the words grace and peace.  Grace is the Greek word, peace is the Hebrew.  The order is theological; grace comes first (from God’s forgiveness), and then the gift of peace follows, flooding our soul with joy. 

If we read our times correctly, many people are looking for peace, but are looking in all the wrong places. 

·       Politicians negotiate treaties, supposing that peace is the result. 

·       We look to police to keep the peace (their title is "peace officer"), supposing that legal order passes for inner peace (joy). 

·       The popularity of drugs shows us the craving for peace, as people attempt to gain escape velocity from the war (within and without) by getting high for a few hours. 

The high that is really needed is grace.  You cannot experience peace until you've known God’s grace; both are a gift from God.  There can never be a friendship with God, peace that passes understanding, until there is a settlement of the wages of sin.  The joy of peace comes after the gift of grace through the cross.  The order is important.  Peace comes after the grace.  That is the prelude to having joy when you pray, because prayer can never be heard in Heaven by those who have not settled the sin issue first.

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.  Philippians 1.4-5 

The Philippian church had been faithful.  Their gifts, prayers, and encouragement had followed and undergirded Paul throughout his ministry.  It is wonderful to have faithful people who love you, and whom you can count on in the lean times to lift you in prayer to the Father. 

For Paul it was like watching his children grow up and outdo him.  My father came to all my high school football games.  Both Mom and Dad were there at all the important times in my life.  In a way only a person who knows he's loved can understand, I do understand that they rooted for me to be everything God wants me to be.  And they kept me in prayer daily; joy does that.

For You Today 

That’s the partnership in the gospel – the joy of casting your prayers with those you love and work with in Christ’s mission.  Paul's partnership with the Philippian church was joyfully connected at the prayer-joint.  Theirs was a partnership of prayer.  Frankly, there is no other way to serve Him.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

BOLD Moments

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.  

Hebrews 4:14-16

I’ve never really been into daredevil stuff.  When I was young, I had little problem walking away from one of those “step across this line” challenges.  To this day, I’m not certain whether it was fear or wisdom.  In retrospect I’m thinking it was probably fear and the grace of God; wisdom was not my strong suit!  The sole tussle I got involved with was not by choice; one of my classmates jumped on my back during outside recess.  We were only third graders, so it wasn’t exactly an epic struggle to the death.  I can laugh about it now, but I still can recall thinking when that boy wrestled me to the ground:  Armageddon is here; I’m gonna die!

I can recall other fear-filled moments.  There was that time I was lost in the woods as a young boy, fearing I’d get eaten by a lion.  It was in the early evening and the darkness approached.  Of course the only lion on Long Island was in a  zoo, but you never know…!  There was also that time when I had just turned sixteen, gotten my driver’s license, and begged my Dad to let me drive his brand-new station wagon, his pride and joy, over to my best friend, Gene’s house to show.  I stayed too long, enjoying the newfound freedom.  In the dusk I never saw that old Plymouth coming…he creamed the left side of Dad’s new car. 

The thought of facing Dad, brought musings on how one could emigrate to Mars or Jupiter.  It wasn’t about boldly going where no man had been; more like preserving life and limb.  In the end, my Dad was kind, and the story had a good ending.  (Stay tuned for tomorrow’s devotion, and I’ll share it there).

Close calls with death in the wood’s growing darkness, or a third-grade playground war, or facing Dad with a marred rear fender panel cause us, even the youngest among us, to think about consequences.  That’s not a bad thing.  All of us need to have that thought, at least on the back burner, if not closer at hand.  Offending the laws of nature, or a playground bully’s space, or facing a Father’s wrath really should enter our thoughts; it is such that develop the wisdom of living a more righteous life, being a blessing, rather than a boil on humanity’s skin. 

And that brings up the main point about such thoughts:

Our Heavenly Father loves you more than his new station wagon!

And when that is firmly placed in your mind’s computer, your spiritual hard-drive, there is every reason to believe what Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians about coming boldly into God’s very throne room.  For those who enter the presence of God, fully-knowing their offenses, there is no condemnation from the Father, only the mercy of forgiveness and restoration. 

For You Today 

Facing the author and creator of the universe and life may seem like the last thing you’d want to be bold about.  But the trust you exhibit as you take the first step in that door to His love, is just the first evidence of how wise you’ve become!  It’s then you’ll hear those words, well-done, faithful one!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

            Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Chester's Prayer  and  When It Hurts So Much      

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©