Lick...and a Promise Theology

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.  Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates?  Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live?  But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  

Joshua 24:14-15

When you move from one part of the country to another you find colloquial sayings you’ve never before encountered.  My family experienced that nearly 50 years ago when we moved from suburban New York to rural Florida.  We had barely moved-into the parsonage, when Jean, a church member, brought us a paper bag full of her garden’s greens.  She said to Elizabeth:  It’s not much, but you can probably make a mess out of it.  My bride smiled and thanked Jean.  Her expression told me she didn’t have a clue why she was expected to make a mess with food.  To tell the truth, I wasn’t quite sure either.  A new pastoral family walks on thin ice with local customs, sayings, and other sacred cows. 

A lick-and-a-promise is one of those wonderment sayings.  Loosely defined, the “lick” is something of a half-hearted attempt to tidy-up some mess, and the promise is…well…something of an intention to do a better job later.

So, preacher, how does that have anything to do with what Joshua told the Israelites when they were about to cross the Jordan River?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  To explain choose today whom you will serve in the vernacular of Jean’s bag of greens, Joshua was telling the people of God that the moment they step in the Jordan’s waters it was time to leave lick-and-a-promise theology behind.  If you’re entering the Promised Land, you do so wholeheartedly!

When it comes to the New Life Christ offers, there’s no room for lick-and-a-promise thinking.  Here is a short-list of examples: 

·       Hope-so salvation.  Hoping is no substitute for faith

·       Now-I-lay-me-down-to-sleep prayers don’t cut it in the emergency room

·       Church on Easter and Christmas falls short of God’s holiness

·       Good News, unspoken to family, friends, or neighbors is spritual gluttony

Short-lists are somewhat like a lick-and-a-promise, but you get the idea.  God wants all of us, not the little bit we can fit-in before running off to do what really interests us. 

For You Today 

As Joshua told the assembled new nation of Israel, choosing to serve God means it would be better to do this one thing to the utmost of your strength, and be worn-out doing it, than a thousand other things that please you.  You don’t worship with a lick-and-a-promise, and then run out to the playground.

That’s what Jesus meant when he answered the Pharisee’s question about what God expects:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  Matthew 22:37-38

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^©   

God Bless America

 

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.  Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates?  Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live?  But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”       Joshua 24:14-15

For those of us who look at history as the unfolding of God's plan and purpose, the winds of nations rushing toward a collision course with disaster are unmistakable.  No nation (especially a powerful and greatly-blessed nation) exists for its own glory; or to carry out its own plans.  The greatness of our (or any) country depends on the adherence of the people to the principles of righteousness and faith toward God. 

Long ago, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, Richard C. Halverson said:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government.  It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury.  From that moment on the majority always votes for candidates promising the most benefits from the Public Treasury...with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.  That dictatorship may be disguised in the form of a multi-trillion dollar national deficit. 

The average of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence:  From bondage to spiritual faith – From spiritual faith to great courage – From courage to liberty - From liberty to abundance - From abundance to selfishness – From selfishness to complacency - From complacency to apathy – From apathy to dependence – From dependence back into bondage."

It would be ridiculous for anyone to say we do not fit this pattern.  We have travelled far down the road from the courage and unselfishness of our Revolutionary forefathers, to the present day with its' "entitlement mentality".  We, as in all generations past, face the constant threat of judgments, both natural and spiritual. 

Joshua took over the leadership of God's people when Moses’ time was done.  He led a bunch of former slaves over Jordan to conquer Palestine.  They had come out of the bondage of Egypt to become the people of God, wealthy, powerful, feared, and respected by every nation on earth.  It was the hand of God that gave Israel everything, just as it was the hand of God that formed the land of the free and home of the brave. 

We sing "God Bless America", and chills run up and down our spines.  Some tremble out of a nostalgic sentiment.  We simply wish for the "way it used to be".  Still others use that sentiment to manipulate a popularity that carries them into public office.  But if you tremble, and your heart is stirred in fear and holy reverence toward a God who put His blessed hand on our nation, and Who (if He so chose) could remove that hand, and watch us fold up like a spider stuck in the belly...well, then you "tremble aright," and with good cause.  It means you have chosen to honor and reverence sovereign God.  That is a choice that will truly bless America.

For You Today

As Joshua challenged Israel to choose honoring the Lord over the culture in which they would shortly find themselves, we also must choose between what may be popular, and that which is right in God’s sight.

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

[1] Title Image:  Russell Brownworth photo  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

Morning Praise

 

Friday, June 4, 2021

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.  I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.  I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.  Psalm 138:1-2

This is one of my favorite Psalms.  It is David, the king, former shepherd-boy, giant-killer, musician to, and defender of, Israel’s King Saul, adulterer, murder-conspirator, warrior, coward, hero, humble object of Samuel’s long, boney pointing finger of accusation, pennitent sinner-turned saint, who became the model for those who would be a man after God’s own heart.

David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’  Acts 13:22b

Why is this one of my favorites?  With all of David’s resume’ he stands not on his accomplishments.  He doesn’t sing along with Frank Sinatra, I did it MY way; David takes a deep breath, stands before all the [so-called] lesser gods of the universe and points his soul and all that’s within him towards Heaven’s throne and leaves no doubt about Who deserves praise.  David bows before JHWH’s throne and declares he has chosen to serve Almighty God, Jehovah-jirah, the King of Heaven’s Hosts.  David validates what the world cannot deny…every promise of God is backed by the honor of His name.  And there is no other name, given among men whereby anyone can be saved![1] 

David views God as his omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent King of Kings, the God who cannnot fail.  David is content to serve that God alone, no matter what anyone else may say to him, or do to him.

·       Some people have always denied this. 

·       Some deny it rather emphatically, even calling such a claim exclusionary, arrogant, or just plain dull-minded stupidity, to place entire trust in the God of David. 

Some say there are many different approaches to finding spiritual health.  It is known by many names, elightenment, finding truth, uncovering god in you, and even becoming the god you really are. 

But David would take exception to anything but bowing humbly before the one, true, living God.

When Joshua was about to lead God’s people, the new nation of Israel, across Jordan into the Promised Land he told them to choose.  He made it specific.  He said: 

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.  Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates?  Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live?  But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:14-15

For You Today

When it comes to God you only get one choice; one of those choices will be right, and all the others wrong.  That’s why Jesus said there is a broad road that leads to destruction, and a very narrow road which leads to life.[2]

Choose wisely!

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

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

[1] There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by 

       which we must be saved.”   Acts 4:12

[2] See Matthew 7:14

Listening Carefully

 

Friday, December 4, 2020

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.  But let them not return to their foolish ways.  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory.  Unfailing love and truth have met together.  Righteousness and peace have kissed!  Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.  Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.  Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.  Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.  Psalm 85:8-13

In this season of Advent the call of Scripture is to prepare the way of the Lord.  This was John the Baptist’s call to the people of his generation:

Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!  Clear the road for him!  Luke 3:4

The question always comes to me rather annoyingly:  what does that mean?  How do you clear the road for Almighty God?  It’s HIS earth and universe…what possible little rock or pothole could stand in God’s way?  And the singular answer to those questions is just as annoying, like a burr under the saddle, everything! 

Everything?  Yep! 

Picture the road as leading from Heaven’s gate to the throne room in your heart.  That is the road John has in mind, because that is the place where either truth and righteousness, or lies and evil dwell; the former being a clear pathway, and the latter being the rubble of our free will that blocks God from entering. 

One thing God has made perfectly clear in Scripture is that He will not abide with evil.  When we give place to the darkness of evil, we block out the light of righteousness. 

The sun, with its 27-million-degree core temperature, gives off light so blinding you can hurt yourself just glancing at it.  Yet, you can block out every bit of it by shutting your eyes.  This is like closing the highway to your heart from God.  Jesus said it plainly, daylight and darkness are mutually-exclusive.

So, what does this have to do with the Psalmist’s listening carefully?  There are many dots, but a simple connect – if we’ll slow down and take the blinders of rebellion off.  God speaks peace to us, but not at the cost of His righteousness.  God does not look the other way when we choose evil.  And, equally, God does not fail to bless us when we choose righteous living.  But the choice is always on us, the ball forever in our court! 

It’s that simple, and as Joshua said to God’s children as they were about to settle into the Promised Land:

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.  Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates?  Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live?  But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:14-15

For You Today

Have you listened carefully?  It pays to do that when God is speaking.

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

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Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Psalm 85 see:  The Mix of Religion and Politics and The Perfect Kiss  

 

What Kind of Nation Are We?

[1]   

Friday, March 6, 2015

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”   Joshua 24:14-15 (NLT)

In 1991 I preached a message to the church I was serving.  It was near Independence Day.  I said this about our political roots:

We were founded as a Democracy, based upon the basic Judeo-Christian model of Holy Scripture; we have been called a Christian nation - Our pledge of allegiance even says we are one nation under God.  But we are no longer a Christian nation.

There are some looks you never forget. 

At the sound of my words, one lady had the look of someone who'd been shot between the eyes.  She didn't move the rest of the service, deep in thought.  After the service she came to me and said, Oh, Pastor, are we not a Christian nation anymore?  What are we?  I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and said, Dottie, we are a secular nation.  She thought a minute, and then asked, When did it happen?  Nobody told me.

Friends - it matters little when, why, where and how our worldview changed from humbly bowing before God to bowing before the altar of political correctness, polls and secular humanism.  It matters little what the final outcome is in the Electoral College. 

What does matter is that America has largely ceased to be good - we have ceased to be aflame with passion for righteousness; we have become steeped in the stench of passionate personal desire and selfishness.

Only a return to Jesus can put our nation and world in a position to let God do the fixing!  Our nation must return ONE PERSON AT A TIME, beginning with me! 

And if there are enough individual believers who will make that choice, together we can exert the influence of a holy and righteous God towards this nation, that our destiny might not take its place with Sodom and Gomorrah.   

As we turn together to Him, the promise from Jesus is that He will not turn us away.  The Father promises - and His promises don't whither or fade - they're forever!

For You Today

Just like me, you cannot control the actions of a single other person on this planet, much less the course of an entire nation.  But we can be faithful. 

Walk with Christ today; be the change someone needs to see.

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[1] Title Image: Photographer: Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas, via Wikimedia Commons