Jesus Plus

Galatians 2:4-5

These verses are about false brothers, they may be members of the local church but they are not brothers in Christ and they come for one reason to add circumcision as a requirement to be a Christian.  Paul said they were trying to enslave us and take away our freedom but many have tried over the years to make requirements, like baptism, walking down the aisle of a church building to confess publicly, church membership, and the list goes on.  That is why verse five is such a great lesson; we, like Paul, should not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved as it has been for us.

Becoming a Christian is simple in fact it may be a no-brainer because it is a free gift from the heavenly Father.  But simple is not always easy, in fact, for many if God had only added faith-plus it would have been much easier.  Religion is based on doing some act to earn God’s approval, but Jesus tells us in John 3:16 that His Father loved you so much that He gave His Son to take your place.  That act of love requires only one action from you, to by faith accept that Jesus’ blood redeemed you and put you in fellowship and a relationship with His Father.  In fact, Romans 6:23, states the following; “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  In fact the apostle told the Ephesians Church the following; “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  It was by God’s grace and He gave you the faith to believe and put your trust in what Jesus did on the cross; you are in Christ because of His great love for you.

The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 2:21, that if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose, in fact, Jesus makes this statement in John 10:9. “I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and go in and out and find pasture.”  This same Jesus tells us that he is the only way to the Father in John 14:6, and many will say that is too narrow, it is too exclusive but the fact still remains, Jesus said; “I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Not through membership, not through baptism, not through communion, nor any act on your part but faith in what Jesus did by shedding his blood for your sins. 

Lord Jesus, thank you for each person who has preserved the gospel, for each teacher who has as held to the truth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Gut Check

Galatians 2:1-2

Have you ever done a “gut check,” most of us have, and they come at all stages of life.  The first one I remember was as a twelve year old trying out for the football team at Robert Driscill Jr. High School.  I was 4’10” and tipped the scales at 67 lbs, it was “gut check” time; I did not meet the requirements to play football.  Many come to my mind, after I was out of high school and driving a delivery truck for Cameron Mfg., I began to realize that my choices would be limited if I did not get more education.  But one of the hardest “gut checks” was in my spiritual life.  Jan and I had found a church home after moving to Houston and it became a very large part of our life, our friends were there, our ministry of working with and teaching young couples for many of the twenty-two years was in that church, and yet it seemed that God was trying to move us.  We did not go back to Jerusalem after fourteen years as the apostle did, but we did go to the Cove for a seminar to hear Howard Hendricks and God sent a message to us through my cousin’s husband.  We were totally surprised that Libby and Walt were at the seminar, and Walt, a retired pastor and a godly man, asked me this question: how is your ministry?  After sharing with him the short view of what was going on in my heart, he walked away and after about five minutes came back and said, you need to leave that Church, but do not run to another until God opens the door.  We did leave and God was faithful and our last eighteen months in the Houston area were filled with God’s blessings, both in a new church family and in a totally new understanding of kingdom ministry.

Paul and Barnabas were being used of God to bring salvation to the Gentile world and Satan, who loves religion, saw an opportunity to use some men who had come into the church, but did not leave the traditions or customs of their life in Judaism.  In fact, they were teaching “Grace plus” in order to be a Christian.  This is what they taught; “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1) It has been fourteen years since Paul has been in Jerusalem, and these false teachers have come from Judea and they have the same zeal in their teaching, as the apostle Paul.  So Paul does a “gut check” and returns to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus, and he met privately with the other apostles so as not to cause trouble in the Church.  It is referred to as the Jerusalem Conference and the main subject for discussion is; was circumcision necessary for salvation?  Galatians 2:4-20 gives insight into the meeting and how these false brothers had slipped in to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus and to put us back under rules of slavery.  It is very clear that they were not brothers in Christ, and Paul refers to them as “false brothers.”

This is what came out of the Conference; it is decided that Gentiles need not be circumcised (Acts 15:19). The final action taken by the group is sending a letter regarding this decision.  A group composed of Paul, Barnabas, Silas and others delivers the letter to the Gentile Christians in Antioch.  (Acts 15:22-31). 

False brothers are still coming with a teaching of Jesus plus, it may be baptism, it may be church attendance, it could be the giving of tithes, or even being in prayer service on the scheduled days.  It is Christ plus nothing!   It was God’s love for you that gave you the faith to believe and it is His grace that called you to Himself, never forget Romans 10:9, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  When you enter into Christ, you enter into a Covent relationship, not a religion.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Very Goal Oriented

Galatians 1:13-24

Saul came from a family with wealth and his parents were very goal oriented?  His family lived in Tarsus, and they were devout Jews, and also Roman citizens.  As a young man, Saul was sent to Jerusalem to study under the great Gamaliel, and by his own confession was advancing in Judaism beyond many of his fellow students.  Paul tells us in verse 14 that he was extremely zealous for the tradition of his fathers. 

If you want to send a message to a group of people, one of the best ways to do that is find a young person who is passionate about your common cause, and you have a weapon that can be of great use to those pulling the strings, in Paul’s case it was the high priest.  We do not know if Saul was the instigator of the stoning of Stephen, but Acts 7:58-8:1, gives clear evidence that Saul approved of his execution and from that day forward a great persecution was on the church in Jerusalem.

Saul was enthusiastic about removing this break-a-way group, who believed in and were making disciples to Jesus Christ, because they believed He was the Messiah. Young Saul is a very religious dude, and in his great zeal to persecute the followers of Christ, he is off to Damascus.  Before reaching Damascus he was struck blind by none other than Jesus and has to be led into the city.  He is blind for three days, when Jesus tells a disciple named Ananias to visit and heal Saul of his blindness.  It is amazing how often God uses an Ananias to be his hands and feet in the life of someone.  It is also true that Ananias’ emotions were off the charts, but he obeys God.

We have the account in Acts 9:4-18, of Saul’s baptism and receiving God’s Holy Spirit.  In that same chapter, we see Saul confronting the Jews in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ and not many days passed before the Jews plotted to kill him.  It is at this point he escapes to Arabia, and is taught by Jesus, the things of God. Saul was there for about three years and in verse 18,19, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.  But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother

But God had plans for Saul, in fact we must read this account in Galatians 1:15-17, “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.”  God has also told you and I that He has plans for us, and they are not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future in Jeremiah 29:11.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Mom's gospel

Galatians 1:11-12

No one would believe the rules my brother, sister and I grew up under; they were mother’s rules, she some how thought they were Baptist rules, like no dancing, no shorts for my sister but it was ok for my brother and I, and when it came to drinking, she had a ban on Canada Dry, we believe it was because she knew it was used with whiskey, you might call this mom’s gospel.  But was it gospel, did it have any origin in the Scripture?  The answer is no, it’s source was in mothers mind, and it caused her children to have misgivings about what was being taught at home, as well as church.

Mother’s gospel was based on what some preachers had said, and maybe she had misunderstood or twisted the fact in her mind, but that did not keep my sister from being forced to wear jeans that came below her knees at P.E. or to be told not to make friends with girls that went to dances.  Paul tells us that religion is based on man’s best at trying to please God, but it is not from God.

Verse 11 begins in this manner; “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.  For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”  Religion always has it origin in man trying to come up with ways to earn Gods love, but the Scriptures are very clear that at no time and in no way did God desire man to earn what He has given freely.  If we would study the Scripture, asking the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth, then our gospel would not be distorted by man’s teaching.

The apostle Peter wrote to us the following; “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  (2 Peter 1:21)  We also have what the apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy about the Scriptures; “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”  (2 Timothy 3:16)  I’ve always found comfort in this Psalm, “Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”  (Psalm 119:89)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is it part of our design

Galatians 1:10

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

I wonder how often a pastor must ask himself that question?  How often should I ask myself that question?  And the answer is very often, because it seems to be inherent in our design or desires to want man’s approval.  There are so many examples; the little girl that dresses up for daddy, or the little boy that hangs from the tree, and yells at his mother to look at him.  What about NFL football players who make a touchdown and look at the camera and yell, hi mom; we want the approval of other humans, and how does that impede being a servant of Christ?

Why would the apostle Paul entertain such thoughts?  Is this something he has experienced or is it just information to give you and I some direction?  To tell the story, it must begin with the stoning of Stephen, and I did not say Stephen got stoned on some drug, but was dragged out of the city and the men of the city picked up stones and killed him.  When we were in Israel our guide said that this story is told about Creation, when God got to Israel he had a hole in his rock sack and most of them fell on Israel.  These men who stoned Stephen did not have to look very hard to find a rock, but that is digressing from the story, it is about a young scholar named Saul who was an up and coming Jew, born in Tarsus and educated by the great Gamaliel.  He was a keeper of the law of the Jews and by his own words was zealous for God.  If he were alive today, he would be on the fast track up the political or corporate ladder and the media and big money would be pushing him to achieve the goal. 

This young man Paul saw Christians as a threat, and one of his goals was to destroy them and by doing so he would please the high priest and the whole council of elders.   He also believed he was serving God by attacking this new sect and making a good name for himself.  One day on his way to Damascus, with a letter from the high priest that gave Saul the authority to bring any Christian back to Jerusalem in bonds so that they could be punished, he had an encounter with Jesus Christ.

You know the story how he was blinded by a great light and that light was Christ, and the Lord ask, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 22:7-8) 

I have no doubt that we would agree if Jesus blinded us with a great light, we would do as Saul did and confess and agree with Him.  From that day on, Saul followed Jesus and not men, and his goal was to please the Lord, and Him only.  But if you are in Christ, if you by faith have entered into Jesus, then the Holy Spirit has become the light in your life.  Also the word of God is a light to your path and a light to your feet and we have God’s commands not to put our trust in man, but to honor and obey God only.  God has spoken to us through two of His greatest prophets on this subject; Isaiah 2:22, “Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils.  Of what account is he?”  God also spoke through Jeremiah 17:5,  “Thus said the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and make flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”  The psalmist states this in Psalm 118:8, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” 

It is so easy to be a people pleaser, but if that is your goal you will never be a God pleaser. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

The word "We" is such a word

Galatians 1:8

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”  I have discovered that often in reading the Scripture a word or even a phrase is frequently over looked for years.  Then I see it and it is a wow!  How did I miss that?  The word “we” is such a word, Paul is saying I want you to know this, that it is only by grace through faith, and it is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  So the “we” comes into play, Paul is saying; if I get full of self and tell you some other gospel, not that there is another, you are to reject both me and that false gospel.

In Paul’s final instructions and greetings to the church at Rome, he gave this wise council; “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.”  (Romans 16:17,18)  Paul is telling the church at Rome to avoid them that means Christians are to shun or steer clear of such a person, but his warning to the Galatians was much stronger.  Paul says to “let him be accursed” that is not a word we would use, but it’s meaning was very clear, to put such a person under a curse from God.  So Paul is saying to them that even if he or some other teacher, should come to us with a new gospel, we are to ask God to curse him.

When Paul is writing his second letter to the Corinthians, he warns them about false apostles and he calls them deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  In 2 Corinthians 11:14,15, Paul gives us this insight; “And no wonder, for Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.  Their end will correspond to their deeds.” 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Someone wants to steal your affection

Galatians 1:6-7

Have you been to a party with your very best friend and someone comes into your circle and steals their affection, that’s similar to what is  happening in verses 6-7.  Paul is writing to the Church in Galatia, a district in Asia Minor, about 55-60 years after the resurrection of Christ.  And this is the subject matter; “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”  You might be wondering, whom are the ones preaching a different gospel and why would anyone exchange the doctrine of justification by faith to go back under the laws of Judaism? 

Many have stated that this letter to the Church at Galatia is the Magna Charta of the Church.  “The main argument is in favor of Christian liberty in opposition to the teachings of the Judaizers.  These false teachers insisted that the observance of the ceremonial law was an essential part of the plan of salvation.” (Thomas Chain-Reference Bible page1538)  It was a Jesus plus gospel, just a little added to make you in right standing with God, a small act on your part was needed, something more than being saved by grace through faith.

I am so glad we who proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, no longer add anything to Salvation, that we are totally justified by grace through faith.  But the sad news is, we still do, and as long as the Church has been, there have been false teachers who have added rules and ceremonial items as an essential part of salvation.  It is easy to look at the rules that false teachers have added to salvation; rules like baptism, or confession to a priest, or observation of some special time of the year like Lent, Christmas or Easter, the time you spend at church, or amount of tithe or service you give to others; not one of these has anything to do with placing your faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, to take away your sin, bringing you into right standing with God, our Father.  The Scriptures have stated it so clearly in Ephesians 2:8,9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  If I understand the part of (And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God) it means it is God who gave you the faith, and you, by that faith that was given, acted on it.  Now that is freedom!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Christmas is on my mind

Galatians 1:4-5

When I think of Christmas, my mind goes to family, friends, food, and most of all to a very special gift.  But it was not always that way, as a small child I remember Christmas as a special day when my little friends down the street and around the big park, got all kinds of gifts, but it was not so in our house, we only got one, and often it was small in comparison to my friend’s gifts.  Mother always had some kind of home made candy and an apple or orange in our stocking and if dad was not working he would always open the Bible and read the story of God sending his only Son to redeem sinners.  Dad would tell us that of all the gifts we would ever get, that Jesus was, by far, the greatest gift we would ever be given.  I was not interested in Bible stories; I wanted a fire truck!

In the fourth verse, the apostle Paul is espousing the story of the only gift that holds value for this life and the one to come, “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”  As a child I just wanted a big red fire engine, but what a gift to have a dad who was not able to give me toys.  A dad who did not spend time making up stories of a fictional Santa Claus that would have little or no value to my life, instead my dad gave me the gift of truth.  

As a child, I just wanted what others around me were getting, and as I got older I seemed to believe that happiness would be found in what I acquired, not understanding that material things never brought peace into my life, but often came with an empty feeling of knowing that something better was just out of my reach.

I was 27 before I received the gift that dad had so often talked about, it was like no other gift I had received, it came with joy and peace and it has changed my value system, in fact it has done the following in my life.  It has opened a door to life; “I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)  I found the only One who could remove my sin; Acts 4:12 states, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  While I was still living in sin, while I was still adding to my toys, God showed His love for me, Romans 5:9, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”  Dad often talked about earth not being our home, that if I would study the Scriptures I would get information on what home looked like, and that Christ would come someday and take all who received him to that home.  Hebrews 9:27-28, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”  So today when I think of Christmas, I think of Jesus, the greatest gift, the only gift that has real value.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Grace to You

Galatians 1:3

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,”

So far it has only been 67 years on planet earth and to my best recollection, no one has greeted me in this manner.  If someone other than the apostle Paul greeted you in such a method what would you take from that greeting?  It has much to do with your understanding of the words used in the greeting.

Often when I hear the word grace, this comes to mind; Grace is God’s unmerited favor.  It is not earned nor can it be, it is given freely and it is found in Jesus Christ exchanging His life for ours.  First we find it is freely given, it is for whosoever as stated in John 3:16.  Grace also empowers us for service to others and to God, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.  On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”  (1 Corinthians 15:10)  Grace also enables you and I to live a simple life (2 Corinthians 1:12).

Many have refused the offer of grace, look once more at 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, and many rendered it ineffective by religious works. Paul gives this warning to the Galatia church, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” (Galatians 2:21)  It is also clear in Scripture that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  (James 4:6)

So my dear reader, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A greeting

Galatians 1:1-2

What a greeting to the church at Galatia; “Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers who are with me.”  It seems to me that in Paul’s introduction he is establishing that God has set him apart and given him a title and position that is different from the brothers who are with him. 

This question came into my mind, how does an apostle differ from a disciple of Christ, and what are the qualifications of an apostle, and how does that vary from a disciple?  First, we might find agreement that an apostle is a divine call, the commissioning by Christ.  It is also a given, that an apostle was a witness of the resurrection, and that Paul encountered the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus, set him apart as one called to this office.  Apostles were set apart as those who had been with Christ and were His witnesses, they had been intimate with Christ in knowledge and experiences. 

It seems clear to me that we no longer have apostle living in 2010 but what about a disciple?  Is a disciple someone who follows another?  John the Baptist had disciples (Matthew 9:14), the Pharisees had disciples (Mark 2:18), and if we bring it into 2010, the Yankees have disciples and so do the Dallas Cowboys.   We can say that a disciple is anyone who does the following: they follow after something or someone, or they are students of a teacher or philosophy.

Does Jesus give any guidelines for his disciples, or a better question is do I understand the qualifications of being a follower of Christ?  I asked two questions, and the first is a strong yes; self-denial and cross-bearing found in Matthew 16:24, the abandonment of any person or thing that you value more than Christ, found in Luke 14:26, and the ability   to leave all your goals and desires and to put Christ as number one priority is found in Luke 14:33. 

Jesus says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)  The second part of the question is do I understand the qualifications of being a disciple of Christ?  Often my life exposes the truth, I do not care to be a follower in regards to the requirements of Jesus or I let the desires of my heart be stolen by the cares of the world and the enemy of my soul.   In 2010, we have many who are disciples of many things, and I believe it has always been that way, but unlike the Dallas Cowboys, who promise their disciples little, but ask for them to keep following after so many disappointments.   Jesus Christ offers life to His disciples, and not just for eternity but He offers abundant life now.  This is my conclusion on being a disciple of Christ; it is impossible for anyone full of himself or herself to be a follower of Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The ability to make Choices

 

Genesis 50:22-26

What a journey it has been, so many mornings asking the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to truth, and give me the ability to convey it, so that whoever reads what I’ve written will be blessed and my prayer is that they will desire a relationship with the Creator, Jesus Christ.  On that first day of my search into this great book, I asked this question; “Have you ever given thought to the first verse of Genesis?  That verse with ten words will establish what you believe about God.” 

The book about beginnings is also about man’s ability to make choices: how to enter into a relationship with Creator God, to seek Him and to obey Him, and to trust Him to keep his promises.  And that is why the ending of this book has such an impact, because it ends with Joseph believing God will keep His promise.

This was the promise that was made to Abraham, “Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.  But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.” (Genesis 15:13-14)  It is now the end of Joseph’s 110 years of life and Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”  Jacob is saying what the apostle Paul said so many years later about Abraham’s faith in Romans 4:21, “being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” 

A personal note at this point to my grandsons, John Mark and Zachary David, the deck is stacked against trusting in a Creator God who is unseen, and yet from a child your parents have instructed you in righteousness and truth of the Scripture.  So why did I say the deck is stacked against you believing and trusting in His ability to keep all His promises?  The old serpent, the devil and the world system are telling you to trust in self, in people, or in something as foolish as government, they are telling you to do it your way, to live life dependant on anything but a God who is unseen.

The Scripture states the following in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.  And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”  My hope is that I will enjoy many years with the two of you, that I will see your faith and you will enjoy fellowship with Jesus and the walk that Abraham experienced.  Many years had passed and Joshua is being led to lead the people into the land promised by God, and this is God’s commission to Joshua, and a wise man will make this his charge.  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)  Guys, it is a wise man who takes to heart that commission to Joshua and what the apostle Peter has to tell you in 2 Peter 1:3-4.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Bob or Granddad

Get Even or let God do it for you

Genesis 50:15-21

Can you imagine a person who has been wronged, given the power to deal with those who have wronged him?  If you find yourself in that situation, and you are the one who has caused the harm to the other person, you have reason to be alarmed; in fact, you might want to go quickly to the person and ask forgiveness for your part in the offence.

In my short life, I’ve been on both sides of that issue, and it can be a time to see what you are made of, a time to trust God to avenge you, or a time to get reprisal.   Late in my career I had a boss that had a score to settle with me, in fact, on our first meeting after he became my boss he let me know that if he could, he would fire me, that’s not a good way to start an employee to boss relationship.  When he thought the time was right he sent an e-mail to all of my associates and copied me, asking when I was going to retire because he was going to put another person in my responsibility, as of that day.  That e-mail was my first notice of his actions and that e-mail was totally against 3M’ policy.  My adversary was in my hands, that email would cost him.  I had a choice, however, God made it clear that He would avenge me and that I was to take no action.

Joseph’s brothers had good reason to fear reprisal, they had wanted to kill him and settled on selling him into slavery.  Now the glue that has kept the peace in the family is dead and the brother comes up with a story of dad’s last command before he died.  Picking up the story in verse 17, “Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.  And not please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. On hearing this Joseph wept and his brothers came and fell down before him and offer to be his servants, they had no other option, but Joseph had choices, and look at what he choose.

Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?  As for you, you meant evil against me, but Go meant if for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.”  Joseph was such a wise man, though he had the ability to do with them as he wished; his desire was to not put himself in the place of God.  All of us would be wise to act on the words of the apostle Peter; “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Just Words

For what it is worth, today I saw that a church in Baton Rouge, and I believe it could be questioned on the meaning of the word church, was asking BP for $50,000 to offset a loss in giving, because of the oil spill.  Do you want to be part of a church that puts their trust in BP as its provider?  BP being your god, or at best your source, and they cannot stop oil from a little hole in the earth!  I know, it will be offensive to that group of 70 people in Baton Rouge, La. and the pastor to tell them to look to our Creator, He is a proven source.  But this is what the apostle Paul told the church, “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.  For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.  But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Bob Rice

My blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Diplomacy

Genesis 50:5-14

John Mark and Zachary David, it may be many years before you read my thoughts on the book of beginnings, but it is my hope that one day you will.  Guys, chapter 50 has some great insights that if you learn from them, they will be of great value in all aspects of your life.  They will be of value to you as a parent, a husband, a businessman, and especially when working with people in your church.

As we look at these verses, it is important to recall that Jacob’s death was not a private occurrence, it was very public; the father of Joseph was dead, the father of the man who had saved Egypt from disaster.  It has been seventy days, and Scripture tells us that the Egyptians wept for Jacob seventy days.  I’m sure Pharaoh wanted his people back to work.  Today, he would tell CNN and Fox to find some fresh news, or do something to change the setting, as our President has done with the oil spill in the gulf.  I’m sure you can identity with this setting; let anyone who the world places value in die and it seems as if the new guys will never stop talking about them.

Now Joseph understands this has slowed down the productivity of the country and yet he and his brothers have promised to fulfill, and it will require Pharaoh’s approval, to carry out the promise.  So Joseph uses diplomacy to get Pharaoh’s approval, first he goes to and gains the support of Pharaoh’s officers and then he ask them to convey it to Pharaoh.  If we look at the surface, we will miss why this was such a big deal, the Israelites have become a very important part of Egypt’s economy and Joseph has become a national treasure.  How can Pharaoh be sure they will return?

I’m sure that Joseph laid out the promise he had made to his father, and then he tells Pharaoh’s officers that they will leave both children and flocks in Goshen.  He may have even closed the deal with an invitation to Pharaoh’s household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, that is not clear, but that is who went with them.  Joseph was wise in letting men who had the ear of Pharaoh make the request for him and by the time he came to Pharaoh to ask permission, it had become a decision by Pharaoh, to make this an official Egyptian state funeral, and that was a big deal.  

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Do not Bury me here

Genesis 49:28-50:4

Jan and I have been blessed in many ways, and one has been traveling outside the United States, and most of the time it has been for our pleasure.  I was also given the opportunity, in my business, to travel into Saudi Arabia and other countries, in the Middle East, and this thought would come into my mind; what would happen to my body if I were to die in this place?  I know my body and my spirit are not affected by the location, but it would be nice to give the family some closure and that is what a funeral does.

So after blessing his sons, Jacob tells the boys that his earthsuit is heading to the dirt and he does not want it placed in Egypt’s dirt, (having been to Egypt I fully understand this request), but in a cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the land of Canaan; the one Abraham bought to bury Sarah.  In fact, it is where Abraham is also buried and his father Isaac and mother Rebekah and also Leah.  It is not clear if the sons knew how close Jacob was to death but the Scripture states; “When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.”

You are never ready for a parent to leave and this is evident by Joseph’s reaction as he fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him.  Next, Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father and that required forty days to embalm a person, by the methods used by the Egyptians.  It is of interest that the people of Egypt held Joseph in very high regard and Scripture states that the Egyptians wept for Jacob/Israel for seventy days.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

It was not the Promise he was expecting

Genesis 49:27

Rachel had two sons, and the baby is always special and often gets by with actions and attitudes, that an older child would look with amazement.  Many an older brother or daughter has wondered if someone else has taken possession of their parent’s bodies, when they see what the younger sibling is allowed to get away with.  Not only is Benjamin Rachel’s second son, it is also clear that he is her last child, and that makes him very special to both her and Jacob.  We also should recall that for many of Benjamin’s years as a youth, both parents believed that his older brother was dead, and I’m sure that he was spoiled by both parents, and maybe even by his older brothers who had caused such pain in their parents.

So with all of that information to reflect on, I’m expecting Jacob to bless the socks off of Benjamin.  This is what verse 27 states about his blessing; “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.”  Not exactly what I thought was going to be his blessing; a ravenous wolf, that devourers it’s prey!  One thing is for certain, Benjamin is very special to Jacob, and his blessing is not from a father’s emotions, but being directed by the Spirit of God on both a promise and a warning to the tribe of Benjamin. 

If we look at Judges 20, we will see how the actions of some of the tribe of Benjamin almost cost the tribe to be wiped out and removed from the twelve.  But it is also important to see that the first king of Israel is Saul, a Benjamite, and his actions and character held very close to Jacob’s prophecy.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Jacob failed math

Genesis 49:22-26

Joseph was Rachel’s first son, he was not Jacob’s first son, in fact he was number eleven, but Jacob was not counting correctly because he counted Joseph as his first.  I can only guess at the reason, it may have its roots in the event of Laban tricking him into marrying Leah, when his heart was only for Rachel, and he blamed all of his problems on having to marry Leah.  It also is apparent, that the two servant women were also forced on him by Rachel and Leah to meet their needs, not Jacob’s.  This is obvious, Joseph was his daddy’s favorite and this may have contributed to his arrogance as a young boy, especially to his older brothers.  But lest we forget, Joseph was part of the plan of God to save his family from the famine that was coming on the earth.

It is also clear to all, brothers and dad, that God has put Joseph in the job of CEO of Egypt and that the hand of God is all over him.  Now it is time for the father’s blessing, and Jacob, speaking as the Spirit is leading him, has this to say; “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.  The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessing of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts of the womb.  The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.  May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.”

What a blessing, Jacob being lead by the Spirit of God, said you are like a branch or tree by a spring.  Your source is Creator God, and in Him you have delighted.  Many years later David has this to say about a man like Joseph: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.”

John Mark and Zachary David, my prayer is that at some point you will read these words your granddad has written, and that both of you will be men whose source is Jesus Christ, and in Him will be your delight and fellowship.  That you will not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, but your delight will be in obeying the word of God and seeking His face.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Bob

Not what you expected

Genesis 49:19-21

Have you ever stood in line for tickets or an item?   As you get to the front of the line someone announces, “you will have to come back later we are out of the item, or the tickets are all gone.”   It is not a good feeling, it can bring about emotions that we are not proud of, and as I read about Gad, I wonder what he was thinking?  Verse 19, “Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels.”  I’m not sure he wanted that blessing; what is going on, what is meant by that statement? 

Gad’s mother was Leah’s servant Zilpah, and in Hebrew the name Gad sounds like good fortune.  When Moses took the census that the Lord told him to take, the tribes of Gad numbered 40,500.  Gad’s realm was east of the Jordan on the edge of the Kingdom of the Ammonites and other desert peoples, and thus was especially open to attack.  However, the Gadites were well able to fight (1Chronicles 5:18; 12:8, etc.).  The Genesis Record page 658 by Henry M. Morris

You wonder what Asher is expecting in the way of a blessing, the following is recorded; “Asher’s food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies.”  Does this mean he is going to be the top chef?  This we know that he was the second son of Leah’s servant Zilpah, and the name Asher is close to the Hebrew word for happy.  This is Henry Morris input on the tribe of Asher, “As it turned out, Asher’s lot fell on the rich northern seacoast north of Mount Carmel, all the way to Tyre and Zidon (Joshua 19:24-31).  However, they failed even to take possession of the Tyre-Sidon region, and the tribe soon became insignificant, possibly deteriorating because of their love of ease and proximity to the Phoenicians.”  The Genesis Record page 659

This is the blessing given to Naphtali the son of Rachel’s servant Bilhah; “Naphtali is a doe let loose that bears beautiful fawns.”  Does that mean he is going to have the best looking kids in all of the twelve tribes?  His name sounds like (wrestling’s of God).

From the Back Porch,

Bob