Liberty Church of Christ

Today's LATB reading is 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 The typical arrangement of our English Bibles is rather jumbled chronologically, making it a challenge to keep things straight timewise. Have you ever wished for a harmony of the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles like there are for the Gospels? Well in 1897, William Crockett produced one: A Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles: The Books of the Kings of Judah and Israel. The text is that of the Revise...Continue reading

Today’s reading is Psalm 89; 96; 100; 101; 105; 132 Whether reading a story, or watching a movie, or facing life, we all tend to have certain expectations. We have it in our minds the way a plot is supposed to unfold, or a situation is supposed to work out. When a book, or movie, or a real-life situation takes an unpleasant turn contrary to our expectations, how do we react? Are we not distressed, troubled, full of questions? Psalm 89 is one of those writings tha...t boomerang on us. It begins on a very high note of praise regarding God’s steadfast love, his covenant-making, the wonders he’s performed, his power and majesty, his righteousness and justice. The author, the noted wiseman Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps. 89:1; 1 Ki. 4:31), extols God in this way for some 37 verses, especially zeroing in on God’s covenant promise to David and his descendants. We think we know where this poem is going. We are soaring on the heights of praise when suddenly, purposefully, Ethan crashes the plane. Beginning in verse 38, Ethan’s tone turns sour and distressed. Given all the wonderous blessings God promised Israel in general and David’s line in particular, Ethan and his community had developed certain expectations. Those expectations imploded in the face of harsh reality. It seems God has renounced the covenant with David, rejected his descendants, thrown David’s crown into the dirt. God’s wrath seems unrelenting. God himself seems unresponsive. Ethan wants to know what happened to the steadfast love of old that he opened his poem with. Verses 38-51 are full of questions, frustration, confusion, disappointment. In a way, the first 37 verses have the feel of Ethan saying what he’s expected to say in church (say positive things like God is in control, but keep the doubts you’re having under wraps), but verses 38-51 are how he really feels. The high hopes Ethan had because of God’s prior covenant acts created certain expectations. But things did not turn out as Ethan hoped or expected. They took a turn for the worse. He struggles to understand and he’s not afraid to say so (or he’s too desperate to care anymore about niceties). The Psalms were Israel’s hymnal. They express the full range of human feelings and experiences, joys and sorrows, wonders and distress. It seems to me that such an approach is far more honest and healthier than hiding our hurts and disappointments behind songs of praise. These days I often hear people say worship (i.e. our assemblies) should be all about celebration. It is true that as the saved of God, we’ve much to celebrate. But as Ethan the Ezrahite demonstrates, the human experience encompasses a wide range of ups and downs. For us to be able to deal with trials and heal from crushed expectations, we need to acknowledge and sing about our struggles, not just our victories. Worship should be full-orbed, not one-dimensional. ------- Stephen C. Lord

Thoughts for the day: Good morning! One of my favorite Bible stories is when Jesus and Peter needed to pay a tax and did not have the money (Matt 17:24-27). Jesus told Peter to go fishing and the first fish he caught would have a shekel inside of its mouth. A shekel is worth four drachma so this would pay a two-drachma tax for both Jesus and Peter. (I started working at Chick-fil-A recently so I know what it is like to have to pay taxes now!). We should always realize God ...is in control and will take care of us in His own way. It may not be the next time you go fishing but God loves you and will provide for you. God has promised this: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (Matt 6:25-27) Jackson Moore

The bronze (or copper) snake incident is one of those passages in the Bible that make me squirm and scratch my head. God was usually very careful to have the Israelites disassociate themselves from anything that smacked of paganism. But . . . On the Pharaoh’s crown was the image of a poised cobra (called a Uraeus), symbol of Wadjet, the patron goddess of lower (northern) Egypt. Amulets with serpents on them to protect the wearers from snake bites were commonly worn by the ...Egyptian people. Not far from where this bronze serpent incident took place were the ancient copper mines of Timna. Archaeologists uncovered a Midianite shrine there that included a copper figurine of a snake. North of the land of Israel lived the Phoenicians. Those who lived in Sidon worshiped Eshmun, who was often depicted with serpents. The Sumerian (Abraham’s homeland) god Nin-gish-zida was portrayed as two serpents entwined around a pole. The Canaanites viewed the serpent as a fertility symbol. Given these pagan associations of serpent imagery, and the risk of turning that image into something God didn’t intendan idol (which the Israelites eventually did: 2 Kings 18:4)why have Moses make an image of a serpent in the first place? I don’t know. Makes me uncomfortable. Roughly a half century before Jesus was born, an anonymous Jew living in Alexandria, Egypt, composed a philosophical work known as The Wisdom of Solomon. Wisdom of Solomon 16:5-7 refers to the bronze (or copper) snake incident with the following words: For when the terrible rage of wild animals came upon your people and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents, your wrath did not continue to the end; they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a symbol of deliverance to remind them of your law’s command. For the one who turned toward it was saved, not by the thing that was beheld, but by you, the Savior of all. Note the affirmation that it wasn’t the metal snake that saved them, but God who is the Savior of all. ------- Stephen C. Lord

A reflection for today from one of our newer family members Dear Church Family, When I was asked to write a reflection to share with all of you this week, I was honored, especially since, as a newcomer, I’m still getting to know you. I hope that in time I will get to know more of you well. In praying over what to say, I became aware that many of us have experienced setbacks this year. A plan that fell through. A path that was blocked. A gap where there had been a path.... Setbacks. When our plans fall through, or when the path becomes blocked or crumbles before us, it can be upsetting, confusing, or even heartbreaking. A financial setback a health setback being forced to wait again for a hope or a dream or a need or relief from suffering. Setbacks can be very heavy to bear. But what if the situation that we perceive as a setback is intended by God as a switchback instead? A switchback is a more gradual, zig-zag path up a mountain. The switchback might look a bit like a u-turn at first, but it actually brings you upward, toward a higher goal. And it was planned in advance for your benefit, to ease the climb. Several years ago, I faced a massive personal setback, and I ached for God to set me back on the path that I had planned for my life. I prayed for providence, and when that didn’t help, I prayed for God to remove the desire for that outcome. I remained stuck and suffering until, finally, I said, God, if you won’t change this situation, grow me through it. To overcome my setback, I had to allow my perspective and my character to change. I had to let go of my ‘perfect’ plan and allow the God of the universe to show me another way. I don’t want to minimize the grief that can come from releasing something precious or painful to God’s control. Or the fear that might stop us from letting go. It would often feel better to us, in times of setback, if God would align His will to our plans. But suppose the path we are meant to walk is taking us higher than we can imagine, and the more gradual path is leading us to a goal beyond what we can see- or appreciate- from our current perspective. As Paul said, ‘I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:14 But even Paul, a biblical all-star, knew better than to do it in isolation or without help. He wrote lots and lots of letters, had innumerable conversations, was mentored, and mentored others. Even In prison, he usually had a friend with him, or he made a new one! If you are facing a setback at present, I hope you will take heart that it is not an abrupt and senseless ending, but potentially a new direction with God’s guidance. Even when we don’t know what to do, each step taken in faith will align us more closely with God’s path for our lives. You might even make a new friend or deepen an existing relationship along the way. I believe the view in the end will be worth every switchback. Amy Treadwell

Thoughts for the day: I think I speak for the majority of us when I say 2020 just was not what we expected. Reflecting over the past year, I noticed many of us experienced being alone. In a time where people are warned to stay away, isolate, and keep distance from family and friends, loneliness has run rampant and is rearing its ugly head. I am a reserved person; I stay in the background whenever possible. When 2020 started, I assumed I would have an easier time than most, bu...t I was sorely mistaken. Sure, I enjoy the long quiet days where I can keep to myself. But as the months went by, I began to realize just how much I missed being around the people in my life. While reading through the book of Genesis with my church family, a verse really struck me. Genesis 2:18 reads, "The LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'" God designed us to be a community. The "lone wolf" mentality has permeated our culture and deceived us into thinking that we should continue through life untethered by others. But the reality is that no one can be as strong alone as you can be with a support system (Eccl. 4:11-12). Jesus himself had a support system with His disciples. We were not made to be alone. So if we were created to be a community, how can we make it through a time where so many of us feel like we're facing challenges alone? If you step back and think about this question, you'll find the very simple answer. The truth is....we're never alone. Satan has many tools in his toolbox, and one of the most effective is to divide and conquer. Satan will tell you that you're alone, but God says in Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I am with you do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." The truth is that we are not alone and never will be if we are in Christ. We may have to be physically distanced, but we are not socially or spiritually distanced. As we begin this new year, I encourage you to call your friends and family, send a text, send snail mail if you're extra like that. Connect with family and friends in as many ways as you can because you are not alone. We need each other more than ever right now. Your support system is just a prayer away. Happy 2021 Church family! God loves you, and he will never leave you nor forsake you. -Best, Kit Moore

Good morning. I trust you remembered to move your clocks back an hour today (though with cell phones and computers doing it automatically, it’s easier to remember these days). Numbers 19 describes the red heifer ceremony. It’s what you have to do as part of the purification rites after coming into contact with a dead body. You’re unclean for a week, spending that period in relative isolation. Then there is this sacrifice and ritual, and if it isn’t done correctly, evide...ntly you could be unclean for life. I think about the red heifer ceremony whenever I hear the story of the Good Samaritan. Now I know it’s a parable, meaning the event Jesus described may never have actually happened, but it could have. Parables aren’t fairy tales, they are true to life, plausible, if often shocking stories. Whether or not Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan was based on actual events, the people listening to him could relate on some level. There was a road going down to Jericho that was known to be unsafe. People did get robbed and killed. Priests, Levites, and Samaritans used that road. So when Jesus’ first Jewish audience listened to a story about a half-dead robbery victim, and a priest and a Levite each taking as wide a berth around the victim as possible, one of the things that would have entered their minds was the red heifer ceremony. The guy was half-dead. What if, in stopping to help him, he became 100% dead while in your care? Then you would be unclean for a week and have to undergo the somewhat complicated and not exactly cheap red heifer ceremony. I’m not saying it’s right to put one’s own ritual purity above caring for a person in need, but sometimes religion can get in the way of doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s a handy, pious excuse. But true religion, pure religion, always involves doing the right thing and taking care of those in need. ------- Stephen C. Lord

There is a description of Yahweh from our reading today: the God of the spirits of all flesh (Num. 16:22). Now it could be that this is talking about the fact that God gave all creatures life (breath) because the underlying Hebrew term, rûa, can mean either spirit (Gen. 41:8, 38) or wind (Gen. 8:1) or breath (Gen. 6:17). Or it could be an observation that God is the author of that which makes us who we are individuallya self-aware, sentient being. Hebrews 12:9 ...contrasts our biological (physical) fathers with God, who is said to be the Father of our spirits (flesh gives birth to flesh, spirit gives birth to spiritJn. 3:6). Thus, humans have two fathers, a biological one from whom we derive our physical nature, and a spiritual one from whom we derive our spiritual nature (compare Rom. 1:3). Zechariah 12:1 states that God forms the spirit of man within him. Which brings us back to Numbers 16:22 and 27:16 describing the Lord as the God of the spirits of all flesh. Humans are physical beings, but we are also spiritual beings, having both a biological father and a spiritual Father. We do not inherit our spiritual nature from our biological parents, but from God who is spirit (John 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:17-18). Ecclesiastes 12:7 declares that when we die, that which is physical, the body, returns to the dust from which it came (Gen. 3:19; Job 34:15). But the spirit returns to God who gave it. The fact that God is the father of our spirits is one reason I don’t subscribe to the Calvinistic doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravitythat since Adam, our biological ancestor, was a sinner we are all born sinners, totally incapable of responding to God’s offer of salvation unless he first gives us his transforming spirit to enable us to do so. Adam is my biological father, but not my spiritual father, flesh gives birth to flesh, spirit gives birth to spirit according to Jesus (Jn. 3:6). ------- Stephen C. Lord

Today’s reading is Psalm 1-2; 15; 22-24; 68 Both Psalm 15 and 24 are attributed to David, but don’t provide any historical context for us to determine when they were written in relation to one another. Whether they were written within a short time of each other, or were separated by many years, at their core they share a common theme (and even some of the same terms): character counts. The question is asked as to who can [continually] abide in God’s presence (15:1...; 24:3). The answer, in a word, is the person with integrity. What is bound up in being such a person? Doing the right thing with the right motives (15:2; 24:4). Being a person of honesty by watching one’s mouth, speaking and believing only what is true, keeping one’s word (15:2-3, 4; 24:4). Turning one’s back on wickedness (15:4). Being careful not to take advantage of others nor to allow justice to be perverted (15:5). The above person who anchors their character in God shall stand through the storms of life (15:5) and receive a blessing from God (24:5). ------- Stephen C. Lord

1/3/21 - Worship Service

Do you ever just feel blessed? I mean deeply blessed? I hope you do. I know we struggle with much in our lives as human beings. Life happens. But in Christ we have so much joy and hope and inspiration. There are so many deep blessings to be found. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:8 to dwell on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and praiseworthy. There are many passages of scripture that hold deep meaning to me, but I’ve listed below my top...Continue reading

What ostensibly triggered the confrontation between Miriam, Aaron, and Moses was Moses' "Cushite" (ESV; NASV; NIV) or "Ethiopian" (KJV; NKJV) wife. Are Miriam and Aaron calling Moses' Midianite wife Zipporah (Ex. 2:16-22) a Cushite? Some think so, arguing that it is a diminutive term related to the Hebrew "Kushan," which appears to be a reference to the territory of the Midianites (Hab. 3:7). Others, however, including the Jews who translated the Old Testament into Greek a...Continue reading

If you consider it for a little bit, the combined Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread weren’t necessarily convenient. (Passover was a one day religious that took place the 14th day of the first month. The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the next day, the 15th, and ran for seven days.) It started with going out to the herds on the 10th day to find a male lamb with no blemishes (anything from being sickly, to having a lazy eye, mange, etc.). You took it home and took ...care of it for four days (invariably the kids thought it was cute and named it Wooly or something, and grew attached to the new pet in spite of it being on the menu). There was the need to get specific veggies, herbs, and spices to make the Maror and Chazeret (bitter herbs). There was the need to go through the house and remove leavening agents for the duration of the Feast and make sure only unleavened bread was eaten for the 8 days total. There were certain ceremonies and sacrifices to perform. And there was the threat of exile or execution (whichever you think cut off from Israel means) if you did it wrong. Good thing these complicated religious services took place only once a year. Given the work and the risks involved, you might think that those who had a legitimate reason to skip these Feasts might breathe a sigh of relief (e.g. Num. 5:2; 19:11-19). And yet . . . the call to create a back up Passover for those who could not observe the regular one was initiated by the people. Evidently, a group of men who had helped with a recent funeral weren’t happy that it disqualified them from participating in Passover/Unleavened Bread that year. They went to Moses and complained. But it was a positive complaint. They were upset they could not participate in the sacrifices (Num. 9:6-7)! Moses asked them to wait while he checked with God. God honored their zeal to participate in the sacrifices by creating a make up Passover on the 14th day of the second month for anyone who had valid reasons for not being able to keep the normal one. Heavenly Father, please give us the kind of heart that grieves when we’re unable to perform sacrifices (Heb. 13:15-16; Rom. 12:1-2) to you. Give us the zeal to seek solutions so we can serve. ------- Stephen C. Lord

Shameful confession: I cheated. Seeing that the dramatized audio Bible Diane and I have been using would take almost 15 minutes to get through this one chapter, I read it instead. Sort of. That is, I read every word in verses 1-18 (and I tried to rattle off the number of silver plates, basins, gold dishes, bulls, rams, lambs, etc. to the tune of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ with limited success). But when it came to repeating the identical list of offerings the next el...Continue reading

Thought for the day: IF-I-TIS What is IF-I-TIS? It’s a behavior seen when we continually say or think things like the following:... IF I could just have more money---- IF I could just get a better job---- IF I could just get my spouse to---- IF I could just get a new car---- IF I could just get my church to---- Too many of us believe our lives would be good if all our IFS could become reality. What we’re really saying is that our life would be great if everybody and everything around us was perfect. We base our satisfaction with life on things we can’t control. Just think what would happen if everybody and everything in your life suddenly became perfect. YOU and your imperfections would no longer fit in at all. There’s lots and lots of IFS in our lives. We may let them control our outlook and life. But what if we concentrate on what we know IS instead? There IS a God, He IS alive! Jesus IS my Savior. Heaven IS where all troubles will end. There IS therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus- Romans 8:1. So, should we let the IFS control our lives and minds? NO! Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever IS true, whatever IS noble, whatever IS right, whatever IS pure, whatever IS lovely, whatever IS admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things Philippians 4:8. Larry and Cheryl Wilson

Make things right. That’s one of the teachings from a segment of today’s readingNum. 5:5-8. This is a complementary passage to Lev. 6:1-7. (If you sometimes wonder why the Law of Moses seems to repeat itself so much, perhaps you should look no further than why parents seems to end up repeating themselves when it comes to getting the kids to behave. Also, particularly in an oral culture, repetition is a key to getting information down.)... In both Num. 5 and Lev. 6, the person did somebody wrong. Numbers 5 doesn’t go into details as to what it might have been. Leviticus 6 describes anything from pulling finders keepers, losers weepers to flat out robbery. Doesn’t really matter what it was, it matters that you did it. There are two points in the Numbers 5 reference. One, when we do something wrong to someone else, they aren’t the only ones we’ve sinned against, we’ve also sinned against God. Doing wrong to another is being unfaithful to God, in whose image that other person was made. Two, go the extra mile to make it right (or at least an additional 1/5th of a mile). That is, make full restitution with extra cheese (an additional 1/5th of the value). So if you borrowed someone’s lawnmower, and because you were careless or a jerk broke it or lost it, you’re supposed to replace it with one of equal value with a little extra thrown in. (Can I get someone to borrow and break my lawnmower?) Bottom line: Don’t do each other wrong in the first place (remembering that doing another wrong is also doing God wrong). If you do someone wrong, go the extra mile to make it right. That’s a principle that runs through the entire Bible (and would brighten up your little corner of the world when practiced). ------- Stephen C. Lord

This week, National Public Radio reported on a Swiss couple named their daughter Twifi, after a European internet provider. This name was chosen because the internet provider agreed to pay for 18 years of internet service to anyone who would give their child this name. (Carl and Kristen, something to think about....) If a similar deal had been offered when we had children, then there would be a strong possibility that you would know our kids by the names of Costco and Dunkin...'. We are reading in Numbers about a time when names carried great importance. At times names described certain significant events. Moses means "to draw out"; describing his removal from the Nile but also his future actions as the leader of the Israelites out of Egypt. At times, God changed names to reflect His will. Abram was changed to Abraham because he would be the "father of many nations" (Gen 17:5). In the case of today's reading, God uses names to determine the signify the role of the people (e.g., Levites = priests) and their placement in the camp. God knew their names and based upon those names, he had a place for them. Our names are also important to God. We have the name of Christian which describes our desire to glorify Christ with our lives. And because we believe and follow Him, God has signified us as children of God because we are now born of God (John 1:12). God knows much more about us than just our name. He knows the numbers of hairs on our head. He knows what is in our hearts. He knows what is important to us and he knows what disappoints us. He knows what hurts us and he knows what brings us joy. God knows what we need even before we do. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me" (John 10:14). It is important that God knows our names. Just like the Israelites, God has a place for us, not in the camp of the Israelites, but in Heaven. God has taken our names and written them in Heaven (Hebrews 12:23) and placed them in the Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). As you read all of these names today, remember God knows your name and has a place for you. Note: Stephen will be starting the daily messages again. I believe I can safely speak for John when I say we have a renewed appreciation for Stephen's willingness to send these daily notes. Stephen, thank you for helping to focus our minds each day as we journey through the Bible. -Michael Moore