Commandment Series: The Fourth

July 15, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8

There’s an epidemic in the world, especially in the United States, of sleep deprivation and stress. Since our early years as a nation, we’ve prided ourselves on being workaholics, pulling ourselves up with our bootstraps, and standing on our own no matter the costs.

Now, we wonder why heart disease is the number 1 killer of Americans.

Many nowadays speak about being always “too busy” as if they were bragging. If someone asks how we’re doing, we say “fine.” If someone asks what we’ve been up to, we answer “busy as always.”

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

“And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31

“The Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will give rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

How many times and ways does God have to tell you to be still (not incessantly busy) and rest for awhile before you’ll listen?

It isn’t a weakness to need rest, it is a gift given to us by God from the dawn of time.

“By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.” Genesis 2:2-4

Rest is good for you mentally, physically, and spiritually, and God set aside a whole day of it every week just for us. God never really needed to rest; he’s omnipotent after all. However, he was setting a precedent for his creation.

Please look at what others say:

“The biological and chemical factors that trigger mental health issues also could influence heart disease. ‘The head-heart connection should be on everyone’s radar,’ said Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist and director of “Behavioral Sciences at the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Springfield, Pa. ‘It’s not just being unhappy. It’s having biochemical changes that predispose people to have other health problems, including heart problems'” (American Heart Association)

“Our society is suffering from sleep deprivation and suffering the consequences with mental health issues (anxiety/depression/mood disorders), physical health issues (heart disease, diabetes, obesity), addictions, relationship problems.” (CDC and WEBMD)

“There are data showing that working overtime is associated with problems such as high blood pressure, depression and obesity.” In a 1960 study, 2% sample slept less than 6 hours per night. In 2004, that figure was up to 30%. (Psychology Today)

There’s evidence that religious rituals are “conducive to better mental health… reduce anxiety and uncertainty.” The Sabbath gives “freedom from mundane and practice concerns” centering on survival. The “Sabbath provides opportunities to rest from both physical and mental stresses.” (Research Gate)

Rest = better health. Sabbath = rest. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. So, why did God mandate this rest instead of leaving it as an option? Because we have a difficult time stopping, slowing down, and saying no. We have authority figures who can control us into not resting (i.e. bosses, parents when we are children, etc). Not to mention the fact that we ourselves are over others that need rest as well: other people, animals, even the plants in our backyard.

“At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.” Matthew 12:1-14

So, what is going on in the above verse? Everything needs rest, but humans should be top priority. First, when Jesus says that He is the “Lord of the Sabbath,” He is essentially saying that He is master of that day. The only one who can be master of a commandment is the one who created it… He declared He was God (one of many times He did this).

When he mentions the temple bread, he is comparing his disciples breaking the sacredness of the Sabbath to David’s men breaking the sacredness of the temple. Both sets of men had physical needs that outweighed, and therefore, were exceptions to the law. He brings up how the priests are the only ones allowed to do their job on the Sabbath (that’s how they “desecrate” the temple) as the Pharisees would have agreed that they are allowed to do so. Jesus states “something greater than the temple is here.” Again, declaring His mastery over the temple. The only one greater than the temple is… God.

He is basically saying that He’s the one who made the laws, and they are acting as if they know better how to keep them. Then, He heals a man, not a man about to die from wounds or illness, not a man who can’t wait until the next day for healing. He heals a man with a somewhat minor disfigurement because “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

“It is not the greatness of the priests which justified their violation of the Fourth Commandment—it was the greatness of the temple, the greatness of the cause or the work in which the were engaged..Verse 7 strikes at the heart of the problem of His adversaries: they have focused on the mechanical, ritualistic, aspects of the Sabbath, and in so doing they have failed to meet its essence, which is mercy and compassion. They have lingered long over the letter of the Law, but they have missed its spirit.” (Bible Org)

We were not made to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made to heal us, refocus us, center us back onto the spiritual relationship with God after a long week of survival, to gather us from our corners of the world and bring the followers together for simple human interaction without pretense for commerce or goal-setting.

“Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

Why would you deny such a huge gift from God?

“Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. … And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. Therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Take up your pallet and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” But he who was healed did not know who it was; for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may befall you.” The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” John 5:2, 5-18

They hated Jesus because He was repeatedly declaring Himself God and denouncing their ways. He didn’t find the nit-picking rules that the Pharisees set up to be correct. Instead of just telling them to not follow those legalistic ways, He showed them by action how actually follow the Sabbath. Picking up pallets or plucking a single ear of corn was not breaking the God-given conditions of Sabbath . Mercy and compassion is following the Sabbath. Taking care of your physical needs is following the Sabbath. Gathering with others for worship and connection definitely is following the Sabbath.

So, how do we interpret what He means when He says that God the Father and Himself are working on the Sabbath? Well, you could take this many ways, and I encourage you to always ask God for guidance. However, the way I personally take it is that Jesus was saying God never needs rest. The Sabbath was made for the Creation not the Creator. However, Jesus wasn’t actually breaking the Sabbath, either. He was breaking man-made rules, not God’s laws. Yet, according to the Pharisee rules, God was breaking those man-made rules of Sabbath-keeping, and therefore, if we’re using the Pharisee’s viewpoint of “work”, God is always working on the Sabbath.

There’s a lot to be learned from Sabbath-keeping. You learn the world does not revolve around you, and it will continue spinning whether you’re checking off lists or not. You learn how deep a need we all have for rest, peace, and communion. You learn to stop and smell the roses without worrying about how much their worth or where you might plant them next on your property. You learn how stopping the rat-race on a regular basis helps to re-center your life on God. You learn how to be child again, free from obligations and stress, at least for a day.

If you haven’t ever observed the Sabbath before, it may be difficult at first. When a person’s been spinning for awhile, they can be a bit dizzy when they step down from the ride. However, when you finally learn how to rest, truly rest, you learn a bit about God’s promise for peace and restoration. It’s like a glimpse of heaven here on earth.

Sabbath: you don’t just want rest, you need it. Be still.

Sources other than Bible:
https://bible.org/seriespage/16-sabbath-controversy-gospels
http://www.theheartfoundation.org/heart-disease-facts/heart-disease-statistics/
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/StressManagement/HowDoesStressAffectYou/Stress-and-Heart-Health_UCM_437370_Article.jsp#.WWZcGdIUmHs
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250919744_The_Mental_Health_Benefits_and_Costs_of_Sabbath_Observance_Among_Orthodox_Jews
https://www.sabbathtruth.com/faq/advanced-topics/rest-in-god-keeping-the-sabbath-holy
https://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/toll-of-sleep-loss-in-america
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleepless-in-america/201001/are-we-really-getting-less-sleep-we-did-in-1975

Commandment Series: The Second

July 1, 2017 / EloquentMuse / 1 Comment

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6

Are you burdened with the weight of carrying gods, or is your God carrying you?

The second commandment is very close to the first (not placing any other gods above Yahweh), so much so, one wonders why they are always deemed separate commands. It seems oddly specific, and in the ancient world, perhaps not a strange thing to ask as many pagan gods had followers dedicating idols to their worship. In this day and time, however, you might wonder how the second commandment affects you.

In the prior post about the first commandment, we clarified that “gods” can be anything you serve other than Yahweh: wealth, pride, electronics, even other people, etc. We must place God above everything else in our life, and He will provide. The second commandment tells us not to set up idols of our “gods.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not making clay representations of my iPhone and bowing down to it. So, what gives? How do we know what an idol is in modern times?

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:20-23

Like the wind, we may not see our invisible God, but He always moving the world around us. No one is excused from not knowing He exists because, as the author proclaims, He is always around us in everything we perceive. Yet, perhaps out of ignorance on how to connect with a God of His glory, people began to worship the creation instead of the creator.

“‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26-27

The problem is, we are putting above us things that we were supposed to subdue. In other words, we forget that we are made higher than everything else on Earth (except angels Hebrews 2:7). We are the children of God! Yet, we “worship” everything that should be in submission to us and forget to submit ourselves to God.

One source below states, “An idol is anything we depend upon to meet the deep needs of the heart—love, security, worth, or significance. When we seek to find identity and security in something besides God, we have made it an idol. John Calvin said, “The human heart is an idol factory.” We often search for peace or identity through relationships, substances, money, or entertainment. Addictions are forms of idolatry, as are a host of other worldly enticements that cannot ultimately satisfy. When we give ourselves to the pursuit of manmade gods, we are breaking the second commandment.”

I’m going to go one step further. Consider this verse.

“Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God! I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are continually before me. I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” Psalm 50:7-15

The ancient gods, as well as the new, survive on sacrifice. We must give up something of ourselves or our resources in order to keep them alive for worship. Idolatry is all about greed and selfishness. We give something: we get something. If the “gods” are not satisfied with our offerings, we are punished or ignored. They are selfish, and their followers worship them just to receive things. They need their followers almost more than their followers need them.

Yahweh is quite different. HE sacrificed for US. He needs nothing from us, but He wants us all the same. God is all about selfless love in everything He’s done, and He expects us to be the same. He rains blessings on the good and bad. As a father, He may discipline us, but it has nothing with what He can gain from us.

“Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low. Their idols are on beasts, on livestock. Your loads are more burdensome than their reports. They stoop, they bow down together, and they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go off into captivity. “Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all you remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld from before your birth, and who have been carried from the womb. Even until your old age, I am the one, and I’ll carry you even until your gray hairs come. It is I who have created, and I who will carry, and it is I who will bear and save. To whom will you compare me, count me equal, or liken me, so that I may be compared? Those who pour out gold in a purse, weigh silver in a balance, hire a goldsmith in order to make a god, and then they bow down and even worship it. And they lift it on their shoulders, carry it, set it up in its place, and there it stands. It cannot move from that spot. One may even call to it, but it cannot answer nor save him from his distress.” Isaiah 46:1-7

Are you carrying your gods? Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to keep up with the demands of daily life? Are you constantly worried about the future and what it brings? Are you giving up money, time, relationships, or health just to be able to keep your “gods” alive? If you are sacrificing ANYTHING, make sure you are sacrificing for Yahweh, and even then make sure it’s out of love; otherwise, even God doesn’t want it. Find what or who you’re sacrificing for because that’s your “god.” The one true God doesn’t require sacrifice to keep His blessings or love flowing. He won’t drain you. He fills you up. He carries you through life. You’ll never need to carry Him.

Let’s use my phone addiction as an example. I give it my time and attention. In return it gives me entertainment and a sense of social connection. If I fail to give it time, attention, battery charge, it fails to serve me in return. That’s because it’s fallible and a creation, not a creator. My phone should be serving me when and where I need it, without sacrificing my precious time or attention that would be better given to my family. I just need to make sure that I am in charge, not vice versa.

That show “Hoarders” is an extreme example, but those people sacrifice a lot to hold onto their things. They give up a clean home, relationships, health, their sanity. In return, they expect to hold onto what those things symbolize, like memories, the love of family members who gave them the things, or even protection from the world beyond their home as if their things are a hedge around them. They are never truly satisfied. They should be in charge. Their possessions should not be possessing them.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17:24-25

You’ll know you’ve built an idol when something or someone in your life requires you to “feed” it in order to keep it in your life, and it’s draining you dry. God made everything and is in control of everything. He’s got you; just let Him do His thing in your life. Let go and let God provide what you need.

Sources other than Bible: gotquestions.org/second-commandment, discovertheword.org

Commandment Series: The First

June 24, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

For the next ten weeks, I’ll be focusing on each of the ten commandments. These laws may exist in the Old Testament, but Jesus brings them forward, saying, “”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 In fact, Jesus makes a point of elucidating each commandment so that we can all fully understand the meaning behind it.

This week is about the First Commandment.

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2-3

Your first thought may be to consider this an ancient problem. I mean, how hard is it to avoid pagan gods? In some parts of the world, it’s harder than others, but the fact is, you don’t need a golden idol in order to place other gods before Yahweh.

In both B.C. and A.D. times, there’ve been plenty of gods to worship. Many are gods of the water, trees, farming, war, fertility, destruction, creation, fishermen, feasts, etc. etc. If you can think of, well anything, there was or is a god for it. Crazy thing is, nowadays, we don’t usually call them gods in the Western world. So, it can be quite shocking when you realize you’ve been placing a “god” before your real Father.

Take for instance my addiction to my smartphone. There’s no doubt to me it’s an addiction, and I know I’m not alone in this. Some of you are glued to your T.V., your games, your hobbies, your career, your money, or even your pride. Oh, but it’s not harming anyone, least of all angering God, right? That’s a good question.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Anytime you see your “worldly worship” come before your prayer time with God or serving God in anyway, the First Commandment comes into play. If your phone interferes with family time, if your T.V. shows are glorifying evil, if your hobbies and career keep you in a cycle of greed, if you don’t trust God with your money situation or refuse to spend any to help others, or if you are ever worried about what others think or say about you, you are placing other “gods” before Yahweh. We all have at some point.

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5

Ya know, if you didn’t believe me before. It’s right there in writing.

How about this?

“No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24

If you serve another “god,” you’re not loving God completely. You can’t follow God if you’re walking in the opposite direction.

Another one of my favorite verses is this, so I’m posting the whole thing.

“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 gather into barns—and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans pursue all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

Worry is another problem for me. When we worry, we’re acting as if the world is more powerful than God. We worship at the altar of anxiety and sacrifice it our wasted time. We are placing worry and the problems of this world above God. Yet, He is clear on what we can do instead. We should “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” In other words, place God first, love Him, trust Him. He’s stronger than all feelings, problems, and “gods.” He shall provide.

When changing a habit or stuck mindset, we shouldn’t just focus on the negative, we must focus on the positive. So, we know what NOT to do in order to “have no other gods before” Yahweh, so what SHOULD we do?

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.” Matthew 22:36-38

My all-time favorite verse. This is the first commandment, to love God with all your being and might. If you put Him first in your life, think of every action, thought, and word as if you are representing your God (because you are!). If you do everything out of your abundant love for Him, you’ll be on the correct path.

You won’t be perfect at this because none of us are. However, by choosing God as your master, you WILL be cutting the strings the world uses to make you its puppet, even if you stumble a little when you’re free.

Next week is the Second Commandment, which is closely related to this one but not exactly the same.

אָמֵן Amen

The World As Witness

June 10, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

Some explain it away as pagan stories that the Bible took in; others say there are common, pre-historic memories preserved in each culture. Whichever way you look at it, there are many stories recorded in the Bible which can also be found in other parts of the world, and they’re too similar to be simply dismissed.

Eve and Pandora:

“The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:2-6

Compare, if you will, to the story of Pandora in Greek mythology. As it is written in Hesiod’s poem, “Theogony,” she was the first female, formed from the Earth. She was given a jar (mistranslated as box), as a wedding gift, and told to never open it (by the jealous Zeus who had tricked her). Her curiosity got the better of her, and all manner of illness and evil was released upon the world, bringing the cycle of birth and death to humankind. When she was finally able to close it, only hope was left inside.

If you recall, after Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Good and Evil, bringing death to mankind, God had a discussion with the rest of the Trinity.

“And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Genesis 3:22

And hope was held back until it was given through Jesus. There are some differences, of course, between the two stories. In one, God gives the command to not eat the fruit, and the serpent tricks Eve into eating it. In the other, it’s really the serpent who tricks the woman into dying of curiosity with reverse psychology. Still, the two stories remain very similar.

Ancient Giants:

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.” Genesis 6:1-21

The Nephilim are usually described as fallen angels or sons of God.

The idea of heaven and earth mixing and creating them is similar to the Greek mythology of gods and demi-gods. First, there are the Titans, which were physically giants and basically gods, though less so than the “primordial deities.” They were the children of Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). Then, we could also bring up the “Gigantes,” which means giants in Greek. They were aggressive and strong beings, but not always physical giants. They were made when Uranus’s blood fell upon Gaia, according to the poet Hesiod. They were very human-like when depicted in art. Apparently, the difference between the Titans and the Gigantes really lies in the fact that the Gigantes were earthborn.

In Hinduism, giants are called Daityas. They were the children of Diti (goddess of earth) and a sage, Kashyapa (the ancestor of humans). The Daityas were power-hungry and jealous of their half-brothers known as the Deva. The Deva were “heavenly, divine” beings. Generally, the Daityas were looked at as malevolent and the Deva as benevolent.

The differences are many, but the similarities are a little eerie.

Global Flood:

“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.” Genesis 7:1-6

Now, the story of the world-wide flood is in nearly every culture. Not surprising since the event was world-wide…

The Sumerian story, “Epic of Gilgamesh” dates back 5000 years, and describes Utnapishtim who builds a vast circular boat with tar and pitch, brings his family, seeds, and animals, and survives a flood released by the angry gods. He, like Noah, lets a bird out of the boat in order to find dry land after the waters recede.

In Native American folklore, the Ojibwe tribe has a legend of Waynaboozhoo and the Great flood. It speak of an evil world long ago where the creator decided to flood the earth. One man (Waynaboozhoo) made a raft for animals and himself. After waiting awhile for the waters to recede, he asked a loon to dive down to the “old world” beneath the waves for mud. He was unable to do so. So, the beaver tried, but was also unsuccessful. Next, the coot (a water bird) was able to bring back mud, and from it, the new world was formed. This story is almost exactly like the Ottawa legend, but in the Ottawa legend the main man is a prophet with a wolf-dog that the sea-god was jealous of, which the sea-god killed, causing the prophet to pierce the god with an arrow, releasing a flood. There’s numerous Native American flood stories.

In India, Vedic lore states their god (Brahma) came in the form of a fish to warn the Indian king Manu of a massive flood that will destroy all of humanity. The book, Satapatha Brahmana, says he was a “holy man, who, by penances and prayers, had won the favour of the lord heaven.” Manu had three sons before the flood, like Noah. However, in Manu’s story, the flood was not due to an evil world but simply part of the natural order of things. He builds a ship and fills it with animals and seeds. After the flood recedes, he is led to a dry mountain by the fish and proceeds to repopulate the world.

In Aztec myth, it was during the era of the fourth sun when people grew wicked and stopped worshipping the gods. The god of rains decided to flood the world, but he liked a devout couple, Tata and Nena, and warned them of the upcoming destruction. He told them how to hollow out a large log, bring corn to eat, and they survived the flood.

There are innumerable flood myths from Egypt, China, Scandinavia, and many other countries, and they are varied and sometimes strange (like blood flooding the earth instead of water). Although, it would be no wonder if the water covering the Earth was red-tinged due to all the death.

I guess you can interpret these findings in any way you see fit. The way I see it, it’s kind of strange to have so many unrelated, disconnected cultures describing the same event if that event never happened. It just reinforces the stories of the Bible and brings them to light from the differing perspectives across the world.

Sources other than the Bible:
http://time.com/44631/noah-christians-flood-aronofsky/
http://www.equip.org/article/creation-accounts-ancient-near-eastern-religions/
http://creationtoday.org/giant-speculations-the-bible-and-greek-mythology/
Each of these sources have various other linked sources which are innumerable and not listed here.

Sitting at the Feet of God

May 27, 2017 / EloquentMuse / 1 Comment

Have you ever been hanging out with a loved one or visiting a friend, and suddenly, they’re on their phones engrossed in whatever is on the screen? If it happened only occasionally, it might not be a big deal, but it probably gets aggravating if it happens often, almost as if they’d rather be somewhere else or with someone else. There’s a disconnect despite the fact you’re sitting in the same room.

Okay, here’s another scenario. You show up with chicken fried rice for dinner, and your spouse gets upset because they’d rather have Lo Mein tonight. You’ll probably end up saying that they could’ve told you earlier, right? You can’t exactly read minds.

However, it brings up an important point about relationships: Communication is super important, and since we’re made in God’s image, you should know it’s important to Him too. Although God can totally read your mind, He wants you to reach out to Him, to ask Him if you want or need something. It’s not a guarantee you’ll get it (God actually does know better than you about what you need), but it IS a guarantee you’ll get closer to Him.

Everyone knows about prayer, but what is prayer exactly? Also, is whispering words to the heavens the only form of communication with God?

The best way to answer “God questions” is to look to the Bible; it is one of God’s many ways of communicating with us. I’ve found many holy people in that book who’ve prayed; in fact, it seems to be the most favored way of speaking with God. They’ve joyfully shouted, sobbed, wailed, ranted in anger, whispered in fear, and questioned God’s motives with great trepidation. One thing I’ve noticed is that they poured their hearts out to God, even if what was on their hearts was morally unstable. They communicated to God, and you know what? Without fail, God communicated right back: not necessarily right away.

What do you do if you have a problem in any relationship? You should be bringing it up with the other party, right? Same deal with God. Look no further than the book of Job or several instances when Moses spoke with God in the desert.

There are times when we don’t know what to pray, but we still long to connect to God.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.” Romans 8:26

Yes, prayer with words isn’t the only way to speak with God.

“And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.” 2 Samuel 6:14-15

“Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. Miriam answered them, “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:20-21

“And all the skillful men who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was performing, and said to Moses, ‘The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.'” Exodus 36:4-5

These are a few of the many examples of how people “spoke” with God. Dance, song (which oftentimes served as storytelling as well), using our skills to serve, or giving as much of ourselves and our resources as we can in order to praise our Creator. See, God doesn’t always speak with us in words. He isn’t limited in this way, and we must keep not only our ears but our eyes, minds, and hands open to “hear” Him because He is a multi-sensory experience. So are we.

Every time you meditate on His word, you are communicating with God. Every time you create something in order to praise Him, serve Him, or help others with your work, you are communicating with God. Every time you meet with His other followers to worship Him and help each other walk His path, you are communicating with God. Those moments when you’re in the car singing a praise song, you are communicating with God. Even thoughtfully cleaning your house and cooking meals to serve your family, taking care of your children, and raising them in His ways are many other ways to “speak” with God.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

When you mindfully do things which you know will please God, you are praying without words.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” Matthew 6:7

You don’t have to know all the right things to say. In fact, you don’t have to “say” anything at all. Make sure you take the time to be truly alone with Him when you can.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

The times when God have spoken with me are innumerable. He comes to me mostly in my quiet moments, not because He can’t communicate in a crowd, but rather because I’m less likely pay attention when He does. His words may come in the form of music, a gentle breeze, a bird landing nearby, a commercial, a photo, a simple word whispered in my mind, etc.. He knows the right way to communicate with me so I will understand.

“‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:3

One of my favorite ways to pray is to just sit in silence and pay attention to the here and now. Sometimes, my mind feels like it’s running constantly with too many thoughts scrambling around. I like to think I’m just hanging out with God in comfortable silence. Sometimes, I think of something to say to Him during our moment; sometimes, He speaks to me. Most of the time, it’s just peaceful quality time with someone I love.

Bottom line is there’s no excuse to not communicate and spend time with God. There’s no wrong or right way to do it. He longs to hear from you even if it’s just a reiteration of your day. Worship and prayer go hand-in-hand, and if you do everything with Him in mind, you are spending time with one another and communicating your love for Him. Believe me, if you pay attention, you’ll see He’s always communicating His love to you.

Anxiety & Depression: It’s Ok to NOT Be Ok

May 20, 2017March 28, 2020 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

“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. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

In the ebb and flow of life, there are times and situations where we all fall into despair or pull our hair in anxiety. It’s a normal reaction to the darkness of the world. This is not our final destination, this is not our true home, and we are surviving in the acidic environment of humanity’s many downfalls. The above verse helped me through many times and continues to do so, which is why I posted it in its entirety.

There are also those of us who have “imbalances” in our body chemistry that causes higher levels of worry, fear, and depression even during times of relative calm. I firmly believe that these are the attributes of those people with higher levels of empathy and soulful connection to others in ways we don’t yet understand.

Either because of circumstances or the make of their bodies, there have been innumerable Biblical characters who’ve shared in their fair share of the darkest valleys. Every time, there’s been a repeated message from God.

Elijah:

“He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough Lord, he said. Take my life, I am not better than my ancestors.'” 1 Kings 19:4

He ran away from Jezebel and her threats of death, tired and afraid for his life. Though he fled despite God’s instructions, God showed up with a gentle heart. He first sent an angel who laid down sustenance for him. This is when God tells him to wait for him on the mountain.

“Then, a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?'” 1Kings 19:11-13

God was in the soft whisper, always by Elijah’s side no matter what his state of mind.

Jonah:

“Now O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live…I am angry enough to die.” Jonah 4:3-9

Instead of rejoicing at the people’s turn around at his prophecy, he despaired that he would no longer be considered a true prophet since his prophecy didn’t come true. Despite his obstinate behavior, God showed up with a gentle heart.

“There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.” Jonah 4:5-6

God also used the plant to give Jonah a message on anger, but He’d stayed by Jonah’s side through the good and bad times.

Moses:

He killed an Egyptian without due process and fled for his life for forty years. When God showed up in a burning bush, Moses seemed to find himself unworthy based on past failures, and God never stated he was worthy. This is important to remember.

“But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Exodus 4:1-14

It was through Moses’ weaknesses not his strengths, that God would show His grace and power. Again, after the Israelites were wailing over their hunger, Moses stated:

“I am not able to bear all these people alone. The burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now if I have found favor in Your sight and do not let me see my wretchedness!” Numbers 11:10-15

These are the words of a man in despair. Yet, God showed up with a gentle heart.

“I will take some of the power of the spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.” Numbers 11:17

Moses is still ranting and ruminating on his problems when God cuts in.

“Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” Numbers 11:23

So, He got a little snarky with Moses (which is hilarious to me), but He was always there for Moses and ready to lift his troubles. All Moses had to do was ask. What’s equally memorable about this and the others who yell and rave at God is that He is always listening with patience and never do I find Him getting angry just because they are upset. He understands and wants them to pour their heart out, even if it’s anger toward Him.

Job:

Ah, yes, good ol’ Job. We can’t speak on anxiety and depression without mentioning him.

“Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?” Job 3:11

“I have no peace, no quietness, I have no rest, but only turmoil.” Job 3:26

“I loathe my very life, therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in then bitterness of my soul.” Job 10:1

“Terrors overwhelm me… my life ebbs away, days of suffering grip me. Night pierces my bones, my gnawing pains never rest.” Job 30:15-17

His book is a plethora of depression and anxiety and no wonder as everything and everyone had been taken from him, except his wife. Yet, he blames God for all this. God shows up in full effect, and honestly, you need to read the full reply to understand how awesome it really is.

” Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
‘Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?

…Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!

…Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me.'” Job 38-44

Yet, He, again, shows up with a gentle yet stern heart. He sets the record straight and good thing, since He’s the only One who can set Job’s life right again, which He certainly does.

David:

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11

David lost both of his sons, Saul was forever chasing him, and he had guilt of sin that tormented him. He asks a controversial question, “Why have you forgotten (or forsaken) me?” (Psalm 42:9).

Again, God steps in with a gentle heart. The fact is, God considered David a “man after my own heart.” Do you really think He forsook him? God says, “My love will never be taken away from him.” (2 Samuel 7:15)

God established David as king of Israel and promised him that his kingdom would endure forever. (Some claim Queen Elizabeth and her family are direct descendants of David, but that is a controversial subject.) Point is, God would not only be by David’s side forever but also by all of his descendants.

Jesus:

Yep, Jesus.

David’s Psalm 42 is nearly identical to Psalm 22 that was spoken by Jesus on the cross.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1

This is said by Jesus while in agony on the cross; dying for our sins, He stood for all of us sinners feeling lost and abandoned. There is an answer to that question.

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Just because you can’t see God in the darkness doesn’t mean He isn’t there. In fact, Jesus says this:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus, he is described as “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Is. 53:3

The night before He was captured, when no one else but Him knew what the next day would entail, Jesus was understandably upset.

“‘My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death, remain here and keep watch.’ and He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying ‘Abba, Father! All things are possible for You, remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.’ then, an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:41-44

What’s sad is that although He’d been there for us all through our tribulations again and again, as documented in the Bible, His disciples could not even keep their eyes open to comfort Him in His distress. Yet, He wasn’t alone. The Father and the angels He sent were there for Him.

Here are some other times God reminds us that He will always be there, even through our darkest days:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“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.” Isaiah 41:10

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

God reminds us that through doing our purpose in life, loving and caring for others, our spirits will lift as well:

“’Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday… then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.’ The mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 58:1-14

Please remember, dear soul, whatever you’re going through that God is with you even if you can’t see Him. Forget that old saying, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” It’s a lie. God never tests you nor gives you evil, but the dark world will definitely give you more than you can handle alone. That is when you need to lean on the One who can handle anything. Give it to HIM. In the same way God wanted to show His grace and power through Moses’ weaknesses, He wants to show the same through yours. Don’t hold the world on your shoulders. You weren’t made that way. God made the world, however, so He can lift your worries while sustaining you in ways you never knew you needed. Be still and listen to that gentle whisper because there is God, forever by your side.

Feminist Christian: An Oxymoron?

May 6, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

You’ve possibly read the book “The Handmaiden’s Tale” or even watched the new show. It’s a sci-fi dystopian story about a futuristic U.S. which has become an overwhelmingly patriarchal society, deeming women as basically objects for procreation. It’s pretty disturbing, to say the least. The worst part of it isn’t really the men who carry out this crushing oppression, but the women who subject their own gender to those demeaning roles.

Watching the show (it’s been a while since I’ve read the book), I noticed how the camera would pan to things like churches or religious objects. It made me think, what does God have to do with misogynists? Do people think being a feminist Christian is an oxymoron?

Of course people think this of religion. Many people have not represented God very well in this aspect as they succumb to corruption and power-hungry domination.

It’s sad that people think of God as a misogynist because who said God was male? The Bible uses male pronouns as a way to indicate power and authority. The world is patriarchal. Language has adapted to that.

I personally don’t believe he’s either gender. He’s a being above procreation and so has no need for Earthly gender. Why would He hate or denigrate females? Ok, let’s look at the moment of creation, when humans were created.

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

Let’s look at the Hebrew meanings of the words translated as helper and suitable, shall we?

Helper: Azar = help, further, ally, support, protect, restrain

Suitable: Nagad = in front of, in sight of, opposite to, comparable to as in mate

He needed a being “comparable” or equal to man. So, he created a woman. That’s right. The above verse is basically stating that women are equal to men. Notice also that he says it’s not good for men to be alone. That’s because we are made to be supported, love, and in community with others, just as God is in the Trinity. We are made in His image, after all. Together, men and women share life together.

So, equal means the same, right? Why not just make another man or something? Okay, no. Notice one way to translate the Hebrew word for “suitable” is “opposite to.” Another good word might be complementary. The strengths and weaknesses of each offset the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Women are physically weaker (generally) but mental gymnasts (multi-tasking and high pain tolerance for the win!). Men are mental marathoners (singular focus) with low pain tolerance (generally) but more physical prowess. There’s a lot more to our complementary features, and they differ from individual to individual.

So, they were equal companions, though different, in the Garden of Eden until everything fell apart. There are hints that their relationship was never the same either. Notice what God says as he throws them out of Eden:

“The LORD God said to the serpent,
‘Because you have done this,
Cursed are you more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you will go,
And dust you will eat
All the days of your life;
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.'”

This is BIG. The serpent is representative of evil and the fruits of evil. Although he harms Eve’s children (that is all of us), her seed will harm him. Yes, that would be Jesus. Please note that, although much of the Bible focuses on the male lineage and how father begat son, God focuses on Eve here. She is the beginning of the end for Satan, and Mary, another female, will physically bring that Hope into the world.

“To the woman He said,
‘I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.'”

So, it seems that Adam’s authority over Eve wasn’t truly fleshed out in the garden. Now, women will be more focused on serving their husbands, and husbands will naturally stand in the dominant role. (Side note: Check out my last post on Marriage to read how marriage reflects the Trinity.)

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.’
Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.” Genesis 3:14-20

Now, men are the breadwinners for the household, which has held historically true. Adam was to give name to every being on Earth. So, he names her Eve, which is “khav-vaw” in Hebrew: life-giver. This has a double meaning that honors her and the hope she holds within her. She gives birth to the nations, sure. However, I believe he was also focused on the fact that she is the first of a line that leads directly to the true Life-Giver, Jesus. They were thrown out and are in the depths of despair, so it is at this moment Adam holds onto the hope God has given them: “…her seed; He shall bruise you (Satan) on the head.” God will turn their evil back to good again one day.

As time passed, there were many more notable females born to bear God’s legacy. Most of them, just like the men of the Bible, serve as examples of what God and His people stand for, but let’s look at the strongest women.

Ruth displayed a love and loyalty to her mother-in-law after their husbands’ deaths. She stated, “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Ruth 1:16-17 This is a great example of how one can follow the unity of the Trinity even outside of marriage. Through her actions, she shows the loyalty and permanence that God also has for us, and she is brave though she doesn’t know where life may lead them next.

As mentioned in the post about submission, Esther, wife of King Ahasuerus and queen of Persia, secretly lived as a Jewish woman in a pagan court. When her blood-hungry husband was going to kill her people, she risked death by approaching him to fight for their lives. (Esther 4-5)

Hagar, an Egyptian servant, was neglected and abused for jealousy’s sake. Although she was abandoned to the wilderness just as she needed support the most, soon after having her son, Hagar held onto her faith and love of God, and He pulled her and her child through those difficult circumstances. (Genesis 16-21)

Mary Magdalene is a popular name; and although people state she was a prostitute, it never states that anywhere in the Bible. She was, however, financially secure and somewhat independent for her time period, and after Jesus had delivered her from possession of demons, Mary made sure to financially support Him and His ministry. She is also a main witnesses to Jesus as she was present during the crucifixion, burial, empty tomb, and Jesus, risen again from the grave. Her importance is undeniable. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

I believe Martha and Mary perfectly show two types of female disciples. Jesus visited them and their brother Lazarus in Bethany. They were both very faithful, but they were very different women. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to converse, just like the other male disciples, while Martha scurried around serving them dinner and making Him comfortable. They were both serving Him in different ways, and Jesus expressed his joy in them both. Some of us just aren’t domestic, and that’s ok. (Luke, John)

There are some verses people like to pull out in order to “prove” that the Bible is misogynist, but here’s a couple big ones:

“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” 1 Timothy 2:12

“As in all the congregations of the saints, women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.” 1 Corinthians 14: 33-35

Yikes. But, wait. What about these verses?

“He (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” Acts 18:26

If it isn’t clear enough, Priscilla is a female, and she taught Apollos along with her husband Aquila. Unconventionally, in a culture where men are in a place of authority, Priscilla’s name is mentioned before her husband’s. This may mean nothing or everything, but some sources state this means she was the more prominent teacher. Paul was very confident of the couple’s teaching capabilities as stated in 1 Cor. 16:19. He names them both as church leaders in Ephesus.

“I commend to your our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worth of his people and to give her any help she may need from you for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me .” Roman 16:1-2

Pheobe was in an important position of her church, and some believe she served in the same capacity as Paul, Apollos, Tychicus, and many others also mentioned in the Bible. The word “benefactor” is also translated as “presiding officer” in some Bibles.

How about Deborah, a prophetess, military warrior, and judge who held the greatest authority in Israel during her time. Plus, as one source states, “She is also one of the few judges of whom the Bible reports no failures.”* (Judges 4,5) She was not the only prophetess in the old or new testament. Consider Miriam who was sent alongside Moses and Aaron before the Pharaoh (Micah 6:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 34) who fearlessly gives a grim prophesy to a king of whom she unceremoniously refers as “the man” instead of his title (“Tell the man who sent you to me”), Isaiah’s wife who gives birth to a son with an extra long name (Isaiah 8:3; Seriously, look it up.), Anna who bears witness to the baby Jesus, joyfully telling everyone of His birth (Luke 2:36-38), and the daughters of Phillip (Acts 21:8-9). A prophet or prophetess was not simply a “foreteller” as many think of them. They are people who speaks God’s truth to others, typically serving as both teacher and revelator with their especially close relationship to the Creator.

There are many mentions of females in leadership or teaching positions of churches and synagogues in the New Testament. It’s likely they allowed women to serve in those positions because of Jesus’ attitude toward female disciples. See the many instances female disciples are spoken as following Jesus throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some travelled with Jesus and some stayed behind in their homes but still served Him. There were many names unmentioned, but here are those who were: Mary Magdelene, Mary Salome, Mary and Martha (What’s up with all the Marys?), The Three Marys (ha!), Joanna, Susanna, Priscilla, Tabitha, Lydia, Phoebe, Junia, Trypehna, Julia, Nympha, and Apphia. Many unnamed women also received the Holy Spirit during the Pentecost. Discipleship, if you’re unaware, is a student position that eventually leads to teaching. These females spread the gospel through TEACHING.

So, whatever that first verse meant (and there are many who disagree), it did NOT mean that ALL women couldn’t teach. Consider it may have had something to do with the place or circumstances of which we are unaware. If the author had something against all women teaching the gospel, it sure doesn’t mesh with the rest of their teachings. It’s important to understand that the Bible was written in a time of extreme patriarchy where people, even women, were less likely to listen to a female (who generally had no formal education like her male peers). They were called to not even give the appearance of wrong-doing so that others would be more likely to listen to God’s message through them. The females within the Bible and those who weren’t, whether teacher, deacon, prophetess, or simple disciple, sometimes had to fight twice as hard against the unholy culture of their time in order to be God’s light in the world.

If you ever hear that the Bible, God, or Christianity is misogynist or against females in any way, understand that the WORLD is against God and will lie in many ways to turn you against Him. Do not let them make you underestimate your place in God’s will or undermine the power He has placed within you. You are the hope of the world. Women, be the light and love, and shine bright.

Sources besides the Bible:
http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_disciples_of_Jesus

http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/

The Christian Dirty Word – Submission

April 22, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

Even among many Christians, this Biblical word is cringe-worthy, anxiety-inducing, and angering: submission. In the good US of A, where we pride ourselves on independence and rebellion, the word conjures an idea of cowering in the face of authority and accepting our fate. For women and feminists everywhere, the word brings to mind The Stepford Wives and living solely for our men’s comfort and praise, pretending to be lesser beings.

Yet, invariably, although we may try to avoid it, someone will bring up this verse, usually twisting it for whatever purpose or point they’re trying to make:

“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:22-33

We’re lucky if they even mention that the verse afterwards is all about husbands loving their wives. Most of us hang, as if to a life raft, struggling to explain it’s not what they think, trying to keep our heads above the water before we drown in their disgust at our beliefs.

How about this verse?

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

How can you be a feminist if you believe in the same Bible that tells us women to subjugate ourselves to even abusive men? How do you reconcile being a patriotic American and also a doormat to corrupt leaders?

You can’t, and you don’t. Submission doesn’t mean those things. Let’s see what it means to God and His followers who wrote those words.

If anyone could be called a rebel against corrupt leaders, it would be God. If anyone could be called a feminist, it would be God. How do I know?

In the book of Exodus, God poured down wrath on a pharaoh who enslaved His people. In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius of Mede did many evil things to his subjects, but Daniel and his friends refused to compromise to their demands on matters of faith, refusing their food and refusing to bow down and worship a human. Jesus stormed into the temple courtyard, yelling, overturning tables, and driving people out with a whip because of greedy and hypocritical leaders. He stood up in innumerable public places and risked his life to teach radical ideas that ran counter to what religious and political leaders were teaching. He rebuked and challenged those leaders to their faces.

As concerns both the power of a female and facing a corrupt authority figure, consider the story of Esther. She became the wife of King Ahasuerus and queen of Persia. Secretly, she was a Jew, and she found out the king was to kill her people. There was a law that anyone who came before the king unbidden would be instantly killed. She wasn’t bidden, but she came into his presence anyway to petition him for her people, thus becoming their hero at risk of her life.

Jesus had twelve main disciples, but many, many more followed his footsteps, including women. In His time, men were the only accepted students of Rabbis. However, Jesus taught women and accepted them in His travelling group of discipleship.

The stories of standing against corruption in leadership and illuminating the power of God’s female followers are many if you take the time to find them.

Then, what on Earth does God mean when He says we must submit? I’ll tell you that it doesn’t mean what the world means by submit. The world is overrun by corruption, power-hungry authorities, and people of all kinds who will run you over if you display any weakness.

God is certainly not a doormat, so if He wants you to be just like Him, do you think He’s asking you to be one?

So, what is submission to God? When in doubt, check out Jesus’ actions:

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:44-45

A servant puts others before him/herself and respects those around them. Jesus displayed this when He washed His disciples’ feet, an action only done by inferiors, not figures of authority.

“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.'” John 13:12-17

Do you understand? He expressed, with his actions, how to be submissive. It’s interesting to note that submission shouldn’t only come from inferiors but from leaders as well. Here’s another verse:

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16

As followers or “inferiors” must submit to authority, authority figures must serve those below them. When you refuse to submit, to serve each other, as if you were above it all, you make yourself more inferior than anyone actually considered below you. This is not the worldly view nor is it the view the world wishes you to see God.

Okay, so what about women submitting to their husbands? I believe it is the same in many ways. Both spouses should submit to one another in the sense that they serve one another. Otherwise, as the authority figure in the household (Yes, the husband is indeed considered the authority in the hierarchy of a marriage. Hang with me for a moment.), the husband is not a good leader if he doesn’t know how to submit (see Jesus’ quote above about first being last). As concerns a man’s authority in a marriage, the institution of marriage is a God-created relationship. As humans, we are transient, easily straying, very distractible creatures. Marriage and family is a symbol of the trinity, the unity of the Father (husband), the Son (wife), and the Holy Spirit (children). As such, there is a component of hierarchy, but it means to portray the unity and inseparableness of the relationship of God, born in love and respect.

Let me add this as I feel compelled: The Father would never abuse Jesus nor the Holy Spirit. He is Love. A husband is supposed to be walking in the footsteps of Jesus in this respect. If a husband is abusive, the entire unit breaks down. Jesus died so we could live and lived so we could thrive in joy and freedom. I am under the strong belief that God would not want anyone to stay within a harmful environment. You can be respectful but strong, loving but leaving, forgiving but not forgetting. God loves you.

To submit to authority of any kind, you must understand that the ultimate authority is God. If any authority figure of any kind wishes for you to compromise your relationship with God, you are not only encouraged, you are under obligation to not obey or comply. As shown in the examples above and throughout the Bible, you are a servant to the King of Kings before all else. All of God’s children in the Bible and history in general refused to compromise their submission to Him.

So, to wrap up, submission is all about love, honor, respect, and living as Jesus would. God was never a doormat nor was he a woman-hater. Jesus is a rebel against all corruption even if it came from authority figures, protesting in love while remaining loud and strong. He is a true feminist. Although God has had to spread His message in many clearly anti-feminist environments (in the past and present), His message has always been empowering to women. Women was, is, and has always been considered equal to men in value. Don’t mix up the world’s message with God’s.

I initially planned to write a post about feminism and another separate one about marriage. However, I had to first write this one as confusion reigns when it comes to the concept of submission, and that concept is tied to both of those subjects. Stay tuned!

Would Jesus Make Me a Disciple?

April 15, 2017 / EloquentMuse / 1 Comment

A couple years ago, there was a month or more that I had one verse stuck on repeat in my head, one that I hadn’t ever really analyzed before. So, I didn’t truly understand it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

When I looked it up, I found it’s actually only part of the verse that actually appears in the Bible, so let’s look at that:

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

That is both a very inspiring (Go make waves!) and comforting thing (I’ll never leave you.) for Jesus to say. Yet, what on earth does it mean? What is a disciple, and how do we make someone one?

Of course, I knew of the twelve original disciples who walked with Jesus, and I assumed it meant student, follower, or fan. Let’s see what I found out.

Back in Jesus’ day, a disciple was a devoted follower of a great religious or philosophical leader. Apparently, Judaism at the time had a system of education where primary education was taught by parents and schools until a boy turned age 13. When a boy turned that age, they usually went into an apprenticeship for a trade (like law, fishing, carpentry), but if they were particularly promising in the field of Hebrew scripture, they may have the chance to become a student or ahem disciple under a Rabbi. The Rabbi would only choose a select few from a pool of applicants to become his disciples among the most promising . The disciple would aim to become just like his Rabbi. He followed his Rabbi’s interpretation of the scripture to the letter. A boy who heard the words “follow me” would be ecstatic as becoming a disciple was a rare and honored position.

However, Jesus turned the whole process on its head. He took the initiative. Instead of waiting for potential followers to approach him, he approached them. They were all seemingly random men, who were generally deemed not promising, who were already trying to make their way in a trade instead of discipleship. These men were sometimes considered scum (like the lawyer). No one would be making them disciples. Yet, Jesus did. He walked up to them while they were going about their day and said “follow me.” No wonder they dropped everything and went to his side.

The first followers of Jesus considered themselves his disciples even after his death. The word Christians (Acts 11:26) was invented by outsiders who generally meant it as a derogatory term. So, if you consider yourself a Christian, you’re a disciple. Yes! You! How do you become a true disciple?

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

You become His shadow and student, forever learning and humbling yourself to His interpretation of the scriptures. There are many ways to “deny yourself and take up your cross,” one of which is to put God first in life. This brings to mind a church sign I saw the other day. It said “You can’t follow Jesus if you’re going in the opposite direction.” If you’re following your own path, you’re not following His. Deny yourself and understand it may be difficult. It was difficult for Him too.

Now, how do you make disciples? Good question.

Let’s read part of that verse that ran through my head incessantly:

” – baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

The verbs in that sentence are baptize and teach. You can teach people many ways, but I like to look to how Jesus taught. He stood in front of the masses, sure. He told stories with morals, yes. He also sat down in houses with families, in public with strangers. He went out of his way to heal, to comfort, to express affection (especially toward children), to lift up, to warn, to console and empathize (“Jesus wept”). He taught with words and action.

You don’t have to walk the desert with just a staff in order to be a disciple. Love, baptize, teach, and remember you’ve already been selected as Jesus’ disciple. Now, show the world what that means.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Holy Spirit – Part I Old Testament

March 4, 2017 / EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

The holy spirit didn’t just pop into existence in the New Testament. It’s been around since the beginning.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2

So, wait, what was the holy spirit doing floating over the barren earth? God was preparing to bring life to his creations! His spirit was present before even mankind. Would you stop at this point for a moment and contemplate this?

The holy spirit in Hebrew is Ruach (breath/wind) Hakodesh (divine inspiration). However, it is also described later as an individual sentient being. A being that existed, along with God (the father) and the Word (the son), before the creation of humanity. God, His truth, His love, and His ways have been around before us. Let’s remember that. God’s holy spirit is Truth no matter what our opinion is; it exists with or without us. However, He’d rather have us with Him.

“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

Now, the Hebrew word for breath used here was nashamah, which can mean breath or spirit (Strong’s Concordance). Take a look at just one verse (of many) which speaks of the holy spirit as giving life:

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” John 6:63

It’s not coincidence that God also “breathed” a life-giving spirit into humanity. You didn’t think this was just about a physical breath? One idea is that everyone was guided by God’s holy spirit in the beginning. Now, after the fall from Eden, we must be re-born into the spirit to welcome His breath back into our lives. We are literally dead and without breath before we follow God.

Many times, the old testament brings up the subject of the Holy Spirit.

When the world became corrupt just before the Great Flood:

“Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years” Genesis 6:3

When God was preparing His people to create a glorious tabernacle as a sign of their relationship:

“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.” Exodus 31:3

When God led Moses and His people through the desert for forty years:

“You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.” Nehemiah 9:20; also 9:30

When Job and his friends were contemplating Job’s downfall in life:

“But it is the Spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.” Job 32:8

When people made music:

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7

When God promised his downtrodden people that their lives would improve:

“For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’” Haggai 2:4-5

What are the characteristics of the holy spirit? Well, one thing we can look at is the physical aspect. What the Spirit looks like can be summed up with its name. It is a divine wind, and like any wind, it is a movement that you can feel but can not see. You can see it sway the trees, and when it’s whipped up into a fury, it can pull up houses. However, you can not see it, only what it does and how it feels caressing your cheek.

As far as its other various and complex characteristics, it is referred to in the Bible as the:

Counselor

Teacher

Spirit of truth

Spirit of holiness

Spirit of life

Spirit of glory

Eternal spirit

Spirit of wisdom & understanding

Spirit of grace & supplication

Spirit of son-ship *

Spirit of judgment & fire

Spirit of God/the Lord

When we walk in the guidance of the holy spirit, we can be assured we are living in Truth, not hiding in the darkness of secrets but living in Love of God and others, fully brave, knowing that we are meant for much more than just the day-to-day worries. As children of God (Spirit of Son-ship), we know we are children of the one, true King and are therefore also royalty; therefore, we know we should act accordingly.

This post will be only Part 1. Next week, we’ll go into the Holy Spirit within the New Testament.

*”The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (Abba is the Hebrew equivalent of Da-Da, a child’s way of referring to their father with affection.)