by Shannon Tillman | Nov 7, 2024 | Bible Study
I hate confrontation. Actually, I tried to write I “dislike” confrontation but did not
think that word was strong enough to explain my emotions. I hate it.
Unfortunately, I have made many compromises in my life in attempts to avoid it.
I have also suffered drastic consequences for not speaking up when I should have
done so. Unfortunately, I can relate to Israel’s most evil king, a man named
Ahab. He also did not speak up or do the right thing when it was in his power to
act.
Ahab was a military expert but a failed husband and father. Despite miraculous
military conquests enabled by the Lord, Israel’s king, Ahab, continued to allow his
wife, the infamous Jezebel, to expand her evil religious domain in Israel. Not only
did Ahab not confront her, he eventually joined her wickedness as she expanded
demon worship throughout the kingdom. Although Ahab would receive counsel
from God’s prophets, he ultimately allowed the choices of Jezebel to prevail.
1 Kings 16:29-33
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of
Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri
did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only
considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also
married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve
Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he
built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the
anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.
Although the king would worship Baal, Ahab wanted the Lord to help during
military battles.
1 Kings 20:1, 10, 13, 21
Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-
two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and
attacked it… Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be
it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a
handful.”… Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what
the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and
then you will know that I am the Lord.’”… The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted
heavy losses on the Arameans.
Although the Lord proved time and again that He was God alone, Ahab wavered
between victory on the battlefield and defeat at home. Ahab did not care about
the spirituality of his family. As long as Ahab had kingdom victories, he did not
exert energy to ensure spiritual victories in his family. His wife and children could
serve idols as long as his “ministry”, his work, his fights were won.
I feel like this too often defines Christian families. We neglect obvious issues in
the home. Sometimes, more energy is expended to address “kingdom” issues
instead of dealing with problems in our families. We are conquering the world in
God’s name while avoiding confrontation in the family. If those like Ahab do care,
then they are not willing to risk the argument that would ensue by confronting
and tearing down the idols in the home. We are so bold for the kingdom, yet so
weak in our homes.
I knew of a minister whose children were evidently wounded from problems in
the home. When the situation was addressed, most church members ignored the
issue, deciding to look the other way. A growing church was more important than
broken children. The minister rejected help and turned the loving confrontation
into a violent attack on those who spoke up. The dysfunction continued. Ahabs
and Jezebels continue today. They have kingdom victories while idols in the home
destroy the families. The church celebrates the victory and looks away at the
evident dysfunction, issues, in other words sin, to the detriment of the children.
Deciding to not deal with idols, with strongholds, with sins in one generation can
lead to devastating consequences later on. One of the daughters of Ahab
murdered others in order to gain the throne in Judah:
2 Kings 11:1
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded
to destroy the whole royal family.
Athaliah expanded her control by force. Her mother, Jezebel, murdered as well in
order to get what she wanted. When we do not deal with our sins, it can lead to
brutal sins in the next generation.
We must take drastic action in our lives for the sake of future generations. We
need to stand in authority, cast out family idols, and lead our family in the
worship of the Lord. But to do this, we must evaluate ourselves, to ask the Lord
to show us what we value more than Him. Whatever or whoever is placed first in
our lives is an idol. That idol cannot be dealt with gently but must be cast down.
Radical effort is necessary for radical change. Future generations will be blessed
by the effort exerted to restore the Lord as the King of your house.
by Shannon Tillman | Oct 31, 2024 | Bible Study
She was alone. Her disease process had caused her excruciating pain. The pain
of her body, however, did not compare to the loneliness of her soul. She had been
forced into isolation. The laws of her day condemned her as “unclean”. Anyone who
came into contact with her would be contaminated and considered “unclean” as well.
The woman had not been allowed on the temple grounds for over a decade. She felt far
from God, an outcast from His Presence. She suffered physically, emotionally,
relationally, and spiritually.
The woman had suffered financially as well. She had lost everything in desperate
hopes for healing, but none came. For she had…
been subject to bleeding for twelve years.26 She had suffered a great deal under the care
of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew
worse. (Mark 5:25b-26)
She heard about a Teacher who had been healing others. But how could she a
woman, an unclean one at that, get near him? He could possibly shame her in front of
everyone. But she had endured so much pain and longed desperately for healing, not
only for her body, but for relationships, for contact, for love, for God.
A messianic prophesy from the book of Malachi spoke a word of promise. Could
it help her?
But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
(Malachi 4:2a)
The rabbis of the day proclaimed that when the Messiah came, He would be able
to heal through His wings. These “wings” were the tassels on the prayer shawl worn by
Jewish men. The woman believed that if she could touch the wings, the hem of His
garment, she would be healed.
With great risk she set out. She knew that if discovered, she could be punished
severely. The crowd may become angry, for touching her would make them unclean.
What if the leaders publicly flogged her? She understood the risk, but she knew it was
her only chance for healing, for change, for life. Despite the potential consequences,
she decided to go to the Healing Teacher. She quickly hid herself among the people in
the crowd following Him.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his
cloak,
28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” (Mark 5:27-
28)
The cross-reference of the story in the book of Luke specifies the part of the cloak
touched by the woman.
43 And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by
anyone,
44 came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak… (Luke 8:43-44a)
The woman reached out and by faith touched the “wing” of the Messiah.
29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her
suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around
in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can
ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.
33 Then the woman, knowing
what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him
the whole truth.
34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and
be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:29-34)
This woman experienced physical, emotional, social, and spiritual healing in one
encounter with Jesus! By faith, she reached out and touched the edge of His garment.
This would have been the fringe on His prayer shawl. She touched the prayers of Jesus
and her life was changed.
The power of Jesus healed her body immediately. Yet, He wanted to restore her
in other ways as well. It is not enough to be physically whole but remain emotionally
broken. He would not move further until she came to Him. The crowd wanted to move
on, but Jesus waited patiently for this precious woman to reveal herself, to become
vulnerable in front of Him. When she did, Jesus began healing the woman’s soul. Jesus
called the lonely, isolated woman “Daughter”, restoring her into relationship with God
and others. The woman, who would have been considered under a curse because of
her disease, finds herself commended by Jesus as a woman of great faith. After years of
emotional turmoil, she is commissioned to go forth in a life of peace. Because of her
encounter with Jesus, she received instant deliverance from all of her suffering. Her
spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational strains dissipated in a moment. Jesus
healed His daughter in every way.
This woman experienced healing because she had put herself at risk, stepped out
in faith, and touched the fringe of His garment. Her desperation drove her to Jesus, and
Jesus freed her from all of her painful circumstances that had made her desperate.
Jesus heals, delivers, restores, and tenderly cares for His daughters.
When we come to the end of ourselves, we must extend our faith to touch the
prayers that Jesus prays on our behalf.
34
… Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the
right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34b)
Jesus prays for you. You can come to Him by faith and receive His tender ministry
toward you. Do not look at your “uncleanness”. Do not focus on your “issues”. You do
not need to hold back. Instead, you can reach out to Him, for Jesus cannot be
blemished by you. Instead, Jesus releases His wholeness, His answers, His prayers into
your life. Jesus restores you back into full fellowship with God and with others. He will
free you from your suffering.
by Shannon Tillman | Oct 24, 2024 | Bible Study
I live a life of embarrassing moments. Whenever we share stories, mine usually
win. I live awkward. That may be why I relate to the awkward situation we find in
John 8 where a woman is held up to shame by a crowd but Jesus restores and
transforms her.
John 8:2
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered
around him, and he sat down to teach them.
Imagine a huge crowd of people. Most likely the tallest person in the group is
standing right in front of you blocking your view. (At least, that seems to be what
always happens to me.) Some of the group is able to hear and see clearly. Others
are straining to see and hear Jesus. Suddenly, people break through the crowd.
John 8:3
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in
adultery. They made her stand before the group
Think about the humiliation, the embarrassment. We do not know if she was
dressed or how well she was dressed. She may have had just a blanket draped
around her. She had been ripped out of a personal situation. In front of the
crowd, in front of Jesus, she is forced to stand before them in her sin, in her guilt.
Before all these people, she is exposed physically, relationally, and emotionally.
Here this woman stands before them guilty and probably angry for she stood
alone. Where was the man she had been with moments before? By Jewish law,
he was guilty as well. Had he betrayed her? Was this a set-up, a plot using her in
an attempt to trap Jesus? We do not know. All we know is that she stood alone,
in front of a crowd in her shame. Moments later she finds out why.
John 8:4-6a
4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the
Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They
were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
These men were not concerned about the law. They just wanted to trap Jesus.
She knew now that she was being used. Her life to them was meaningless, she
was only a pawn in their game.
How often do we use others? We may try to justify it and say, “I’ve never had
anyone’s life threatened like these Pharisees are doing to this woman.” But have
you used anyone for your own personal gain? Have you had secret motives
behind your actions or words? At times, we have all been deceptive. Who do we
hurt in the process? The innocent, maybe even the guilty. This woman was guilty
but that did not justify the Pharisees actions. There have been people in our lives
that have been guilty but we are still accountable to what we do to them. God
never called us to revenge. He will handle judgment. He called us to love and
forgive others.
The author of love is faced with a question. “Should we stone this woman or
not?”
John 8:6b
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
If my life was in someone’s hands, I sure would want him to say something! This
would not be the lawyer I would be asking for in my defense. Jesus stays silent.
The crowd stares. His finger marks on the stony ground.
We do not know why Jesus did this. We are not told what He wrote. Some in the
crowd probably thought it was a strange reaction. But I like to imagine that Jesus
did this to lessen the embarrassment of the woman. He took the focus off of her
and put it on Himself. Is this not what He did for us on the cross? He took the
sins off of us and took them upon Himself. He took the shame and
embarrassment that we deserved. Jesus shows compassion to us even though we
are guilty and deserve punishment.
John 8:7a
7 When they kept on questioning him…
The Pharisees kept pestering Him. No one else said a word. There was a huge
crowd around. I am sure others saw how wrong this was. They knew this woman
was being used, yet no one said anything.
How often do we stand by while injustice takes place? We never raise our voices
in defense, while people around us are being hurt.
As a counselor I have seen and heard many upsetting things. The one that breaks
my heart more than others is when I hear about children who have been abused
and you hear about neighbors who knew but did nothing. I have heard the
phrase “I didn’t think it was my place to get involved.” How often do we
Christians say that? We sit back and do not get involved and then we wonder
why our nation is falling apart. We are called to be the salt and light of this earth.
The unsaved will act unsaved. That is all they can do. We have to be different.
We are not part of the crowd. We should be leading them. We are the only ones
who know the Way. Who is the Way? Jesus. We have to lead people to Him. We
cannot look like the world. If people do not recognize us as being a Christian,
then what good are we in advancing Christ’s kingdom?
I heard about a minister in Haiti. He asked the congregation who had been
witnessing to the lost about Christ. He finally said if you are not witnessing to
people then you might as well leave the church because you are taking up space.
Ouch. Harsh words. Real truth. Christians, we need to speak up.
That day only one Person spoke up. Jesus was the One who came to this
woman’s rescues. The crowd was silent; all eyes were on Jesus.
John 8:7b-9
…he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be
the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the
ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first,
until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
Everyone left, the Pharisees and the crowd had gone. All that remained was Jesus,
the woman, and the stones. The stones, which were the evidence of her judgment, were lying on the ground in the sand. The punishment she deserved
never transpired because of Christ’s intervention. The punishment you and I
deserve did not transpire because of Christ’s intervention on the cross. He came
between this woman, and our lives, and the sentence of capital punishment
looming over us.
John 8:10-11a
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
Jesus came not to condemn, but to save. That was His purpose. He still does that
for us today. We can be saved from our sin by believing in Him.
Once we come to know Him as Lord and Savior, should we stay the way we were
before we knew Him?
John 8:11b
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of
sin.”
He tells us to go and leave the sin. He saves us first and the He transforms us into
His beautiful image. Too often people believe the lie that they have to get their
lives right before coming to God. That is not how it works. We are all sinners.
We cannot come to God any other way. Come as you are. Experience His love
and mercy. He wants to give to you. You will never be the same. He has saved
you from so much, all you will want to do is live for Him. He saved your life. Now,
He will help you live it.
Where do you see yourself in this story? Are you like the:
-
The Pharisee: judging others even though we are all sinners.
-
The Crowd: Staying silent and allowing the world to rule instead of standing up for
what is right, no matter the cost.
- The Woman: Facing the sins you have committed; your life feels exposed. Jesus does
not want to condemn you; He wants to change you.
There were a lot of people there that day, yet only one remained with Jesus. The
person judged as the “worst” sinner, was the only one saved. Everyone else left
Him. Stones marked their departure. Only she had her life changed. Others
threw shame at her but Jesus restored her dignity. They left stones behind, but
she left her old life behind. She was transformed. Jesus willingly does that for
each of us. May we be changed even today.
by Kevin Tillman | Oct 17, 2024 | Thoughts
“God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.” – A.W. Tozer
We live in a world that is in a hurry. It’s just about impossible to not be affected by the busyness. Everything is fast. Anyone remember the old days of dial-up internet? Remember waiting and waiting and waiting for an image to finally appear on the screen? We didn’t think too much of it, because it was all we knew. You could go back further in history. We whine about a package taking more than two days to get to us. Have you ever really processed how quick that really is? I mean you can order something from the other side of the country and it be sitting on your front doorstep in 48 hours. That’s actually pretty remarkable. As I’m sitting here typing this blog entry I could take a break and order a ticket on an airline. I could be on the other side of the world in less than two days. And on top of that, I could sit in a seat that is magically suspended in the air. I mean, come on, it’s really amazing what we can do now.
Against that backdrop is a God that works on His timetable. The things of the heart take longer. Our nerves and our spirit need solitude. They need rest. They need time off from the fast-paced world. God wants us whole. He isn’t rushed in the process. We’re in a hurry, but He’s not.
The old saying goes, “take time to smell the roses”. It’s good advice. Slow down, rest, listen, and refresh. God does His best in us when we finally, yes finally, settle in and listen. It’s then that we are ready to receive. Make solitude and reflection a part of your life. It’s not just good advice, it’s the way God designed us.
by Shannon Tillman | Oct 10, 2024 | Thoughts
A messy journal entry is straight from my prayer journal. Sometimes, I
write things down that are easier to transcribe from my prayer journal (or fix
some of the grammar and thoughts) then try to “tidy up” and make into a decent
blog post.
Here are some of my thoughts comparing Moses climbing Mt. Sinai and
Jesus climbing Golgotha. Mt. Sinai is where Moses received the ten
commandments. It was on Golgotha that Jesus was crucified.
The meaning of the word “Sinai” is “thorny”. Moses walked the mountain
of thorns. Jesus walked up to Golgotha with a crown of thorns on His head. As
Moses went up a thorny mountain, thorns pulled on his clothes. As Jesus made
His way from the Garden to Golgotha; thorns, whips, and nails pulled on His skin.
Moses conquered a mountain of thorns to receive the ten commandments. Jesus
conquered the curse of mankind who broke the ten commandments. Moses
walked on the curse (thorns) caused by Adam. Jesus, the second Adam, became
the curse for us.
When Moses went up the mountain he held the two stone tablets in one
hand; he probably had his wooden staff in the other. It was this staff that was
lifted up over the Red Sea, parting for the Israelites for freedom and consuming
the Egyptians in the waters that closed back in on them. The stone tablets would
be engraved with the law, the wooden staff would be a symbol of the mercy of
God in helping His people and vanquishing the enemy. Law and mercy come
together to ascend the mountain. Jesus, the fulfillment of the law, carried the
cross up a mountain as well. Law and mercy come together. The ultimate enemy,
Satan himself, is conquered as the cross is lifted up. Lives are forever changed.
The nation of Israel was forgiven at Mt. Sinai; the world was forgiven at Golgotha.
The wooden staff was a picture to the nation of Israel of the power of God.
The staff was raised when the Red Sea parted making a way for Israel to freedom.
It was the staff that struck the rock causing water to pour out, giving life-giving
water to a thirsty nation who came to the waters. The wooden cross is a picture
to the world of the power of God. The cross raised up made a way for man to be
freed from sin and have a relationship with God. It was the pierced side of Jesus
where blood and water flowed out, so the death of Jesus gives life to all who
come to Him.
Pictures of Jesus are found throughout the Old Testament. How amazing is
the Word of God!
by Kevin Tillman | Oct 3, 2024 | Thoughts
“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” – John Wesley
Everyone complains about the “younger generation”. As a GenXer (I think?) my generation was looked down on. I was part of the TV generation. We were warned that TV was warping our minds. We saw the rise of technology. Anyone remember the Commodore 64? Yep, I had one of those bad boys. We had a fascination with entertainment and technology. Fast forward to the Millennials or Gen Z. They haven’t known anything but technology. A phone that you can put in your pocket? They’ve never known anything different. They have been brought up in a world where information is not hard to find. Want to know who invented the game of Billiards, simply say, “Hey Siri”! And now, of course we have AI technology.
This is not a blog about “that younger generation” and how easy they have it. To be honest, I enjoy many of these new luxuries. I’m self taught on several things now because of YouTube. It is nice having all of that information available.
It’s so easy to look down on the next generation. It’s nothing new. It’s happened for centuries. It’s always happened. The point of this blog isn’t so much the advances and the technology.
What’s important is our view of the Bible, our view of sin, our view of values, our view of morals. Those are the things that should transcend. And, here is where it gets serious … John Wesley was right, it is our toleration, that leads to the future’s embracing. We can’t blame the next generation if we’ve tolerated it. Think about what that generation will tolerate, and the generation after that will embrace.
What can we do? Well, the most important thing is to make sure we are looking through a Biblical Worldview. It doesn’t matter what my opinion is. It doesn’t matter what the Boomers, or GenX, or the Millennials, or GenZ thinks. What matters is what does God say. What matters is what the Bible says.
There have always been gaps in understanding from generation to generation. Something new isn’t necessarily bad. For that matter, neither is something old. They’re just different. We should teach and train the younger generations, but we should also not be afraid to learn from them. I think the issues come when we focus our energies in the wrong directions. Honestly, who cares if the Gen Zers are using their phone all the time if they have the right worldview? Yes, social media can corrupt a mind. It can change thinking to an ungodly worldview. But, dare I say so can any other form of media. The point is that a proper worldview changes the lens that we are looking through. Want to change the younger generation? It’s not going to come by taking away their phones and technology. It’s not going to come by building a huge fence around them. It’s going to come by infiltrating their hearts and their minds with a proper worldview. Then, and only then, will they be able to face this world and all of it’s challenges.
by Shannon Tillman | Sep 26, 2024 | Bible Study
I do not have a sense of direction. I have found myself lost in my own
neighborhood! I thank the Lord for GPS often. I need specific navigation in my
life. The GPS helps me find my way home. The Lord is the ultimate navigator.
Even when we choose to go our own way, He knows how to bring us back, often
with a creative and even disgusting flair, as we will see in the case of Jonah.
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of
Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
God has a plan for all of our lives. He shows us the steps of the plan along the
way. Just like Jonah, God gives us assignments. We have a choice on how to
respond. We can either accept or reject the assignment. Jonah decided to reject
it.
Jonah 1:3a
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
We know we cannot run away from God. He is everywhere. That is like
pretending you are the invisible man. Imagine if we walked around and said, “you
can’t see me!” People would think we were crazy! (It would be funny to watch,
though!) Yet, like Jonah, we attempt to run away from God. We do things and
think we can get away with them. We never confess it to God; we just pretend
that it did not happen. God sees it. He knows what we have done. He knows
when we get off course.
That is where we find Jonah. He is way off course. He decided to travel to
Tarshish, a city in the opposite direction of Nineveh. God had called him this way,
Jonah decided to go that way. There is God’s way and then there is our way,
which are opposite directions. When we choose our way, there is always a price
to pay.
Jonah 1:3b
He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying
the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
Jonah paid money to run away from God on a boat. Sin costs. It always does.
Maybe it costs us our integrity, time, family, money, friends. Is the sin worth the
cost?
Sin always cost our relationship with God. The amazing thing about God is that
He comes after us. He disciplines us in His love. He does this in order to reconcile
us back to Him. God does amazing things to get our attention.
Jonah 1:4
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that
the ship threatened to break up.
Sometimes we get mad at God for sending the storm, yet we don’t see Him doing
this in love. Why did He send the storm? We ran away. Cause and Effect. We
cannot blame God for what we have done. Instead, we can make a better
decision in the storm.
Jonah 1:5a
5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the
cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
Innocent people suffered because of Jonah’s sin. The same is true for us. All sin
has consequences, often hurting others. We do not live life in a vacuum. Before
you sin, think about who may be affected by it. There may be people who are
complete strangers to you that feel the impact of the consequences. These
sailors cried out due to fear of the storm while Jonah soundly slept.
Jonah 1:5b
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Have you ever noticed how sin can physically take a toll on you? We spend so
much energy fighting against what is right that we become tired. We work in our own power, not in God’s limitless strength. That leaves us ineffective for the
Lord’s work. The sailors decide to wake Jonah up to help them.
Jonah 1:6-7
6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your
god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is
responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
The group tried to figure out who caused this terrible storm. Jonah, knowing his
guilt, just shrugged his shoulders with the rest of them saying, “I don’t know.”
When the lot fell on him, he finally fessed up. “Oh, yea, I sinned against God.”
When I was a little girl, I would sneak the cheddar popcorn salt and eat it straight
from the container. (I love anything salty!) One day, my sister asked me if I had
been eating the cheddar salt. I blatantly told her “No”. She told me to go look in
the mirror. I had orange cheddar salt all over my face! I had been caught.
Jonah was caught as well. The sailors asked him about his guilt. The sailors did
not know God; this was their first impression of a prophet of God. Have we ever
considered the impressions we make on non-Christians as they look at our lives?
Jonah 1:8-13
8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?
What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country?
From what people are you?”
9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who
made the sea and the dry land.”
10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was
running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we
do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I
know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the
sea grew even wilder than before.
These unbelievers did all they could to save Jonah! They risked their lives to save
the one. What a sharp contrast to Jonah who refused to go to the city of Ninevah
because he wanted the 120,000 people there to die! But God does not want any
to perish. He is concerned for the majority as well as the individual. The Lord
worked this situation for good, despite Jonah’s disobedience.
Jonah 1:14
14 Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this
man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD,
have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and
the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they
offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.
The sailors came to know God. The Lord brings people to Himself, despite what
we may do to interfere. I am thankful that the final responsibility is His not mine.
I want to obey His calling in my life but I have often run the wrong way. God does
not need me, but He allows me to be a part of His plan. I want to obey the offer.
God called Jonah; he rejected the offer.
Jonah 1:17
17 Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly
of the fish three days and three nights.
God attempted to get Jonah’s attention in the storm. Now, the Lord goes to more
drastic measures. He does the same for each of us. Is God trying to get our
attention? We need to talk to Him now while in the storm before the fish comes!
Thankfully, God accepts our cry for mercy wherever we may be and whatever we
may have done. Jonah prayed to the Lord from the fish and God heard his cry.
Jonah 2:10
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
God rescued Jonah from the fish and reinstated his call to Ninevah. A rough start
but at least he was now heading in the right direction, obeying the call of the
Lord. I, too, have had stinky messes to contend with because I chose the wrong
way. But I am thankful to the Lord, who gets us back on the right path. Today, let
us just choose His way and avoid the messy detour!
by Kevin Tillman | Sep 19, 2024 | Thoughts
“Did the dentist hurt you when he drilled your tooth to remove the cavity?” “Yes.” “Did he harm you?” “No, he made me feel better.” “Hurt and harm are different,” I pointed out. “When you ate the sugar that gave you the cavity, did that hurt?” “No, it tasted good,” he said, with a smile that told me he was catching on. “Did it harm you?” “Yes.” “That’s my point. Things can hurt and not harm us. In fact they can even be good for us. And things that feel good can be very harmful to us.” – Dr. Henry Cloud
As human beings, we all desire to please self. We do the things that make us feel better, and we distance ourselves from the things that bring us discomfort. But, growth happens in pain. Growth happens in suffering. It hurts to workout, but that’s what makes the muscles strong. It’s a challenge to practice your skill every day, but that discipline is what brings results. Staying on a budget can be difficult, but that management will bring financial freedom.
The quote above points out that the things that make us feel good, can be very harmful. That’s not a hard point to prove, as we see it in so many areas of life. At it’s core that’s what sin is. I’ve heard old-school pastors say it this way, “if sin wasn’t fun nobody would be doing it.”. Sin is in essence doing what pleases us, and prioritizing that above everything else. At that point, our feeling, our emotion, and our desire are all that matters. They are in control. And, of course, that can bring consequences.
Conversely, the quote also shows that things that hurt aren’t necessarily harmful, but can actually be healing. Maybe it’s a relationship that needs to end. It’s a toxic situation. Breaking off that relationship and setting up boundaries hurts, it’s no fun. But, it brings a new level of healing. Possibly it’s time management. Saying “no” to hours of social media scrolling, or TV binging, or any other time waste, can be difficult. But, now there is time that can be replaced.
This doesn’t mean that everything that is fun is bad, and everything that is boring is good. Contrarily, God has given us a deep desire for purpose. At our deepest core we want to make a difference. We want to have meaning to our lives. When we find our thing and start following God’s plan we find new levels of contentment. Our boredom is no longer filled with bad habits and idols. Our time is now valuable and spent on our calling.
So, here’s the practical application … Start today with a simple self question, “what things in my life that are pleasing me, are actually harming me?”. Make a list, then pick the “one thing” that if changed would make the biggest difference. You can work through other things later, just start with one for now. Maybe that one feels like too big of a challenge at this point. OK, start with something else, even something small. Learn the process of denying self. It’s a learned skill. Next, ask, “what things am I not doing in life that if I did would make a major difference?”. Make a list, then pick one.
Life is all about choices. You have the same amount of time you’ve always had, and the same amount you always will have. If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will get the same results you’ve always got. By saying “no” in one area of life, you can now say “yes” in another area of life. This might hurt for a while, but in the end it’s a choice that brings healing!
by Shannon Tillman | May 22, 2024 | Thoughts
When I was around twelve, I recall meeting a beautiful older woman in an airport. Somehow, we began discussing ballet. She asked me questions about dance and I shared about my newly acquired pointe shoes and my love of ballet. I recall her as being so elegant and gracious in speech. Months later, I opened a book from school and recognized the picture as the lady from the airport. She was a prima donna ballerina! I had no idea that I was speaking to a woman internationally known for ballet. She had talked to a shy, awkward youth about her love for dance without having to share about her accomplishments. (Of course, I kind of wish she had, then I would have asked for her autograph. But then she would not serve as the excellent example for this blog post!)
Humility is a beautiful quality that truly is astounding to see. We live in a culture that enjoys showing off. When humility is shown, it stands against the world demanding to be seen, heard, and recognized. Often, the ones who deserve accolades make themselves more endearing by not believing they should be honored. Moses gives an amazing portrait in humility in the midst of experiencing a spiritual miracle that no one else had ever seen.
Exodus 34:29-33
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
Moses had the honor of talking to the Lord, face to face, like talking to a friend. These encounters with God caused him to shine, to reflect the glory from being in the divine presence. His countenance was so brilliant that an entire nation attempted to run away from him! Yet, Moses called to them to share the message he had received from God for Israel.
Moses allowed the shining of his face to confirm the word of the Lord to the people. However, Moses refused to allow the shine to confirm his own words, to give false authority to anything he might speak. In other words, Moses did not use the shine to manipulate or control others. Only when he knew the word was directly from God would he allow his brilliant face to show.
I marvel at this because I have seen the opposite so many times. I witnessed “church leaders” use their words as manipulation tools. These men expressed their opinions and frustrations but added their own version of “thus sayeth the Lord.” I recall one “church leader” that would use social media as a weapon against anyone who dared to challenge him. He would spiritualize his agenda, but it was a façade for his own pride. Yet, Moses who had a physical manifestation of the glory of God refused to use the words or ways of the Lord to bolster his own agendas, opinions, or thoughts. How many of us would let the shine be used to make others cater to our own opinions? “I have the shine of God on me, what do you have?” Instead, Moses would remove the veil when speaking on behalf of God, and then put the veil on the rest of the time so it would not be confused as what was of God and what was not.
Moses was willing to be inconvenienced by the veil. It would have muffled his regular speech, been a barrier in eating, irritated his face, and looked awkward in appearance. Yet, he would not let the shine confirm him as a person but only confirm the word of the Lord. He was willing to be uncomfortable in order to distinguish between the words of God and the words of Moses. He wanted to ensure that only God would receive the glory for the words during the “shine”.
Exodus 34: 34-35
But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
The manifestations of God in our lives are to confirm the Lord to others, not to edify ourselves. We must inconvenience ourselves to guard the glory. What if Moses said a harsh word as the shine was fading on his face? Imagine the pain and the confusion that would have caused others! It was as if Moses was saying “these unveiled moments are of God, but sometimes the veiled moments are just me. So don’t confuse the words of God coming through a man to the words coming through a man used by God but at times fails.”
May we all show the humility of Moses with our words. Let the words of God shine brilliantly and let our words simply fade away.
by Shannon Tillman | May 15, 2024 | Thoughts
My mom enjoys science fiction. She used to watch episodes of the TV show “Star Trek”. When an enemy vessel would approach, the captain would say “shields up” and some sort of force field would be employed to protect the ship.
I had difficulty even writing that paragraph because I am not a sci-fi fan. I prefer a biography any day. I love learning about people and events. However, there are some passages in the Bible that feel more like a sci-fi movie than historical fact. Truth is stranger than fiction.
In the book of Exodus, the ten plagues ravaged Egypt. Pharoah refused to let the Israelites leave the country so the Lord allowed plague after plague to hit the nation. In the first six plagues the people experienced water turning to blood, frogs invading the land, gnats swarming around, flies covering everything, livestock dying, and skin boils causing extreme pain to the people. The seventh plague sent to Egypt was hail.
Exodus 9:22-26
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.
This was a storm of enormous proportions. The hail killed both animals and people in the fields. Miraculously, in the plague of hail, Moses and Aaron traveled freely to Pharoah without suffering any harm.
Exodus 9:27-29
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.” Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
Moses and Aaron walked out of a city ravished by hail without a problem. I imagine huge hailstones falling within feet of them but they could walk in the confidence of God’s protection. It was as if the Captain of the Universe said “shields up” and Moses and Aaron were completely covered. Moses and Aaron walked in faith of God’s care for them.
When we are in God’s will, He protects us. Even in judgment against a nation, the Lord can provide supernatural covering over us. This covering provided another testimony to the people of Egypt. They saw Aaron and Moses walking through the land unharmed. Animals and people outside had died, but not these two men. It clearly proved the message that the Lord was the true God, while the gods of Egypt were nothing and could not provide security or help.
When others see how God cares for us even during difficult times, we will be able to share with them our testimonies of the Lord’s protection and rescue during our lives. We can walk through the storm without harm. We may see the lightning, feel the wind and rain, but what could knock us over or take us out is not allowed to come near us. God is our shield in the storm. We can trust Him not only to walk us through, but also to pray for others in their storms, just as Moses did.
Exodus 9:29
Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
Our safety in the midst of the storm allows us to pray for others in the storm so that the Lord is glorified. He protects, rescues, and delivers us from the storms, even ones we ourselves have caused. Whatever storm you are in, trust the Lord to guide you safely through. Shields up!
