How many of us are pleased and excited about the prosperity we have? When we are in a state of winning, how many of us forget how we achieved the victory?

“⁴But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is not savior. ⁵It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; ⁶but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.” – Hosea 13:4-6 (ESV)

Here there is reference to the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt. When in the wilderness, they were fed and cared for by God. Once they had reached the point of comfort, they rebelled against God and began worshiping idols and in essence “forgot” about God and how they were brought to the place they were.

“⁷So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way. ⁸I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rip them open.” – Hosea 13:7-8 (ESV)

And as they forgot, God punished them for it. Should we expect anything less. We were delivered from sin by the saving grace of Jesus’ death. When we forget and turn away, should we not be subject to the consequences of our actions?

It is important that we are accepting of salvation as giving freely by God. It is important that we live according to the Word of God. It is important that we remember what it was that got us to where we are and celebrate that as much as, NO, MORE than the prosperity we have gained.

When you are thinking of the prosperity you have, what thoughts do you have related to the journey to get there? What goes through your mind, heart, and actions with regard to the how? Are you conscious of and remember how you got there?

This morning I was led to continue my study of the word “bear”. The passage I read was of Daniel’s vision of the four beasts.

“¹In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of he head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter.” – Daniel 7:1 (ESV)

Daniel had his dreams and visions, wrote them down, and declared them. Sounds simple enough. God gives the information needed to move forward, we only need to head in that direction.

God gave to Daniel for him to share and provide the map of how to get there. It was the role of those that heard the map to follow and get where God intended them to go.

God gives us the map and it is up to us to follow it and arrive at the predetermined destination provided by God. Our destination as I know it is the heavenly kingdom. Getting there is no small instant feat. We have to follow the map provided in God’s Word. We are not going to get there without following the map.

For each of us, we look to the same place for the map and directions, but our path is different. Our “open road” will come at different times and our “obstacles” will be different and come at different times as well. What we should be doing is simply following the map for us as laid out by God in His Word. The only way to follow the map, is to read and study it.

Are you aware of the map for your life that God has provided? What do you know about your map? Have you started in the direction God has you going as identified in His Word and on the map for your life?

This morning I read in Lamentations chapter 3. Here the title of the passage in my ESV is “Great is Your Faithfulness” and in my NIV, “Hope in the midst of affliction”. I will say that in starting my reading, things are pretty bleak and my immediate thought was of affliction brought on by Satan that we have to get past.

“¹I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; ²he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; ³surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long…¹⁰He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding; ¹¹he turned aside my steps and tore me to pieces; he has made me desolate; ¹²he bent his bow and set me as a target for his arrow.” – Lamentations 3:1-3 & 10-12 (ESV)

As I continue reading and studying, I realize that the affliction and difficulty being experienced was allowed and brought on by God judgment and wrath.

But then in the same chapter there is truth of God.

“²¹But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²²The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴’The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” – Lamentations 3:20-24 (ESV)

God’s wrath is all around us. We are caught up in it when we take our eyes off of God’s faithfulness. When afflictions are overcoming us, we still have the faithfulness of God that we can focus and rely on. We cause our own affliction and God provides our safety.

When you find yourself in difficult situations, where are you turning? Are you dwelling on the affliction? Will you take the time to find and lean on the truth of God’s faithfulness?

I was talking the other day about how we should approach each day with the attitude of love and care, and when we do so we will be able to more easily get past all of the evil we experience.

“⁶The wolf shall dwell with the lam, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. ⁷The cow and the bear shall graze; their your shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” – Isaiah 11:6-7 (ESV)

Here in God’s Word we see that predators acting like and interacting with their former prey. Those fierce animals engaging in peaceful actions with the docile animals they would regularly attack and use for sustenance.

These actions are made possible by the love of Christ and the care He had for us through His death and resurrection. Isaiah is predicting a time when we will all be able to get along, and that is only possible through the peace brought by Christ. So much so that the fierce animal kingdom will no longer “need” to be fierce and seek the docile as food. They will seek them as brothers and sisters in God’s kingdom.

I wonder if we can begin that time today. Christ did provide our salvation and as Paul writes in Romans:

“¹⁰Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” – Romans 12:10 (ESV)

Our peace is already here and we have the opportunity to act as such.

Would you go into the world today and everyday interacting with love and care? Will you look for the opportunity to “outdo one another in showing honor”? What interactions do you have where you have the opportunity to live in peace with others?

When you are traveling, isn’t a sign a welcome thing to provide direction and/or confirmation that we are doing the right thing or headed in the right direction? God provides us with signs and in some cases, invites us to ask for them.

“¹⁰Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹’Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.’” – Isaiah 7:10-11 (ESV)

Ahaz was looking for help in all the wrong places and therefore God asked him to seek a sign that would give direction and confirmation of His glory to strengthen his faith. In true human fashion (because we know better) Ahaz refused.

“¹²But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.’” – Isaiah 7:12(ESV)

And so, Isaiah, on instruction from God, provided the sign to Ahaz anyway.

“¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, ans shall call his name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

Whether we want to or not, God will provide for us. He is always giving us direction and confirmation of His glory. We are in the position of seeking to find that direction and confirmation. And if we are not “looking” for it, that does not mean it is not there.

Just like Ahaz, we tend to want to do things on our own and really need the help of God in everything we do.

Doesn’t it make sense to seek from our Lord, for the direction and confirmation? Would we be so bold to try things on our own continuously? What can we do to be sure that we are seeking direction and confirmation from God and not just relying on others?

I have begun to study the word bear and must admit that the animal was not what I believed I would be working through, although as we know, God leads us where we need to be and for that I rejoice.

“¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.” – Proverbs 28:15 (ESV)

In my own career I am highly interested in being a good leader and therefore I spend time looking into leadership characteristics and techniques. In all of the reading and study I have done to date, one thing that stands out is to not be a tyrant or use fear if you are looking to be an effective leader.

When you think back to those that you have encountered as leaders in your own career, I am sure that those you feel were the “best” leaders were those that treated you with care and respect rather than the opposite. I know that the leaders I learned the most from were those that were firm but fair and treated me as a person.

What you put in is what you get out. In with fear, that is what you get. When you challenge others through caring and love, they will respond in kind and give you everything back through that same caring and love. Fear is no way to lead. Caring for those around you and in your charge is more effective and enriching to all.

When you look at your own leadership whether in your career or personal life (at home), how do you see your leadership? How do you respond to leadership through fear and the opposite of leadership through caring and love? Will run to or from the leaders who is like the charging bear?

God is our father and knows and created all.

“⁷who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; ⁸who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea; ⁹who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the changers of the south; ¹⁰who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.” – Job 9:7-10 (ESV)

When we look here at Job, we find descriptors of just how great our God is. When we consider this, how then is it possible to state our case to God when he is all knowing and creator of all?

During this same time, there were protocols for speaking with God. Basically one would bring their offerings to the priest and he would go to God through the high priest. So, we would play a game of “telephone” to bring items to God. We were free to confess our sins, only through sacrifice and others.

We now have a direct line to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. We now have the ability to ask Him directly at all times. We get to speak with Him whenever and on whatever topic we choose. We can ask, plead, contend, and confess with/to Him directly.

Job was able to speak directly with God and plead his case. He recognized the authority of God and later confesses to God directly. We too can and should take the same action to speak and contend with God. We may not be right in our words or thoughts, but we can bring our case seeking guidance and advice.

Are you hesitant to bring speak and contend with God? Are you even aware that you can? Will you take the opportunity to intently listen and speak to, and contend with God to understand his path for you?

“¹⁴And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.’” – Revelation 3:14 (ESV)

As Jesus dictates to John, He makes clear that all things began with Him. I found that confusing at first until I read a bit further and study the commentary and other verses that go with the words of Jesus.

“Jesus’ self-designation as the beginning of God’s creation does not mean that he is God’s first creation but that he is the one who began God’s creation.” – ESV Commentary for Revelation 3:14

“³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:3 (ESV)

“¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” – Colossians 1:15-16 (ESV)

Jesus is the beginning and everything that begins starts with Him. Not that He was created first, even though verse 15 of Colossians above indicates, but that through Him all things began, as indicated in verse 3 of John indicates.

I would love, as I suspect we all would, to be able to read or hear once and fully understand. That would make things so much more efficient, not to mention how much more we could/would learn. But, what we see and/or hear once is not always the truth nor is it always what really is. It is up to us to spend our time digging deeper to understand.

Reading one verse of God’s Word did not get it done for me. Frankly, without the commentary and the references in my bibles, I would have simply sat here and guessed. As I read and study in the mornings I have 3 open bibles and access to other commentary on the web to assist with my understanding. It is that deeper study that gives me a better understanding and it is not uncommon for me to find more and different meaning later when my study leads me to the same verse.

I encourage you to dig deeper than what you see here and in what you read otherwise. My study is certainly different than yours will be and I want nothing more that for each of us to understand what God has in store for you as a unique follower of Christ.

What does your study look like? Are you looking at one thing and accepting, or are you challenging yourself to dig deeper? Are you willing to study to understand and find?

We have been in this world for a while now, me, over 45 years. Yet, we were not there in the beginning like those in the Word of God.

“¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—³that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:1 & 3 (ESV)

I have a personal mission statement that gives me direction through this world: “Improve lives through growth and learning as an example of Christ’s love.” That mission is focused on the learning and growth of those around me. Although I am focused on teaching, I was not there to experience all things or even there as things began. I am simply here to get others in front of the resources that have, or will be able to give accurate first hand account.

When we are learning and growing, doesn’t it make sense to reach to the experts for first hand knowledge. When investigating, the authorities look for the “eyewitnesses” and they listen, but with speculation, to those that are simply talking of the events. Why wouldn’t we do the same? Shouldn’t we be investigating from the “eyewitnesses” that were there in the beginning?

Now, don’t get me wrong, we do not always have access to the “eyewitnesses” so that we can get the “real” story and information. I will say though, that should not stop us from digging further to verify the information being shared. Here is an example: When you count out 50 pennies for that stick of gum at the counter, do you count them once and say, “we good”? Likely you count them a second time to confirm and if you get something different you count a third time. Wouldn’t it make sense to confirm and then verify again to make the most accurate choice and/or decision possible? Those there in the beginning provide a more accurate picture and speed our knowledge gain, minimizing the time needed for further investigation.

When you are looking at your faith, where are you getting your information? Who are you relying on for the accurate story? Are you looking to those that were there from the beginning?

“³He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” – Hebrews 7:3 (ESV)

With my study of beginning, I have discerned that everything has a beginning with the exception of God who was, is, and always will be. This begs the question, based on the verse above and what we know of Melchizedek; how is it that he does not have a beginning?

Let’s go back to the appearance of Melchizedek in Genesis:

“¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)” – Genesis 14:18 (ESV)

There is no genealogy reference to where he came from, no family history, no written account of his life, however Melchizedek was known, “He was priest of God Most High.” He must have had a beginning somewhere.

Just because it is not written down, does not mean it did not happen, there is just no discernible record of it happening. Someone, somewhere knew of the life and times of Melchizedek.

In our world of instant gratification and information (social media presence), we believe what we are able to find on the internet. I often joke that “it must be true because it was found on the internet”. That however does not make it true, nor does it mean there was something before then as well. How many events in the world happened that you or I do not know about? Did Gandhi just appear out of thin air? What about Buddha?

It is hard for us to grasp the idea of materialization and frankly, with the exception of God, there is none. Jesus was before He was born, but our acceptance of Him would not have been as easy had He just appeared. God knew this and therefore, He was born into this world so that we would more easily accept and believe. A created beginning for our benefit. THANK YOU GOD!!!

When you are looking at things, are you aware of the beginning? What drives your acceptance of something as real? Have you looked deeper into things in search of a beginning?