Well, there were some who really wanted to see what we did over at the CAP office the other day, so I figured that i'd give you a glimpse into the endeavor. This is not an exhaustive photo journal, but i hope that you can see that there are some awesome youth in Wickenburg striving to make a difference in their community!

God Bless,

GP

www.gphintz.com

First Class Done and MLK Day

Hello World! I've truly been slacking, but i'm back and i have some great news...

Drum roll please...

My first 'return to college class' is done! That's right, i finished my class up this past weekend. Now, i've moved from the macro to the micro and i'm taking 'cross cultural communication'. I'll be adding a third class in a few weeks. My goal is to take six classes this year.

It's been fun to learn some new information and it was a great time to take MacroEconomics with the state of the US economy. Now, when i read the headlines, they make a lot more sense to me.

In addition to this, i had a great MLK day yesterday. Anyone who knows a little about me will know that Martin Luther King is a hero of mine. I ended up putting this move 'King' on my DVR. I sat down with my son and watched it. He took the whole thing in and was taken back when he saw MLK get shot at the end. It's like he knew everything else, but he didn't know how he died. We had a good talk about good and evil and what that looks like and about his ability to use his life for good and to make a change. He was truly moved by King's life.

I want my sons to understand Dr. King's life in a grander scale than simply helping a march or giving a great speech.Dr. King stood up for something that was greater than himself and, knowing that it was going to cost him his very life, refused to step down or yield to the pressure. These are principles that I want for myself and my children. I want to carry that dream of freedom and the hope for a future that's brighter than today. I want to have the courage to speak even when the words don't want to be heard. I want to stand even when the weight on my shoulders is more than i can handle.

I want to close with the words of Martin Luther King's final sermon and words that have inspired me for years. They were spoken just one day before his life was taken. These words are not just for our ears, but for our hearts'.

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." MLK

God Bless,
GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Traditional Vs. Contemporary Services

Well, i started researching the differences between contemporary and traditional services, specifically in regards to many main line denominational churches who are accessing their relevance to a post modern community, and couldn't find much out there. I mean, there was nothing that made sense or was clear or concise. So, I decided to do an interesting thing... pray and put my thoughts on paper. They were recently received joyfully by both those who prefer a liturgical service and those who prefer a contemporary service. So, I put it up for all those looking for something that makes sense that can be used to communicate with others the differences between the two. At my church, we've adopted a slogan which says, 'Something for Everyone'. We don't see these differences as obstacles or negatives, but as positive incentives to a community who demands choices. You will see some facts that are 'community specific' to where we reside, but i hope you can still find some universal truth in its context. I hope you enjoy...

Defining Contemporary and Traditional Services

I believe that it is very important to tackle the issue of defining, not only the function, but the definition of a contemporary and a traditional service. This is important because, no matter what side of the fence we sit on, we carry with us our own biases and opinions of what we believe a church service should look like and why it should look a certain way. To begin, however, we must define what the purpose is. We must define who we are trying to attract, minister to and keep. And lastly, we must give a clear picture of what the service looks like and have the courage to stick with that model, even if it is not our personal preference. The goal must overshadow our personal desires.

The purpose behind structuring a service in a contemporary or a traditional style needs to be centered in meeting the needs of the congregation and the community. Not only the congregation that currently sits in the pews, but those whom you wish to reach who dwell in the homes surrounding your church and those throughout the city. There will often be those who currently attend who prefer a service one way or another – but remember that you’re making decisions not based on what you have, but on what you hope to have in reaching those unsaved individuals throughout the city. It makes sense that those who currently attend are content with how things are or the chances of them still being there would be slim. We want to think of those who have come and left after their first or second visit and those who have never entered through our sanctuary doors.

A good place to begin when defining a traditional or contemporary service is to define what age group you are trying to reach. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand that someone in their seventies prefers things a little different than those in their thirties. It will also help to define how ‘contemporary’ or ‘traditional’ you are expecting the service to be. Do you want the extended electric guitar riffs that would be appreciated by someone in their twenties and annoy someone in their forties or acoustic folk songs that would be remembered by someone in their fifties and seen ‘cheesy’ as someone in their thirties? Can you mix these into a good worship set that would please both the twenty year old and the fifty year old?

In Wickenburg, I believe that a good goal would be a ‘two decade goal’. It is quite feasible to design a contemporary service that attracts 30-50 year olds and a traditional service that attracts 50-70 year olds – understanding that there could be 45 – 55 year olds who may prefer one style over another and there may be an overlap with different individuals even outside of that age range. But, when looking at First Presbyterian Church of Wickenburg, the data of the city provokes me to believe that these age goals are a good range.

I would like to define some different aspects of a service and compare what they may look like through ‘contemporary’ eyes and ‘traditional’ eyes – based on our age goals.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Music: The contemporary group was raised with a certain style of music that they listened to. This ‘style’ incorporated different instruments like drums and guitars and gave the listeners catchy melodies and riffs to remember and sing along. The traditional group was raised with a different ‘style’ of music which was more of a defined, precise style with big band elements, musical interludes and well defined beginning and endings. So, we see that the differences go far beyond what instruments to play, but the very ‘feel’ of the set. A well defined, precision start and stop style of traditional versus a looser, catchy chorus driven style of contemporary. A common mistake is to believe that a ‘contemporary’ team can just do the same traditional songs using different instruments. This is not true because it doesn’t carry the ‘feel’ of more common choruses and songs which are out there today. I believe that there are songs that were written decades ago that have deep spiritual truth and great words founded on scripture which must be sung in the contemporary services today, however this must be done carefully. Trying to do hymns by simply replacing an organ with a guitar is an exercise in futility.

On the other hand, a traditional style needs to have songs which are known by the 50-70 year old congregant. There is a great comfort found in singing songs which have become part of your spiritual foundation. Also, the organ and choir work together to bring the traditional style which is so appreciated by the traditional congregant. Many 50-70 year old members are happy to have the opportunity to sing in a choir and welcome that ministry.

The Flow of the Service: I find that many who attend a traditional service find great comfort in knowing what is to come next in the service. The bulletin is an important part of their experience on Sunday mornings and they take great time and effort in reading it and following along throughout the service. They enjoy the printed prayers and the responses and enjoy reading about different prayer requests and activities that take place in the church.

A contemporary service will often reflect a flow of service which is not as regimented as a traditional service is. There are no responses or prayers which are read. There is still a time for prayer, but it is not a printed prayer but one which is spoken from the heart. I believe that the sermon becomes one of the most important aspects of a contemporary service - a sermon which is centered on scripture and applicable to everyday life. A contemporary service will use many different elements to complement the sermon in order to minister to the 30-50 year old congregant. Some of these will be notes that are in the bulletin that can be filled in as the sermon is preached, a power point which follows the sermon and provides the scripture reading for those who aren’t comfortable and/or knowledgeable enough to find it in pew Bible, and practical examples that the congregation can truly relate with. I find that the length of a sermon is not as important as its content in a contemporary service. (Someone would rather hear a moving sermon and have the service go longer than watch their watches and want the pastor to stop after 16.5 minutes.)

Follow Up: Both the traditional and the contemporary service attendees want to be followed up with and shown that they matter and that the church cares about them. There is no substitute for time spent, a smile and a kind word. This happens before or after service as the congregation mingles with one another. However, I do believe that there are certain things that a visitor to a contemporary service wants to see.

A good website. The first thing that a 30-50 year old church searcher is going to do is try to find you on the internet. In fact, oftentimes they will visit the website and listen to a few sermons long before they ever walk through the sanctuary doors. Keeping a site that is current and professional is important.

Distribution of information. We cannot assume that everyone knows where the Bible Study is or where the children’s ministry is or what time the church potluck is. We need to have a crisp, clear way of distributing information to a 30-50 year old in a professional manner.

Good signage. This not only has to do with the church sign, but when someone enters the church. Is it easy to find your way around? Do they know where the snacks are? Do they know where the bathrooms are? If we rely solely on individuals to communicate these facts, people will be missed and information will not be distributed.

There are more things that I could cover, but I believe that this is a good start. If we really want to have two services – and have ‘something for everyone’ – then we need to be willing to honestly look at our efficiency and see if we are really doing two services with two different goals in mind (catching the appropriate age groups), or simply doing the same thing a different way. I believe that we can make the decisions which are necessary to facilitate growth in our congregation, but I believe that it is going to happen when we have the courage to say that it’s not about what ‘we want’, but about what needs to be done to reach our goal… and Wickenburg for Christ!

Your Partner in the Gospel,

GP Hintz

www.gphintz.com

The Death of Comfort

So I'm reading my Bible today and was reignited by a wonderful chapter of scripture - Luke 9. Now i've read Luke many times before, but today - as i was reading - i found myself saying, 'That is deep!' or 'That makes so much sense!' over and over again. I'd find one verse and say, 'i should blog on this' and then find another and say the same thing. It's definitely worth a glance if you've been wanting to read the Bible and unable to know where to start. Take a minute and read through chapter nine and see what you think. For me, today, i want to just take four verses and let them melt into my soul for a second. They are verses 23-26.

"Then he (Jesus) said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self ? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

These four verses are filled with key slogans of the Christian faith like 'deny yourself' or 'take up your cross' or 'gain the world yet forfeit your soul', but what amazed me was how they were all wrapped up in this pretty little package of Jesus. They are there - one after another - in a discourse that is taking place immediately after Peter's declaration that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' declaration of what would happen in the days to come - His death and resurrection. Then, when all the cards have been laid on the table and there is no longer any question of the purpose or plan of Jesus or God, Jesus brings some sound advice and challenging words. These words are as true to us as believers today as they were for the first disciples who sat at Jesus' feet and listened to them. Let's break them down a little and look at these different thoughts.

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me: This has been commentized to death, but is way too important to overlook. Jesus is saying, 'The choice is yours and if you choose to come after me there is a MUST that's gonna follow. This isn't a suggestion. This isn't a recommendation. This is a mandatory requirement. You must take us your cross every day and follow me.' Please understand that a cross was not a cute necklace or a chiseled penny to keep in your pocket - but a device used for torture and death. And honestly, in our culture, the sheer reality of denying yourself is in itself a form of torture. The reality of not getting what you WANT in order to give someone else what they NEED is torture. The idea that we are not our own world and that the entire cosmos does not rotate on our axis is torture. The concept that God would ever have us do something that would hurt - whether our flesh or our pocketbook - is torture. However, this is His call to his disciples and one which we must take seriously in our lives today.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it: You cannot read that verse without thinking about martyrdom, but i believe it is so much more than this. It ties in perfectly with the idea of denial and cross carrying. It is making the decision that life desperately needs to be about more than just you. It is coming to the realization that there is a world out there that is so much bigger than just 'us' and that God has a job for us to do in it. I heard a saying once than really spoke to my heart and it went like this, 'I'd rather be someplace very scary and dangerous, not having a guarantee of daily food or security over a safe home in a safe neighborhood with a safe job, if i knew that it was where God wanted me to be. I'll trade security for God's will any day of the week.' This willingness makes the difference. Will God call all of us to become actual martyrs? Maybe not in the death of our flesh, but always in the death of our comfort.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose, or forfeit, his very self: The idea here runs in the opposite direction of the Western mandate. Aren't we called to gain the whole world? Aren't we called to harness ambition and allow it to make positive steps in our nation which not only help our pocketbooks, but the standard of living of all Americans? However, we can't forget that we were created by God with a purpose - a specific purpose - which may not always link up with what our thoughts on 'success' may be. Jesus is letting it be known, that there is a possibility that you could have everything this world (kosmos) has to offer and still miss it. And when we forfeit the perfect plan of God for the 'kosmos' which surrounds us, the Bible tells us that we are destroying or doing damage to our very selves. Tying in with the last point - the perfect place for us to be is in the perfect will of God. No matter how scary it seems. No matter how dangerous it looks. No matter how uncomfortable it is. There is a perfect place for you to be.

Now you have to ask yourself, 'Am I there now or have i deviated off the path because it was too difficult... too scary... too unsure?' If you know you're not there, it's not too late. I'm reminded of Jonah who spent some time in an unlikely place thinking about the uncomfortable place where he had to go. Let's turn back today and not wait for that 'big fish' experience. Hear the voice of God whispering to your soul today and respond...

Grace and Peace!

GP
www.gphintz.com

The Rebirth of Friendship

So, here i am standing at the back of a chapel area preparing to share a message with a group of young women who are struggling in a fight for their lives and i smile. This smile seemed to creep up from my toes, and then became plastered on my face. Its came from a realization that had been creeping into my life for the last few weeks. An understanding of what was happening even though, on a cognizant level, i would've fought it off with all my might if i could. And the subject that i refer to is friendship.

First, it helps to understand a little bit about me. I've always been guarded with my friends, but i've definitely had them. In fact, i've had a ton of friends. It wasn't until i became a Christian that this seemed to change. It seemed to move down a notch from friends to acquaintances. It wasn't that i didn't hang out with people or always have people around me. It was just that those people moved from being my 'friends' to being my 'acquaintances' - (an acquaintance was someone you could keep at arm's distance and not truly care about too much). They may not of had the 'status' of friend, but their numbers doubled and quadrupled. Especially when i started working at a large church. There were now so many more people who wanted to be part of that 'inner circle' of my life. However, true friendship doesn't happen when you're around - it happens when there's trust and love and transparency - 3 things that i chose not to have in order to protect myself. Looking back, i had people i loved and respected, but it wasn't till i really needed them or opened up to them that the wound in my heart was formed.

(I just highlighted and erased two paragraphs. These are paragraphs that i decided did not need to be in this blog. They were highlighting two individuals in my life who i thought were friends. I didn't name them, but called them 'little red' and 'Keanu'. What i realized is that it doesn't matter what they did or how they hurt me. God has the ability and desire to wash away all of that hurt and pain and i need to leave it with Him. Because of this realization - 'little red' and Keanu's stories will stay in my thoughts and my computer's recycle bin! Now, i can continue with my blog...)

So, this is what i've done for awhile. Building a wall of protection around me so that people could get close enough that i could reach over and touch them if i wanted, but then could easily retreat behind. This was my protection. Not wanting friends - who needs friends? Then, two unlikely characters tripped into my life.

The first was an individual who i bumped heads with when we first met. He has a strong personality and i have a strong personality and when you mix us, it's like oil and water. That is for the first couple years. The problem is - this guy has really grown on me as we've begun to share life together. We've begun to share our hearts with one another and look past the things that don't match to those things which do and we're left realizing that we have a lot in common. I spent some significant time with this individual and we had a fabulous time, but the scary part has been occurring recently. I've been experiencing things that i haven't felt in a long time. I actually care about this person as a friend. I actually think about him when he's not around and sincerely pray for God's best in his life. It's not a struggle to sit and talk with him and i actually care about what he has to say. He's turning into a friend...

The other was someone who i couldn't stand! I would come home after spending time with this guy and complain. I remember that whenever we were together, i would look for an excuse to leave. As soon as i was finished doing what i had to do, i would leave as fast as i could - ecstatic that i didn't have to spend anymore time with him. And then i was stuck talking to him one day and we clicked. Before i knew it, i was looking forward to talking with this guy and instead of watching the clock for the time to leave, i would stay for extended periods - sharing life and my heart with this guy. I began to care about his music and his wife and his life. I wanted to know about his past and his future and his thoughts on God. I enjoyed our time together. I fearfully realized that he was turning into a friend...

So, there i was, about to speak to a room full of people with a smile the size of Texas on my lips. It felt good. No - it felt great! It has been so long for me to let someone in. It feels good to tear down the wall and invite someone else to come and share life with me. It's scary as H - E - double hockey stick, but i'm convinced that it's well worth it and the way God created us to live.

Maybe you're there today, cowering behind a wall of pain and hurt and emotion that cripples you. I'd encourage you to reach over the wall... let someone in... let someone touch you and, in turn, touch them. Life is too short for a cold heart - even if you do live back east! (Ha! Ha! That's for all my Ohioians.)

With scary love,
GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Mexico Mission Trip Video - RAV 2008

Hello y'all! I hope you enjoy this video. If you want a truly clear picture of what our mission trip at Rancho Agua Viva in Ensenada, Mexico was like, I think that this video will truly answer any questions you may have! Enjoy!

www.fpcwickenburg.com

www.igniteyouthgroup.com

www.aguaviva.com

GP

www.gphintz.com

Just Got Back!

Hey Y'all,

Sorry it's been so long, but I've been ministering in Mexico for the last week. I can't wait to give everyone an update - it was AWESOME! When you do what you're created to do, you fill a void that nothing else can touch. I can't wait to tell you all about it and show you some pictures. It won't be too long...

GP
www.gphintz.com

I Relent!

OK! So I knew it was coming. Moment to moment and conversation to conversation the theme was there.

It started about a year ago when a nemisis of mine was used by God to make a statement that changed my life. He said, 'A degree is simply to open doors. We go so far and then we hit a locked door. A degree is the key which opens it'. I buried that advice in my heart and let it sit there.

Eight months later I'm approached by our interim pastor who told me about the gifts that God has given me and implored me to go to school. 'This will be a subject that I'll be bringing up as long as you know me. It is so important for you.' he said.

Then i received a donation of a TV for our youth house about 2 weeks ago. The donor helped me move it into the house and then stood with me on the front porch and said, 'You need to consider an education - God's got a great plan for you and it will only help you move forward.'

At that moment i felt like the world stopped spinning, the voice stopped speaking, the lizards stopped slithering and i looked to the heavens and screamed:

"ALRIGHT ALREADY! I'LL GO! I'LL DO IT! I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME AND I'LL DO IT! EVEN IF I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PAY FOR IT OR WHERE TO GO OR WHAT DEGREE TO GET! I HEAR YOU AND I'LL ACT!"

So, now i move forward. I will be starting something within the next two months. I've found some good options for me fairly close by and will keep you informed as i move forward. Please pray that i pick the right major and that God enables me to balance work, school and family in a way which honors Him. I covet your prayers and words of encouragement. Thank you!

GP

http://www.gphintz.com/

The Tin Man - Where's My Emotions?

The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939 and starred Judy Garland. It has been a hit for generations and still one that kids and adults alike both reference. The cast of characters includes Dorothy, Toto, The Scarecrow, The Lion, The Tin Man, The Wizard, The Wicked Witch of the West and a variety of others. I’d like to take a few of these characters and look a little deeper at their search and talk about those things which they were looking for.

The Tin Man:

Now, the tin man’s desire is found in the song he sings when he meets Dorothy:

When a man's an empty kettle he should be on his mettle,

And yet I'm torn apart.

Just because I'm presumin' that I could be kind-a-human,

If I only had heart.

I'd be tender - I'd be gentle and awful sentimental

Regarding Love and Art.

I'd be friends with the sparrows ...

and the boys who shoots the arrows

If I only had a heart.

Picture me - a balcony. Above a voice sings low.

Wherefore art thou, Romeo? I hear a beat....

How sweet.

Just to register emotion, jealousy - devotion,

And really feel the part.

I could stay young and chipper

and I'd lock it with a zipper,

If I only had a heart.

Now, we can see from this song that the tin man believed that there were certain things that would happen if he had a heart. He'd be able to register emotion. He'd feel like he belonged. He'd appreciate things more. He'd hold on to his youth. The tin man believed that if this one thing could change in his life that he'd be so much better. He believed that his life would be different. If only this one thing could happen.

What about you? What's that one thing that you're holding out for that will make everything perfect? That perfect someone? That new job? That raise? That 98" flatscreen TV? (now that would be sweet!) We all have things that we're holding out for. Things that we want. Things that we need. The problem comes when we believe that those things will alleviate all of our pains, hurts and lack of purpose in life...

The tin man wanted something that was more than just 'stuff'. He wanted to feel. He wanted to sense emotion. I talk with people who cut themselves and they tell me that they do it to feel. They tell me that the pain that they're afflicting on themselves becomes greater than the pain buried in their hearts.

There's a verse in the book of Joel that reads, "…rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster." Joel 2:13

In Old Testament Bible times the people would rip their clothes and throw ashes on their head to show the world and themselves that they were turning to God. Here, Joel says something very interesting. He said, 'don't worry about your clothes, but look to your hearts'. He's encouraging them to open their hearts to God... to feel again... to sense emotion again... to allow the reality of their life and their failures to hit them again...

Now, following this, Joel gives a picture of God that is steeped in emotion. 'Gracious'. 'Merciful'. 'Slow to Anger'. 'Abounding in Love'. He's saying 'Rip your hearts open for a God who understands and feels emotion. Be real and be honest before a God who loves you. Don't be afraid for you have nothing to fear for He is abounding in love'.

Maybe you know what it feels like to bury emotion deep. Maybe you know what it's like to cut yourself to cover the pain. Maybe you know what it feels like to not feel. Well, today God is calling you to take a risk. He's asking you to open your heart before Him. He's asking you to be real with Him. He's asking you to open the steel door which holds all of your emotions and let Him in. His promise is that it may hurt, but He'll be with you every step of the way.

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

GP

http://www.gphintz.com/

Nikolai Ge's Judas

This is a painting entitled 'Judas' done by the Russian Painter Nikolai Ge (1831-1894). He was a student at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia. I think that it encompasses the emotion of my previous blog... Take a moment and really look at the details of the painting and then close your eyes to listen...

GP

www.gphintz.com

Judas' Pavement of Decisions

Reading through Matthew, I'm saddened by the few verses that i see dedicated to Judas Iscariot in Matthew 26. I mean, i know what's going to happen and i know the end of Judas' story, however it's still amazing for me to sit back and read the words.

"Then one of the twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him (Jesus) over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas looked for an opportunity to hand him over." vs. 14-16

Just going through this short portion of scripture, i see the digressing steps that are leading Judas to his demise. Deep down, i had always hoped that Judas was sought out by the evil priests and taken advantage of. That he was tempted and lured into his poor decisions. But, this portion of scripture tells me quite the contrary. I see the chief priest asking themselves, 'How the heck are we going to get this Jesus? We need to get him, but how?' And then i see Judas who 'WENT TO' them.

Now, it's probably not by chance that this portion of scripture is preceded by the anointing of Jesus and the alabaster box of precious oil and the statement that the disciples became very 'indignant' about the oil being poured over the head of Jesus. In their minds, that oil should've been sold and the money given to the poor. And even though most of their intentions were probably pure, you have Judas - the treasurer - sitting there watching all of this money disappear over the head of Jesus. And in John 12 we find out that the one who made a vocal disapproval of this action was none other than Judas himself. 'Why wasn't this sold for 300 pence and given to the poor?' And this is followed by a clear picture into the heart of Judas, 'This he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the money bag and often took some for his own use.'

Seeing this ointment and money poured over the head of Jesus must've enraged Judas. And the Bible says that he 'WENT TO' the chief priests. The word for 'went to' is the Greek word 'poreuomai' and means 'to pursue the journey on which one has entered'. So, we see Judas pursuing a journey on which he had already started. When did he start this journey? Was it the day he was born? Was it the day he met Jesus? Was it the first time that he stole from the treasury?

I am unable to pinpoint the exact point when Judas started his journey which led to his demise. However, i am able to look at my life and the lives of many people who have lived on this earth and understand that life is a progression... a path... a road to travel which is paved by the decisions which we make. The choices aren't always easy, but they will direct us as one decision folds into another which folds into another which folds into our destiny.

Every day we are forced to make decisions which will take us closer to God or further away. Maybe they aren't as 'extreme' as stealing from the purse of God, but they may be a question of what we'll say, do or see... It is one idea... followed by one decision... followed by one action.

Today, let's ask ourselves about the decisions we've been making. Where is the road of our life taking us? Where is our pavement headed? And, if it's not headed toward the destination that we desire, let's turn the car around before our 'right' decisions become a speck on the horizon that can't be seen with the naked eye...

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Sin, Death and Cannibalism

Going into my study on the book of Leviticus, i must admit that i was fairly pessimistic. I have read the book before and could equate my reading time as a great high in Genesis (one of my favorite books in the Bible), a slight decline of excitement into Exodus with an incredible boring lull in Leviticus which carries me through the remainder of the Pentateuch. However, i am pleased to say that i am thoroughly enjoying my time in Leviticus and came across an incredible set of verses that i'd like to share with you.

The portion of scripture is highlighting the 'sin offering' which was the animal sacrifice that the Jewish people would make to atone (or amends for) their sin and is found in Leviticus 6:24-30. Now, i haven't made sense of every detail yet, but i find a striking resemblance here to some very common New Testament words of Jesus.

"The Lord said to Moses, 'The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord ... it is most Holy... Whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is splattered on a garment, you must wash it in a Holy Place... Any male in the priest's family may eat. It is most holy.'"

Here's a description of what Jesus did and said. "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19-20

The Sin Offering? One who takes away the sins of the world? One who washes clean? One who can be taken and eaten?

I'm reminded of my Catholic upbringing and one of the prayers that has been singed into my brain stem from weekly repetition...

"...Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us
You take away the sins of the world
Receive our prayer..."

Now I've studied about the scapegoat and the laying on of hands by the priest and sending the goat from the camp and if you're unfamiliar with this story, i'd encourage you to study it out or stay tuned and we'll cover this in the future. However, this portion of scripture in Leviticus gives us insight into the words of Jesus - 'this is my body'.

'Body' in this context is the Greek word 'soma' which simply means 'the body of a man or an animal'. Flesh. Meat. Body. So, when Jesus is saying this, He's declaring that this bread was His actual flesh. Now i'm not going to debate transubstantiation right now, but i do want you to see the word picture that the disciples are seeing. They are quite familiar with Leviticus. They've learned about offerings their entire lives. They had read Leviticus 6 many times and now Jesus is standing before them saying, 'Take and eat my body'. What a vivid picture of Jesus telling them, 'Listen up guys! I am the sin offering. I am here to take away your sins and the sins of the entire world. You guys are worthy. You guys are my priests. You guys, come on, take and eat the sin offering today. This is it guys.'

So, what we see here is the realization that Jesus has come for a greater purpose than to be a great teacher. We see that Jesus is calling them out of a life of mediocrity and telling them that they were worthy to be called priests. We see that Jesus is saying, 'Yes guys. You are priests now. You have a mission and today I'm allowing you to see yourself, not as fishermen or tax collectors, but as priests. Priests for a Holy God. Take and eat.'

Now, in this same way, we are called to take and eat. We are called to partake in the Lord's supper. We are called to 'do this in remembrance of me'. Understanding that when we do, we are taking of the sin offering. We are receiving that free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. And we are accepting the realization that we are called to be God's priests on this earth. No matter what our occupation may be. No matter what our family may see us as. No matter what our history looks like. When we take and eat, we are lining ourselves up with the will and plans of God and saying, 'Yes!'

1 Peter 2:5-6 "As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

The sin offering has been made and we are encouraged to take and eat of it. If you've not made that decision in your life, i'd encourage you to stop, find a quiet place and spend some time communicating with God. You speak, but also be quiet before Him and allow Him to minister to you. His plans for you are great - take the first step today.

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

A Diamond Only Forms with Pressure

I forgot how much i loved Joshua until i trudged my way through the middle of Exodus to expose some truly excellent passages concerning God's interaction with man. The scriptures surrounding these Joshua sightings are very familiar - if not by actual quoting then by context. It is the giving of the 10 commandments by God to Moses. It is the construction of a golden calf and the declaration, 'Uhh. Well they there just gave me a bunch of gold and then I, uhh, threw it in the fire and out popped a golden calf!' Yeah. Great example of taking responsibility Aaron!

But now to Joshua. There's only two scriptures that i want us to look at. But these two give us an incredible insight into the heart of this man. In Exodus 24 we see God separating some individuals to come up the mountain to spend some time with Him. He picks Moses, seventy of the elders and Joshua. Then, in verse 13 we see Moses setting out with his aide Joshua. Moses leaves Aaron and Hur and the elders and the people and goes up the mountain with one man - Joshua. Joshua goes so far and then stops and waits while Moses enters into the cloud to spend time with God.

Moses spends a ton of QT with God. Now Joshua, even though it had been 40 days and 40 long nights, doesn't leave his position, doesn't crawl back down the mountain admitting defeat, doesn't build a false god with rocks and dirt and start dancing around it. No! He waits and he waits and he waits until he sees Moses coming down the mountain. You can imagine the joy that Joshua had when he saw Moses. He probably jumped to his feet and ran to Moses' side, excited to hear all about the move of God on the mountain.

However, the people had grown tired of waiting for Moses and concluded that there was a chance that he wasn't going to come back. In fact, they grew so persuaded of this that they had Aaron build an idol so that they can worship something. I don't want to get into this right now, but one day we will. What I want you to see is Joshua waits all this time for Moses, the Israelites grew tired of waiting and built an idol and then, in Exodus 32:17 it says, 'When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting he said to Moses, 'There is a sound of war in the camp'. Moses shot back, 'That's not the sound of victory or defeat, but singing that I hear.'

They go down, Moses drops the commandments and they break, a line is drawn in the sand of those who'll stand for God and those who won't, there is a mass execution and then Moses seeks the forgiveness of God for the people. Fast Forward...

In the next chapter we find Moses constructing a place which was called the 'Tent of Meeting'. It was a tent that was put a distance from the camp and whenever someone wanted to call on God they would go to this tent. Personally, the most exposing scripture that I have ever read about Joshua... the one scripture that has allowed me to looker deeper into the life of Joshua than any other verse that I've ever read can be found in Exodus 33. It reads like this...

"The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua, son of Nun, did not leave the tent." Exodus 33:11

What i see here is a beautiful picture of intimacy. I see a picture of faithfulness. I see a picture of humility and blessing and honor and commitment. I see a picture that i can learn from. I see a picture of who i want to be.

When everyone else had given up on Moses - Joshua stood strong. When everyone else had made a decision to look somewhere else for their spiritual direction - Joshua stood strong. When Moses would go to seek the face of God - Joshua would go. When Moses left - Joshua would stay. In him i see a picture of strength and valor and tenacity and faith. I see a picture of a person that i would be honored to emulate.

It is so easy to give up in our culture. It's so easy to find the next job or the next wife or the next house or the next position. It's so easy to find the "better deal" and to hop, skip and jump away. However, there are great things that come to the person who endures. There's a great blessing for the one who doesn't quit.

I have been through the fire in my life. I have had many ups and downs; many mountain top experiences and many valley times too. Most recently i remember feeling like the walls were closing in around me... feeling like i had tried hard to no avail... feeling like i was being wrongly persecuted for things that i had not even done. Those days were hard. And how did i get through them? Like Joshua - not letting go. I remember locking myself in a church sanctuary and beginning to pray with a darkness and heaviness on me. Praying even though nothing in my soul wanted to pray. Praying even though everything told me to give up and quit. Praying even though it didn't make sense. And I'd pray... and pray... and pray. Before long, the heaviness started to lift. Before long my prayers became stronger and a joy entered my soul. It was as if the clouds had parted and the sunshine shone brightly into my life.

And it was in that moment that God shared a beautiful concept with me. He encouraged me to 'give my best to what's before me'.

It sounds simple, but that statement changed my life. God worked miraculously in that season of my life, doing things that i never could've guessed. The hard days faded and i've entered into a beautiful season of blessing. However, i understand that a diamond is only formed from pressure and that God often allows immense pressure to form us into the people that He's destined us to be.

If you're going through a season of heartache or trial or trouble right now, i'd encourage you to press into God. You won't want to in the beginning. It'll be one of the hardest things that you've ever done. But understand that if you continue, the clouds will part... the sun will shine... and you will see the hand of God working in your life!

GP
www.gphintz.com

Lineages: What's the Point?

Well, when I read the Bible I am often discouraged when i come across a large portion of scripture dealing with the family tree of some famous Bible character. You start out strong, but after about five verses of sounding out names which have way too many syllables, you find yourself skipping along to the end of that portion of scripture and to the next topic. This was true until i began trying to figure out who all of these mysterious names were that i came across in the book of Matthew.

Now, i love the fact that Jesus' lineage is so perfectly ordered. I mean, you have 14 generations from Abraham to David and then 14 generations from David to Babylon and then 14 generations from Babylon to Jesus. This made digging deeper easy for me because i could cut this big pie in thirds.

Today, let's just take a peek at the first 14 generations talked about in Matthew and a few highlights from their lives:

1. Abraham - This man has an incredible story that needs to be read by all. A few highlights are: God cutting covenant with Abram, God giving him his son Isaac at the age of 100, Meeting God as He was heading into Sodom, God's provision in every area of his life, etc. (If you are unfamiliar with any of these stories, please stop reading this and open up a Bible to Genesis 12 and start reading. I promise you that you won't be disappointed!)

2. Isaac - This is God's promised son to Abraham. He was born when Abraham was 100 years old and taken to the mountain to be sacrificed at the demand of God. However, God provided a ram to be sacrificed in his place at the last moment.

3. Jacob - I have an entire blog posting on Jacob, but a few quick facts are: He was a mama's boy, he deceived his dad and stole the blessing from his brother Esau, he fell in love with Rachel and was deceived into marrying her sister Leah before her and then ended up with their slave women also, he became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel, his name was changed to 'Israel' and he was the father of Joseph and the technicolor dreamcoat.

4. Judah - This one was the greatest shocker for me. God provides an entire section in the OT about Joseph, yet uses Judah in his lineage. Not only that, but Jacob's true love was Rachel and Judah's mom was the girl that Jacob didn't even want - Leah. Here we see God using something that was entirely out of the control or plans of Jacob for His glory! Now, Judah had three sons - Er, Onan and Shelah. Er got married to Tamar and he ends up dying. Onan is ordered to impregnate her and takes advantage of the task without following through on the obligation and God kills him. Judah promises the third son's seed to Tamar when he gets older, but doesn't deliver. So Tamar dresses like a prostitute and lures Judah in after his wife's death. He sleeps with her - not knowing who she is. She takes some of his possessions and later, when she's found pregnant, he wants to have her killed until she brings out his possessions, looks at her belly and says, "Who's Your Daddy?" (not really. i added that) So Tamar has Judah's babies - twins - named Perez and Zerah.

5. Perez - not much said about him

6. Hezron - or him

7. Ram - or him

8. Amminadab - with a name like that i wish the Bible talked more about him

9. Nahshon - not much said about him

10. Salmon - or him, but i bet he was a fisherman

11. Boaz - Now Boaz is important for two reasons. The first is that the Bible says that his mother was Rahab. Rahab is an important piece of the puzzle because her story can be found in Joshua two. At that point in her life she was a harlot, or prostitute, and decides to help Joshua's army by hiding them and protecting them. She is promised protection when they come back to destroy the city and her entire family is spared. Later, she marries Salmon and enters into the lineage of the Messiah.

12. Obed - His mother was Ruth. This is very important to understand because Ruth was from the land of Moab, which was a foreign land. This is a country who did not worship the Lord Jehovah as the Jewish people did. Yet, God brings Ruth to a land and brings her and Boaz together. God shows us that the Messiah is for all people through this simple act of allowing Ruth to be part of His lineage.

13. Jesse - not much is said about Jesse except for the fact that he was a father and he ended up having a son and this son has provided some of the greatest life lessons of all time as we've witnessed God's hand on his life. And this son was...

14. David - If you don't know about David, please stop right now and read about his life. From being a boy and chopping the head of Goliath off to his infidelity with Bathsheeba to the final blessing of his family, it is a page turner. He has brought me much understanding into the heart of God and i'm sure it'll do the same for you.

Well, there it is! The first 14 generations of Jesus highlighted in the book of Matthew. I hope you enjoyed, but most of all i hope that you'll look at those long, boring lists in the Bible as nuggets of truth that will encourage us to serve God in a greater way! Be blessed.

GP

http://www.gphintz.com/

The Tree Debate

Well, just when i think it can't get any stranger - it does. I'm referring to a debate that i was in just the other day. Let me premise my remarks with an overview of what we were discussing...

The idea came from the book of Genesis and Adam and Eve and spoke that the 'true' sin of the first parents was 'getting into a tree that they weren't supposed to'. Now, this simple statement is totally true, but the real sin was disobedience because God Himself had told them specifically not to get into this particular tree. From my understanding, the viewpoint of this book that we were discussing that highlighted the relationship between the tree and Adam and Eve, and the individual whom i was talking with, was that the true sin of Adam and Eve was their arrival in 'someone else's tree'. This concept, then, is equated with looking at the actions of others over the actions of ourselves and 'judging' them. The true sin is 'judging' others when we should simply be focusing on our relationship with Christ and not looking at anyone else.

Let me point out that i am a strong proponent of focusing on our personal spiritual lives. I am a strong supporter of not casting twigs or stones at every Tom, Dick and Harry that passes by who isn't living up to my perfect picture of Christianity. I also loathe the countless youtube videos that i see tearing down any 'Christian' leader who struggles with moral failure. But i also understand that the true sin in Genesis wasn't because of the tree they were in, but because of the words of God commanding them not to go into THAT particular tree.

The heart of the matter is 'disobedience' and the reality that disobedience pulls us further and further away from God. After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, God still comes, AS WAS HIS CUSTOM! God didn't change. God wasn't holding a grudge. God understood that there were going to be consequences, but that didn't diminish His love for them. The same way that if i embezzle money from my job i may go to prison, or get drunk i may wake up with a hangover or eat greasy food every day i may have a heart attack and die. These are all sins. These are all wrong. These are all things that God encourages us not to do and also things that carry with themselves their own consequences. The good news is that God knows the end at the beginning and has the power to be with us through the storms of our lives.

The particular problem with what i see as 'not climbing anyone else's tree' is that is runs counter to the entire purpose of the Bible. God's Word is filled with stories that i believe i am encouraged to read. Why? What is God's purpose for me reading them? So that i can get in someone else's tree. Not so that i can tear down another individual, but that i can understand the reality of sin and the slippery slope of poor decisions and be aware of them in my life. God wants me to look at the lives of others to help me... to encourage me... to mold me. When i choose to ignore everyone else around me and only focus on me and my relationship with God i have the potential to become extremely egocentric, forgetting that there is a world out there that's lost and becoming very comfortable with my 3/2 house, two year old car, spouse and kids. I become very me-focused - the antithesis of what the American culture needs right now.

So, the moral of the story - feel free to get into all the trees you can with the right motives. Don't feel that your job is to tear another down because of their decisions in their tree, but take those decisions - both good and bad - and commit to learn about them. Commit to discuss them. Commit to wrestle with them. And like Jacob with the angel, you just might go away from that discussion walking a little different!

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

There's Hope in the Snare

Oftentimes, when I'm reading the Bible I come across different scriptures that seem to rise from the page, rear back and smack me silly across the face. They are either verses I've heard that I'm seeing in a new way or a verse that I may have not consciously stumbled across that seems to speak to me. Today, I found the former in Matthew.

"Woe to the world because of the things which cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!" Matt. 18:7

Now, there are certain things I understand. Sin is out there. Sin is bad. Sin has consequences. Sin can put you into bondage. Sin can steal God's plans from you. Sin can destroy you. I know all of these things. They are foremost on my Christian mind. However, I often overlook the repercussions that come from one who births sin and influences others to do the same.

The word 'woe' is simple to understand for it means to put in a place of suffering or misery resulting from infliction. So, in other words, it means 'Things are not good' or 'Bad things are a coming'. Let me put it this way - if the sentence starts with 'woe' in the Bible, you don't want to be between that word and the period which ends it. Comprende?

Now, here's where it's gonna get interesting. The word for 'sin' in the NT is 'hamartia'. Whenever you find the word 'sin', this is the Greek you find. However, you will not find 'hamartia' in this verse. Instead you find the Greek word 'skandalon' which is rooted in the definition 'a trap or a snare', but looking at this verse it can be defined as 'any person or thing by which one is trapped or ensnared or drawn into error or sin'.

For those of us who draw breath and have fought the good fight and felt the pull of sin understand this trap or snare perfectly. There are things which are out there that are strategically placed and are consistently calling our names. Unfortunately, those who set out the traps rarely understand the severity of their actions. Their goal is normally to get your attention and your money - little do they know that their actions are bringing on themselves a greater consequence.

Now, I believe that it's important that we are consistently searching our own life and our own actions to assure that we're not setting up traps or snares for our friends by our actions, but that's not the main point I received from this text. Instead, I saw that there is a world system that is in full motion today and I saw that Jesus said that "the system and the traps and the snares 'must come'". I saw that He was not ignorant about them and even 2000 years ago He spoke about them. Sure, in many ways they've changed throughout the centuries, but their goal remains the same.

We, in turn, should not be ignorant about them. We need to continue to reach out to those who are setting up traps due to their ignorance and share with them the good news. We need to continue to pray for those who are trapped and ensnared and struggling. We need to be patient with those who desire so much to be free but feel like they are in quicksand. We need to love until it hurts and believe until it comes true.

Sin is a trap and those who are caught need someone who's broken free from the trap to show them how to open it. They need someone who has mastered the lock to show them the way. That someone is you and your day is today. You know right now who God has put in your life that's struggling with a snare. Don't wait - reach out today and help pull them out!

And maybe you're in the snare. You're in the trap. Some days it feels like you're not going to make it. Some days you sense the quicksand is going to pull you under. Well, let me tell you about one of my favorite quotes by Francis Assisi. He said, "Be patient with everyone, but above all - yourself." In life, the one we have the hardest time with is our self. Don't give up and don't quit, but remember that God loves you and His plans for you are great!

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

From the Mouth of Peter

As I'm reading through my Bible I was amazed at a rapid succession of quotes that I found from Peter in the book of Matthew. Even though I understand that they weren't spoken in one fluid motion, they were put together by the author of Matthew for a reason. It looks at this disciple, Peter, and gives us an incredible insight to his faith, his temperament and his personality.

The first quote is probably one of the most famous 'Peter Quotes' around. It happens when Jesus and his disciples are in Caesarea Philippi and Jesus throws out a question to those around Him. (Matthew 16:13-20)

"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

Now, this term - Son of Man - was used 43 times in the New Testament as a distinctive title of the Savior. And now Jesus wants to know who people are saying the Savior is. The disciples start giving their 'textbook' answers - all those things that they had been taught or have heard. 'Jeremiah' or 'Elijah' or some even said 'John the Baptist'. Jesus stops it and basically says - 'OK. That's what people are saying. Now, I want to know what YOU are saying. What about YOU?'

And you can just picture Peter jumping to his feet and saying 'You are the Christ the Son of the Living God!' This statement, in itself, took great courage. Even though he was in a safe atmosphere, others were threatened with their very life for making such a 'blasphemous' statement. But here you see Peter, unafraid of the consequences, speaking his heart. 'You are the Christ!'

Now this reckless abandon was as good as it was bad. In Philippi, Jesus ends up blessing Peter and calling him the rock that the church was going to be built on, but a short time later Peter is chastised by Jesus and called 'Satan' or the great deceiver.

This happens when Jesus begins teaching his disciples about what's going to come. He's telling them that He's going to suffer and that He's going to die and that He's going to be raised from the dead. Peter seems to space out on the last point because he grabs Jesus by the arm and takes him aside and rebukes him. Now, the word 'rebuke' can actually mean to discipline or train and you hear Peter's heart by his words:

"Never Lord! This will never happen to You!"

In Peter's mind, Jesus must've thought that he wasn't strong enough to protect him. Or maybe he thought that Jesus was just looking for some reassurance of his allegiance. And Peter communicates that 'come hell or high water' or 'over his own dead body' that he wasn't going to let anything happen to Jesus. His intentions were pure. His motivations out of love for Jesus. However, Jesus calls Him Satan, carnally minded and a personal stumbling block for him. Not quite the response that was expected for a vow of allegiance.

The Bible tells us that only six days later Jesus separates a few of his disciples and heads up the mountain. And it is at that moment that Jesus is transfigured and seen standing with Elijah and Moses. You can imagine the sight and the glory and power of the moment as these disciples, flesh and blood, fell to their knees before this heavenly vision. In this moment, one voice speaks up and it's Peter's.

"Lord, it's good for us to be here. If you want me to, I can go ahead and build three shelters. One for you. One for Moses. And one for Elijah."

Jesus doesn't say anything but I like to imagine that he had a grin and gave Moses and Elijah a wink. The moment ends and Jesus is left standing before his disciples as the man they knew so well.

When I look at Peter in these three distinct moments I see a man of passion and fire and one who was unafraid to let his voice be heard. He wasn't scared to answer the tough questions and give his ideas when they were asked (and even sometimes when they weren't). The scary part, as I read, is to understand that this freedom did bring a rebuke from Jesus.

It's important to understand that as we continue to ride the cutting edge of Christianity, we mustn't be afraid to step out and do some things which may seem unorthodox.

That we aren't scared to speak up and let our voice be heard.

However, we do have to be willing to listen to the voice of God and know that just because we're speaking... just because we're acting... just because we're doing, doesn't mean that we're always right.

I want to have the strength of Peter in my life, but I also understand that I need to have his humility to understand when I've misspoke or acted out of turn, I need to be willing to accept when I'm wrong.

It is this courage and action that will drive the church aggressively forward in these days. People are hungry for something that is real and someone who is real. We don't want perfection, but we do want action and we want hearts that are willing to move and act and shake the ground beneath our feet, even though we may sometimes fall and scrape our knees.

Thank you Peter for speaking. Thank you Peter for being so aggressive. I pray that more of us take aggressive Christianity seriously and have the strength to admit when we missed it. Let your example sear the hearts of Christians today!

GP

The Lineage of Jacob

As I read my Bible, I am so pleased with the honesty and transparancy that I find in so many of the central Bible characters who make up my faith. I am as equally disgusted as I am pleased because I begin to realize that the highlighted stories that so many people hear about often overshadow the darker, seedier stories which still shine so brightly in scripture when you read it. The purpose behind the dark side of scripture is not to tear down the central characters, but to show the humanity and the frailty and the sin and God's grace.

The character I want to look at today is Jacob. You know... Jacob's ladder (the angels ascending and descending), deceiving his hairy brother Esau so he could get the blessing, wrestles an angel, God changes his name to Israel, father of Joseph and the technicolor dreamcoat, father of the 12 tribes of Israel, etc. This guy is central. This guy is foundational. This guy was human.

My antenna was raised as I was reading in Genesis 29 and started checking out Jacob's love life. Here he was in love with Rachel, is deceived into marrying her sister Leah and eventually gets them both in a 14 year work program with their dad Laban. But here is where it gets weird - kids were important in this time because they carried the legacy and helped around the homestead. Boys were very important and a sign of great things for the mom who could produce them. Well, are you ready? Fasten your seatbelt cause here we go...

Leah is the first to get prego with Reuben and then shortly later has Simeon. She doesn't stop there - next comes Levi and Judah. She has had four kids and they're all boys! Wow, does she have to feel good about herself or what? Now, Rachel wants to produce, but can't. So, she gets the great idea of giving her slave, Bilbah, to Jacob to impregnate. So, twisting his arm, he sleeps with her and gets her prego. She has Dan. Well, Jacob must've enjoyed himself because he goes back and the next baby to come out is from Bilbah and it's Naphtali. And the saga continues.

Now, Leah can't be outdone so she ends up giving her slave, Zilpah, to Jacob to impregnate. Twisiting his arm again he ends up sleeping with her and she has a son named Gad. Again, Jacob must've enjoyed himself because she ends up pregnant again and produces another boy who they name Asher.

Now, it's time for Leah to start earning her keep so she pops out three in a row - Issachar, Zebulun and a daughter named Dinah. The first one, Issachar, actually happened when Rachel wanted some mandrake root that Leah had. Rachel tells her that if she gives her the root than she can sleep with Jacob. Rachel gets the root and Leah heads out to meet her man when he gets home from work. She goes up to him and says, "You must sleep with me. I've hired you with my son's mandrake roots." (NIV) Quite a steal! Jacob relented and slept with her, producing Issachar and then the babies keep coming!

The good news for Rachel is that even though Jacob had produced 11 children from 3 different women, he didn't give up on her. Finally, after years of trying, Rachel gets prego with Joseph and then, to her demise, brings Benjamin into the world. Four women and thirteen kids later, Jacob's sitting in the middle of a family that is absolutely huge!

Now I understand that things were different in the time of Jacob and I understand that families were different and I know that God's plans are perfect and I think that's where I want to sit for a minute. God's plans are perfect. God used Jacob who was a deceiver. God used Jacob who was a horn ball. God used Jacob who was very carnal to usher in the 12 tribes of Israel. God used him.

In our culture I believe that we are too quick on writing people off and forgetting that God can work through weaknesses and God can work through mistakes and God can incredibly impact a generation through one person - you! It's easy to not give up on God sometimes, because He's so big and so awesome. The one that we have the hardest time giving up on is ourself. Draw the truth from this scripture that even in the midst of Jacob's weaknesses, God used him. Even in the midst of his lies and deceit, God used Him. Even in the midst of his infidelity, God used him (these slave women were not his wives even if we use the case of Biblical polygamy being alright).

God has a plan for you and it's bigger than your weaknesses! Don't let these things get you down and, more than anything, don't ever give up on yourself because God sure hasn't given up on you.

GP