Author: Ben Bourland

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BITE: We Are Significant to an Almighty God..

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
  what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him? Psalms 8:3-4 [ESV]

Psalm 8 is such a recognizable passage for many of us. When I look at the stars, I comprehend the magnitude of Who God is…and even then, He is so much bigger than that. I see His greatness in the work of His creation. The vastness of space and depth and complication of how it all works together is reflective of the beauty of Who created it. When the Psalmist talks about the ‘Work of His fingers’ there is a sense that God is personally and intimately involved in what He creates.

Why are we so exalted in position in this cast work He has created? God has all of the light years of space He has stitched together yet He actively cares for you and me. It is in prayer life and the visible work of His hand in my own life that combined with this sense of awe in who I am in what He has created that He would not only pay close attention to me and my needs but also direct and guide my life according to His great plan for His Kingdom. Just think about that for a second…we matter to a Magnificent God. One more thing, the way the Jewish text is written, and the words used in scripture essentially denote us a something closer to God than anything else in His creation order. We are created in His image; we reflect and represent God more than any other creature.

God is glorious, and humanity, as created in the image of God, reflects that glory. It is a derivative glory, analogous to the way in which the moon reflects the light of the sun.

Longman III – Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms
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BITE: A Wicked Man Falls into the Hole That He Has Made…

Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
and is pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
  He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
  His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
  I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. Psalms 7:14-17 [ESV]

Following on the passage from yesterday, the Psalmist is talking about how a wicked man brings about his own pain. In our small view of the world, we may never know of see the pain this wicked man receives. So dire is the state of this man that just before it talks about how God readies His weapons and takes aim.

If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.

Psalms 7:12-13

This man needs the grace and salvation of the Great Redeemer, or his doom is sealed. I spoke yesterday about loving enemies, and I feel compassion for this person who does not realize the ruin he has brought upon himself. He foolishly thinks he can shape his own fate. I wish he would repent of his wickedness and embrace the only source of redemption he has.

Lastly the passage ends with “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” It is God’s righteousness and grace that has saved me from the same fate…in my sin I was in no different place than this poor soul. The ONLY praise I will sing will be to the One Who has plucked me from my own disaster.

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BITE: A much needed break from Technology…

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
  For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield. Psalms 5:11-12 [ESV]

Since my last post on the 17th of this month, I have taken little break from any distractions that could take me away from time with the family. This time of year is definitely busy as it is likely for most; however, it is one of my most prized times as it is full of gratitude and rejoicing at the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Who has brought the most important gift to all of us. I will be back into a better swing of consistency with these posts starting in the New Year but for now I will leave you with my memory verses for this week. I hope they bless you as much as they have me.

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QTVOTD: The Scriptures Entirely Fulfilled…

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,  and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,  and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:44-49 [AMP]

Tomorrow I will finish my deep reading of the book of Luke (I started this reading on 01 MAR 2023). Today I am marveling at the situation of Jesus appearing before the people gathered in the house for dinner, and the things that He said. This happens just before He leads them out to Bethany and ascends into Heaven (more on that tomorrow).

First Jesus tells them to see that He is flesh and bones and not a spirit. Even though they were joyous and marveling, they still were in unbelief that He was standing before them in the flesh. So, He asked them to give Him something to eat; they gave Him some broiled fish and He ate it. The verse I start out with above is the conclusion of that time with them. Here are the primary takeaways from what He said:

  1. [Prophesy Complete] Everything that had been written about Him in the Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms would be fulfilled.
  2. [The Believers Receive the Living Word] Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures.
  3. [The work of Salvation for those who would believe, has been Completed] His Passion had been completed in His suffering and rising from the dead.
  4. [The call to missions in the proclamation of the Gospel to all] The message of the Gospel should be proclaimed to all the nations beginning with Jerusalem.
  5. [A record by humans that these prophesies had indeed happened] That those in the room were witnesses to these things.
  6. [The Holy Spirit would soon be upon them] That Jesus was sending the promise of the Father upon them.
  7. [For the witnesses specifically, special clothing of Power would come upon them] They were to stay in Jerusalem until they were clothed with the power from on high.

In this little passage in the Gospels, Jesus lays out the TRUTH for all to hear and remember. The biggest aspect for me in this passage is that Jesus is alive -> living in Heaven at the right hand of the Father.

Application:

My salvation, my faith, the call on my life, and strength available to me is recorded by the words of Jesus right here before He ascended. There is nothing I lack in my Christian walk to ‘Follow Him’. However, it is a daily choice to abide by what is written here. Listening to Pastor Steve’s message today I am reminded that peace and comfort that the Lord can provide is for those who ‘abide’ IN Jesus. Aspiring to be like Him every day, in my life, to my family, at work, and in my ministry service to Him alone. This weekend we are on a little getaway to our cabin on Herron Island and it has been so peaceful and restful after such a busy season of life. It has provided a needed time of reflection, and these passages could not have come at a better time.

Sophie, Prim, and Brooklyn. Marianne is napping. We miss Bella a ton!
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BITE: The Living Word…

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 [AMP]

Today I was reading about the appearing of the Lord Jesus to the men on the road to Emmaus. How Jesus came along two of the ones that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James had told of the empty tomb and the angels that spoke to them. These 2 men were talking to each other on their way and Jesus came up alongside them, but their eyes were not permitted to see that it was Him. Jesus “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” Luke 24:27. They invited this stranger to dinner and when He broke bread, blessed it, and handed it to them, all at once it was revealed who He was and immediately He vanished. The verse I started with above is what they said to each other when they realized it was Him.

It dawns on me that this is the first time the ‘Living Word’ was spoken to them and ‘their hearts burned within them’. This is what happens to me when I read God’s Word and He reveals a TRUTH and application to my life I had not seen before. This is a true gift to us as believers and not something that can be explained but must be experienced. When this happens to you, listen! God is speaking to you! Internalize it and apply it to your life. It is God’s provision and His gift to us on this earth to hear directly from Him through His Holy Spirit speaking into our lives.

I have such gratefulness in my heart for this gift and never let it go to waste. God’s direction in my life is a building of faith that no other religion on this planet can provide. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of your ‘Helper’ while I wait for your return!

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BITE: He is Risen…He is Risen Indeed!

And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”  And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Luke 24:5-9 [AMP]

This is what we live for as ‘born again’ Christians…a living God who has conquered death. Because of Jesus, we do not have to fear death; for what comes after eclipses, beyond imagination, anything we can achieve here on earth.

What our role is here in this world and lifetime, is to honor the Gift that has been given to us by living according to the teachings of our Savior. Living to a standard that glorifies only one person, the Person of Jesus Christ.

This Christmas season is an opportunity to show our families and kids what it means to be servant hearted and generous in our giving of time and gifts celebrating how Jesus entered the world to fulfil His redemption plan. I know I have quoted this verse a lot but in light of today’s reading, it once again presents itself as meaningful:

​Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 [AMP]
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BITE: The Sabbath…

It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.  The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.       On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Luke 23:54-56 [AMP]

One thing that never dawned on me was that Jesus spent His time absent from the Father on the Sabbath. I am probably the last Christian on earth that been has been struck in this way and I feel somewhat embarrassed by it. This gives a whole new meaning to the Sabbath and spending time (not working) but dwelling on the price that was paid for my sins. Although the type death Jesus died was horrific, the real price was the separation from God the Father in death. I am sure that this is what He was dreading most when He prayed for the ‘cup to pass from Him’.

When we spend out 1 day of the week praying and communing with the risen Christ on our mind, it should always include the gratefulness in acknowledgement of what He did on that day for us. Because of this, we don’t have to have that separation, we are redeemed to live with God for eternity; never having to reap what deserve. What an amazing mindset to rest in each week -> our Lord and Savior enduring separation so that we never have to. So grateful for the perfect plan God has had in His redemption story.

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BITE: A Humble God Fearing Respect for His Provision…

Deuteronomy 13:4 [ESV]
You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

Tomorrow, I have the honor of taking our church body through the 2023 year in review and budget for 2024. In my practicing of the delivery of this presentation I have not been able to make it through it without losing it…(crying in gratitude and awe of what the Lord has done)… I am nervous, so if you find yourself reading this before I go up at 8AM PST Sunday, I covet your prayers.

The verse above is in my opening slide and sets the tone for how we as elders and pastors of Canyon Hills approach the stewardship of what the Lord does through His people to support the ministries of the church. I am left with a heart full of faith and gratitude for God’s faithfulness and timing. To Him be ALL glory and praise.

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BITE: Not a Call to Arms…

And He said to them, "When I sent you out with no purse or [provision] bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They answered, "Nothing!" Then He said to them, "but now let him who has a purse take it, and also [his provision] bag; and let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy a sword.
 For I tell you that this Scripture must yet be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted and classed among the wicked (the outlaws, the criminals); for what is written about Me has its fulfillment [has reached its end and is finally settled]."
 And they said, Look, Lord! Here are two swords. And He said to them, "It is enough." Luke 22:35-38 [AMP]

I have had a wonderful time in thanksgiving these last several days with family and friends. We had a full house and broke bread together as we pondered all the Lord has done for and given us. I have had some quiet moments where I have sat down and opened God’s word but not necessarily time to document in Blog form. With being home with visiting family and time off from work, almost all of my free time has gone to them. However, I am coming back to something I read in Luke 22 that I spent a little time researching -> the passage above.

I know that there are many who regard this passage as Jesus endorsing the taking up of arms…however, after more careful reading, it is more a call to be ready for hard-ship and sacrifice to come -> Jesus’ statement is not to discourage trust in God’s provision but to alert the Twelve to the fact that a period of intense tribulation, introduced by ‘but now’, is underway. Jesus’ advice to buy a sword is not meant as a literal instruction for the disciples but as a general pointer of the strife to come. In short, the call to purchase a sword ‘is a call to be ready for hardship and self-sacrifice’.

When the disciples say “look here Lord, we have two swords”…<Ben’s Opinion>I think that Jesus is just trying to close off the conversation because His disciples have failed to grasp what it means for their Master to model the Suffering Servant which is His passion to give Himself up to be the ultimate sacrifice for all.</Ben’s Opinion>

Finally, I don’t see any issue with us defending our families, homes, and selves – I just want to stop short of seeing this passage as some sort of endorsement of building up a cache.

Some trust in and boast of chariots and some of horses, but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God.

Psalms 20:7 [AMP]
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BITE: Servant Leadership…

..let him who is the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who is the chief and leader like one who serves.  Luke 22:26 [AMP]

I have always considered myself a servant leader at work. This has become keenly apparent in the last 3 years where I have purposely over-indexed on this mentality. I ask a ton from my team, but I never ask them to do something I haven’t would not do myself.

In the context of my Christian walk I have more work to do here. The part of this verse that I am talking about is the first part – “let him who is the greatest among you become like the youngest”. Sometimes I find myself leaning too heavily on my age and experiences as vote of wisdom and care. However, wisdom on the act of service is powerful but I can find myself falling into a “I’ve paid my dues attitude” which gives a sense of entitlement. Jesus never operated this way. Today’s social norms of ‘seasoned wisdom’ is not always in alignment with obedience to Jesus. He calls us to be the least for the sake of the Kingdom; His Kingdom in which we are also heirs.

My countenance should always be to be humble and meek in spirit, serving ALL the people in my sphere of influence.