Hi All,

I wanted to introduce the first teaching our son Seth has done in a short series he will be writing for the site called “Following Jesus in Suffering”. This first entry is titled, Embracing Real Life. I hope it ministers to you as it has to me!

Embracing Real Life

“I think it’s Tuberous Sclerosis”. The neurologist calmly affirmed. “You see, these white marks on his skin, along with the seizures make T.S. the strongest possibility.” Our hearts caved.

“What do you mean? What exactly is Tubular…how do you say it?” I asked as a wave of nausea came over me. “Well Tuberous Sclerosis is a rare condition; a multi-organ genetic disease that’s characterized by seizures that are usually difficult to control…here I think I have a picture in one of these books… It’s on page 47 I think”. He handed me a dusty copy of an old neurology book that I never dreamt held the details of a condition our newborn son would possess. Our precious Jude Winters was just 7 month old when my wife Vanessa and I received this devastating diagnosis.

Our hearts immediately felt betrayed. Why would the Lord allow this beautiful little one to suffer? Didn’t we believe in Jesus? Didn’t we pray during pregnancy for Jude to be healthy in both body and mind? Furthermore, didn’t we choose a life of following the Lord into ministry? We deserved better. We deserved a “normal”, happy, healthy child.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but think of our reputation as well. “Were all eyes on us watching to see if we were really committed? Would people think that we loved God only when life gave us roses? How would my ministry be impacted if I couldn’t respond in a godly way? What if I couldn’t hold my family together through this living nightmare?”

The ensuing months would be marked by many ups and downs. A dull depression and disengagement from life seemed to characterize our daily living. Months passed and Jude was having somewhere between 60 and 100 seizures a day. His little arms and legs would jerk upward; his face expressionless as if someone was unplugging him for a brief moment. All we could do was lay our hands on him, pray, and do our best to bring him comfort.

After numerous medicines and diets, we decided to take the only option left: brain surgery. While the surgery was never intended to take away his seizures and by all human standards ended in failure, God’s was abundant. Jude got out of surgery on March 11^th, 2008 and has been free from seizures ever since. For nearly four years we have been praising God for our son’s precious deliverance. The lessons we’ve learned along the way have been innumerable but I thought it would be helpful to share a few simple insights from God’s Word that have shaped Vanessa and I’s perspective on suffering along the way.

Many of us, even unknowingly, have a tendency to adopt the worldview of the culture around us and apply this view to our understanding of how the Christian life “should work”. We live in a culture of affluence and deep down we believe that the American Dream is also God’s dream for our lives. Who doesn’t want health and wealth? Our desire for prosperity and happiness is not in and of itself wrong, and if we’re honest the Bible has much to say about God’s amazing heart to bless His children! At the same time we know that to follow Jesus is to willingly sign up for persecution and hardship. Jesus told us so. Consider his words,

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

If you think about it, we’ve chosen to follow a man who was brutally beaten and crucified. Not to be a downer, but we need to realize that following Jesus encompasses both hardship and incredible joy. It’s the most authentic way to live as it embraces life as it truly is in a fallen world. We believe in, live out, and celebrate God’s goodness each and every day, but our complete and lasting redemption comes later. As the title of one of Francis Chan’s chapters in Crazy Love so perfectly states: Your Best Life…[is] Later.

In John 6 we find an interesting account of Jesus’ teaching at a synagogue in Capernaum.  Stop and pray for a moment that the Holy Spirit would make Jesus’ words alive to you:

“⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life” and then down in verse fifty-three we read,

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”  – John 6:47-48, 53-58 NIV

Jesus here, at least in part, is expressing His nature as being the great Sustainer. He is our Bread and no life can be lived apart from our feasting on Him. He holds it all, including us, together (See Colossians 1:17). He tells us that his flesh is real food and his blood is real drink. Implicit in this metaphor is the call that we embrace Jesus’ real life. His whole life. His real death. His real and final victory. To part from Him at any point is to miss the point altogether. Even when life is darkest and we feel hopeless, Jesus longs to minister His love to us.  Brennan Manning quotes psychiatrist Gerald May as saying:

“I know that God is loving and that God’s loving is trustworthy. I know this directly, through the experience of my life. There have been plenty of times of doubt, especially when I used to believe that trusting God’s goodness meant I would not be hurt. But having been hurt quite a bit, I know God’s goodness goes deeper than all pleasure and pain – it embraces them both.”[1]

I take great comfort in the reality that God’s goodness embraces both pleasure and pain. Think about it for a moment. Don’t the truly meaningful relationships in your life embrace both pleasure and pain? The sweet times we enjoy with loved ones are often sweeter because we’ve walked through hardships together. So this day, may we choose to rest our hope in the unchanging love, strength and beauty of our matchless God! He is always worthy of all praise and we can know beyond any doubt that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). May we embrace Peter’s exhortation today, who said:

 ¹⁰ “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

In Hope,

Seth Ebel

seth@theshoreline.org

Happy New Year Everyone!

I have made the entire teaching series I did from the book of Genesis available on the site! Scroll down to the right and you will see “Dale’s Audio Messages”. The first 18 messages are all from the Genesis study.

Also, below you’ll find an encouraging email I received from a friend about how this series impacted he and his family. Perhaps you’d like to grow in your knowledge of creation, or be able to better defend your view of creation from a biblical and scientific perspective. I pray this series will be just what you need! The nice thing is you can listen to it in an open web browser and still do other work on your computer as you go about your day.

In Christ,

Dale

I wanted to take a minute and thank you, Dale, for your Genesis CD
series.  My two young boys are always asking great questions about the
Bible.  But I was finding it hard to clearly explain creation and the
origins of the world, especially as it relates to science.  As I was
talking about this with my dad, he told me about your series on
Genesis.  Wow!  This CD series was exactly what I needed.  Just after
I finished your series, my wife and I took a road trip with our boys.
We listened to the series as a family, taking time to pause and talk
about everything from creation, to dinosaurs, and the flood.  What an
awesome experience we had taking in God’s creation while we listened
to you give insight into the book of Genesis!  Thanks for bringing
this to life for us.

Brett Slater

“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.” – Exodus 12:2 NASB

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, not only were their lives drastically changed, but also their yearly timetable. A new calendar was established by the Lord for His people beginning around the time of the Exodus. The purpose was for them to have a system by which they could consistently remember the Lord’s deliverance and their freedom from slavery in Egypt.

The doctrine of remembrance, seen throughout Scripture, teaches God’s people to foster gratitude when considering all that the Lord has done.  How desperately do each of us need to remember God’s faithfulness? In fact, I would encourage you to write down, perhaps in a journal, the many ways God has been faithful in your life over the past year. This will do wonders for your soul in cultivating an attitude of gratitude to the Lord! After this exercise you might also like to write down your hopes and dreams for how you’d like to be used by God in 2012.

This “beginning of months” (Exodus 12:2), approximately corresponds to our modern month of April (for the Jews, the month is Abib). This month was to be marked especially by observance of the Passover supper on the 14^th day of the month. The lamb was to be selected for each family on the 10^th day of the month, and presumably the first nine days were spent in preparation, self-examination, anticipation and growing attachment to the lamb. The week following was to mark the use of unleavened bread in each home. The leaven represented the sin, which had been purged from the home symbolically by the sacrifice of the lamb and their deliverance by God from bondage in Egypt when He saw the shed blood (Exodus 12:13).

Take time to jot down several sins that hindered you this last year. What stops you from becoming more like Christ?

Confess them, repent by demonstrating surrender, and attempt deeds in the power of the Spirit that manifest repentance! (Luke 3:8).

Although our annual calendar is different from that of Israel at the time of Moses[1], the spiritual significance of their religious New Year can well be applied in our own lives today, especially as we begin 2012.

As we begin this New Year, we can and should remember

“…Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.” –

1 Corinthians 5:7 NASB, offering special thanks for our great deliverance from sin and death by our “…Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29

A person has, on average, only about 18,000 days in a life-time. May we use this time for God’s eternal purposes!

“¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, (redeeming the time KJV) because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV

We all have the same amount of time in a given day, month, or year. Each moment of time is an opportunity to develop our character. Our character is the sum total of our habits and our habits form our character. There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: We must practice them…and that takes time. There are no instant habits, as Paul urged Timothy, “¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” – 1 Timothy 4:15 ESV

We ought to evaluate our time and be ready to initiate in any given month, week, day or hour as to how we might bring up Christ and His Truth in our conversations with non-believers. We ought to use our time wisely to serve in any capacity, whether that be helping the poor, disciplining another person, equipping others for service, or a myriad of other endeavors.

Recently when I was having lunch with our oldest son Brandon, I introduced myself to a couple that was sitting next to us. As we engaged in polite conversation I discovered that the guy was the original developer of the resort we were staying at, and that he was Native Hawaiian. As Brandon and I interacted with he and his wife, he shared how the original Hawaiians used to live in the mountain regions and come down to the beaches to fish, swim and hunt. As I asked him more questions the subject came up about how he met his wife, who is Caucasian. Sitting at the bar he began to open up about how difficult it was for people to accept the fact that they loved each other, even though they were different nationalities.

“You know there is a passage in the Bible that addresses the idea of our original ancestry”, I said as I made reference to Acts 17:26. “It says that all people come from a common man, Adam, and that the ‘races’ are a man-made description of people groups. The word race actually fosters racism. The couple perked up with heightened interest.

I went on to say that the word race is not found in the Bible. The word race technically refers to, and is understood as, ‘a sub-species in the process of evolving into a new species.’ I proceeded to say that the truth is every one of us comes from a common ancestor and biologically one person is the same as another. We all have been raised in different cultural surroundings and that usually creates challenges in any marriage, but from God’s perspective He is not against mixed marriages.

Don’t you love it when we can affirm the Word of God that affirms people?!

These concepts were extremely interesting to both of them but to his wife in particular. At first she seemed indifferent. Before long she began to open up about how she was raised and their value system and the success of their marriage.

Before we left she got off her stool and approached me and asked, “Are you a Pastor? We would love to get together when you are here again.”

Once again this is just a casual, gracious encounter where the opportunity arose for me to use time for our Lord. Think about it…at the beginning of each month 43,829 minutes await you. It seems likely that God has a few “divine arrangements’” for each of us, don’t you think?

“¹² So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 ESV

“It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.”

- Deuteronomy 11:12 NIV

I find it fascinating that the LORD marks out calendar times in His Word. Throughout Scripture we find mentions to the beginning of the year, the week, the months, and many other references that align with our understanding of a calendar year.

The phrase, “the beginning of the year,” occurs only twice in the Bible; here in Deuteronomy and also in Ezekiel 40:1. In this passage the LORD, through His servant Moses, speaks of the Promised Land that He has prepared for the Children of Israel. God promises “a land of hills and valleys that drinks rain from heaven” (Deut. 11:11) if His people obey God, and judgment if they do not (Deut. 11:16,17). In either case, the LORD’s watchful eye remains upon His land from the beginning to the end of each year.[1]

Although these promises were specifically given for Israel, the principle surely applies globally. God’s sovereign rule and reign over all people and things is constant. Consider what Luke writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “from one man He made every nation of men, and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of them.” – Acts 17:26&27

These promises from Deuteronomy can, in principle, also be applied to us as followers of Jesus Christ, our LORD. Notice from the text that the “eyes of the Lord are on it.” God’s careful and watchful eye is always upon His precious nation. His eyes are also on each of us. Consider Job’s thorough knowledge of this reality:

“Does he not see my ways and count my every step?”

- Job 31:4 NIV

There is nothing more satisfying for a believer than to be knowing and living in the will of God! Isn’t it good to know that Yahweh God actually delights in leading us along the path laid out for us?

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.” - Psalm 37:23 NKJV

Or perhaps you are familiar with God’s beautiful promise: “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” – Proverbs 3:6

In 2012 what if you and I made a concerted daily effort to pray like the Psalmist does in Psalm 119?

“Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” - Psalm 119:133 NIV

Even if the path becomes difficult at times, it is a good path, because it honors Him.  “… He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” - Psalm 23:3 NIV

He is our Good Shepherd (Ps. 23) and if we lose our way for a time, He can bring us back. As the prophet said, “I know, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” - Jeremiah 10:23 NIV

An important check to be sure we are not drifting far off the path is to be sure we don’t disobey or question His written Word. When we seek, as best we can, to be obedient we can claim the promise: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” - Isaiah 30:21 NIV

More than likely, it will not be an audible voice, but we can still hear. We hear through His written word or through wisdom and prophetic words shared from others. We also hear from strong impressions or ideas that emerge from our minds as well as through circumstances. All of these ways are valid as long as they are in line with the Word of God.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” - John 10:27 NIV

Last week in one of my men’s groups, I asked the guys what the Holy Spirit was speaking to them. One young man said, “I keep having these strong thoughts come to my mind saying, ‘be patient with your children!’ Another man said, “the Spirit is not only telling me to share Christ, I actually am! I’m giving out the Four-Law Booklet and have begun dialogue with one man in particular. These men are not only listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, they are responding in obedience to His voice.

Estimates say that in the coming year you will walk approximately 10,000 steps every day with a combined total of 3,520,000 steps in 2012. What a great “Beginning of the Year” resolution to pray as the Psalmist prayed, “Order my steps in your Word” Oh Lord”! – Psalm 119:133. At the end of 2012 perhaps we will say with Job…

“My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.” – Job 23:11 NIV

I look forward to interacting with you about this content as well as anything else that the Lord may be stirring within you. Feel free to drop me a line on our Dale Ebel Ministries Facebook page at (www.facebook.com/daleebel)

May The Lord’s Favor and Grace Shine Upon You in 2012!

Dale

“6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 NIV

This magnificent verse, used so often during the Christmas season, is a splendid prophecy of the divine/human nature of the coming Messiah. He would be born as a child, like every human being, but He would also be given as a Son at the same time, with the Giver clearly identified as God himself. “He gave His only begotten Son”! (John 3:16).

The name of the child offers further testimony.  At the introduction of this prophecy, God had named Him Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14

On Christmas we are not only celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus but we are recognizing the miraculous conception of the baby Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

The virgin birth is of great intrinsic importance because it addresses the very essence of Christianity. The greatest demonstration that Jesus was both God and man was the perfect life He lived, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” – John 8:29 NIV

The “name” of the God/man in Isaiah 9 reveals the series of names, all of which are needed to express His full identity. It is likely the first two names should be considered one name: He is our “Wonderful-Counselor” (the punctuation marks have been added to our translations, but the combined term is more in keeping with the structure of the other names).

This “child,” amazingly, is also “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father”, stressing His absolute and eternal deity, His omnipotence (unlimited power), and the unity of the Father and the Son in the triune godhead.

(It’s important to remember that in the Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit there is an equality of being but not an equality of function. Many today, even Christian institutions, are re-writing doctrinal statements in an attempt to overlay the cultural drive for equality on every level. This stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the functional hierarchy of the Trinity so clearly seen in Scripture.)

This child is also called “The prince of Peace,” which describes His future role of being the source of peace between God and mankind. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” - Romans 5:1 KJV

He also “is our peace” (Ephesians 2:4) and we can experience His personal peace (the absence of anxiety) because of His Spirit controlling us (Galatians 5:23). He will of course bring final peace in the world when He ushers in His thousand-year reign (see Isaiah 11:6-9)

Finally Christ is our “Wonderful-Counselor,” our perfect example and infallible teacher! He both tells us and shows us what to believe and how to live. We are always safe to follow Him because He is never wrong and is the source of all truth! For in Him “are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” and “in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:3&9).

May your Christmas truly be a “holy day” in which you and your family remember and embrace this Child born and this Son given!

Merry Christmas,

Dale