Psalm 67 – Me Church

Several years ago I had some conflict with another person on my leadership team. To be honest with you, it was a really tough time. While it wasn’t about something that was intended towards them, they took it personally. I found myself really struggling with wanting them to see that it wasn’t about them, and if they could just see that, we could both get over it. All along I was asking God for His blessing and favor for myself. It wasn’t until God told me, “Brandon, this isn’t about you either”, that I started to realize that I had taken something that was supposed to be about Him and was making it about me.

We’re a pretty selfish people. It's our nature… which makes it hard to put others first. It’s also the thing that makes it hard to put God first. This is a big problem in the Church. Most of the time we don’t even realize when we’re doing it. Selfishness causes much strife and tension. When we make it about us, our agenda and our comfort, instead of Him and others, we are simply going and pointing others in the wrong direction. We make it “Me Church” instead of “His Church”. This is what I thought about when I read Psalm 67:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us (Selah) that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” – Psalm 67:1-2

David is praying for God’s graciousness, His blessing, and His favor. This is a good thing. The difference between what David was saying and what we typically pray for is found in verse 2: “That YOUR ways may be known”.

Father, we desire your grace, blessing, and favor. Of course we do. Teach us to desire it not for our name to be known, but for yours to be known, and that others might come to know you as well. Amen.

2 Sam 21 - Lesson Learned

"During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death." - 2 Samuel 21:1

What do you do with the Gibeonites? They seemed like a fairly insignificant people, but also seemed to be in the middle of everything, for Joshua, for Saul, and now for David. Because of their location… Israel could not avoid them. There are many lessons that we can learn from Israel’s interaction with the Gibeonites:


(1) Negligence is no better than abuse: David made the connection between Saul’s abuse and his own neglect to do anything about it, and the removal of God’s hand of favor.

"The whole people suffered for Saul's sin; either because they approved it, or at least bewailed it not; neither did what they could to hinder it; whereby they became accessory." – Author Unknown

(2) Inquiring of God is not an option: Joshua’s men did not inquire of God in deciding what to do with the Gideonites, neither did Saul (as evidenced by his attempt to annihilate them) but David did. It made all the difference in the world.

“The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them... – Joshua 9:14-15

“… so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house..." – 2 Samuel 21:1

(3) An oath before God is an oath before God.

(4) Misguided zeal (Such as Saul’s) can quickly become sin and bring much calamity.

(5) The wages of sin is truly death (Rom. 6:23).

(6) God is just: The “injustice” that we may feel for the men who were given over can give us much perspective on how immensely Graceful the cross was. God cannot turn his back on the penalty of sin. While many are hard to understand under the New Covenant, the Old Covenant stories shed immense light on the necessity of the cross in respect to justice.

a. The method of death was important because it fulfilled the promise of Deuteronomy 21:23: “He who is hanged is accursed of God”. These descendants of Saul bore the curse Saul deserved and so delivered Israel from the guilt of their sin against the Gibeonites.

b. This promise from Deuteronomy explains why Jesus died the way He did. Galatians 3: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree".

There are many leadership principles that can be learned from this chapter. Most of them come with the hope (and probably agenda) of maintaining God’s hand on our life and our journey. They are very practical and true. But there is more to this story than a list on how to keep God’s favor.

Let’s make it a bit more personal: What do WE do with the Gideonites? From the moment they approached Joshua, to the time they were abused by Saul, to the season they were neglected by David… they were neighbors to the Israelites. Good or bad, and often overlooked, they were there.

And what Joshua, Saul, and David did with or to them mattered to God.

Just like the Gibeonites, there are many people, types of people, and groups of people that are in our “personal space”. Many that, if we’re not careful, can be easily overlooked and considered insignificant to our key pursuits in life. Maybe they are the homeless on the corner, the single mom down the street, the abused wife or neglected kid at the shelter, or the widow next door. Maybe they are our employer or employees. Maybe they are that girl we see every day that hands us a coffee at Starbucks. Maybe the cop who just wrote us a ticket. Maybe they are the “trainee” at HEB, who somehow got stuck working the express lane (while we were running late). Whoever they are, they are all around us.

And they are real people with emotions, struggles, fears, hopes, dreams, and needs.

Today I was thinking about Joshua’s original oath to the Gibeonites in Joshua 9 (Which Saul broke, and now David is reconciling for). While most of us have not made an oath directly with such people groups as was done in biblical times, we certainly have done the same when we step into a covenant with Christ to live as His disciples. By receiving His Grace, we are agreeing to His ways. This includes loving others… no matter the cost. It includes taking the focus off our selves. It includes fighting against injustice and fighting for the oppressed. Paul urged the Church at Ephesus, “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Or as Jesus put it, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Or as my wife puts it, “Be nice.”

When we wonder where the famine came from, whether it be emotional, spiritual, or physical, maybe we should inquire of God like David did, and see what oath we have broken.

2 Sam 7 - Ready, Shoot, Aim

“I’m gonna do this Lord, please bless it.” That’s out of order. However, we’ve all been tempted to do it that way. In fact, most of us have probably done things this way more than the other way. Maybe accidentally and we realized it later. Maybe it was intentional, whether consciously or subconsciously. Either way we tend to get our Spiritual cart before our Spiritual horse. That’s not good.

“After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent."

“Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you." - 1 Samuel 7:1-3

I’ve seen this passage of scripture used out of context a ton. “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it…” It’s similar to the Proverb that says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Our biblical interpretation and personal application is easily influenced by our heart intention. There are a ton of assumptions that aren’t seen in the words themselves, but if we look, the heart is obvious.

What David had in mind was to bring glory to God. What David had in mind was to chase after the very heart of God. What David had in mind was the perspective of an amazing journey that was at the center of God’s will. What David had in mind was only the best for the chosen nation of Israel. It was not about David, it was about God.

We know that directly after this the Lord reveals that it was not His desire that David move forward with the building project. So what was this all about? Once again, it's about the journey, about the willingness of the heart, the perspective of a man dependent upon God's presence, and the willingness to put his plans on hold (if not entirely change them), even plans to please God, when God leads elsewhere.

2 Sam 2 - Practicing Blessing

I think the speaking of a blessing is a lost art. Words are so powerful. Just think about how a cutting or negative word can tear down. We instinctively use words for our own benefit time and time again. They are powerful tools. Communication literally makes the world go ‘round.

So why not use them for good? Intentionally? Strategically? As an act of love and appreciation? Maybe even as a part of worship? David spoke a blessing to the men of Jabesh Gilead in 2 Samuel 2:

"May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them." (vs.6-7)

Here’s an exercise for today: Let’s intentionally speak blessing over and towards people and see what happens. Try it to strangers serving you coffee at Starbucks, try it with your kids and your wife, try it randomly when you see a person struggling with something. Pray for the opportunity. And watch what happens. Watch their expressions. Watch their demeanors change. I bet you at least you’ll see a moment of peace or a smile. If that is all you get, it would be worth it. Especially for them.

From the beginning, we decided to close each of our services at Austin New Church with a Benediction. The word Benediction just means a spoken blessing. It comes from two words: “speak” and “well”. We don’t try and be high-church about it at ANC, it would certainly be inauthentic for us to do anything high-church. So we use a common language… and hopefully a humble posture… but it’s heart felt and a genuine sending of the church. It’s becoming one of my favorite parts of worship.

This week Tray Pruet closed our service by reading a blessing from “The Message” found in 2 Corinthians. It was a great word of exhortation and blessing and I wish it for each of you who find yourself reading this today:

“And that's about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure… The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.”

Heart Transformed

The trajectory of my life has been changed because of Jesus. It’s hard to tell exactly how changed since I came to faith at the age of six. (I really can’t remember how year five was for me) But I know the trajectory was adjusted. However for years, even in my adulthood the journey had seemed slow, laborious, and at times painful. Although I took part in bible study after bible study, there were seasons that were filled with as much confusion as clarity. I’ve learned that that is a part of the journey (among other variables). But one thing that has always held me hostage was the foreign concept of a truly and fully “transformed heart”. There were seasons when I felt like I never quite had one. That’s a tough confession.

In my reading of 1 Samuel 10 this morning, it tells the story of the anointing and proclamation of Saul as King by Samuel. God gave some amazing evidences of his hand and favor to Saul in this chapter, but the verse that stood out to me was verse 6 that says, “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power… and you will be changed into a different person.” And I realized I had a fresh understanding of life change.

I’m a different person than I was a few years ago. I don't think I was a bad person. And I’m not saying that now I feel that I’ve "arrived" or feel at all worthy or close to anything near perfect (Geeze no!). But what I do feel is transformed, for the first time and completely. My heart has changed. My pursuits and passions have changed. And I want to live externally of myself. I want to live for others. I’m still learning how to do that, and how to lead others to do the same, but I’m committed to being a part of the answer… even if I gain nothing in return. I don’t know how it really happened other than the Spirit’s prompting. But what I do know is that it started with a homeless guy… and the idea of a free cheeseburger.

Maybe the reason Jesus told us to feed the hungry was because He knew that we would be the one’s who would become full. His ways are certainly higher than ours.

Raising Godly Boys

Today I fearfully consider the position of a father. Even more so as a Pastor who has boys.

“Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:12) This blows me away. What a profound and awful statement to be said of anyone’s children, much less of a man committed to the Lord.

Here are some thoughts from Mathew Henry on this reality, “Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his children, without using parental authority to restrain and correct them when young. He winked at the abuses in the service of the sanctuary till they became customs, and led to abominations; and his sons, who should have taught those that engaged in the service of the sanctuary what was good, solicited them to wickedness. Their offence was committed even in offering the sacrifices for sins, which typified the atonement of the Saviour! Sins against the remedy, the atonement itself, are most dangerous, they tread under foot the blood of the covenant. Eli's reproof was far too mild and gentle. In general, none are more abandoned than the degenerate children of godly persons, when they break through restraints.”

And the opposite which is said of Samuel, “Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better.”

God, make me the father I need to be. Protect my boys from the world. Protect them from my scars and inability. Make them into Godly men, who become Godly husbands and fathers themselves. Make them men who “serve you as well as they can” that you might enable to improve, and that they may serve you better. Amen.

The Withholding

Sometimes God withholds, when He does, often the gift is even greater than when He gives. That doesn't mean I like it. At least in the moment, but this isn't a new thing for God. Think for a moment the season when Hannah was unable to get pregnant in 1 Samuel. As if that wasn't enough, others piled on, adding to the pain.

“This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" – 1 Samuel 1:7-8

You can’t help but see the obvious pain Hannah is experiencing. In this time period, to bear children was one of the most culturally significant things a woman could do, and Hannah was unable. She was tormented not only by this reality, but also other women.

Yet in her pain, she had a husband who loved her much. In fact, scripture leads us to see that he loved her most and had felt deep empathy for her (vs.5). And she missed that. I guess my short thought for today is to make sure in our moment of thinking about what we don’t have, that we don’t miss out on what we do have.

With the 700 Billion dollar bailout on everyone’s mind, I’ve heard from many evangelical leaders that although this could have a terrible financial impact on many, it could be one of the best things that could happen to our personal faith and the corporate church. I don’t know if that is true… or if that is even part of God’s agenda. Certainly any trial can sharpen our faith. But, as I said at the beginning, the one thing I do know is that sometimes God withholds, when He does, often the gift is even greater than when He gives.

What about Women

Women are an amazing gift from God. If we see them as anything less, we are idiots. Women are a critical part of not only our lives, but also the church. It’s been that way from the beginning. Their commitment, intuition, and influence are at times, simply unparalleled. It’s a shame when we think of them as anything less than those who “together built up the house of Israel.” I can’t help but hear the story of Ruth and Naomi and think about the impact women of the world, from Phoebe of the NT to Mother Teresa. God has used their faith to radically impact the Church as we know it.

“Then the elders and all those at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.” – Ruth 4:11

And what about our own “personal” world? If it wasn’t for the faith of my Mom, I don’t know where I’d be. If it wasn’t for the faith of my wife… geeze, I can’t even imagine.

So today, in a world that de-values the role of women… I simply celebrate them. I celebrate and thank God for their ministry. I’m thankful for my wife Jen, who followed God’s calling and found His favor as an author and speaker. I pick on her sometimes and call her “Jen Hatmaker .com” (especially when she’s getting bossy). But I’m truly thankful for her ministry and all she’s contributed to my life and ministry. She’s more than a compliment to me, she’s the perfect gift.

Fella’s out there… you hear me?