Chubby little babies with dreamy and knowing eyes. Ultra-feminine robed and winged creatures. These strike me as some of the most prevalent images of angels today. They are either whimsical onlookers or aloof heralds. The early church struggled against a preoccupation that bordered on worship of these beings.  Our own culture struggles between sheer disbelief in the supernatural and a similar preoccupation. Scripture is not silent about angels, but neither is it overly descriptive. What are we to make of all of this?

Are [the angels] not all ministering spirits, sent for the purpose of service on account of those about to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1:14Hebrews 1:14
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
14 Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are going to be saved.

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Cherubim, seraphim, mal’ach, angelos… there are so many words that we translate as “angel” in English. The first two, cherubim and seraphim are both  names and imagery that come from the common cultural background of Israel and its neighbors. The cherubim are closely associated with the throne of God, while the seraphim hover above it. These two designations of angels both serve as attendants, defending and proclaiming the glory of God.

On the other hand, Hebrew mal’ach and Greek angelos both mean something of “messenger”, someone sent with a message or a task. You can probably see that the Greek word for angel gives us our English word “angel”. An angel is a being whose primary function is serving God by presenting his messages. They have been sent with a purpose!

The book of Hebrews presents that purpose for us: “ministering” or “serving”. It is offered as a question, “Isn’t it obvious that they are servants?” The author is trying to point out how much greater the Son is. The angels are sent to serve, to attend to someone – and that someone is clearly identified in Hebrews 1:14Hebrews 1:14
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
14 Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are going to be saved.

WP-Bible plugin, “those about to inherit salvation”. When it says they were sent “for the purpose of service”, it is using the same word from which we get “deacon”, a servant.

We don’t need to get caught up in a worship of angels. John, in the book of Revelation, is corrected when he attempts to humble himself before the powerful presence of an angel. Nor do we need to avoid the subject or fear them. There is a spiritual war going on around us, and God’s agents work often unseen. Once we understand who they are and why they have been sent, we can thank God for his provision. The angels are here to prepare the way for God’s message to be heard. They have been sent by God so that he can work out his purpose of adopting us into his family. They too share a part in the great chain of “sending” found in Scripture.

If the angels highlight God’s sending, they also highlight the greatness of Jesus. And that is the thrust of Hebrews 1: God’s son was instrumental in creating all that we know about the universe, timeless and matchless. He is the one who has sent the angels, so that we might have a place with him eternally.

A man down the street has been diagnosed with two totally different debilitating diseases. His mind is failing incredibly fast and the prognosis is not good. I know him in the sense all small town folks know one another. I’ve been in the shop he used to own downtown, waved when passing on the street, and even tailgated in a large crowd with him once. He’s a friend of a friend, not anyone I’ve ever known well.

I was out walking in the neighborhood the other night and passed by his house. I’ve never been to visit him before but on this night the thought popped into my mind that I should check in on him. Then I realized where this thought originated when the urging continued with the feeling that I should not only check on his physical well-being but also on his spiritual. Rumor is, he doesn’t have much time left.

I did what I always do when the Holy Spirit urges me to do something  outside my comfort zone. I came up with a dozen reasons why I shouldn’t. “It’s getting late. He’s probably tired. What would I say? Would he even know who I am? Would he be offended? How would his girlfriend feel about my visit?”

I’ve lived long enough to learn that you can never rationalize your way out of what the Holy Spirit asks of you. You can argue your point but you’ll never win. You can turn a deaf ear but God always speaks the truth and on this night He stopped me dead in my tracks with one thought. “You are willing to travel to the other side of the world to speak to a stranger about Me, yet you won’t cross the street to speak with a neighbor?”

Well, that did it. “OK Lord, I’ll go, but only if the front door is still open when I pass back by.”

That was a baby step of obedience with preset conditions but God took me up on it. I spent some time walking and praying and then started back down the street past his house. When I saw the front door closed, I was surprised to feel a little disappointment mixed with the relief. Then as I got closer, I realized it only appeared to be closed from the angle I was approaching. There it was……wide open! Not only that , but I could see him standing in the kitchen at the back of the house.

I turned up the driveway and then onto the sidewalk, up the porch and then rang the doorbell. The cat standing inside the glass storm door ran and the dog barked, but no one came to the door. I could see the gentleman standing at the kitchen counter with his arms shaking from his illness so violently that he couldn’t even reach inside the fast food bag in front of him. He managed to make it to the table, sit down, and then ripped the bag down the front to get to its contents. I stood on the porch that night waiting for his girlfriend to come to the door and prayed for him. My heart was broken as I watched him struggle and as I prayed for his soul.

I began to feel uneasy after a bit standing outside looking in so I walked away. Then it hit me. “God, You really are something! You didn’t need me to talk to him. You just wanted to see if I would be obedient, didn’t You?” Just when I thought I had God all figured out, He threw me a curve ball. “No my child. I knew a billion years before you were born what you would do tonight. I wanted YOU to see what you would do tonight.”

Wow! A lesson in obedience if I have ever had one. No wonder God told Saul in 1 Samuel 15:221 Samuel 15:22
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
22 “Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn't want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.

WP-Bible plugin “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

Obedience is the sacrifice many times. God may very well ask us to do something as an opportunity for us to be obedient. He wants the willing heart more than the actual deed. God was preparing me for a future time of service and growing my faith at the same time.

There is a reason unknown to me why no one came to let me in that night but the results of my willingness have had a profound effect on my. You see, my times of disobedience far, far outnumber the paltry amount of times I have been obedient. But the feeling I had of pleasing my Father grew a desire that night to never be disobedient again. I’ll fail again, I’m sure. But I hope the agony of missing the blessing of obedience will drive me to my knees in repentance. Then I hope I have the courage to stand up and do whatever He asks. I won’t have to do it alone. God never sends us anywhere He isn’t already headed. He just wants us to come alongside Him.

I work in a satellite office for my company. My boss is in another state. My boss’s boss is in another state. My coworkers are in California, Washington, Kentucky… I work with individuals in offices in England, France, Taiwan, Australia and South Africa (just to name a few). Communication is always a challenge! Whether it is corporate direction needing to be sent out to the “pointy-end-of-the-stick”, or the day to day communication and trouble-shooting of an IT support individual, it’s hard.

Add to that that I despise the phone. I don’t like sending email, though it is absolutely essential at times. I would much rather take a walk through the local office and show up at someone’s desk to help them with their problems, or work through possible solutions. Nothing beats that face-to-face when you are trouble-shooting.

Jesus had a similar thought. He new that close personal contact was essential for getting the message out.

But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, “The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.”

John 16:5-15John 16:5-15
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
5 But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. ⁶ You are very sad from hearing all of this. ⁷ But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help x help: See the note at . you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you. ⁸ The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. ⁹ The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. ¹⁰ They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. ¹¹ And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world. ¹² I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. ¹³ Ws . The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. ¹⁴ The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. ¹⁵ Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.

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If I do go away, then I will send him to you. Jesus sent someone who would do what he had done: Share the message that the Father had given. Before we can be sent out, we need to capitalize on this great blessing, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He is the one who challenges the sin in our lives, pointing out God’s greatness and uniqueness. The Holy Spirit is the one who declares to us that Jesus will return, and encourages us to take care and be ready.

The Holy Spirit is never absent in the believer’s life. But many Christians fail to take advantage of the power and wisdom he has to share with us. Just imagine that you are having computer trouble. The girl from the helpdesk shows up to take a look, but you don’t move. You keep going about your business. She stands there waiting for the proper moment to interject and offer her services. You continue to become frustrated as you deal with this wayward computer. All the time, the help you need is standing right there, ready and willing. That is how many Christians face their own sinful nature and the other troubling details of life.

Today, begin to ask the Spirit to speak. Take the time to listen. The Spirit is the power behind the community at the Mount. If you feel detached, go to the Spirit and ask him what to do about it. If you feel a lack of energy or worth, ask the Spirit to remind you what has been said in the Scriptures. Ask God for wisdom, and he will pour out the Spirit on you. All the Church will benefit.

The Spirit was sent to reveal God’s intentions and voice to us. Let’s listen in on what God is trying to tell us!

Galatians 4:4-7Galatians 4:4-7
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
4 But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, ⁵ . so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children. ⁶ Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. ⁷ You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised.

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But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Our family lives within walking distance of a small grocery store.  When we first moved into our home, our children were too young to make the walk on their own, so every once in awhile we’d opt to combine running an errand and exercising to pick up some sugar or eggs with our children in tow.  They loved leaving the cars in the driveway and walking or riding our bikes to the store.  As the years have passed, our kids have asked if they could head to the store on their own to pick up incidentals for the family.  That’s a hard request to grant.  Not that we as parents don’t trust them to be capable of running the errand, but we are concerned for their safety while they are away from our side.  Will they watch traffic as carefully as we would?  Will they be aware of strangers?  Will there be any change left after giving them $10 to buy the $4 worth of stuff at the store? Okay, that last one isn’t exactly a major concern.

On occasion we’ve allowed our maturing children to run to the store for us.  We never let them go alone, however.  They are to go straight to the store, and then return straight home.  Any deviation from the rules could result in severe consequences.  On the few occasions they have gone, they have returned with a great sense of accomplishment and joy for having completed the assignment and having done something special to help out the family.  They have always stuck to the rules, and have even brought us the correct change back every time! Though it seems like just yesterday we were cutting the umbilical cord at the hospital, we find ourselves in the bitter-sweet process of loosening the apron strings a little bit each day as well.

If you’re a parent, can you imagine how God must have felt when He sent Jesus out the front door of Heaven to come to earth and go through the process of redeeming mankind unto Himself?  Jesus was safe in Heaven.  He was with His Father.  But, both the Father and the Son knew that if Jesus didn’t leave the shelter of paradise, mankind was doomed.  Jesus wasn’t sent on just any errand, He was commissioned as the greatest Messenger of all time.  He was sent by His Dad to demonstrate God’s love for you, and for me, by dying on the cross in our place so that we may experience the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of spending eternity in the Presence of God.  God knowingly sent His Son on a mission to be mocked, scorned, beaten, ridiculed, rejected, betrayed, and killed.  He was sent from “home” to be our sacrificial Lamb.  This was certainly more than an errand!!

As a parent, I cannot fathom how God must have felt seeing His Son leave heaven and be incarnated.  What must it have felt like for God to see Jesus and Joseph interacting as earthly father and son?   I cannot comprehend the agony God endured as His Son was whipped and scourged and pierced and crucified, fulfilling the nature of His appointed task.   But, knowing all of this in advance, God still sent His Son.  And Jesus still came.

I know how brightly my children’s faces beam when they return from successfully completing the mission we send them on from time to time.  Can you imagine the smile on Jesus’ face when He returned to heaven, to His Father, after coming back from the dead, after reconciling the world to God and completing the assignment He was given?  I truly cannot comprehend the enormity of such things!!

We all are eternally indebted to Jesus for the price He paid for us, and to God for loving us so much that He sent His Son on our behalf.  There truly is no greater demonstration of love than this!! And because of what they did for us, we who trust in the Lord as our Savior are a part of God’s family, heirs to the joys and treasures of heaven. Thank You, Jesus! Thank You, God!

As a body of believers, we depend on one another. Each of us has gifts and talents to support the entire body. Some are powerful comforters. Some are incredible workers. Some are great at organizing. Some are great at seeing the difficulties in a situation and others are able to create solutions to these difficulties. Some have a passion for evangelism, for developing community or for teaching from God’s word. Some have been gifted to lead others into a posture of worship.

And every body of believers needs individuals with spiritual discernment. It needs people of wisdom so that is protected from dangers that threaten to destroy the work of God. These threats come from inside and outside, but God wants us to respond to him with trust – aware of the purpose he has called us to and encouraged as we step out in faith. Wisdom based on a close walk with God is the answer.

My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted. These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths. They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.

Proverbs 2:1-15Proverbs 2:1-15
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Wisdom and Bad Friends ^{2 1} My child, you must follow and treasure my teachings and my instructions. ² Keep in tune with wisdom and think what it means to have common sense. ³ Beg as loud as you can for good common sense. ⁴ Search for wisdom as you would search for silver or hidden treasure. ⁵ Then you will understand what it means to respect and to know the Lord God. ⁶ Ws ; . All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding. ⁷ God gives helpful advice d helpful advice: Or “wisdom.” to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should. ⁸ God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him. ⁹ With wisdom you will learn what is right and honest and fair. ¹⁰ Wisdom will control your mind, and you will be pleased with knowledge. ¹¹ Sound judgment and good sense will watch over you. ¹² Wisdom will protect you from evil schemes and from those liars ¹³ who turned from doing good to live in the darkness. ¹⁴ Most of all they enjoy being mean and deceitful. ¹⁵ They are dishonest themselves, and all they do is crooked.

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We each have had experiences in life that have made us who we are. Not all of these experiences have made us wiser, though. The unfortunate truth is that many of our experiences have only deepened our inability to hear God’s voice, to respond to the call of wisdom. So what can we do to increase our discernment, our ability to respond with wisdom?

Proverbs tells us to search for it, first of all. That seems simple enough, but we often don’t take the time or effort to build wisdom. We often don’t ask the opinion of others. We often don’t read anything but what we are already familiar and comfortable with. We can be in too big of a hurry to wait on God’s voice. And we have good excuses! We have jobs, kids to look after, ministry needs to attend to and obligations in the community. Searching can be a costly investment, one we are not willing to make, even if we recognize the importance of wisdom. Sadly, our jobs, kids, ministries and communities would have ultimately reaped the benefit of a life that searched for wisdom.

A pattern of conversation with God is essential. Cleverness and wisdom are not the same thing. Cleverness can take advantage of a situation based on a little bit of knowledge and educated guessing. But wisdom requires intimate knowledge of God – what he is doing and who he has revealed himself to be. This knowledge is personal. Wisdom does not just respond to circumstances, but responds to purpose. When our circumstances stack up against us, challenging what we know God has said, wisdom encourages us to step forward in faith.

Familiarity with God’s word and commands is also critical. Wisdom is not just about the most effective way to get something accomplished. It is about the right way to get something done. Acting sinfully, or encouraging sin, in order to accomplish God’s work is madness. Nehemiah was able to avoid sinful behavior that would have discredited him as a leader because he knew God’s voice and his commands.

There are evil forces arrayed against the Church. We need wisdom to hear God’s voice and counter these attacks. We need wisdom and discernment in order to avoid false teaching that would corrupt our relationship with God. We need wisdom to confront sin-producing attitudes and to avoid falling into sinful behavior. We need discernment to detect attempts to deceive the body and stop it from growing and impacting the community and the world.

God wants a community that is guarded by wisdom; the same wisdom that brought all of creation into existence and sustains it each day. So if we ask for wisdom, we can have faith he will respond.