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July 30, 2018

Sons of Joshua and Joab

July 30, 2018

The number of the men of the people of Israel:

The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818.

Nehemiah 7:7b, 11 ESV

Last time we saw the importance of learning from those who come before us. Those who have walked faithfully, even rising out of captivity, to follow God. Today is a peek at a couple of names on the actual list, though if we’ve been walking with this group of exiles for a while, we already know some of these names. The genealogy is already listed for us in Ezra chapter 2.

In rereading that section in Ezra I had a timely reminder: “All Israel was registered in the genealogies that are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. The first to live in their towns on their own property again were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.”

1 Chronicles 9:1-2 HCSB

Been thinking a lot about how God disciplines those He loves. How the captivity the Israelites came up out of was God’s severe mercy toward their unfaithfulness. And how when we surrender all to Him, even the parts we tend to hold back, He uses it so purposefully.

But how the best news of all is the way we get to look back and view all missteps and any unfaithfulness: through the faithfulness of Jesus. Yeshua. Same origin of Joshua’s name, Moses’ successor. It means “the LORD is salvation.” From Jehovah and yasha – to deliver. To avenge, bring salvation, save, preserve, victorious, gain the victory.

This may not matter to you a whole lot at this point in your day. But to me, and to so many people I know and love, it means everything. If you know what it’s like to run ahead of God or rely on your own strength not His, surely you, too, have come to a place where He delivered you. And the humility, godly sorrow, compassion for others, and, strangely, joy that results point to how He gained the victory. How He is the victory.

The other forefather listed in this section is Joab. He was King David’s nephew and, while loyal in years of military service, lacked self-control and allowed his temper to take over, hurting his family and others.

When we don’t allow Yahweh, the God of Angel Armies, to bring about victory, when we seek to avenge ourselves, it gets ugly. The way of the Spirit is not push and shove, one-up and put down. Our God brings victory through surrender, peace through pain, and hope in heartbreak. When we rest in the way of this Kingdom, we give Him plenty of room to show up in our circumstances. Even the toughest ones.

So much to learn from those who come before us. Lessons to glean and ways to avoid or emulate. Fortunately, no matter our genealogy, the One Who lives in us is most powerful. And if, by our obedience, He is given full reign in our lives, many of the future generations will hear and know.

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July 26, 2018

Ways to Save Week of July 26th

July 26, 2018

Final Friday is tomorrow! Join our city’s Art Crawl to various local venues, including:

Source

Gallery Alley featuring local artist Stephanie Ward and DJ #HASHTAG.

and

Kris Shaw at The Workroom from 6-9 pm.

If your garden is producing more than you and your friends need, don’t forget about Plant a Row for the Hungry with the Kansas Food Bank.

Johnson’s Garden is a drop off site

Iron Chile Head is coming up quickly at Johnson’s Garden.

Best roasted hatch green chiles in town, plus food trucks, music and more.

Iron Chile Head Swag

If you are over 60 and looking for a way to increase bone density, stay strong, and meet new people, the Sedgwick County Extension Office is offering an 8-week fitness class, Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at La Familia Senior Community Center beginning July 30th.

Tomato Fest is happening at Kansas Grown Farmers Market this Saturday, July 28th, from 7:00 – noon. Enjoy live music, local deliciousness, food trucks with Fried Green Tomatoes, and a Kids’ Tomato Workshop:

Make sure to check out all the upcoming Library events including Walk-In Tech Help, Libraries Rock with Aaron Fowler and his yellow lab, Ms. Bella, and Fall Gardening: Composting 101. Plus, Summer Reading prizes must be picked up by this Friday, July 27th.

Annie Up will take the stage at the KEYN Summer Concert at Wichita WaterWalk this Friday night, July 27th. Come for food trucks at 6:30, stay for the band at 8:00.

And enjoy live music over your lunch break with The Rooftops at ICT Pop Up Park this Friday from 11-1:30.

Have a fabulous weekend!

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July 25, 2018

These 7 Days

July 25, 2018

(It’s 14 days…)

Morning Light

Childhood memory

Spontaneity

Making Fruit Pizza

New Hometown Fav: Java Junkies

Fair Rides + Speed Uncertainty

Charming

Never gets old

Nighttime blur

Evening light glory

Your 7 Days?

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July 24, 2018

The First to Return

July 24, 2018

“I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah)…

Nehemiah 7:5b-7 (NIV)

Last time we saw Nehemiah unpack his God-given idea to expand Jerusalem. Today we see the genealogical records which helped him plan.

“I found (matsa – fall, discovered, meet) the genealogical record (sepher – document, writing, letters – from saphar – recount, relate) of those who had been the first (rishon – forefathers, one in front, previous) to return (alah – go up, ascend, arise, bring back).

Those who go before us matter. If we can get our hands on any of their stories – letters, writing, books, retold tales of lessons learned – let’s do and cling to the wisdom we find. While not all who go before us leave a positive legacy, those who have ascended, risen to their calling, are worthy of our attention. We do not have to learn everything the hard way. We can glean from those who have pearls of truth to bring back to the rest of us.

“This is what I found written (kathab – inscribed) there:”

I wonder how Nehemiah first discovered the documents. And when he did, and realized they related details of those who had been the first, what must he have felt? Don’t you wonder if the people ever told each other the stories of their forefathers? About how the Temple had been rebuilt and how they fought off their own scoffing from the peoples around? And how they celebrated before Yahweh when it was completed?

“These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity (shbiy – prisoner, captive)…”

Those who go before us have much to teach. But, oh friends, those who have gone before us and come up from captivity? What a treasure, what authority they carry. As a friend said yesterday, “We only have authority in that which we have overcome.”

If you want to know where to go to overcome your prison, look to those who have their cell keys hanging on their purse or belt hook as a memory of where they’re never going back. If you want to be set free from an addiction, look to those who hold sobriety in one hand and Jesus in the other. Those who know where they’d be without cooperating with their Liberator. If you’re desperately hanging on in a relational hardship, look to those who – in His strength – found the courage to set boundaries or forgive or release a toxic situation. And if you want to know how to live like overcomers in a difficult national time, let’s together look to those for whom none of this is new. To those who have had to lean on the Jesus of the Bible for courage of conviction and strength to rise from captivity. Agree with them 100% on everything? No. Learn from? Yes.

“…of the exiles (golah – carried away, removed) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Babel) had taken captive (galah – uncover, indeed reveal) out of captivity…”

Those who have been forcibly carried away, those uncovered and stripped of dignity can lead us. They also tend to know the types of people under whose leadership we can flourish. Those who have been used as a weapon are much less likely to attack others, because they know how it feels to be shamed. But if they are coming out of captivity, they also know the hard-won feeling of overcoming, shaking off that shame, and living in the God-given dignity of every image bearer of our Creator.

“…they returned (shub – certainly bring back) to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town (iyr – excitement, city)…”

Those we look to for leadership do not only arise or recount tales or come up out of captivity. They also return. Return to their spiritual roots, to the innocence of childlike faith, to the excitement of joining God where He is at work. It is one way our Father refuses to waste our struggles. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, we can all – no matter where we’ve been or how far we’ve gone – press on toward the goal to win the prize to which our Father has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Isn’t He wonderful? Isn’t that good news? If you think yours is the only generation to have struggles, if you’re convinced you know more than others, if you’re grateful you’re not like some tax collector, get face down quickly, my friend. And when you stand, begin looking for Holy Writ, a genealogical record of your own, to help you get outside yourself and into the wisdom of those who were the first to return.

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July 20, 2018

Ways to Save Week of July 19th

July 20, 2018

Convoy of Hope Wichita is offering a tremendous event in a few weeks:

On Saturday, August 4th, check out one of their two locations – Bethel Life Center or McAdams Park – for health services, haircuts, kids’ back to school supplies and more! Please share with others.

Did you know Mark Arts has an exhibit open? And that it’s free admission daily?

How about the Gordon Parks exhibit at the Kansas African American Museum?

Some great events are coming up with the Wichita Parks and Recreation, including a Walk in College Hill Park at 11 and a Splash Party at Osage Park from 1:00 – 3:30 both this Saturday, July 21st. Bring your own water gun!

And see all events coming up in the next week at the Library, including Finding Your Ancestor’s Home with the Wichita Genealogical Society, a Guide to Kansas from experts, and a Flooring Demo in the new Tec-novation Room, and an E.T. screening. Summer + Library = Awesome.

Tomorrow night’s KEYN Summer Concert band is Big Fat Fun beginning at 8:00 at the WaterWalk. Remember, food trucks will be opening at 6:30, so get there early, bring your lawn chairs, and enjoy the fun.

Did you know the Great Plains Nature Center has an archery club? It’s true. Every other Tuesday is geared toward kids practicing their shooting, and Wednesdays are for adults.

Enjoy your people and our city this weekend!

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July 16, 2018

Excitement

July 16, 2018

The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy.

Nehemiah 7:4-5a ESV

Last time we read about Nehemiah’s instructions to the gatekeepers. They were to open late, close early, and stay diligently on guard. Today we see our governor’s next project from God.

“At that time the city (iyr – town, excitement) was vast (rachab – spacious, proud/arrogant) and great (gadol – high, prominent, bitter), but the folk (am) within were small (meat – little, scarce) and the houses had not been rebuilt (banah – construct, fortify, fashion, restore).”

The first thing that catches my eye in this section is how the word for city in Hebrew can also mean excitement. God had clearly been working in Jerusalem since the return of the exiles. The Temple was completed, the city wall had been rebuilt by a widespread effort, and now the city, the excitement of God on the move, is being described as both spacious and prominent. It strikes me as important that a couple of other synonyms for these words are arrogant and bitter.

Ooo, how quickly one can turn into the other. Excitement about the prominent work of God’s activity in our lives becomes know-it-all arrogance and self-righteous bitterness. How we need diligent guarding. How important it is we lean into His humility and contentment.

“…but the folk (am) within were small (meat – little, scarce) and the houses had not been rebuilt (banah – construct, fortify, fashion, restore).”

You might remember there was a reason the first wave of exiles had not been focused on building their houses: God’s House, the Temple, was to come first.

But the point in God’s perfect timetable had come for the focus to shift to the people of the city. They are described as am – ordinary folk – and meat (small, scarce). But we know what God can do with even a small amount of ordinary people who trust Him: exceedingly more than all we can imagine. And the focus was on building up: restoring and fortifying. This, too, sounds like the expertise of our Creator God.

What does it look like to turn attention to your neighbor or classmate or coworker or any other ordinary folk in your life? What would it look like to build up, restore, or fortify those image bearers? What about collections of those people: neighborhoods, schools, churches? Restoring and building up matters there. Or what about full-on excitement, city? Systems of government, policies, boards, leadership, decision-makers? How could those of us who know God help fortify and build up systems to ensure liberty and justice for all? And if we each invest in our cities, how could the impact spread across the nation?

“So my God entrusted toward (el – into, beside) my heart (leb – inner man, will, mind, heart) to assemble and rally (qabats) the nobles (chor), the officials (sagan), and the folk (am) together to enroll by genealogy.”

The Hebrew word for God here is Elohim, but it is precious that in this instance it is translated my God. Nehemiah had been through some stuff with Creator God. He was not only the God of Israel to him now. He was his God.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him…

You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.

Psalm 40: 1-3, 17b

Has He become so personal to you, too? Cherish that work, friend. And remember the point: “Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him.” Becoming personal to all created in His image is His heart. We get to be part of that. The worst possible scenario would be Him becoming a personal, intimate God to us without any reflection of His heart to be personal and intimate with others. He cannot be contained and none of us own Him, heaven forbid.

“…to assemble and rally (qabats) the nobles (chor), the officials (sagan), and the folk (am) together to enroll by genealogy.”

The work entrusted to Nehemiah was to assemble and rally different groups: nobles (those of privileged birth), officials (those in leadership positions), and ordinary citizens. Simply bringing together such a variety of people is an accomplishment; to rally them toward a single purpose is praiseworthy.

Nehemiah’s rallying goal here, in light of the vast city with scarce inhabitants, was to yachas – the verb meaning “to enroll oneself by genealogy.” This was important for several reasons if the governor wanted to build up Jerusalem. First, walls and guards are only a start. If a city is going to be genuinely safe – reflecting mercy and justice and exhibiting humane laws and systems – the people matter most. Therefore, tracing everyone’s lineage and previous home before the exile was necessary. Not only did it make sure the Levites were the only ones ministering in the temple according to the Holy Scripture, but it would show those currently living in the surrounding towns whether their home of origin was in the city. (source)

No matter if you’re from an itty bitty small town or the biggest metropolis in the region, we are all meant to find our Ultimate Home in the City of God.

“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:14

Genuinely praying, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” will affect how we see the future and work toward its fulfillment now. And knowing the perfect home awaits can help us endure setbacks in the imperfect present one. For Nehemiah it meant encouraging those on the outskirts into the excitement. Closer to Temple and their spiritual roots. Inhabiting a vast city whose purpose was to reflect the glory of Yahweh. Joining hands and opening their hearts to each other to grow the city.

The most beautiful, though perhaps unintended, result of Nehemiah’s God-given plan was how a more precise lineage record preserved the family line of our Messiah. (source) Because of the careful records kept, a violent exile and subsequent return did not extinguish either the line or details of the Savior of the World’s ancestry. We can know He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, and the Only One born of Creator God.

And we bow again today, with reverent excitement, to such a King.

July 13, 2018

Ways to Save Week of July 13th

July 13, 2018

Happy Friday!

Get your shopping bags ready because tomorrow is 2nd Saturday!

Watermark is offering the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip tomorrow, Friday, July 13th. From 10-noon see authors Angela Cervantes, Luke Flowers, Tracey West. There are 4 stations offered with the Road Trip RV, plus a prize wheel and story times.

The next KEYN Summer Concert Series is Friday, July 13th featuring the band, Epic. Admission is free, food trucks begin at 6:30, and the band begins at 8:00

You can check out all the upcoming Library events here, including Jo Ho’s Musical Tales, The Bug Lady, Open Coding Time for kids, and a Windows 10 seminar.

Enjoy Yoga on the Lawn this Saturday from 9 -10 with Kelsea from Limitless Yoga at the Wichita Art Museum.

Did you know July is the final month of business for Mead’s Corner Coffee Shop? Help them celebrate 10 years of ministry and community with their celebration on July 29th from 2-4.

This is fun: Braum’s 50th Anniversary is this year, so this Sunday, July 15th, they are offering 50 cent cones and $1 sundaes from noon-5.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

July 10, 2018

These 7 Days

July 10, 2018

Fun new friends

Firework time

Genuinely my fav

Loving it

Garden Cupcakes

Friends’ delightful pear tree

Coloring is always fun

Cousin joy

Trampoline time

Pops

700 kinds of soda

On Route 66

Wingnuts Dollar Night

What a punk

Big Sky Glory

Your 7 Days?

July 9, 2018

Still Standing Guard

July 9, 2018

And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.”

Nehemiah 7:3 ESV

Last time we saw how Nehemiah proceeded once the wall was finished: entrusting temple workers to guard the city wall and laying a charge upon two men of integrity to govern Jerusalem. Today we see the gatekeepers’ specific instructions.

Do not open (pathach – let go free, open wide) the gates until the sun (shemesh) is hot. Nehemiah and the rebuilders had a dangerous situation on their hands. While completely closing their doors to trade and other business was unreasonable, our governor had good reason to not open the city up to unnecessary safety concerns. Making sure the sun is up and the light of day would pierce any darkness lurking before opening wide the gates was a good strategy.

How about us? How wide open and free are our gates when darkness is seeking to destroy? The gates to our mind and heart, eyes and ears?

Carefully guard your thoughts
because they are the source
of true life. Proverbs 4:23 CEV

While closing the gates to the world is unreasonable and not our calling, making sure we are set apart is.

“I’m not asking that you take them out of the world
But that you guard them from the Evil One.
They are no more defined by the world
Than I am defined by the world.
Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth;
Your word is consecrating truth.
In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.
I’m consecrating myself for their sakes
So they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.” John 17:15-19 MSG

Above all else, guard your affections. For they influence everything else in your life. TLB

“While the gatekeepers are still on guard (amad – take ones stand, abide, appoint, stood firm) let them shut (guph) the doors (deleth) and bar them (achaz – to grasp, seize, lay hold of).”

Not only were the gatekeepers instructed to wait until full daylight to open the gates, they were also to shut and lock them before their daytime duty was over. Any traveling vendors had better be hastening out of the gates quickly during this time in Jerusalem! Nehemiah meant business.

The part I appreciate about this section is its proactive angle. Not only are we as Believers to stand firm and abide in Him as we guard our hearts, but there are things we lay hold of. Active ways to work in our day for His kingdom, particularly in battle.

“…and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:17-18)

Take the helmet of salvation, and remind yourself over and over the work He accomplished for us. Put it on like a football helmet, protecting you from deceitful blows against your standing as beloved by the Father. Pray, be alert, keep on praying. Perseverance is needed and is promised to be rewarded. No need to stand back passively, or even defensively. We take, pray, keep on; ask, seek and knock. The battle is not without effort.

“Appoint (amad again) guards (mishmereth – guard, allegiance) from those abiding in Jerusalem (yashab – to sit, remain, dwell, live, abide), every man (ish) at his post (mishmar – watch) and every man (ish) in front of (neged ) his house (bayith).”

So not only do we have gatekeepers opening when the sun is fully up and closing when they’re still on duty, we have every man guarding something. Either his assigned post (perhaps from his time during the rebuilding duties?) or in front of his own home. All hands on deck, no one asleep on the job.

Shall we chat about that word for guard, mishmereth? One of its synonyms is “allegiance.” And the word for abiding in Jerusalem? It’s yashab – to remain, dwell, live. Those living in Jerusalem, remaining and abiding in it, were to give their whole allegiance to it. Their days and nights were concerned with this allegiance, their every move reflecting to all their guardianship.

Believers, where is our ultimate allegiance? If we pledge allegiance to a flag before we’ve bowed our entire lives down daily to a King and His Kingdom, I fear our allegiance may be misplaced. No one is arguing against being good citizens, but when push comes to shove, where does your ultimate loyalty lie? Whom will you serve?

Who will receive your highest allegiance? Will it be your citizenship to your country or your personal kingdom? Or your citizenship to heaven?

As His Kingdom becomes greater than our personal kingdoms, there will be certain things we can no longer abide. Things that mar the image of our Creator on earth: creation, fellow human beings, relationships. As we live in His Kingdom we become guards of its ways: servanthood, peace, joy, sacrifice, love.

And as He makes us more like the King of this Kingdom, the best news is how He is our Ultimate Guardian.

The One Who has never run away from being our Shepherd, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls:

But the Lord is faithful;

he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

(2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT)

Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25 ASV)

Yes, we stand guard. But we rest in His ultimate control. The One Who reopened Eden’s gates through His own initiative and sacrifice will surely guard us as we walk through our Not-Yet toward Home.

July 5, 2018

Ways to Save Week of July 5th

July 5, 2018

I hope your 4th was great. Of course, firework fun is not over yet. Join in tonight for the final Bradley Fair concert featuring jazz saxophonist Joseph Vincelli, along with a fabulous firework display over the lake!

And this is something new for your Saturday mornings: Bradley Fair Fit. Join in either 45 minutes of a boot-camp style workout with Go Time Training or 45 minutes of yoga with Yoga Central. Or both! Aside from working out beside the lake, many other incentives are offered: Athleta swag bag with coupons from Bradley Fair retailers, a reusable water bottle from Healing Waters, and drinks from Cocoa Dolce. Plus a drawing for giveaways. What more could you want to start your weekend? (Register here for a smoother process the day of.)

The next $1 Wingnuts game is this Monday, July 9th, beginning at 7:05. Admission is only $1 if you pick up your voucher at Quik Trip. Plus, enjoy $1 hot dogs, soda and more. (Thanks Wichita on the Cheap!)

Twilight Tuesdays at Sedgwick County Zoo are back during July. Get a voucher at any Cox location and receive $3 admission to the Zoo on Tuesdays from 6-8:30.

The KEYN Summer Concert Series at Wichita Waterwalk begins tomorrow night, July 6th. The evening’s band, King Midas, will take the stage beginning at 8:00 pm. However, food trucks will be available as soon as 6:30. Concert is free, so bring your lawn chairs, your people, and your appetite.

Mark Arts will be offering STEAM Summer Camps for ages 3-11 beginning next week. Buy your tickets here for weekly sessions exploring “mixed media, drawing, painting, culinary and clay projects according to the week’s theme.”

See all upcoming library events here, including Open Game Time for kids ages 5-11 every Friday in July from 1-4 pm at the Advanced Learning Library. Play board games, cards, video games, and meet new friends.

Wichita Parks & Rec is offering a scuba class for kiddos ages 8-12 at Linwood and Harvest city pools. Call 316-268-4361 to register. And check out Barry the Bison’s Recreation Station at OJ Watson Park next Thursday, July 12th, from 6-8. Enjoy free games and activities for all ages.

And don’t forget to keep up on Summer Reading + Rewards from the Library.

Have a fabulous weekend!