The Constant Battle

As I take my pen to write
of all the struggles
that go on inside.
I feel so distant from you Lord,
like I've gone astray.
So different when I used to walk
with you from day to day.
These eyes that were once opened
and a heart that was so warm,
have now hazed over and my
heart has turned and embraced
in the cold.
Where are you in this hour? Do you
still care?
Please hear me pray and let me know
your love that is so fair.
What is this familiar emptiness
that's making me so cold?
I miss the newness of life
from when you first touched my soul.
It's like I'm losing my grip,
please uphold me with your grace.
I beg you Lord, turn not
from me your Holy face.
I'm counting on the love you gave
back there on Calvary.
Bring back the joy of my salvation
that was so freely given to me.
Remove all distractions that
get in my way.
Let your only begotten Son
light my darkened days.
I can no longer hide
as the lines in my face deepen.
I invite you Lord to come.
This cry I can not keep in.
Fill me up with your gladness
and all that makes me sing.
Resurrect my salvation,
the one that gave death its sting.

This was written about 10 years ago and reflects my deepest thorn in my flesh. The fact that I have suffered with what people call "major depression" for over 25 years still feels the same today as it did when I first started experiencing it.
Living with this kind of depression can take its toll on not just myself, but those around me. Someone just asked me tonight, noticing a different disposition in my features;"Is it just like being sad?", he asked. The answer is,no not really. The best way I can describe it is that it is like being in a thick black tar, inside of a dark lonesome closet with no accessible light at all.
With that said and understood, I wonder why I have never been able to over come this darkness. I ask and I plead with my most merciful Savior to please take away this darkness. This depression has never helped me, or my wife, but only adds difficulty that we all could do without.
I wonder what good this is to have such a case of melancholy that sometimes has lasted not just for a day or two, but in some cases, years. It has almost destroyed me and has had awful effects upon my loved ones.
There is such a sense of hopelessness in that hole, that it feels that I will never be able to get out or escape from its depth.
Yes, it's true that Jesus said that he would always be with me, even in the valley of the shadow of death. Honestly though I would rather not go through this anymore seeing there is no benefit to any of this. It is downright debilitating and makes me absolutely lethargic.
I plead with G-d over and over to please take this far away form me and I still get no answers. I guess I know now how the apostle Paul felt when he wrote the words in 2 Cor. 12:7-9. Paul wrote of his trials and how so often he was persecuted by evil doers and even people of the church. He recognized that it was to keep him from being conceited and thus a thorn was given in his flesh.
Paul pleaded three times to have G-d remove it from him and the answer three times over was a resounding;"NO!". G-d said to Paul that His grace was sufficient for him and that His power would be made perfect in Paul's weakness.
I can say that externally I get it, but that was Paul and not me. How can G-d get any glory out of my weakness that has never had any good outcome of showing, giving or providing any comfort to anyone or praise to His holiness?
I guess at this point I am called to get out from within myself and boast in the power of G-d through Christ Jesus. Somehow G-d will give me the strength to be content in my weakness, and somehow be strong in His Power.
Maybe it is in the thorn of my affliction that causes me not to fall back on my lack of greatness, but into the perfect strength of Jesus.
Maybe I can play the optimist here for just a moment, and give G-d the benefit of the doubt. Maybe my weakness helps me to weep a few more tears for those who are weeping now. Maybe I wouldn't be so full of sympathy for others that are hurting or in despair if I hadn't been there so often myself. Maybe I wouldn't feel so much for the lonely if I didn't experience it so often myself.
It just might be that G-d is calling me right now to get some rest, to come back and fall into the arms that have so often carried me. It just may be that I will say with the Psalmist in Ps.43:5" Why are you downcast, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in G-d; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my G-d."
Oh My G-d and Salvation, help me where I have no strength within myself and come to you knowing that you are the stronghold for the oppressed in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O L-rd, have not forsaken those who seek you.(Ps.9:9-10).
May His name be blessed in the darkness and the light, form this time and forever. Amen.

A little Imagination in Interpretation

I am once again going through the gospel of Matthew, and it is fascinating once more just as it was the last time. I have also been trying to add a little imagination along with trying to understand the bible in its most literal, historical and grammatical terms. I have always tried to go after the most precise hermeneutic as possible, and I don't think this negates this process, but rather enhances my understanding of passages.
One of the passages I was taken with is found in Matthew Chp. 9:1-8. It is another very familiar account to those who read the scriptures. It is the account of the paralytic who is brought to Jesus through the roof of a house.
Let me just type out the text and I will go on from there. "And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "take heart my son; your sins are forgiven". And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves,"this man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts said,"why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say,'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say,'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins-"Rise, pick up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid and they glorigied G-d, who had given such authority to men.".
Alright, so there is a lot to cover here, but I just want to cover some areas of geography first and then begin with some questions. First off, Jesus is in Northern Israel, actually in his home town of Capernaum and his home town of Nazereth. This info is given in Marks gospel, Chp. 2:1-12.
Second in discovery of meaning is noticing where Jesus was ministering, and this is at a home(Mark 2:1). We don't know if this is Jesus' home or someone else s, but he is in a house and is preaching the word(Mark 2:2). Quick note here, even though Mark is the shortest and usually less detailed in info, this does not hold true for this passage, so we will end up getting a lot of info from Mark.
Third thing we notice in the scene is that this is a packed out session; standing room only. So much so that no else can get in.
Fourth is that Matthew records that some people brought to him a paralytic. Actually they tried the front door, but rather dismayed at the crowd, their urgency took them to new heights in strategics; they rip through someones roof(Mark 2:4). NICE!! They then lower the paralytic through the newly formed skylight in front of Jesus.
So in my observation here, I noticed that there was no healing service going on, and there was no apparent request to be healed from the man or his friends for anything at all. What I did pick up on was that these men, and the lame man, were serious, urgent and desperate. My question is, Why?
Remember, this is Jesus' home town, and these are most of the people he grew up with. They would have recognized him, and evidence from other portions of scripture that have him reading in the synagogues say that they were amazed at his reading skills and interpretation.
In other writings, such as the infancy gospels as they are known, have been found to be bogus and written to far after the events to be considered worth anything. But off of that premise of Jesus' early years which hardly anything is spoken of, I wonder if maybe this person suffering from a paralytic life knew Jesus. I wonder if maybe he, like children can be, was cruel to Jesus as a boy. Maybe he was a bully, spoke arrogantly and slung hurtful words at the young Jesus. This is where the imagination runs wild.
Again, the only reason I am allowed to think like this is because of the lack of details, so stay with me here.
Here is a man, for some reason we don't know is lame. We don't know if he was hurt in an accident, if it was due to a sickness or something else. What we do know is that he needed to see Jesus no matter what. He even got his friends to help him seek out the Master by way of vandalism...which Jesus called a faith that could be seen!
Jesus' response to seeing this man(childhood nemesis), was simply;"Take heart my son; your sins are forgiven.".
Jesus at this point does not ask what he wanted as he did with others, but he knew what this man needed. This man needed Jesus' forgiveness. On top of all this, because of some disgruntled folk in the audience who had serious issues with forgiveness(not a lot of room to get into the debate here), Jesus not only offers the one thing that can set this man free, but he also offers in a very tangible way, a token of his grace by giving him the power to again walk on his own two legs.
With the words from the Lord;"Rise, and go home...", there is much to learn from here for us who live 2000 years away from this scene. There are so many principles here and I just want to list a couple that tugged hard at my own heart. One of the principles I was able to glean was that I, like the paralytic, need with the same intensity to seek out forgiveness from G-d and also from others that I have hurt and even those that have hurt me to offer forgiveness unashamedly. This is something that is in our power to do through G-d who through Jesus gives us this power and humility. This forgiveness frees not only the person that has sinned, but also is freeing to the person who holds the key to this kind of release.
Forgiveness is what can heal this world; it started with Jesus, G-d wrapped in our own wounded flesh, forgiving a very tormented, cruel and unforgiving world. It then goes to us, the recipients of grace to offer the same pure act that can set someone else free from the paralyzing bondage of sin that has bound us for so long.
May we all seek out the G-d who forgives, and likewise give what we have been given, and that is grace without wanting anything in return.
B'ruch Hashem!

Curbing Hamas

Human history, our history is a history of violence. There has not been a time since our inception, except for a very brief moment in our inauguration that there has not been violence. From the first act of disobedience in paradise, to the first murder as a result of sibling rivalry, violence has plagued our existence.
I guess I am struck to my very being at how much our world is littered with such atrocities and violence. It is something I am aware of that our own country might be forgetting. I think maybe we become accustomed to, and also without realization, be involved in.
I am aware also of G-ds view on violence and the apathy towards its nature. We turn our heads as if to say;"I never saw anything, heard anything or did anything.". Such is the sin of my generation, and G-d responds loudly and clearly in the 11th Psalm verse 5:"The L-rd tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence." To the leaders who do not justice He says in Ps. 58;"Do you indeed decree what is right, you mighty lords(gods)? Do you judge the children of men uprightly? No!, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence."
One of the most frequently used words to describe violence in the Hebrew bible(O.T.) is the word 'hamas". It means wrong doing; unjust gain; cruelty; violence and injustice towards someone wrongly.
The unfortunate response of mankind has always been against the grain of G-ds plan and instruction, but G-ds mercy is good and patient and still calls out for man to bow to His desire. We have witnessed the testimony of times gone by as well as present times, the abuses of religious causes in the name of G-d and Christ to exact allegiance. We have the recorded history of non religious regimes of chaos devoted to the mass destruction of genocide for dominance. We would rightly carry the title of a planet titled "the planet of hamas."
So how can we learn to curb this insatiable thirst for blood and vengeance and greed which spells out death? Are there any established measures that would ensure proper behavior towards others?
The apostle Paul had some instruction for a young pastor living in a time similar to ours. The young man was Timothy, a disciple and companion of Pauls'. From the tone of the first letter of to Timothy, we can hear an urgency in Pauls' compulsion towards this young man. Timothy was a man on the brink of leaving his ministerial position because of pressures that surrounded him and his pastorate.
Paul however, a follower and imitator of his Messiah and Lord gave fantastic, practical and divine measures for living rightly in this world. These specific instructions which I want to concentrate on are given generally to all and then specifically to the men. "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intersessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."(1 Timothy 2:1-2)
The first key towards a peaceful life amidst the turmoil is prayer. Prayer can fee up the mid to concentrate on G-d, his people and His desire, while leaving selfish desires by the roadside. This form of active worship involves different aspect of prayer, such as petitioning, prostrating before a holy G-d; interceding on behalf of another and giving thanks. Imagine just concentrating on these aspects and the outcome of not ceasing to pray. We would only have time to fold our hands or lift them in prayer.
The second key to abdicating violent behavior among ourselves and worshiping is given in v. 8" I desire then that in very place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;....". Notice that this command is given to the men; why? Men by nature, are and have always been violent. Our hands have left a stain of blood that taints the color of our world. Paul commissions the men, who have such a strong tendency towards acting out in such ways to curb there appetite for quarreling and disputing towards the actions of men born of G-d.
Paul directs their hands away from clenching fists to hands that are "lifted up". These hands are ready for the purpose of distributing blessings, praises, and deeds of goodness.
The conduct of men born of the Spirit is only seen in lives of being in worship. This is a call to believing men to lift up in surrender, praise and adoration, reverence and recognition of G-ds holiness. These hands are empty, cleansed and ready for holy work.
Paul throws in a contrast between two different types of hands. He uses a very specific word for "holy" in connection with hands. It is the word "hoseous"; meaning that which is distinctly separated for G-ds ways from that which is either directly against G-ds ways or just the worldly ways. The opposite of "hoseous keiros"; holy hands is "keiros horgay"; hands of wrath. These hands set apart for holy work are hands that are without anger and quarreling. The normal idea of holy in the Hebrew is the word kodesh, and it is the separation of something or someone; the sacred from the mundane. Things, people and acts are set aside as holy and separate from something, but this Hoseous is a holiness set against something in contrast to something. Thus this act of hands in worship is a contrasting action, a kind of light against the darkness.
A beautiful picture of this way or practical outgrowth of a life given to The Master can be vividly seen in the morning sabbath service of the synagogue.
Toward the middle of the service men go up(if there is a minion), and open the ark in the front of the sanctuary. Once open a delegated person reaches inside to take out the scroll of the Torah. Both hands clasp the handles and rest it upon the right shoulder. Turned toward the congregation after raising it up in the air up to G-d Almighty, a blessing is spoken consecrating the moment for pure worship toward the only true G-d. Then a procession of the Torah goes around the congregation where any individual can touch the bible, or their hand and kiss it in reverence to the Holy Word of G-d.
If we can take the picture of this scene and imbue it to the instruction from Paul to Timothy, we can share in a kind of empty handed fellowship with hands not raised in rebellion but in reverence to G-d and devoted to His Shalom.
May we all be men, people, a worshiping community ready to spill out G-ds blessings upon people with hands made for peaceful worship and praise, in good standing with our Lord and with our neighbor as well.
May G-d bless the hands that bless His Holy Name and His Son Jesus the Messiah. Amen

Missed Trains and Destinations

Minutes before boarding, the time is almost here.
To many belongings, and just to much baggage I fear.
I fumble through what I felt I needed most. So much stuff; where am I going?
Was it to see the sunset on the coast?
So confused, rather dazed; the final whistle is blowing, and I'm in a complete haze.
Hands on my head, pulling out my hair.
I'm going crazy, am I already there?
The conductor yells:"All Aboard!!". So many people trample forward, ready to go and belongings and fully adorned.
Yet here I am, alone with my packed bags.
No destination, only baggage claim tags.
What do I do?! The train starts to leave.
Everyone has gone, except my grief and me.
I fall to the ground amidst all my belongings.
All I have is heavy emotions and mismatched longings.
Just when I thought that I had been left behind.
A hand reaches down and a voice says it's all fine.
The train you were wanting was going east. It wasn't quite right for you
not to say the least.
I'll wait with you here, for the next train to arrive.
We can talk for a while and you can rest and revive.
Take comfort in my words, for my presence is near.
Now hold my hand, and let me wipe that tear.
Stand up now, and leave your bags here, you won't need them you'll see.
Don't be anxious about them, there's no fee.
Here it comes now, this train is the best!
It is not going east, this one is going west.
"All Aboard"

This is first and foremost for my beloved partner in life and then to all others
who may have thought that they had missed the train.
Jesus calls out to each of us to lay down what ever baggage we have and to come and rest in his embrace. After all, He is the Savior and the G-d of second chances.
Come now, for today is the day of salvation.

To call or not to call

This is it, this will be my last of this particular commentary on Romans 10(for now).
Looking at my notes and my explanations on this passage can be read in only a couple of minutes; kind of funny I suppose. My guess is that it might not have been this difficult for the ones it was written to to understand, but only to follow in application.
V.14-17 " How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,"Lord who has believed what he has heard from us?"So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.".
There are three questions here in v.14, and the fourth comes in v.15. The first two questions laid out by Paul are really predicated off the third question;"...and how shall they hear without a preacher?". We have to tackle the identification of who "they' are. First off it's as it says in v.13 "whoever", which is the all inclusive calling. Second, it seems as though the "they" is directed back towards his concern and passion for Israel, in which he began this exhortation at the outset of chp.10. Although it is specific to Israel, I believe also the questions here can apply to the whoever as well.
Let's look at the first question posed;"How then shall they call in Him in whom they have not believed?". Paul is asking a very important question here, and it's the thought of how can Israel as a whole can "call" or attach themselves to their G-d or His messenger? Paul sees Jesus as not only the Messiah but as the voice of a prophet. So he asks, how is it that you call upon G-d when He's already answered and you did not respond, repent at the message or the messenger?
The second question deals with the idea of hearing and believing;" and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?". Is this question directed to the Jews that actually witnessed the life of Jesus and earthly existence? If so, that would make complete sense in light of what not only Jesus said in his words concerning the hearing of the prophets, but what the prophets said about hearing. (Without going into quotation overload, read Isaiah and Jeremiah to get a sense of this text and the disobedience).
How can someone in all honesty call upon one in whom they would not listen to or attach their names to? How could someone believe in someone that they did not hear?
The Hebrew word for hear is "Shamah", and it means to hear, listen, pay attention, perceive and obey. Isaiah 6:9-10 gives a negative example of this usage of the word;"He said(G-d) go and say to this people, surely you hear, but you do not understand, and surely you see, but you fail to know. This people is fattening its heart, hardening its ears, and sealing its eyes, lest they see with its eyes, hear with its ears and understand with its heart, so that it will repent and be healed.".
The people of Isaiahs day heard the words of the prophet, but refused to listen and adamantly refused to heed.
Jesus uses this same passage in Matthew 13 where he teaches in parables. These parables were clear to those who sere willing to hear, but to those who chose to not be responsive to G-ds call were left in judgment for their lack of hearing and not obeying. They seemed content in their ways and and self proclaimed religion and hypocrisies. Basically it is the lack of desire to want to change and being content in social standards that cause them(and us) to be inanimate towards this message; thus they did not hear and respond. So I think the:"they did not hear", means that although they may have witnessed Jesus life and calling they did not hear, or respond and thus not believe in whom they have heard.
The next question of "how shall they hear without a preacher?". So who's the preacher? The preacher or pro claimer is the one announcing a divine message. The importance of a pro claimer is the giving of guidance through special revelation. This revelation goes beyond natural revelation, such as creation, or even conscience, but reveals special attention to action that must be heeded. The preacher is the one announcing something that G-d has spoken and then reiterates the message. We can see from the beginning of creation, revelation comes in the form of both positive and negative commands(look at Genesis 1:28 for this example). From my observation of the scriptures is that there are varied specifics in regulations, G-d calls Jew and Gentile with varied forms of positives and negatives to adhere to. Some of these things are good and holy and somethings to have and some to abstain from. Some regulations from the divine decrees keep us from hurting each other and also to prevent damage to self.
Paul in his stated questions points out how important it is for even the Jew, who has been given the revelations of G-d, that they must also "hear" and "obey" the message by way of the messenger.
V.15 "And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written;"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news of peace, who bring good news of good things.".
This is Pauls way of elevating the necessity of preaching truth, justice, G-ds light, and walking out G-ds ways. It's important for the message of repentance and proper walking to never cease. This is done by never negating the message or messengers of the proclamation to be sent out. The phrase, sent out comes from the Gk word, apostelo; meaning, one who was sent out, a person of merit sent as an envoy on behalf of a master in an administrative role. Paul relates this imperative of apostolic proclamation through the words of Isaiah 52:7. When Isaiah originally gave this oracle, he spoke of the beauty of the footsteps left behind when heralding G-ds promises. Even in the lovely prophecies given here by the prophet, the same mouth had called out to Israel to repent and to return.
If there was any worry on any ones mind if G-d would still send preachers, it seems clear that G-d has always sent his preachers and always will. The message was spoken, is spoken and will always be spoken, and how beautiful the feet that carry it.
V.16 "But they have not all obeyed the message. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?".
I think this is where I'm going to end this post for now, otherwise I will be here until 2011!
Just in the way of thinking back as to why I decided to post this commentary in the first place, I am coming to the conclusion that this passage gets kind of overused in the sense of missionary and evangelism to a lost world. The point Paul was making was for his concern for his people, heritage and religious background. That he was struggling with this reality as well. For any questions out there for those wondering about Israel and if G-d was still doing something through them and in them Paul went onto explain his theology and defense on behalf of the gospel and how they responded or remained despondent. He pointed out for those that wondered how they would here?, he commented on special revelation and how it had already been given. Paul spoke of natural revelation and how that also gave witness and testimony to them being without excuse.
Do I think that despite my reading of this passage and it not fitting in with the overuse of evangelism, that the world still needs missionaries and preachers? Yes of course I do, and before this was Jesus' commission to go out and reach, teach, baptize and make ready a world adorned as a bride for her husband.
With the truth of G-d in my/our hands and our lack of not doing, I fear more for G-ds messiah showing up and me/us being judged by not living up to the standard of truth that we were given.
G-d give us strength to carry this message of hope with validity. Amen.

Unexpected!

Just what does it mean to be caught unexpected? Sometimes it like someone comes from behind and startles you. It could be a raise in your income at work. It could take many forms.
It is the unexpected moments in life that can either make us take a step back, make us run away or go into a paralysis. These are how I normally embrace the unexpected.
My question is, how would G-d want me to respond to these moments and increments of intercepted gifts from His own hand.
Mary the mother of Jesus, questioned how this she could bear a son when she had no husband. This above all would be the most unpredictable event in the life of such a young girl. What did she say, and what did she do with this newsflash? In the gospel of Luke chp. 1:47 it says this;"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in G-d my savior....". Her response goes on for 8 more verses, but the point is that she handled the unexpected news with rejoicing, praising and a liturgy that is still preached, recited and studied 2000 years later.
A very difficult application for this 41 year old man who not to long ago found out that his wife will be having their fifth child. Very unexpected, but very blessed indeed.
Lord may you take this man who is still under construction and give him strength so as to give help to his wife Lord I pray today that your name may be uplifted in all of my lifes twists and turns that never take you unexpectedly.
Bruch Hashem.

For what do the Scriptures say?

I am thinking this morning that this on going commentary should have its own blog. Until then however I'll post maybe just one more after this one.
In this continuance of this commentary I have to be as honest as I can in searching out Pauls intent in his writing. So I will always steer away from some systematic apologetic s of trying to make Paul fit my theological framework. My framework however is not quite systematic anyway.
Soooo, here we go! V.11-12 "For the scriptures say,"Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.".
Paul always point back to the prophets as the authoritative Word. I will say this before moving on, as I believe it is imperative for the usage of scripture here, that Paul purposely and wisely chose this particular quote because of the usage of the pronoun "pas'". The word "pas" from the Greek is translated as all, everyone, or whoever. It is an all inclusive word and thus a non exclusive statement leading right into the further analysis of G-d saving "Jew and Greek alike".
Paul makes a clear mark in the clay of his readers thinking;"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek....". He use the word "diastole" which means distinction;difference;interval;space or distance. Even though there are distinct differences in ritual observation, foods to abstain from, times of months and years to be sanctified that ore obligatory for the Jew, there is no difference on how all people come before G-d. G-d is the Lord of Lords, the creator of everything that can be seen and unseen. G-d is not exclusive to any one group or religion; G-d is over ALL. We must all come the same way, and that is through repentance and acceptance of the wonderful revelation of G-d Himself. Paul is just evening up the gap for the purpose of dismantling the wall of pride and prejudice that is built up by both parties addressed.
V 13-"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
To understand this quote, Paul uses the words from the Prophet Joel. There are two phrases to understand that I think are important here. Let's start with "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord...". It's imperative to understand the context here and to see why Paul chose the prophet Joel to make his statement of faith and confession. So as to make this quick I just broke down the chapters of Joel into a synopsis. Chapter on speaks of the invasion of the destroying locusts and a call to repentance. Chapter 2 deals with the eschatological "day of the Lord'; war and bloodshed; returning to the land and the pouring out of G-ds Spirit. Chapter 3 talks of G-ds judging the nations and the glorious future of Judah.
After a revealing look at the future era of messianic reign, when G-d had shown jealousy for the land and His people(2:18), G-d says that afterward He would do something. Biblically and prophetically speaking, this would be the end of the times of the Gentiles. That is to say that Israel would have by divine decree, their land apart from the Gentile ruler ship.
In all of these promises, Joel pronounces by way of inspiration;"I will pour out my Spirit in all flesh...". The "all flesh" is speaking of just that; "all flesh". Whether Jew or Gentile. The Spirit of G-d will inspire not just the Jew, but break the boundaries of the sexes through:"your sons and daughters"; through barriers of age:"your old men shall have dreams and your young men shall see visions.". G-d even breaks the through the walls of what we call first class and lower class;"even on the male and female slaves in those days I will pour out my Spirit.".
This is Pauls purpose in his usage of this passage, it is to demonstrate that G-d is impartial to the idea of ethnic superiority and that he is the maker of all flesh and all are welcome unequivocally to call on Him.
This is the second phrase included in the verse and that is to call in Him. Joel uses the Hebrew expression "to call" and it basically means to summons G-ds aid. To have this done is for the person calling to have come to a place of understanding of who we are and who G-d is. It is place of humility, divine sorrow for sins and a desperate cry for help that we cannot bring ourselves and thus are dependent upon the G-d of all. The Greek word used for this same expression is "epikalomeous", and it means to call upon or attach or connect to a name.
Paul has an interesting thought with the usage of words and quotes, he uses it to kind of purport an apologetic response to the superiority syndrome and states not only that the nations will call upon the G-d of creation, but will attach His name to theirs and their name to His. This proves to only slam the door on the pride of each of the hearers of the letter.
May we "all" recognize the place where we are at, that we are all the same and in need of G-ds divine favor and grace. I am no better and am in no way superior to any one, because even the faith that I have I cannot even claim as my own, seeing that even that is a grace.
May we all be humbled in His presence call upon the only one that can deliver us from ourselves, the Lord Jesus Messiah. Amen.