1 Corinthians 16:8-9 - But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
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Here in the closing portion of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells them that he is not planning to make a hurried visit to them. Instead, he plans to remain in Ephesus for a while, and then come see them later. His reasoning for wanting to stay where he is comes out of the fact that a great opportunity for ministry has become available to him, and he does not want to neglect it.
This passage speaks to us regarding one false factor that many Christians use to try to determine whether or not something is God’s will. We see the words of Paul here, and we say that we need to look for an opened or closed door in order to know whether or not something is what God wants us to do. But I want you to recognize that, if you look at Paul’s words, you will see that what he describes as an open door is what most who use the “open door principle” would actually call a closed one.
In the same breath, Paul says that a wide door for effective ministry has opened for him, and that there are many adversaries. He is not saying that the sign of the open door is that things are easy or simply laid out before him. On the contrary, his open door is marked by opposition and hardship. His open door is a door to a battleground for the sake of Christ. He is not looking at the ease of the ministry or the simplicity of the opportunity, but rather is looking at the fact that he has a chance to obey the commands of God in a significant way despite difficult circumstances; that is Paul’s open door.
So often, we look for open doors, and we think that open doors are those through which we can walk with comfort and ease. If the job looks good, the money looks right, and the school system looks strong, we conclude that God has opened the door for us to go to the new town. While there is nothing wrong with those three things lining up, they are not the signs of an open door. Open doors are simply these: places and circumstances in which we can obey the commands of God to the utmost of our ability. We might face terrible circumstances all the way. We might never make enough money, have any comforts, or have a moment’s peace from conflict. Such things are not the marks of open doors, regardless of how clearly the prosperity gospel preachers say they are. Paul’s open door in Ephesus led him into battle with adversaries. Your open door to ministry may very well lead you to the same place.
The point here is that we do not use our understanding of open doors and circumstantial evidence to determine whether or not a certain place or ministry is God’s will for us. There are better criteria in place. The criteria that we should use is the word of God, which calls us to live in certain ways and do certain things. Then, when we get the opportunity to obey God in those areas, we take it, even if we face adversaries along the way. The open door is an expression referring to opportunity to obey the clearly given commands of God, not of effortlessness in overcoming circumstances.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will open doors for me to do effective ministry. I recognize that such open doors need not be marked with a lack of difficulty. I simply ask that you will show me where and how I can most effectively follow your commands for your glory. That is the open door through which I desire to walk. Lead me along paths of righteousness, I pray, for your name’s sake.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Choosing Truth Over Fiction (Micah 2:11)
Micah 2:11 - If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people!
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In the middle of Micah’s rebuke of Israel, he exposes something in the hearts of the people that is a valuable lesson for us all. He describes how the people would eagerly follow anyone who preaches to them prosperity, happiness, and freedom to sin before God. They would willingly sacrifice following God and hearing truth for pleasant lies.
The question that we ought to ask ourselves is whether we would prefer a hard truth to an easy fiction. Would you rather hear what is really happening to your soul, or would you prefer to be told that everything is OK? No one who is intelligent would want their physician to lie to them, telling them everything is ok if it was not. Instead, when we go to the doctor, we want him to tell us the truth, painful as it may be, so that we can then respond to it with action.
Micah’s indictment of the people of Israel is not lost on our generation. Many churches are filled with people who would prefer not to hear hard truth, but would rather gather for themselves teachers to say what they want to hear. Paul also wrote to Timothy about such people in . . .
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
So, clearly, the Lord has always known that there will be people who pretend to his worship, but who only desire to hear from him the things that are easy. They will gladly hear about grace, mercy, and love; but they want to hear nothing about holiness, the glory of God, justice, wrath, or sin.
If you catch yourself hearing messages from God’s word, and wanting to skip them to something easier, watch out. Beware being the person who complains that the Bible sounds too negative. It could be that you have fallen prey to the sickness of the people of both Micah’s and Paul’s days. It could be that you are preferring a friendly fiction to the truth about your own soul.
Let us devote ourselves to hearing the word of God in all truth. Let us never settle for the easy when the hard truth is there too. Let us learn as much about God’s wrath as about his love. Let us be open to hear both where we have done well and where we have failed. Let us make it a point to hear the whole counsel of God as given in his holy word, and let us receive nothing less than the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Dear Lord, I recognize that the human heart tends to shy away from hearing what is true in your word. I know that it is easy to hear compliments, and it is very difficult to hear criticism. However, I pray that you will lead me to your truth in your word, whether it be easy or hard. Help me to speak your truth to others, in love, for the glory of your name. Help me to hear your truth in your word and from others who have studied your word so that I might better honor you. I do not want my ears to be tickled. I do not want to follow any teacher preaching a false and deadly prosperity gospel. Instead, I want to hear your revealed truth, which is far better than any fanciful fiction.
.
In the middle of Micah’s rebuke of Israel, he exposes something in the hearts of the people that is a valuable lesson for us all. He describes how the people would eagerly follow anyone who preaches to them prosperity, happiness, and freedom to sin before God. They would willingly sacrifice following God and hearing truth for pleasant lies.
The question that we ought to ask ourselves is whether we would prefer a hard truth to an easy fiction. Would you rather hear what is really happening to your soul, or would you prefer to be told that everything is OK? No one who is intelligent would want their physician to lie to them, telling them everything is ok if it was not. Instead, when we go to the doctor, we want him to tell us the truth, painful as it may be, so that we can then respond to it with action.
Micah’s indictment of the people of Israel is not lost on our generation. Many churches are filled with people who would prefer not to hear hard truth, but would rather gather for themselves teachers to say what they want to hear. Paul also wrote to Timothy about such people in . . .
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
So, clearly, the Lord has always known that there will be people who pretend to his worship, but who only desire to hear from him the things that are easy. They will gladly hear about grace, mercy, and love; but they want to hear nothing about holiness, the glory of God, justice, wrath, or sin.
If you catch yourself hearing messages from God’s word, and wanting to skip them to something easier, watch out. Beware being the person who complains that the Bible sounds too negative. It could be that you have fallen prey to the sickness of the people of both Micah’s and Paul’s days. It could be that you are preferring a friendly fiction to the truth about your own soul.
Let us devote ourselves to hearing the word of God in all truth. Let us never settle for the easy when the hard truth is there too. Let us learn as much about God’s wrath as about his love. Let us be open to hear both where we have done well and where we have failed. Let us make it a point to hear the whole counsel of God as given in his holy word, and let us receive nothing less than the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Dear Lord, I recognize that the human heart tends to shy away from hearing what is true in your word. I know that it is easy to hear compliments, and it is very difficult to hear criticism. However, I pray that you will lead me to your truth in your word, whether it be easy or hard. Help me to speak your truth to others, in love, for the glory of your name. Help me to hear your truth in your word and from others who have studied your word so that I might better honor you. I do not want my ears to be tickled. I do not want to follow any teacher preaching a false and deadly prosperity gospel. Instead, I want to hear your revealed truth, which is far better than any fanciful fiction.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The Mercy of a Threat from God (Jonah 3:4-5, 10)
Jonah 3:4-5, 10 - Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. . . . When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
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Here in chapter 3, Jonah goes to Nineveh and obeys the command of God. He cries out in the midst of the city that Nineveh only has 40 more days until the Lord will destroy it. The people of the city hear Jonah’s word, believe God, and repent. God then relents of the destruction.
We need not shrink back from declaring the word of the Lord to people. Unlike Jonah, we will not receive that word as direct, person-to-person, revelation from God. Instead, we receive God’s word in its written form, holy scripture. The word of God contains a similar call to the lost and dying world that, in a very short time, they will stand under the wrath of God if they do not repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. If, like the people of Nineveh, they hear our words and believe God, they will be saved.
Some people do not want to say such things to the world, because they do not want to sound overly negative. But let me tell you that the call to repentance is extremely good news. The call to repentance and the threat of destruction is a very hopeful call. When God plans to destroy something or someone without any remedy or hope for them, he no longer calls them to repentance. God will not call you to do something that will not help. If the Lord calls you to repent, there is hope that, if you repent, you can be saved and avoid his wrath.
So, the next time you have the chance, be bold to declare to someone the truth of the word of God. Call them to repentance. And let them know that this call to repent is a great and merciful blessing from God containing the hope of forgiveness. And when you hear the call from God to repent of your own sin, receive it as his mercy; because he could have simply judged you, but he chose to call you to turn from your sin and receive his grace.
Dear Lord, I thank you for the call to repentance. I recognize that along with your call to repent of sin and threat of wrath also comes your promise of grace for the one who hears and obeys your word. I pray that you will always continue to speak your call for me to change in your word in order that I would repent and turn to you in every area of life. I pray that you will give me the opportunity to speak your word, your call to repentance, to others, and to show them how great a mercy it is that they can hear that warning. I pray that you will use me as one who speaks your word to others who will hear it and turn to you.
And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. . . . When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
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Here in chapter 3, Jonah goes to Nineveh and obeys the command of God. He cries out in the midst of the city that Nineveh only has 40 more days until the Lord will destroy it. The people of the city hear Jonah’s word, believe God, and repent. God then relents of the destruction.
We need not shrink back from declaring the word of the Lord to people. Unlike Jonah, we will not receive that word as direct, person-to-person, revelation from God. Instead, we receive God’s word in its written form, holy scripture. The word of God contains a similar call to the lost and dying world that, in a very short time, they will stand under the wrath of God if they do not repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. If, like the people of Nineveh, they hear our words and believe God, they will be saved.
Some people do not want to say such things to the world, because they do not want to sound overly negative. But let me tell you that the call to repentance is extremely good news. The call to repentance and the threat of destruction is a very hopeful call. When God plans to destroy something or someone without any remedy or hope for them, he no longer calls them to repentance. God will not call you to do something that will not help. If the Lord calls you to repent, there is hope that, if you repent, you can be saved and avoid his wrath.
So, the next time you have the chance, be bold to declare to someone the truth of the word of God. Call them to repentance. And let them know that this call to repent is a great and merciful blessing from God containing the hope of forgiveness. And when you hear the call from God to repent of your own sin, receive it as his mercy; because he could have simply judged you, but he chose to call you to turn from your sin and receive his grace.
Dear Lord, I thank you for the call to repentance. I recognize that along with your call to repent of sin and threat of wrath also comes your promise of grace for the one who hears and obeys your word. I pray that you will always continue to speak your call for me to change in your word in order that I would repent and turn to you in every area of life. I pray that you will give me the opportunity to speak your word, your call to repentance, to others, and to show them how great a mercy it is that they can hear that warning. I pray that you will use me as one who speaks your word to others who will hear it and turn to you.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Love, the Ultimate Test (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
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In Paul’s discussion of the spiritual gifts that were being practiced and sought in the Corinthian church, he interjects the chapter we simply call the “love” chapter. It is often read at weddings, especially emphasizing the things beginning at verse 4. However, there is a far more important use for this chapter in the body of Christ.
Notice that, in verses 1-3 above, Paul describes many things that he might have or do which are honorable. He might have the most fabulous and amazing spiritual gifts. He might be able to do incredible things. He might be so incredibly self-sacrificial that he gives away all his possessions to the poor and is martyred for the faith. However, he adds with each statement that if he does these things without love, he has done nothing and gains nothing.
Love as a motivator trumps all our actions. No deed, regardless of how righteous or sacrificial, that is not done with true, biblical, God-glorifying love will matter. Whether it be dropping money in the offering basket, singing a song at church, or selling your home and becoming a foreign missionary, if you do it without love, you gain nothing before God. So you will find that in all forms of Christian service, there is a higher test than simply your behavior; that test is the test of your heart.
God is far more interested in your heart than in your behavior. If you behave properly, but without a heart that is right before him, your behavior is simple hypocrisy. However, if your heart is right before God, loving and focused on his glory, your behavior will be right, because right behavior will be your heart’s desire. The battleground for the souls and actions of men is not fought in mere behavioral alteration, it is fought for and won or lost in the hearts of men. The battle is not for the behavior of men, it is for the hearts of men.
No, do not get me wrong. This is not some way to excuse behavior that God forbids. You can not sin out of love and therefore justify your sin. If God forbids a behavior, you must not do it. But, let me also add that your not doing it only counts if you refrain from the behavior out of love for God. Similarly, if God commands a behavior, you can not avoid doing it because you don’t feel the proper love. God commands you to do the right things, and to do them in love. Your call is not to avoid doing right until your heart changes; your call is to change your heart and do what is right. And, again, the right behavior is only worthwhile when it is done out of love.
In a preaching class at my seminary, my professor, Dr. Hershael York, told us a story about a young man he once taught who was a fabulous preacher, but who was not kind or outgoing. Dr. York told this young man that he needed to become more kind and more outgoing if he was going to become a successful pastor. The man objected to Dr. York’s challenge, asking, “Are you saying that you want me to pretend to be something I’m not?” Dr. York countered, “No, I want you to change."
God is not calling you, in 1 Corinthians 13, to pretend to be something you are not. However, he is also not allowing you to stand still. God is calling you to change. That change is not to be merely external. God wants you to change from the heart. Then, your outer behavior will change because your heart has led you in a different direction. This is a battle of epic proportions. You fight, every day, to change your heart. You do so with the word of God, with spiritual disciplines, and only in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. You work with all your might, and when all is said and done, it will still be God who changes you. You may not righteously sit back and wait for God to change you. God commands you to work, to fight, to battle, and to love. So, today, work on subduing your own heart with the word of God led by the Spirit of God. Fight the battle to love, because without love, you have nothing.
Dear Lord, I recognize that anything I do that is not led by and motivated by love is worthless. I pray that you will empower me to subdue my heart. I pray that you will empower me to become a more loving person. Let all that I do be motivated by love for you and for your glory. I acknowledge my role in this battle. I can not sit idly by and wait for you to change me. You command I work, and so I ask that you will give your Spirit’s power and leading to my work.
.
In Paul’s discussion of the spiritual gifts that were being practiced and sought in the Corinthian church, he interjects the chapter we simply call the “love” chapter. It is often read at weddings, especially emphasizing the things beginning at verse 4. However, there is a far more important use for this chapter in the body of Christ.
Notice that, in verses 1-3 above, Paul describes many things that he might have or do which are honorable. He might have the most fabulous and amazing spiritual gifts. He might be able to do incredible things. He might be so incredibly self-sacrificial that he gives away all his possessions to the poor and is martyred for the faith. However, he adds with each statement that if he does these things without love, he has done nothing and gains nothing.
Love as a motivator trumps all our actions. No deed, regardless of how righteous or sacrificial, that is not done with true, biblical, God-glorifying love will matter. Whether it be dropping money in the offering basket, singing a song at church, or selling your home and becoming a foreign missionary, if you do it without love, you gain nothing before God. So you will find that in all forms of Christian service, there is a higher test than simply your behavior; that test is the test of your heart.
God is far more interested in your heart than in your behavior. If you behave properly, but without a heart that is right before him, your behavior is simple hypocrisy. However, if your heart is right before God, loving and focused on his glory, your behavior will be right, because right behavior will be your heart’s desire. The battleground for the souls and actions of men is not fought in mere behavioral alteration, it is fought for and won or lost in the hearts of men. The battle is not for the behavior of men, it is for the hearts of men.
No, do not get me wrong. This is not some way to excuse behavior that God forbids. You can not sin out of love and therefore justify your sin. If God forbids a behavior, you must not do it. But, let me also add that your not doing it only counts if you refrain from the behavior out of love for God. Similarly, if God commands a behavior, you can not avoid doing it because you don’t feel the proper love. God commands you to do the right things, and to do them in love. Your call is not to avoid doing right until your heart changes; your call is to change your heart and do what is right. And, again, the right behavior is only worthwhile when it is done out of love.
In a preaching class at my seminary, my professor, Dr. Hershael York, told us a story about a young man he once taught who was a fabulous preacher, but who was not kind or outgoing. Dr. York told this young man that he needed to become more kind and more outgoing if he was going to become a successful pastor. The man objected to Dr. York’s challenge, asking, “Are you saying that you want me to pretend to be something I’m not?” Dr. York countered, “No, I want you to change."
God is not calling you, in 1 Corinthians 13, to pretend to be something you are not. However, he is also not allowing you to stand still. God is calling you to change. That change is not to be merely external. God wants you to change from the heart. Then, your outer behavior will change because your heart has led you in a different direction. This is a battle of epic proportions. You fight, every day, to change your heart. You do so with the word of God, with spiritual disciplines, and only in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. You work with all your might, and when all is said and done, it will still be God who changes you. You may not righteously sit back and wait for God to change you. God commands you to work, to fight, to battle, and to love. So, today, work on subduing your own heart with the word of God led by the Spirit of God. Fight the battle to love, because without love, you have nothing.
Dear Lord, I recognize that anything I do that is not led by and motivated by love is worthless. I pray that you will empower me to subdue my heart. I pray that you will empower me to become a more loving person. Let all that I do be motivated by love for you and for your glory. I acknowledge my role in this battle. I can not sit idly by and wait for you to change me. You command I work, and so I ask that you will give your Spirit’s power and leading to my work.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
God Calls Us To Obedience (Jonah 1:1-2)
*** The following is taken from a sermon I preached on Jonah 1 in the summer of 2003. (Notice that I no longer use the NIV translation for teaching, but have left it here as I originally wrote it.) ***
Jonah 1:1-2 (NIV)
1. The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
2. "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."
. In this opening call of the book of Jonah, we see that the LORD calls Jonah to speak out in the same way that he calls all of his prophets. The language is very much the same. The word of God is given to a particular man. That man is called to go and preach a particular message of God to a particular people.
God calls Jonah to perform a simple task: get up and go preach. We know that God tells Jonah to get up and preach against Nineveh. We know that Nineveh is the capital city of Assyria, a brutal foreign empire that will eventually become the Bain of the Northern Kingdom. We know that God wants Jonah to preach against Nineveh because of the greatness of the wickedness of that city. However, in reality, this is not a great deal of detail.
The major point here is that God calls, and Jonah should obey. It is a simple and unmistakable call. Jonah ought to listen. This truth is as true for us as it is for Jonah. When God calls us to do something, he expects our obedience. For those of us who are his children, we have no right to do anything other than obey. Why is that? It is because he is our God, and if we are saved, we have been purchased by Christ for him. Paul says it this way in1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
Obedience is the appropriate response of the people of God to the commands of God. I understand that at times the commands of God appear difficult or unsavory to us. In this instance, we will discover that the command of God was unpalatable for Jonah. However, our opinion about the commands of God is irrelevant. What is relevant is that obedience is a primary tenant of being in relationship with God. Let us look at a few verses of scripture that will spell this out for us:
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: "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.”
Psalm 103:17-18 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
I think that this short list of verses makes it clear to us that when God commands, his followers obey. Obedience is a critical element to a relationship with God. Without it, there is no relationship. God calls Jonah. Jonah should obey. When God calls us, we too should obey.
Jonah 1:1-2 (NIV)
1. The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
2. "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."
. In this opening call of the book of Jonah, we see that the LORD calls Jonah to speak out in the same way that he calls all of his prophets. The language is very much the same. The word of God is given to a particular man. That man is called to go and preach a particular message of God to a particular people.
God calls Jonah to perform a simple task: get up and go preach. We know that God tells Jonah to get up and preach against Nineveh. We know that Nineveh is the capital city of Assyria, a brutal foreign empire that will eventually become the Bain of the Northern Kingdom. We know that God wants Jonah to preach against Nineveh because of the greatness of the wickedness of that city. However, in reality, this is not a great deal of detail.
The major point here is that God calls, and Jonah should obey. It is a simple and unmistakable call. Jonah ought to listen. This truth is as true for us as it is for Jonah. When God calls us to do something, he expects our obedience. For those of us who are his children, we have no right to do anything other than obey. Why is that? It is because he is our God, and if we are saved, we have been purchased by Christ for him. Paul says it this way in1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
Obedience is the appropriate response of the people of God to the commands of God. I understand that at times the commands of God appear difficult or unsavory to us. In this instance, we will discover that the command of God was unpalatable for Jonah. However, our opinion about the commands of God is irrelevant. What is relevant is that obedience is a primary tenant of being in relationship with God. Let us look at a few verses of scripture that will spell this out for us:
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: "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.”
Psalm 103:17-18 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
I think that this short list of verses makes it clear to us that when God commands, his followers obey. Obedience is a critical element to a relationship with God. Without it, there is no relationship. God calls Jonah. Jonah should obey. When God calls us, we too should obey.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Can This Be Enough? (2 Kings 5:10-12)
2 Kings 5:10-12 - And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
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Naaman, a Syrian military commander, had leprosy. After hearing about Elisha, the prophet in Israel, Naaman came seeking healing for his disease. When he arrived at Elisha’s door, Elisha, as we read above, sent a simple message to him about how he would be healed. But Naaman was very angry, because the prophet simply sent word for him to wash in the Jordan instead of coming out to perform some sort of ritual over his diseased skin. Later in the chapter, Naaman’s servants do convince him to follow the prophet’s instruction, and Naaman is healed.
But something interesting strikes me about Naaman’s anger. He is upset, because he could not imagine that the gracious healing of God could come by such a simple. Means. Naaman just knew in his heart that, if he were to be healed, it must require some sort of spectacular ceremony, incantation, potion, or sacrifice. Surely healing could not come by such a simple means. Surely the Jordan River is not the best source of water. Surely there must be more.
Naaman almost stumbled over the stumbling block of faith. In the New Testament, the cross of Christ is called a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Why was the cross a stumbling block? It was for the same reason that Naaman almost turned and left Israel in a huff. The Jews, and very many others, will not believe that salvation from sins can come by such a seemingly simple means as faith. Throughout the New Testament, the authors argued time and time again against people who could not believe that salvation would come via such a simple means. They called people to faith, with no religious rituals, fancy ceremonies, or outward deeds of penance. The New Testament authors preached a salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and such a preaching actually caught many of their hearers as too good to be true.
Today, we still live in a world where people can not receive the grace of God because they refuse to believe that it is that simple. They can not imagine that God would truly forgive anyone simply based on whether or not that person has placed their trust in Jesus Christ. Some turn away from Jesus completely because of their trouble with this. Other groups attempt to add the necessity of certain rituals, sacraments, or good works to one’s faith in order for it to be saving faith (this is the Roman Catholic error). But the fact remains that the only means that God has ever given whereby the souls of men might be saved is by his grace through a simple faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Now, let me make one more application of the Naaman story to our modern age that is a little different. It is not merely the lost who fall into Naaman’s error. There is a way in which Christians look like Naaman too. God has given us his holy scriptures, fully sufficient and inspired—breathed out by God with no possibility of error. God’s holy word contains in it everything that we need to know and do his will. His word contains in itself either explicitly or implicitly, everything we need to make every moral decision. It contains everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) so that the people of God can be equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17). But very many who claim Christ reject the sufficiency of the Bible. These people are out there looking for a mystical experience where God will reveal to them some new portion of his will that he did not record in scripture, because, like Naaman, they think that things just can’t be that easy. They think there should be some magical feeling, some spiritual experience, some secret formula to discerning the will of God. They think that the more flashy looking tools of secular psychology or psychiatry are what we need to use to solve our problems instead of God’s word. They turn to the opinions of men, lost men, to determine ethics regarding sexual morality or the sanctity of human life, because they think that the Bible is outdated. But all such errors look just like Naaman, rejecting God’s way for one that is more flashy, more modern, or more of the way they want things to be done.
So, how do you fall into Naaman’s error? What part of Christianity is too good to be true in your mind? Is faith in Christ not enough to save your soul? That is what God says will save you. Is the word of God not a sufficient means for you to learn his will, solve your problems, or determine what is moral? God said it is enough. Is God not enough to satisfy your soul? He claims to be enough. Today, turn from seeking something extra flashy, and follow what god has said that you need for salvation and for godly living.
Dear Lord, I thank you that following you is not all bound up in mystical experiences and ostentatious ceremonies. I recognize and acknowledge that salvation is your gift that comes to me by your grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I know that I can add nothing to faith for my salvation, and that faith is a gift from you. I pray that you will make me aware of any way in which I try to add something to faith and so dishonor Christ. I also pray that you will help me to live, as a Christian, by your all-sufficient word. Let me not turn to things outside of your revelation to determine how to live or to help others with problems. I trust that you have given me, in your word, everything I need. I do not need some extra mystical experience, because such an experience will not give me anything more than what is already recorded in your holy word. I pray that you will guide me to your truth as you have revealed it in your word, and keep me from seeking something extra like Naaman nearly did.
.
Naaman, a Syrian military commander, had leprosy. After hearing about Elisha, the prophet in Israel, Naaman came seeking healing for his disease. When he arrived at Elisha’s door, Elisha, as we read above, sent a simple message to him about how he would be healed. But Naaman was very angry, because the prophet simply sent word for him to wash in the Jordan instead of coming out to perform some sort of ritual over his diseased skin. Later in the chapter, Naaman’s servants do convince him to follow the prophet’s instruction, and Naaman is healed.
But something interesting strikes me about Naaman’s anger. He is upset, because he could not imagine that the gracious healing of God could come by such a simple. Means. Naaman just knew in his heart that, if he were to be healed, it must require some sort of spectacular ceremony, incantation, potion, or sacrifice. Surely healing could not come by such a simple means. Surely the Jordan River is not the best source of water. Surely there must be more.
Naaman almost stumbled over the stumbling block of faith. In the New Testament, the cross of Christ is called a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Why was the cross a stumbling block? It was for the same reason that Naaman almost turned and left Israel in a huff. The Jews, and very many others, will not believe that salvation from sins can come by such a seemingly simple means as faith. Throughout the New Testament, the authors argued time and time again against people who could not believe that salvation would come via such a simple means. They called people to faith, with no religious rituals, fancy ceremonies, or outward deeds of penance. The New Testament authors preached a salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and such a preaching actually caught many of their hearers as too good to be true.
Today, we still live in a world where people can not receive the grace of God because they refuse to believe that it is that simple. They can not imagine that God would truly forgive anyone simply based on whether or not that person has placed their trust in Jesus Christ. Some turn away from Jesus completely because of their trouble with this. Other groups attempt to add the necessity of certain rituals, sacraments, or good works to one’s faith in order for it to be saving faith (this is the Roman Catholic error). But the fact remains that the only means that God has ever given whereby the souls of men might be saved is by his grace through a simple faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Now, let me make one more application of the Naaman story to our modern age that is a little different. It is not merely the lost who fall into Naaman’s error. There is a way in which Christians look like Naaman too. God has given us his holy scriptures, fully sufficient and inspired—breathed out by God with no possibility of error. God’s holy word contains in it everything that we need to know and do his will. His word contains in itself either explicitly or implicitly, everything we need to make every moral decision. It contains everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) so that the people of God can be equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17). But very many who claim Christ reject the sufficiency of the Bible. These people are out there looking for a mystical experience where God will reveal to them some new portion of his will that he did not record in scripture, because, like Naaman, they think that things just can’t be that easy. They think there should be some magical feeling, some spiritual experience, some secret formula to discerning the will of God. They think that the more flashy looking tools of secular psychology or psychiatry are what we need to use to solve our problems instead of God’s word. They turn to the opinions of men, lost men, to determine ethics regarding sexual morality or the sanctity of human life, because they think that the Bible is outdated. But all such errors look just like Naaman, rejecting God’s way for one that is more flashy, more modern, or more of the way they want things to be done.
So, how do you fall into Naaman’s error? What part of Christianity is too good to be true in your mind? Is faith in Christ not enough to save your soul? That is what God says will save you. Is the word of God not a sufficient means for you to learn his will, solve your problems, or determine what is moral? God said it is enough. Is God not enough to satisfy your soul? He claims to be enough. Today, turn from seeking something extra flashy, and follow what god has said that you need for salvation and for godly living.
Dear Lord, I thank you that following you is not all bound up in mystical experiences and ostentatious ceremonies. I recognize and acknowledge that salvation is your gift that comes to me by your grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I know that I can add nothing to faith for my salvation, and that faith is a gift from you. I pray that you will make me aware of any way in which I try to add something to faith and so dishonor Christ. I also pray that you will help me to live, as a Christian, by your all-sufficient word. Let me not turn to things outside of your revelation to determine how to live or to help others with problems. I trust that you have given me, in your word, everything I need. I do not need some extra mystical experience, because such an experience will not give me anything more than what is already recorded in your holy word. I pray that you will guide me to your truth as you have revealed it in your word, and keep me from seeking something extra like Naaman nearly did.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Knowledge or Love in Christian Freedom (1 Corinthians 8:1, 11-13)
1 Corinthians 8:1, 11-13 - Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.. . . And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
.
There are numerous difficult topics of debatable “freedoms” over which Christians disagree. The use of alcohol, watching certain movies, or shopping at particular stores are all examples of such issues. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses an issue of a similar ilk from the first century. His handling of that issue back then speaks volumes to how we should handle such issues today.
In Corinth, many in the culture had come out of an idol worshiping background. Part of worshiping an idol involved “offering” food to your false god. The food would be taken and set before the statue. The idol worshiper believed that the god received sustenance and pleasure from the food, though the actual piece of meat did not disappear (a belief that can still be found in many cultures today who offer food to idols or to ancestors). The meat that had been “offered” was then sold—presumably at a reduced cost—to be eaten by those who were willing to do so.
Now, it is interesting that Paul begins his argument with the issue of knowledge. He points out that we all have knowledge, but warns that there is a danger to that knowledge that we will address later. For most of the chapter, he then explains how there is nothing wrong with meat that had been offered to a statue. He declares without hesitation that there are no gods; there is only one God. Thus, the meat that is supposedly offered to a statue or to dead relatives is simply meat that has been set out. Nothing has changed about the meat. Since the false gods are nothing and since dead ancestors can not receive nourishment from food from this world, Paul argues that there is nothing wrong with eating that meat. Thus, he declares that, by knowledge, Christians have the right to eat such meat.
This type of “right” is what many Christians cling to who demand to be allowed to indulge in their freedoms. They argue, and often quite strongly, that the Bible does not forbid a particular activity. They point out that, while the Bible forbids drunkenness and sexual immorality, that standard does not preclude responsible drinking or movies that do not explicitly portray sexual immorality. So, these Christians, from their knowledge, declare themselves free to responsibly partake of these pleasures. (And let me honestly admit that I have most certainly been in this camp in times past, even writing a lengthy paper on the topic in my seminary ethics class.)
However, let us look again at the warning that Paul makes about this knowledge. Paul never denies that the knowledge is true. In fact, he affirms the truth of the statement that meat sacrificed to idols is no different than any other meat. However, he also points out that this knowledge can puff us up, make us arrogant, instead of building us up in love. Paul acknowledged the rightness of the argument of certain groups, but then said that it is more loving for them, in their particular setting, to avoid indulging their freedom for the sake of Christian love and unity. Because the exercise of freedoms by one person can have a devastating impact on the life and conscience of another believer—one whose conscience may be admittedly weaker—, Paul declares that he will willingly give up his rights and freedoms in order to build up the body in love.
The question about alcohol, movies, and certain other “freedoms” actually ought not be a question of knowledge. Instead, the question needs to be one of Christian love. If you consider yourself to be a mature believer, you need to recognize that no simple pleasure here on earth is worth doing harm to another believer, even one who might have an overly strict view of a topic in your opinion. How could you ever argue that you are behaving in a way that honors God is you, for the sake of earthly pleasure, do something that tears down the fellowship of the local church or hurts another believer? The fact is, Christian love and kindness is far more important than food, drink, entertainment, or clothing. We ought not hesitate to give up things that might be OK in our opinion in order to make sure that we can be as loving as possible toward others in the church with whom we disagree.
Let me also add that the solution to this problem is not to simply choose to indulge your freedom when you think others are not looking. This leads to a life of sneaking down the aisles in your local grocery or video rental store, hoping that no other believer with a weaker conscience happens to see you. I’m sorry, but there is no way that you can do that out of Christian love.
As my parenthetical statement above indicates, I have not always taken the position here spelled out about issues of Christian liberty. I admit that freely, and I honestly have since had to repent of my attitude. My former position was one of selfishness rather than community, of knowledge instead of love. I Argued on behalf of pleasures and perceived rights instead of on behalf of unity in the body of Christ. Part of that argument came from a deep and right desire to call people away from legalism and to a biblically informed standard of living. I still make such a call. But I also make a call for Christians to live out of love, even when that love forces you to give up what your knowledge tells you may be OK. I am sure of this: no person will ever give up a freedom here on earth for the glory of God and the sake of his church who will not be rewarded with an infinitely higher pleasure in the kingdom of God that is coming.
So, ask yourself if you allow your knowledge to do harm to the body. Are you so smart that you hurt people? Do you swing your education or scriptural understanding around as a club, desiring to bash in bad beliefs? Do you indulge in freedoms that you actually have to hide in order to not offend others? Is your driving force for how you live knowledge or is it love and the glory of God? It is time to live for God’s glory, guarding with all your might the church, the bride of Christ. If that means that you or I get rid of things which give us temporal pleasure in order to better love others, let us do so with joy, looking forward to a far greater reward from our God.
Dear Lord, I confess to you that my attitude has not always been love before knowledge. I pray that you will forgive me for any moment in my past where I have flaunted freedoms or damaged others through what I would approve. I recognize that such living is not out of love. I thank you for showing me this in your word, and I ask that you will help me to always live for your glory and for the betterment of your church. Help me to willingly give up unnecessary freedoms if that will better help me to love others in your name. Also, please help the rest of your church to learn to live out of a God first and others next before self mentality. Help us to live lives of openness, feeling the need to hide nothing from one another because all we do is loving and glorifying to you.
.
There are numerous difficult topics of debatable “freedoms” over which Christians disagree. The use of alcohol, watching certain movies, or shopping at particular stores are all examples of such issues. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses an issue of a similar ilk from the first century. His handling of that issue back then speaks volumes to how we should handle such issues today.
In Corinth, many in the culture had come out of an idol worshiping background. Part of worshiping an idol involved “offering” food to your false god. The food would be taken and set before the statue. The idol worshiper believed that the god received sustenance and pleasure from the food, though the actual piece of meat did not disappear (a belief that can still be found in many cultures today who offer food to idols or to ancestors). The meat that had been “offered” was then sold—presumably at a reduced cost—to be eaten by those who were willing to do so.
Now, it is interesting that Paul begins his argument with the issue of knowledge. He points out that we all have knowledge, but warns that there is a danger to that knowledge that we will address later. For most of the chapter, he then explains how there is nothing wrong with meat that had been offered to a statue. He declares without hesitation that there are no gods; there is only one God. Thus, the meat that is supposedly offered to a statue or to dead relatives is simply meat that has been set out. Nothing has changed about the meat. Since the false gods are nothing and since dead ancestors can not receive nourishment from food from this world, Paul argues that there is nothing wrong with eating that meat. Thus, he declares that, by knowledge, Christians have the right to eat such meat.
This type of “right” is what many Christians cling to who demand to be allowed to indulge in their freedoms. They argue, and often quite strongly, that the Bible does not forbid a particular activity. They point out that, while the Bible forbids drunkenness and sexual immorality, that standard does not preclude responsible drinking or movies that do not explicitly portray sexual immorality. So, these Christians, from their knowledge, declare themselves free to responsibly partake of these pleasures. (And let me honestly admit that I have most certainly been in this camp in times past, even writing a lengthy paper on the topic in my seminary ethics class.)
However, let us look again at the warning that Paul makes about this knowledge. Paul never denies that the knowledge is true. In fact, he affirms the truth of the statement that meat sacrificed to idols is no different than any other meat. However, he also points out that this knowledge can puff us up, make us arrogant, instead of building us up in love. Paul acknowledged the rightness of the argument of certain groups, but then said that it is more loving for them, in their particular setting, to avoid indulging their freedom for the sake of Christian love and unity. Because the exercise of freedoms by one person can have a devastating impact on the life and conscience of another believer—one whose conscience may be admittedly weaker—, Paul declares that he will willingly give up his rights and freedoms in order to build up the body in love.
The question about alcohol, movies, and certain other “freedoms” actually ought not be a question of knowledge. Instead, the question needs to be one of Christian love. If you consider yourself to be a mature believer, you need to recognize that no simple pleasure here on earth is worth doing harm to another believer, even one who might have an overly strict view of a topic in your opinion. How could you ever argue that you are behaving in a way that honors God is you, for the sake of earthly pleasure, do something that tears down the fellowship of the local church or hurts another believer? The fact is, Christian love and kindness is far more important than food, drink, entertainment, or clothing. We ought not hesitate to give up things that might be OK in our opinion in order to make sure that we can be as loving as possible toward others in the church with whom we disagree.
Let me also add that the solution to this problem is not to simply choose to indulge your freedom when you think others are not looking. This leads to a life of sneaking down the aisles in your local grocery or video rental store, hoping that no other believer with a weaker conscience happens to see you. I’m sorry, but there is no way that you can do that out of Christian love.
As my parenthetical statement above indicates, I have not always taken the position here spelled out about issues of Christian liberty. I admit that freely, and I honestly have since had to repent of my attitude. My former position was one of selfishness rather than community, of knowledge instead of love. I Argued on behalf of pleasures and perceived rights instead of on behalf of unity in the body of Christ. Part of that argument came from a deep and right desire to call people away from legalism and to a biblically informed standard of living. I still make such a call. But I also make a call for Christians to live out of love, even when that love forces you to give up what your knowledge tells you may be OK. I am sure of this: no person will ever give up a freedom here on earth for the glory of God and the sake of his church who will not be rewarded with an infinitely higher pleasure in the kingdom of God that is coming.
So, ask yourself if you allow your knowledge to do harm to the body. Are you so smart that you hurt people? Do you swing your education or scriptural understanding around as a club, desiring to bash in bad beliefs? Do you indulge in freedoms that you actually have to hide in order to not offend others? Is your driving force for how you live knowledge or is it love and the glory of God? It is time to live for God’s glory, guarding with all your might the church, the bride of Christ. If that means that you or I get rid of things which give us temporal pleasure in order to better love others, let us do so with joy, looking forward to a far greater reward from our God.
Dear Lord, I confess to you that my attitude has not always been love before knowledge. I pray that you will forgive me for any moment in my past where I have flaunted freedoms or damaged others through what I would approve. I recognize that such living is not out of love. I thank you for showing me this in your word, and I ask that you will help me to always live for your glory and for the betterment of your church. Help me to willingly give up unnecessary freedoms if that will better help me to love others in your name. Also, please help the rest of your church to learn to live out of a God first and others next before self mentality. Help us to live lives of openness, feeling the need to hide nothing from one another because all we do is loving and glorifying to you.
The Affliction of Success (Amos 6:4-6)
Amos 6:4-6 - Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Proverbs 30:8-9
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.
.
Amos here describes a people who are filthy rich. They have beds of ivory, all they can eat and drink, and all the pleasure they could want. According to many in our world, these are the blessed ones. But Amos pronounces woe upon them, because they are under God’s judgment. Why? Not for having wealth, but because they have their wealth while not caring about the downfall of the nation or the glory of God. They focused on themselves and their pleasures, and cared nothing for the poor and needy around them. They looked to their entertainment, and cared nothing for the worship of God. They built up their own houses, and failed to call for the destruction of the places of idol worship in their land.
Little is more blinding in our world than success and ease. If you read the accounts of Christians in foreign lands, you will be amazed at the courage and self-sacrifice of such people. Why is it, then, that many in our own cultures show no sign of that same courage, passion, and fire for God and his glory? Perhaps the reason we are so devastatingly complacent is the fact that we have been lulled to sleep by our comforts. Our great scourge is not persecution, but prosperity. Satan’s great trick for us is not to afflict us as he did Job with sickness and loss. Instead, he has come up with a much more clever scheme, giving us all we could ever want so we then turn and no longer care about or think we need God.
Are you successful? Good. Are your needs adequately met? Fine. But be careful. Is your success causing you to forget that you still need God every day? Are your possessions and little pleasures worth so much to you that you will not risk losing them in order to help out a needy person? Do the things that you own actually own you? Would you give up your property to preach the gospel in a foreign land? What kind of hold do your possessions have over you? What kind of grip do your pleasures have on your heart?
Today, ask God to help you to let go of an earthly model of success, to live for him instead of worldly pleasures, and to value his kingdom and his glory above all. Turn your heart away from the little comforts and petty pleasures that would take your heart captive, and lead you to destruction. See the pleasures and the toys of this life as simply things, nothing more and nothing less. They are creation, not the Creator. Follow hard after the Creator, and he will set in proper perspective all that he has made that is good and enjoyable.
Dear Lord, you are all that I want. No pleasure, no possession is worthy of my attention above you. I pray that you will give me enough that I might live for your glory, neither dishonoring you by stealing nor forgetting you in my comfort. Let me view all possessions and comforts as tools that I might use for your glory, and let me give all my life to you.
Proverbs 30:8-9
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.
.
Amos here describes a people who are filthy rich. They have beds of ivory, all they can eat and drink, and all the pleasure they could want. According to many in our world, these are the blessed ones. But Amos pronounces woe upon them, because they are under God’s judgment. Why? Not for having wealth, but because they have their wealth while not caring about the downfall of the nation or the glory of God. They focused on themselves and their pleasures, and cared nothing for the poor and needy around them. They looked to their entertainment, and cared nothing for the worship of God. They built up their own houses, and failed to call for the destruction of the places of idol worship in their land.
Little is more blinding in our world than success and ease. If you read the accounts of Christians in foreign lands, you will be amazed at the courage and self-sacrifice of such people. Why is it, then, that many in our own cultures show no sign of that same courage, passion, and fire for God and his glory? Perhaps the reason we are so devastatingly complacent is the fact that we have been lulled to sleep by our comforts. Our great scourge is not persecution, but prosperity. Satan’s great trick for us is not to afflict us as he did Job with sickness and loss. Instead, he has come up with a much more clever scheme, giving us all we could ever want so we then turn and no longer care about or think we need God.
Are you successful? Good. Are your needs adequately met? Fine. But be careful. Is your success causing you to forget that you still need God every day? Are your possessions and little pleasures worth so much to you that you will not risk losing them in order to help out a needy person? Do the things that you own actually own you? Would you give up your property to preach the gospel in a foreign land? What kind of hold do your possessions have over you? What kind of grip do your pleasures have on your heart?
Today, ask God to help you to let go of an earthly model of success, to live for him instead of worldly pleasures, and to value his kingdom and his glory above all. Turn your heart away from the little comforts and petty pleasures that would take your heart captive, and lead you to destruction. See the pleasures and the toys of this life as simply things, nothing more and nothing less. They are creation, not the Creator. Follow hard after the Creator, and he will set in proper perspective all that he has made that is good and enjoyable.
Dear Lord, you are all that I want. No pleasure, no possession is worthy of my attention above you. I pray that you will give me enough that I might live for your glory, neither dishonoring you by stealing nor forgetting you in my comfort. Let me view all possessions and comforts as tools that I might use for your glory, and let me give all my life to you.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Acceptable Worship (Amos 5:21-24)
Amos 5:21-24 - I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
.
The scripture above is an incredibly frightening section of scripture. The Lord is speaking out against the northern kingdom of Israel, and he has very little good to say to them. God expresses his feelings about their ceremonial religious behavior, and those feelings are not gentle. He says that he hates and despises there ceremonies and feasts. He says that he will not accept or even look upon their offerings. He will not even listen to their songs of worship.
Why is God so upset with Israel? There are many reasons, but the main things in Amos have to do with the evil way that the people of Israel live before him. They oppress the poor, stealing from them and taking advantage of them. They worship false Gods. And they do all these things while arrogantly believing that they can also offer their religious leftovers to the Lord. This is why God is saying that he rejects their offerings, ceremonies, and songs.
Imagine a wife who is unfaithful to her husband. She steals from the family’s bank account to go out, party, and have affairs with several men in her community. She publicly says all sorts of slanderous and degrading things about her husband, and shows no sign of wanting to turn away from her many lovers. Would you expect her husband, knowing all of this, to be happy if this adulteress woman gave him a little birthday gift? Of course not. The gift, even if accompanied by a party with nice food and decorations would by no means make up for her unrepentant adultery and her overall unfaithfulness to the husband and the family.
In much the same way, we ought never expect God to be impressed with our outward religious actions if our lives and our hearts do not match. God will not be impressed with your church attendance on Sunday if you are living like a pagan from Monday through Saturday. He will not love your songs of praise to him if you are worshiping possessions, entertainment, or simply yourself on every other day. He will not be impressed with your dropping a little money in the offering basket on Sunday if you are abusive to your spouse, cruel to the needy, stealing from your employer, or embracing sexual immorality. God hates empty and false religion. He would not accept it from Israel, and he will not accept it from you.
There is, however, another side of the coin. Let me illustrate with another picture of a marriage. I have a loving, kind, generous, and faithful wife. Mitzi is a loving mate and a fabulous mother to my child. I have no fear that she will say or do anything to bring me harm. Unlike the husband in my earlier illustration, I appreciate even the smallest gift from my wife. She does not have to plan a party or decorate a room for me to be completely joyful about a gift she gives me. She does not even have to give me a gift, but simply can say something kind to me to bring me happiness. I can enjoy and appreciate all her gestures of kindness, because I know that she loves me and is faithful to me as her husband. I do not reject her attempts to show me love, because I know them to be genuine, sincere, and pure.
In much the same way, the final call from God in verse 24 gives hope to the people of Israel if they will receive it. He calls them to turn from their evil ways, and turn to justice and righteousness. He calls them to start living in kindness and compassion toward the needy. He calls them to make their lives match their confession of faith. He calls them to live in righteousness, obeying his commands and putting away their false gods. And the understood promise here is, if they will turn from evil to righteousness and justice, the Lord will receive their worship.
If God’s call to turn to him in true worship backed up by a sincere life of obedience to his commands is a good thing for Israel, it is a fabulous thing for us as well. While God does not accept worship that is given to him out of false and empty hearts, he most certainly hears the cries of his children who are broken and penitent. If you confess your sin to him from a genuine heart, he will forgive you in Christ. If you worship him by bringing him songs, prayers, and offerings that match a life of heartfelt obedience, he will be pleased with you and receive your gifts. Let me be very clear here, this can only happen in Christ. We are all guilty before God, and we must receive his gracious forgiveness in Jesus before anything about our worship will ever be acceptable to him. But, if we are in Christ, let us also live in authentic obedience to our Lord in order that our worship might be acceptable in his sight.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will make my worship genuine and acceptable to you. I desire to honor you with my life. Please root out any inconsistencies in my words and actions. I pray that you will help me to be kind to the poor and needy. I pray that you will empower me to obey your commands. I pray that you will show me anywhere in my life that I am living for self or worldly idols instead of your glory. Help me to put away all such evil, that my worship before you might be truly good in your sight. Allow my life to please you, to match what I say I believe about you. I am yours, O Lord, and I long to worship you from a heart of genuine righteousness in Christ.
.
The scripture above is an incredibly frightening section of scripture. The Lord is speaking out against the northern kingdom of Israel, and he has very little good to say to them. God expresses his feelings about their ceremonial religious behavior, and those feelings are not gentle. He says that he hates and despises there ceremonies and feasts. He says that he will not accept or even look upon their offerings. He will not even listen to their songs of worship.
Why is God so upset with Israel? There are many reasons, but the main things in Amos have to do with the evil way that the people of Israel live before him. They oppress the poor, stealing from them and taking advantage of them. They worship false Gods. And they do all these things while arrogantly believing that they can also offer their religious leftovers to the Lord. This is why God is saying that he rejects their offerings, ceremonies, and songs.
Imagine a wife who is unfaithful to her husband. She steals from the family’s bank account to go out, party, and have affairs with several men in her community. She publicly says all sorts of slanderous and degrading things about her husband, and shows no sign of wanting to turn away from her many lovers. Would you expect her husband, knowing all of this, to be happy if this adulteress woman gave him a little birthday gift? Of course not. The gift, even if accompanied by a party with nice food and decorations would by no means make up for her unrepentant adultery and her overall unfaithfulness to the husband and the family.
In much the same way, we ought never expect God to be impressed with our outward religious actions if our lives and our hearts do not match. God will not be impressed with your church attendance on Sunday if you are living like a pagan from Monday through Saturday. He will not love your songs of praise to him if you are worshiping possessions, entertainment, or simply yourself on every other day. He will not be impressed with your dropping a little money in the offering basket on Sunday if you are abusive to your spouse, cruel to the needy, stealing from your employer, or embracing sexual immorality. God hates empty and false religion. He would not accept it from Israel, and he will not accept it from you.
There is, however, another side of the coin. Let me illustrate with another picture of a marriage. I have a loving, kind, generous, and faithful wife. Mitzi is a loving mate and a fabulous mother to my child. I have no fear that she will say or do anything to bring me harm. Unlike the husband in my earlier illustration, I appreciate even the smallest gift from my wife. She does not have to plan a party or decorate a room for me to be completely joyful about a gift she gives me. She does not even have to give me a gift, but simply can say something kind to me to bring me happiness. I can enjoy and appreciate all her gestures of kindness, because I know that she loves me and is faithful to me as her husband. I do not reject her attempts to show me love, because I know them to be genuine, sincere, and pure.
In much the same way, the final call from God in verse 24 gives hope to the people of Israel if they will receive it. He calls them to turn from their evil ways, and turn to justice and righteousness. He calls them to start living in kindness and compassion toward the needy. He calls them to make their lives match their confession of faith. He calls them to live in righteousness, obeying his commands and putting away their false gods. And the understood promise here is, if they will turn from evil to righteousness and justice, the Lord will receive their worship.
If God’s call to turn to him in true worship backed up by a sincere life of obedience to his commands is a good thing for Israel, it is a fabulous thing for us as well. While God does not accept worship that is given to him out of false and empty hearts, he most certainly hears the cries of his children who are broken and penitent. If you confess your sin to him from a genuine heart, he will forgive you in Christ. If you worship him by bringing him songs, prayers, and offerings that match a life of heartfelt obedience, he will be pleased with you and receive your gifts. Let me be very clear here, this can only happen in Christ. We are all guilty before God, and we must receive his gracious forgiveness in Jesus before anything about our worship will ever be acceptable to him. But, if we are in Christ, let us also live in authentic obedience to our Lord in order that our worship might be acceptable in his sight.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will make my worship genuine and acceptable to you. I desire to honor you with my life. Please root out any inconsistencies in my words and actions. I pray that you will help me to be kind to the poor and needy. I pray that you will empower me to obey your commands. I pray that you will show me anywhere in my life that I am living for self or worldly idols instead of your glory. Help me to put away all such evil, that my worship before you might be truly good in your sight. Allow my life to please you, to match what I say I believe about you. I am yours, O Lord, and I long to worship you from a heart of genuine righteousness in Christ.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Destroying False Boundaries (1 Kings 20:23, 28)
1 Kings 20:23, 28 - And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.”
And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”
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King Ahab of the northern kingdom was at war with the king of Syria. God chose, for his own reasons, to rescue Israel from the Syrians, even though the Israelites were unfaithful to him. After the first victory that Israel won over Syria, the Syrian army returned home and made plans to return the next year.
It is very interesting to note why the Syrians thought they would be able to defeat Israel. As we read above, the Syrian army commanders believed that Israel served some sort of deity over the hill country. They believed that they could defeat Israel in a battle if they could simply lure them out into the plains. This view, which was a common belief of the nations surrounding Israel, basically stated that all gods are limited to specific areas. If the link between the god and the land was broken, the people of that land would be defeated. (By the way, this is very likely the false belief that Jonah had when he fled from God in Jonah 1).
The Lord, however, is not like the false gods of the nations. He is truly God, and God over all the heavens and earth, mountains and valleys, land and sea, heights and depths. He is by no means limited by any limitations that we can imagine. God is also jealous for the glory of his name. Thus, as we read in verse 28, God would not allow the Syrians to have a victory in the plains, because such a victory would allow them to believe that God was not God over the plains too. Consequently, as the chapter closes, God gives a great victory to Israel over the Syrian army in the plains, proving that the Lord truly is God over all.
While it is not common for us to believe that God is limited by national or geographic boundaries, we do often allow our minds to falsely separate things as God’s domain and not his domain. For example, many people live as though God is very important on Sunday morning at church, but then live as though he has no authority over them at their place of business. Many people are willing to trust God to save their souls from damnation, but are unwilling to trust him to provide for their needs in daily life. Many people are willing to say that God’s word is authoritative in matters of religion, but are unwilling to believe that God’s word is authoritative on issues of human sexuality, gender roles, counseling, parenting, or 21st century ethics. Many are willing to say that we should obey God in our lives, but not if that obedience might cost you a job, a raise, a potential future mate, or your life. All such views are very similar to the pagan notion that limits a nation’s god to its geography, and all such positions do not describe the true God.
It is time to be certain that you are not thinking about God like the Syrians of 1 Kings 20. Today, ask God to reveal to you any area in your life that you have not surrendered to his lordship. Ask him to show you where you have tried to put up a boundary that he is not allowed to cross. Ask him if there is ay place in which you are living as a practical atheist instead of as a disciple of Christ. Then, when you see such an area, be it personal or public, confess that sin to God, seek his forgiveness, and repent. Only when we live out our belief that God is God over all the world and over all our lives will we honor him rightly.
Dear Lord, I confess today that you are God over all things. You are Lord of every area of my life. Please make known to me any place in which I have not fully surrendered my will to yours. I do not want to live like an atheist in any part of my life. I surrender to you as Lord. Please help me to no longer live in any sort of rebellion or behind any false boundaries. You are God over all areas of my life, and my life is yours to command. Help me, I pray, to live for you in every area, so that I might better give honor and glory to your name in all things.
And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”
.
King Ahab of the northern kingdom was at war with the king of Syria. God chose, for his own reasons, to rescue Israel from the Syrians, even though the Israelites were unfaithful to him. After the first victory that Israel won over Syria, the Syrian army returned home and made plans to return the next year.
It is very interesting to note why the Syrians thought they would be able to defeat Israel. As we read above, the Syrian army commanders believed that Israel served some sort of deity over the hill country. They believed that they could defeat Israel in a battle if they could simply lure them out into the plains. This view, which was a common belief of the nations surrounding Israel, basically stated that all gods are limited to specific areas. If the link between the god and the land was broken, the people of that land would be defeated. (By the way, this is very likely the false belief that Jonah had when he fled from God in Jonah 1).
The Lord, however, is not like the false gods of the nations. He is truly God, and God over all the heavens and earth, mountains and valleys, land and sea, heights and depths. He is by no means limited by any limitations that we can imagine. God is also jealous for the glory of his name. Thus, as we read in verse 28, God would not allow the Syrians to have a victory in the plains, because such a victory would allow them to believe that God was not God over the plains too. Consequently, as the chapter closes, God gives a great victory to Israel over the Syrian army in the plains, proving that the Lord truly is God over all.
While it is not common for us to believe that God is limited by national or geographic boundaries, we do often allow our minds to falsely separate things as God’s domain and not his domain. For example, many people live as though God is very important on Sunday morning at church, but then live as though he has no authority over them at their place of business. Many people are willing to trust God to save their souls from damnation, but are unwilling to trust him to provide for their needs in daily life. Many people are willing to say that God’s word is authoritative in matters of religion, but are unwilling to believe that God’s word is authoritative on issues of human sexuality, gender roles, counseling, parenting, or 21st century ethics. Many are willing to say that we should obey God in our lives, but not if that obedience might cost you a job, a raise, a potential future mate, or your life. All such views are very similar to the pagan notion that limits a nation’s god to its geography, and all such positions do not describe the true God.
It is time to be certain that you are not thinking about God like the Syrians of 1 Kings 20. Today, ask God to reveal to you any area in your life that you have not surrendered to his lordship. Ask him to show you where you have tried to put up a boundary that he is not allowed to cross. Ask him if there is ay place in which you are living as a practical atheist instead of as a disciple of Christ. Then, when you see such an area, be it personal or public, confess that sin to God, seek his forgiveness, and repent. Only when we live out our belief that God is God over all the world and over all our lives will we honor him rightly.
Dear Lord, I confess today that you are God over all things. You are Lord of every area of my life. Please make known to me any place in which I have not fully surrendered my will to yours. I do not want to live like an atheist in any part of my life. I surrender to you as Lord. Please help me to no longer live in any sort of rebellion or behind any false boundaries. You are God over all areas of my life, and my life is yours to command. Help me, I pray, to live for you in every area, so that I might better give honor and glory to your name in all things.
Monday, July 17, 2006
A Clean Break (1 Kings 19:19-21)
1 Kings 19:19-21 - So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
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God told Elijah to appoint Elisha as his successor as prophet in Israel, and so Elijah went and did just that. Elijah’s placing his cloak on Elisha’s shoulders is a symbol, the mantle is passed, and Elisha is next. Elisha asks permission to go and close up shop at his home, and Elijah basically tells him to do whatever he wants. Elisha realizes that now is the time to go, and so he does so.
What grabs my attention about Elisha’s calling is what Elisha does when he realizes that this is a right here and right now call of God on his life. He sacrifices the oxen with which he had been plowing the field. He boils the meat by burning the ox yokes. Then he gets up and goes.
Elisha made a clean break from one life to another. Burning the yokes and sacrificing the oxen is a no-turning-back kind of decision. He cuts off all ties to his former life, and he follows God by serving Elijah. And, as we will read in later chapters, this is the life that Elisha will live for all the rest of his days.
What we can learn from this, I think, is the call to burn the yokes. Like the legendary command of Hernando Cortez to burn the ships upon which his conquistadores had sailed to Mexico, we need to give the order to sever ties to our old life. To the follower of God in Christ, there is no other option. There is no turning back. There must be no embracing again of habits, life patterns, or sinful worldly thinking. Everything in us Is supposed to be new. All of our lives are to be changed.
Where do you need to burn the yokes of your past? Do you still do some of the things that you did before your conversion to Christianity that keeps your life tied to non-Christian thinking or behavior? Do you still make decisions in the same way that you did before? Do you still think the same about politics, entertainment, or morality? Is there an area of your life that you have not surrendered to the scriptures to be conformed into God’s image? If so, it is time to burn the yokes. It is time to cut the ties. You are a new creation in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17), and you can not allow yourself to think or behave as you did before Jesus. Sure, if you loved baseball or lasagna before your conversion, you can still enjoy them; but they will never have the same meaning in or hold upon your life as before.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me to burn the yokes that tie me to my old manner of life. Help me to sever ties to worldly thinking. Help me to no longer feel, think, or behave in the same way that I did when I did not know you. Please reveal to me an area of my life where the change needs to be made. Then, please speak to me through your word to challenge me to make a clean and permanent break from it. I am yours, and you are my Lord. I desire to obey your will in my life. I do not want to look anything like I did before I knew you, so help me to make any adjustments necessary to live as a new creation in Christ.
.
God told Elijah to appoint Elisha as his successor as prophet in Israel, and so Elijah went and did just that. Elijah’s placing his cloak on Elisha’s shoulders is a symbol, the mantle is passed, and Elisha is next. Elisha asks permission to go and close up shop at his home, and Elijah basically tells him to do whatever he wants. Elisha realizes that now is the time to go, and so he does so.
What grabs my attention about Elisha’s calling is what Elisha does when he realizes that this is a right here and right now call of God on his life. He sacrifices the oxen with which he had been plowing the field. He boils the meat by burning the ox yokes. Then he gets up and goes.
Elisha made a clean break from one life to another. Burning the yokes and sacrificing the oxen is a no-turning-back kind of decision. He cuts off all ties to his former life, and he follows God by serving Elijah. And, as we will read in later chapters, this is the life that Elisha will live for all the rest of his days.
What we can learn from this, I think, is the call to burn the yokes. Like the legendary command of Hernando Cortez to burn the ships upon which his conquistadores had sailed to Mexico, we need to give the order to sever ties to our old life. To the follower of God in Christ, there is no other option. There is no turning back. There must be no embracing again of habits, life patterns, or sinful worldly thinking. Everything in us Is supposed to be new. All of our lives are to be changed.
Where do you need to burn the yokes of your past? Do you still do some of the things that you did before your conversion to Christianity that keeps your life tied to non-Christian thinking or behavior? Do you still make decisions in the same way that you did before? Do you still think the same about politics, entertainment, or morality? Is there an area of your life that you have not surrendered to the scriptures to be conformed into God’s image? If so, it is time to burn the yokes. It is time to cut the ties. You are a new creation in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17), and you can not allow yourself to think or behave as you did before Jesus. Sure, if you loved baseball or lasagna before your conversion, you can still enjoy them; but they will never have the same meaning in or hold upon your life as before.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me to burn the yokes that tie me to my old manner of life. Help me to sever ties to worldly thinking. Help me to no longer feel, think, or behave in the same way that I did when I did not know you. Please reveal to me an area of my life where the change needs to be made. Then, please speak to me through your word to challenge me to make a clean and permanent break from it. I am yours, and you are my Lord. I desire to obey your will in my life. I do not want to look anything like I did before I knew you, so help me to make any adjustments necessary to live as a new creation in Christ.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Make Your Choice (1 Kings 18:21, 38-39)
1 Kings 18:21, 38-39 - And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. . . . Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”
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During the days of Elijah, the northern kingdom of Israel was extremely wicked. Under the leadership of King Ahab, they worshipped false gods and rejected the law of the Lord. Elijah told Ahab that there would be no rain, a time of famine, because of the nation’s rejection of God. And thus there was drought and famine in Israel for three years.
After 3 years of famine, Elijah came to the people of Israel, and, as we read above, told them to stop fooling around. He called them to choose whom they would serve, the Lord or Baal. Then he challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest at the top of Mount Carmel to see who truly is the one true God. In their contest, the prophets and Elijah were to prepare an altar for burnt offering, one for Baal and one for the Lord. They were not, however, to set fire to their offering. They would then call upon their particular deity, asking him to set fire to the offering. The one who set fire to his burnt offering would be the only true god in Israel.
The prophets of Baal spent all day calling out to him, dancing, and even cutting themselves to get his attention. But Baal did not answer. Then, when it came to be Elijah’s turn, he had the people douse his altar with water to prove that the fire had to be supernatural. Elijah then called on God, and God sent fire from heaven, consuming the offering and drying up the water on the ground around the altar. The people were amazed, and they declared that truly the Lord is God.
Not unlike the days of old, many people live like the people of Israel. Many people think that they can choose a little of whatever religion suits their fancy. The dominating mindset for the world today is that no one religion is more real than another, no one truth is more true than another, and no one god is more god than another. These people believe that they are somehow living by a new philosophy. They act as though their post-modern view of the world is a new enlightenment of the human way of understanding truth. However, as we can read in 1 Kings 18, a post-modern ethic is little different than what was posited by the people of Israel a little less than 3,000 years ago. They wanted to have a little of one god and a little of the Lord. They wanted to mix in a little obedience to God’s law and a little immorality. They did not want to over-commit themselves to one dogmatic way of thinking. They wanted to do whatever seemed to “work” for them.
In ancient Israel, God proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is God and that Baal is a false god, an idol. The Lord sent a consuming fire on the altar to demonstrate his power to the people. He affirmed the call of Elijah to the people, when Elijah demanded that the people take a side and choose whom they would follow. And God demands the very same thing today. He demands that you and I choose our side. We will either love God or we will not. We will either follow God, or we will not. There is no such thing as middle ground. If God is God, then we must serve him. If God is not, than there is no reason for us to pay any attention to him or to his Bible.
Let me add that those people who met God on Mount Carmel had reason to complain against God. They were not convinced that the Lord is God by the Lord doing all sorts of nice things for them. They were suffering a great famine and drought. If they were our people of today, they would be on CNN declaring for anyone who would listen that they would never want to follow a god who would send drought on their land, causing famine and starvation. The people of old, if they are anything like us, would try to reject God simply because they would not approve of his way of doing things and would be very upset over the fact that he did not make everything go their way. And, if they made such an argument, like the arguments many make to day, they would not be any more correct. The Lord is God, regardless of whether you have prosperity or poverty, health or disease, peace or war, plenty or famine, happiness or tragedy. God proved that by the fire on Mount Carmel, and he proved it by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The call for me and for you is to choose today whether or not we will follow God. We can not make that choice based on whether or not our life circumstances are what we want them to be. We can not choose a little of God and a little of something else. This is an all-or-nothing choice. You will either follow God, or you will reject him. There is no other way. And, since we can read of the awesome power of God in the scriptures, it is wise for us to choose to follow the Lord, for he truly is God.
Dear Lord, you have proved yourself time and time again. The glory, beauty, power, and majesty of creation point, in a dim way, to you and your glory. Your revelation of yourself in the Bible teaches us even more of your holiness, majesty, and awesome power. The resurrection of Jesus is the final bit of proof that any of us should need to believe that you are God, and that there is no other like you. Lord, we know that we can not half follow you and half follow someone or something else. So, Lord, I give all of myself to you. I yield all of my life to following you. Regardless of my life circumstances, I will follow you, because you are God. Nothing I can do or experience will ever change that you are God. So, I pray that you will help me to follow you faithfully, to remember your great power, and to never be trapped by the worldly temptation to follow you and something or someone else.
.
During the days of Elijah, the northern kingdom of Israel was extremely wicked. Under the leadership of King Ahab, they worshipped false gods and rejected the law of the Lord. Elijah told Ahab that there would be no rain, a time of famine, because of the nation’s rejection of God. And thus there was drought and famine in Israel for three years.
After 3 years of famine, Elijah came to the people of Israel, and, as we read above, told them to stop fooling around. He called them to choose whom they would serve, the Lord or Baal. Then he challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest at the top of Mount Carmel to see who truly is the one true God. In their contest, the prophets and Elijah were to prepare an altar for burnt offering, one for Baal and one for the Lord. They were not, however, to set fire to their offering. They would then call upon their particular deity, asking him to set fire to the offering. The one who set fire to his burnt offering would be the only true god in Israel.
The prophets of Baal spent all day calling out to him, dancing, and even cutting themselves to get his attention. But Baal did not answer. Then, when it came to be Elijah’s turn, he had the people douse his altar with water to prove that the fire had to be supernatural. Elijah then called on God, and God sent fire from heaven, consuming the offering and drying up the water on the ground around the altar. The people were amazed, and they declared that truly the Lord is God.
Not unlike the days of old, many people live like the people of Israel. Many people think that they can choose a little of whatever religion suits their fancy. The dominating mindset for the world today is that no one religion is more real than another, no one truth is more true than another, and no one god is more god than another. These people believe that they are somehow living by a new philosophy. They act as though their post-modern view of the world is a new enlightenment of the human way of understanding truth. However, as we can read in 1 Kings 18, a post-modern ethic is little different than what was posited by the people of Israel a little less than 3,000 years ago. They wanted to have a little of one god and a little of the Lord. They wanted to mix in a little obedience to God’s law and a little immorality. They did not want to over-commit themselves to one dogmatic way of thinking. They wanted to do whatever seemed to “work” for them.
In ancient Israel, God proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is God and that Baal is a false god, an idol. The Lord sent a consuming fire on the altar to demonstrate his power to the people. He affirmed the call of Elijah to the people, when Elijah demanded that the people take a side and choose whom they would follow. And God demands the very same thing today. He demands that you and I choose our side. We will either love God or we will not. We will either follow God, or we will not. There is no such thing as middle ground. If God is God, then we must serve him. If God is not, than there is no reason for us to pay any attention to him or to his Bible.
Let me add that those people who met God on Mount Carmel had reason to complain against God. They were not convinced that the Lord is God by the Lord doing all sorts of nice things for them. They were suffering a great famine and drought. If they were our people of today, they would be on CNN declaring for anyone who would listen that they would never want to follow a god who would send drought on their land, causing famine and starvation. The people of old, if they are anything like us, would try to reject God simply because they would not approve of his way of doing things and would be very upset over the fact that he did not make everything go their way. And, if they made such an argument, like the arguments many make to day, they would not be any more correct. The Lord is God, regardless of whether you have prosperity or poverty, health or disease, peace or war, plenty or famine, happiness or tragedy. God proved that by the fire on Mount Carmel, and he proved it by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The call for me and for you is to choose today whether or not we will follow God. We can not make that choice based on whether or not our life circumstances are what we want them to be. We can not choose a little of God and a little of something else. This is an all-or-nothing choice. You will either follow God, or you will reject him. There is no other way. And, since we can read of the awesome power of God in the scriptures, it is wise for us to choose to follow the Lord, for he truly is God.
Dear Lord, you have proved yourself time and time again. The glory, beauty, power, and majesty of creation point, in a dim way, to you and your glory. Your revelation of yourself in the Bible teaches us even more of your holiness, majesty, and awesome power. The resurrection of Jesus is the final bit of proof that any of us should need to believe that you are God, and that there is no other like you. Lord, we know that we can not half follow you and half follow someone or something else. So, Lord, I give all of myself to you. I yield all of my life to following you. Regardless of my life circumstances, I will follow you, because you are God. Nothing I can do or experience will ever change that you are God. So, I pray that you will help me to follow you faithfully, to remember your great power, and to never be trapped by the worldly temptation to follow you and something or someone else.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Rend Your Heart (Joel 2:12-14)
Joel 2:12-14 – “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?
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Are you good at putting on a show for people around you to see? The people to whom Joel was writing were. Notice that, in God’s command for the people to repent, he tells them to rend their hearts and not their garments. That is because they were very good at making outward signs of repentance while having no inwardly changed hearts.
In the old days, people would tear their clothing as a sign of deep sorrow and despair. For example, if a man found out his child had died, he would tear his clothing as a part of displaying his grief. People also tore their garments as a sign of outrage, such as when they heard blasphemy spoken. So, the idea of rending your clothing was a way to outwardly display for people something that was supposed to be true in your heart.
God, in his dealing with Israel, tells them to tear their hearts instead of their garments. He knows how easy it is for people to put on a show. It takes nothing to tear your clothes and wear the appropriate garments of a mourner. It takes nothing to attend the right religious services, make the proper sacrifices, and mouth the right words. But God is not interested in an outward form of obedience that lacks heart. Thus, he commands the people to make their repentance inward before it is displayed outward.
The temptation to do the right things outwardly without having the heart to back it up is still strong today. It is very easy to go and attend the right services, drop money in an offering basket, sing the songs, and listen quietly without having the least interest in what you are doing. God is not impressed by this. He sees deep within your heart, weighing your thoughts and motives. He knows whether or not your heart is with him. He knows if your attendance at worship is from the heart more than simply from your culture. And, while he does not call you to stop coming to the services of worship, he does call you to come with your heart and not merely with your body. God wants your heart, and not simply your outward obedience.
Today, ask yourself where you are simply going through the motions. Is your quiet time something you do out of a desire to know God, or is it merely something you do because Christians are “supposed to?” Is your giving, your worship attendance, your religious life something you do from the heart or not? If not, the answer is not to stop doing everything. The answer, rather, is to rend your heart instead of your garments. The answer is to change from the inside. Seek God from the heart. Look into his word that penetrates deep into the hearts of people (Hebrews 4:12). Work out the truth of your salvation with acts of true obedience that come from a changed heart. Take your heart to God, and plead with him to work with you as you work to make your heart new and right before him.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me to avoid all false outward forms of religion. No, I do not ask that you will stop me from worshiping you, but I do ask that my worship would be genuine. Show me the dark places in my heart where it is not beating for your will. Renew my heart within me that I might follow you with all that I have and all that I am. Help me to turn from all false actions to acts of genuine love for you. May I never be false again. May all my actions and all my words be true before you. I know that you know my heart. I ask that you will make my heart yours in truth.
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Are you good at putting on a show for people around you to see? The people to whom Joel was writing were. Notice that, in God’s command for the people to repent, he tells them to rend their hearts and not their garments. That is because they were very good at making outward signs of repentance while having no inwardly changed hearts.
In the old days, people would tear their clothing as a sign of deep sorrow and despair. For example, if a man found out his child had died, he would tear his clothing as a part of displaying his grief. People also tore their garments as a sign of outrage, such as when they heard blasphemy spoken. So, the idea of rending your clothing was a way to outwardly display for people something that was supposed to be true in your heart.
God, in his dealing with Israel, tells them to tear their hearts instead of their garments. He knows how easy it is for people to put on a show. It takes nothing to tear your clothes and wear the appropriate garments of a mourner. It takes nothing to attend the right religious services, make the proper sacrifices, and mouth the right words. But God is not interested in an outward form of obedience that lacks heart. Thus, he commands the people to make their repentance inward before it is displayed outward.
The temptation to do the right things outwardly without having the heart to back it up is still strong today. It is very easy to go and attend the right services, drop money in an offering basket, sing the songs, and listen quietly without having the least interest in what you are doing. God is not impressed by this. He sees deep within your heart, weighing your thoughts and motives. He knows whether or not your heart is with him. He knows if your attendance at worship is from the heart more than simply from your culture. And, while he does not call you to stop coming to the services of worship, he does call you to come with your heart and not merely with your body. God wants your heart, and not simply your outward obedience.
Today, ask yourself where you are simply going through the motions. Is your quiet time something you do out of a desire to know God, or is it merely something you do because Christians are “supposed to?” Is your giving, your worship attendance, your religious life something you do from the heart or not? If not, the answer is not to stop doing everything. The answer, rather, is to rend your heart instead of your garments. The answer is to change from the inside. Seek God from the heart. Look into his word that penetrates deep into the hearts of people (Hebrews 4:12). Work out the truth of your salvation with acts of true obedience that come from a changed heart. Take your heart to God, and plead with him to work with you as you work to make your heart new and right before him.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me to avoid all false outward forms of religion. No, I do not ask that you will stop me from worshiping you, but I do ask that my worship would be genuine. Show me the dark places in my heart where it is not beating for your will. Renew my heart within me that I might follow you with all that I have and all that I am. Help me to turn from all false actions to acts of genuine love for you. May I never be false again. May all my actions and all my words be true before you. I know that you know my heart. I ask that you will make my heart yours in truth.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
God's Glory in Your Weakness (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 - For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
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In what do you boast? Of what are you proud? This section of God’s word tells us something about who we are before God and what we bring to him. How strong are you? How wise are you? How skilled are you? In reality, none of us is likely to be the top of our class in any of these fields. Regardless of how smart you are, there is someone out there smarter. Regardless of how strong you are, there is someone out there stronger. Regardless of how skilled you are, there is always someone out there more skilled.
Is it not fascinating that, when God chose us, he chose people who are not the absolute cream of the crop? God did not look down through history and select the strongest and brightest to be his children. No, he chose, as Paul says, the weak and the despised of the world to be his. In that choice, God brings shame on the supposedly wise and strong of our world. He takes little, weak, average people, and he uses them to accomplish his will. Why? He does this in order that none of us who are ever used of God may boast that we brought something to the table. Sure, we may have some natural talents or abilities, but who gave us those? We have nothing good that God did not give us. Thus, all the glory for all good things that God accomplishes through us is his and his alone.
What about the way that you are made troubles you? Where do you feel deficient? Are you too slow, too weak, too poor, too sickly? Do you have a disability? Do you wish you were smarter, more attractive, or simply better with people? Know that God can and will still use you. If you are his child in Christ, God takes you, the weakest of the weak, and then brings honor to his name in how he chooses to use you. He takes your weakness, and he uses it as a way in which his glory is magnified, showed to be as big as it really is. God accomplishes his will through the weak and the imperfect, not through the exclusively beautiful and strong. When his will is accomplished by someone who lacks in some area of what the world values, he is shown to be the one who accomplished the feat, and his name is glorified.
So, how then do we respond to our weaknesses and flaws? Well, if they are weaknesses that we can overcome, we strive to overcome them. We do not remain uneducated if the opportunity to be educated comes our way. We do not remain unhealthy if we can exercise and get into shape. But, we do not allow our weaknesses to drag us down. Instead, we recognize that, though we may not be the perfect athlete, body-builder, super-model, rocket-scientist, poet, song writer, brain surgeon, or superhero, we still can be used by God. Our weaknesses do not hinder his accomplishing of his will. Instead, our weaknesses serve to magnify his glory for the times when he does marvelous things through us.
Dear Lord, I thank you that you have chosen the weak and lowly of the world to be yours, because otherwise, I would never have been allowed to be your child. I also thank you that you use those of us who are weak, flawed, and frail to accomplish your will. I have my own weaknesses, and they are sometimes a burden to me. But I know, Lord, that those weaknesses and struggles are ways in which you bring yourself honor when you do good things through me. I know that it glorifies you more to accomplish your will through me because of the fact that I have the weaknesses that I have. Therefore, I will glory in my weakness because of the fact that you are shown strong in it. No, I will not glory in my sin. I will never rejoice in my failures. But I will certainly embrace my physical or other limitations, because they serve as tools to bring glory to your name.
.
In what do you boast? Of what are you proud? This section of God’s word tells us something about who we are before God and what we bring to him. How strong are you? How wise are you? How skilled are you? In reality, none of us is likely to be the top of our class in any of these fields. Regardless of how smart you are, there is someone out there smarter. Regardless of how strong you are, there is someone out there stronger. Regardless of how skilled you are, there is always someone out there more skilled.
Is it not fascinating that, when God chose us, he chose people who are not the absolute cream of the crop? God did not look down through history and select the strongest and brightest to be his children. No, he chose, as Paul says, the weak and the despised of the world to be his. In that choice, God brings shame on the supposedly wise and strong of our world. He takes little, weak, average people, and he uses them to accomplish his will. Why? He does this in order that none of us who are ever used of God may boast that we brought something to the table. Sure, we may have some natural talents or abilities, but who gave us those? We have nothing good that God did not give us. Thus, all the glory for all good things that God accomplishes through us is his and his alone.
What about the way that you are made troubles you? Where do you feel deficient? Are you too slow, too weak, too poor, too sickly? Do you have a disability? Do you wish you were smarter, more attractive, or simply better with people? Know that God can and will still use you. If you are his child in Christ, God takes you, the weakest of the weak, and then brings honor to his name in how he chooses to use you. He takes your weakness, and he uses it as a way in which his glory is magnified, showed to be as big as it really is. God accomplishes his will through the weak and the imperfect, not through the exclusively beautiful and strong. When his will is accomplished by someone who lacks in some area of what the world values, he is shown to be the one who accomplished the feat, and his name is glorified.
So, how then do we respond to our weaknesses and flaws? Well, if they are weaknesses that we can overcome, we strive to overcome them. We do not remain uneducated if the opportunity to be educated comes our way. We do not remain unhealthy if we can exercise and get into shape. But, we do not allow our weaknesses to drag us down. Instead, we recognize that, though we may not be the perfect athlete, body-builder, super-model, rocket-scientist, poet, song writer, brain surgeon, or superhero, we still can be used by God. Our weaknesses do not hinder his accomplishing of his will. Instead, our weaknesses serve to magnify his glory for the times when he does marvelous things through us.
Dear Lord, I thank you that you have chosen the weak and lowly of the world to be yours, because otherwise, I would never have been allowed to be your child. I also thank you that you use those of us who are weak, flawed, and frail to accomplish your will. I have my own weaknesses, and they are sometimes a burden to me. But I know, Lord, that those weaknesses and struggles are ways in which you bring yourself honor when you do good things through me. I know that it glorifies you more to accomplish your will through me because of the fact that I have the weaknesses that I have. Therefore, I will glory in my weakness because of the fact that you are shown strong in it. No, I will not glory in my sin. I will never rejoice in my failures. But I will certainly embrace my physical or other limitations, because they serve as tools to bring glory to your name.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
A Word from God (1 Kings 13:18)
1 Kings 13:18 - And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.
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This is one of the stranger accounts in Old Testament scripture. A man of God (who is never named) travels from the southern kingdom to the land of Israel to prophesy against King Jeroboam and the idolatry that he is practicing. That prophet predicts the coming of King Josiah, a few hundred years in the future, who will destroy and defile that pagan altar. But, on the way home, the man of God meets a man claiming to be a prophet himself. This prophet from the north convinces the man of God to disobey God’s command not to eat in the north, and the man of God dies under the judgment of God.
While much is interesting in this account, what strikes me for today is the way in which the false prophet speaks to the man of God. He claims to have a word from God. His deception convinces the man of God to disobey God’s genuine command, and the man of God dies for this disobedience.
One thing that we can learn from this passage is a glorious truth about the scriptures and divine revelation. In the Old Testament time period, people did receive “words from the Lord.” God was speaking in a special way to his prophets. But, lest we begin to wish we were around in those days, we can see from this passage that this was not the best system under which to live. People could claim to have revelation from God, but actually have none. Sadly, the man of God only had what he “heard” from god himself, and so was easily mislead by someone else who claimed to have “heard” from God. Today, however, we need not fall for this kind of trick. Today is better, because we have God’s revelation in written form. God spoke with absolute finality in his word, and until Christ returns, we need not worry about hearing conflicting “words” from God. Instead, we can turn to his inspired, inerrant, all-sufficient word of truth to learn his commands.
How do you make important decisions about life? Do you seek new revelation from God? Do you claim to hear God’s voice in such a way as to have your own form of inspiration? Do you beat yourself up because you are not spiritual enough to have such an experience were God “speaks” to you. If you do, it is wise for you to learn that God has spoken to you. He did so in his written word. His commands for you are in there. Read God’s word, in context and with proper rules of interpretation, and you will see what God commands of you. Be very careful about claiming that God has “told” you to do something that is not a direct command in the scriptures. Be very careful about claiming that God has “revealed” to you that something will come to pass. In the Old Testament, God commanded that people be put to death for claiming to have heard something from God that did not come to pass. Be wary of those who come to you telling you that they have a “word” from God for you that is not found in the scriptures. Return to the Bible, seek God there, and trust it far more than you trust spiritual feelings.
I thank God that I live in a day where the canon of scripture is closed, and I need not worry about someone showing up with new revelation from God. Yes, I still pray. Yes, I ask for God to reveal to me his will. But I do not trust in mystical experiences to define for me what that will of God is. I seek God’s will in his word. I yield my life to a passionate pursuit of God and his glory. I trust that he will align my heart with his decreed will for my life so long as I am living within the bounds of his holy word.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your word. I thank you that I need not fear an experience like that of the “man of God” who had to be open to the idea of someone having a “new” word from you. I thank you that you have spoken with finality in your Son and through your written word. I most certainly long for you to lead my heart in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. I plead with you to lead me in the direction of your plan for me. I ask that you give to me your best for me, the best way that I can live to your glory. I especially ask for open eyes to see your truth as you have placed it in your holy word. Let me not be carried away by emotions or mysticism, but let me read your word, in its context, with proper interpretation. Grant me the wisdom to think along the lines of your revealed will, that I might best follow you.
.
This is one of the stranger accounts in Old Testament scripture. A man of God (who is never named) travels from the southern kingdom to the land of Israel to prophesy against King Jeroboam and the idolatry that he is practicing. That prophet predicts the coming of King Josiah, a few hundred years in the future, who will destroy and defile that pagan altar. But, on the way home, the man of God meets a man claiming to be a prophet himself. This prophet from the north convinces the man of God to disobey God’s command not to eat in the north, and the man of God dies under the judgment of God.
While much is interesting in this account, what strikes me for today is the way in which the false prophet speaks to the man of God. He claims to have a word from God. His deception convinces the man of God to disobey God’s genuine command, and the man of God dies for this disobedience.
One thing that we can learn from this passage is a glorious truth about the scriptures and divine revelation. In the Old Testament time period, people did receive “words from the Lord.” God was speaking in a special way to his prophets. But, lest we begin to wish we were around in those days, we can see from this passage that this was not the best system under which to live. People could claim to have revelation from God, but actually have none. Sadly, the man of God only had what he “heard” from god himself, and so was easily mislead by someone else who claimed to have “heard” from God. Today, however, we need not fall for this kind of trick. Today is better, because we have God’s revelation in written form. God spoke with absolute finality in his word, and until Christ returns, we need not worry about hearing conflicting “words” from God. Instead, we can turn to his inspired, inerrant, all-sufficient word of truth to learn his commands.
How do you make important decisions about life? Do you seek new revelation from God? Do you claim to hear God’s voice in such a way as to have your own form of inspiration? Do you beat yourself up because you are not spiritual enough to have such an experience were God “speaks” to you. If you do, it is wise for you to learn that God has spoken to you. He did so in his written word. His commands for you are in there. Read God’s word, in context and with proper rules of interpretation, and you will see what God commands of you. Be very careful about claiming that God has “told” you to do something that is not a direct command in the scriptures. Be very careful about claiming that God has “revealed” to you that something will come to pass. In the Old Testament, God commanded that people be put to death for claiming to have heard something from God that did not come to pass. Be wary of those who come to you telling you that they have a “word” from God for you that is not found in the scriptures. Return to the Bible, seek God there, and trust it far more than you trust spiritual feelings.
I thank God that I live in a day where the canon of scripture is closed, and I need not worry about someone showing up with new revelation from God. Yes, I still pray. Yes, I ask for God to reveal to me his will. But I do not trust in mystical experiences to define for me what that will of God is. I seek God’s will in his word. I yield my life to a passionate pursuit of God and his glory. I trust that he will align my heart with his decreed will for my life so long as I am living within the bounds of his holy word.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your word. I thank you that I need not fear an experience like that of the “man of God” who had to be open to the idea of someone having a “new” word from you. I thank you that you have spoken with finality in your Son and through your written word. I most certainly long for you to lead my heart in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. I plead with you to lead me in the direction of your plan for me. I ask that you give to me your best for me, the best way that I can live to your glory. I especially ask for open eyes to see your truth as you have placed it in your holy word. Let me not be carried away by emotions or mysticism, but let me read your word, in its context, with proper interpretation. Grant me the wisdom to think along the lines of your revealed will, that I might best follow you.
Monday, July 10, 2006
A Sneaky Idolatry (1 Kings 12:28)
1 Kings 12:28 - So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
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After the kingdom of Israel split from the house of David and tribe of Judah, Jeroboam became king of the 10 breakaway tribes. Jeroboam knew that, if the people of Israel regularly returned to Jerusalem to the temple for worship, they would eventually return to the house of David because of the promises of God. So Jeroboam, to try to save his own skin, set up two idols, calling Israel to worship them.
What catches my attention about what Jeroboam said is the fact that he claimed to the people that those two golden calves that he just made were the gods who let Israel up out of Egypt. They did not! Idolatry, simply put, is to worship something or someone other than God. It is to give something or someone the glory that only God is due. In this instance, it is also to credit something or someone with something that God did. Such an action is a great sin before our God. God will not share his glory with another. He created us for himself, and for us to bow to something that we made is to ultimately dishonor him.
Now, the question that I want to ask us this morning is, how do we give glory and credit to people and things for the works of God? This is an area worth searching out and eradicating in your life. Is there something that you have taken credit for that, looking back, only God could have accomplished in you? Is there something that you have given people credit and glory for doing that should rightly belong to God? When things go right politically (a rarity, I grant), do you credit the party or the Lord who establishes all authority? When souls are saved, do you credit the evangelist, the seeker, or the sovereign God who changes the hearts of people dead in sin? When you hear an excellent singer or musician, do you glorify the talent or the God who gave the talent?
Anytime we honor people and things above the God who made them, we are very close to the sin of idolatry. Let us learn to be incredibly careful with our words. Let us not be so careless as to ever allow anyone to have the impression that we credit anyone other than God for the glorious things that happen in this world. Let us honor him as he deserves, and let us never fall pray to idolatry.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will protect me and my heart from idolatry. I acknowledge here and now that every good and perfect gift comes from you. I recognize that I have no wisdom, no skill, no talent, no ability that did not come from you. I thank you for all that you have given to me, and I pray that I will use it only for your glory. I also recognize that all good events in this world, all good decisions of governments, all good and beautiful things in creation are from your hand. Help me to always remember to give you the glory due your name.
.
After the kingdom of Israel split from the house of David and tribe of Judah, Jeroboam became king of the 10 breakaway tribes. Jeroboam knew that, if the people of Israel regularly returned to Jerusalem to the temple for worship, they would eventually return to the house of David because of the promises of God. So Jeroboam, to try to save his own skin, set up two idols, calling Israel to worship them.
What catches my attention about what Jeroboam said is the fact that he claimed to the people that those two golden calves that he just made were the gods who let Israel up out of Egypt. They did not! Idolatry, simply put, is to worship something or someone other than God. It is to give something or someone the glory that only God is due. In this instance, it is also to credit something or someone with something that God did. Such an action is a great sin before our God. God will not share his glory with another. He created us for himself, and for us to bow to something that we made is to ultimately dishonor him.
Now, the question that I want to ask us this morning is, how do we give glory and credit to people and things for the works of God? This is an area worth searching out and eradicating in your life. Is there something that you have taken credit for that, looking back, only God could have accomplished in you? Is there something that you have given people credit and glory for doing that should rightly belong to God? When things go right politically (a rarity, I grant), do you credit the party or the Lord who establishes all authority? When souls are saved, do you credit the evangelist, the seeker, or the sovereign God who changes the hearts of people dead in sin? When you hear an excellent singer or musician, do you glorify the talent or the God who gave the talent?
Anytime we honor people and things above the God who made them, we are very close to the sin of idolatry. Let us learn to be incredibly careful with our words. Let us not be so careless as to ever allow anyone to have the impression that we credit anyone other than God for the glorious things that happen in this world. Let us honor him as he deserves, and let us never fall pray to idolatry.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will protect me and my heart from idolatry. I acknowledge here and now that every good and perfect gift comes from you. I recognize that I have no wisdom, no skill, no talent, no ability that did not come from you. I thank you for all that you have given to me, and I pray that I will use it only for your glory. I also recognize that all good events in this world, all good decisions of governments, all good and beautiful things in creation are from your hand. Help me to always remember to give you the glory due your name.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Avoiding Solomon's Downfall (1 Kings 11:4-6)
1 Kings 11:4-6 - For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.
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Reading from the end of 1 Kings 10 through the beginning of 1 Kings 11, we see that Solomon disobeyed the commands of God for kings of Israel found in Deuteronomy 17:14-17. In those verses, God commanded future Israelite kings not to acquire many horses for themselves, especially from Egypt, not to acquire many wives, and not to amass much silver and wealth. Solomon did all these things, and it led to his downfall. Specifically, his many wives from foreign nations led his heart to follow after false gods until he was carried away in false religion.
Solomon’s story is very sad, and it contains in itself a warning for us. What things threaten your heart? Are there things that you love, that you cling to, that could, if given proper time and influence, lead your heart away from God? These things could be as simple as the books that the intellectual reads to feed his mind and stroke his ego. They could include the entertainment that the person enjoys that slowly degrades his or her wholehearted devotion to purity and to the Lord’s glory. It could be friendships that the Christian makes with lost people, friendships not for the sake of sharing the love of Christ. It could be a fascination with another religion or the occult. It could be simply a low view of scripture that allows other philosophies or sciences to trump the Bible in the heart of the believer.
The fact is, there are many voices out there in the world that are very tempting. Many of these voices, if we are not careful, can capture our hearts as Solomon’s wives captured his. Then, if we are caught up by them, those voices will ever so slightly turn our hearts away from following hard after God. From that point on, it is only a matter of time until we, like Solomon, are bowing at the altars of our false gods, dishonoring the one true God, and suffering the consequences of idolatry.
The cure for this deadly problem in your faith is to follow hard after God. Specifically, follow God in accord with his revealed word. Do not let your feelings, emotions, supposedly spiritual leadings, or the voices of those outside you determine for you the will of God. Instead, be certain that God’s revealed will in his word, properly understood and interpreted, is your first and final authority for the will of God. Yes, the Bible is the answer! Follow the scriptures, and do not be led astray by emotions.
Had Solomon heeded the call to follow the scripture, he would not have allowed his emotions to get entangled with all those women. Once those women had his emotions, he began to do what he “felt” was good. In the end, his feelings, divorced from the scriptures, led him into idolatry. God said that Solomon did not follow him as did his father David, and this caused tragic results for the family of Solomon from then on. Do not be like Solomon here. Follow God’s word, and do not let your heart become entangled with what might lead it astray.
Dear Lord, I see how easy it is for the hearts of men to be captured by something simple, something that looks like it is not that bad. I’m sure that Solomon thought that the prohibitions in your word against multiple wives was passé, and so he fell into sin. Lord, I acknowledge here and now that your word is the first and final standard for righteous living. I desire to never ignore your word in order to satisfy my emotions. I pray that you will hold my heart fast to you and to your revealed will in the scripture. Let me not turn from it, regardless of what things compete for my heart’s attention. Let me turn away from everything in my life that would speak evil and falsehood to my soul. Let me only hear your voice in your word as my standard.
.
Reading from the end of 1 Kings 10 through the beginning of 1 Kings 11, we see that Solomon disobeyed the commands of God for kings of Israel found in Deuteronomy 17:14-17. In those verses, God commanded future Israelite kings not to acquire many horses for themselves, especially from Egypt, not to acquire many wives, and not to amass much silver and wealth. Solomon did all these things, and it led to his downfall. Specifically, his many wives from foreign nations led his heart to follow after false gods until he was carried away in false religion.
Solomon’s story is very sad, and it contains in itself a warning for us. What things threaten your heart? Are there things that you love, that you cling to, that could, if given proper time and influence, lead your heart away from God? These things could be as simple as the books that the intellectual reads to feed his mind and stroke his ego. They could include the entertainment that the person enjoys that slowly degrades his or her wholehearted devotion to purity and to the Lord’s glory. It could be friendships that the Christian makes with lost people, friendships not for the sake of sharing the love of Christ. It could be a fascination with another religion or the occult. It could be simply a low view of scripture that allows other philosophies or sciences to trump the Bible in the heart of the believer.
The fact is, there are many voices out there in the world that are very tempting. Many of these voices, if we are not careful, can capture our hearts as Solomon’s wives captured his. Then, if we are caught up by them, those voices will ever so slightly turn our hearts away from following hard after God. From that point on, it is only a matter of time until we, like Solomon, are bowing at the altars of our false gods, dishonoring the one true God, and suffering the consequences of idolatry.
The cure for this deadly problem in your faith is to follow hard after God. Specifically, follow God in accord with his revealed word. Do not let your feelings, emotions, supposedly spiritual leadings, or the voices of those outside you determine for you the will of God. Instead, be certain that God’s revealed will in his word, properly understood and interpreted, is your first and final authority for the will of God. Yes, the Bible is the answer! Follow the scriptures, and do not be led astray by emotions.
Had Solomon heeded the call to follow the scripture, he would not have allowed his emotions to get entangled with all those women. Once those women had his emotions, he began to do what he “felt” was good. In the end, his feelings, divorced from the scriptures, led him into idolatry. God said that Solomon did not follow him as did his father David, and this caused tragic results for the family of Solomon from then on. Do not be like Solomon here. Follow God’s word, and do not let your heart become entangled with what might lead it astray.
Dear Lord, I see how easy it is for the hearts of men to be captured by something simple, something that looks like it is not that bad. I’m sure that Solomon thought that the prohibitions in your word against multiple wives was passé, and so he fell into sin. Lord, I acknowledge here and now that your word is the first and final standard for righteous living. I desire to never ignore your word in order to satisfy my emotions. I pray that you will hold my heart fast to you and to your revealed will in the scripture. Let me not turn from it, regardless of what things compete for my heart’s attention. Let me turn away from everything in my life that would speak evil and falsehood to my soul. Let me only hear your voice in your word as my standard.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
How Far Will You Go? (Mark 14:3-6)
Mark 14:3-6 - And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.”
.
This account of the woman anointing Jesus with the costly perfume is a beautiful reminder of what wholehearted devotion to Christ looks like. As has been taught in many places, women of those days would often keep an expensive jar of ointment or perfume as a sort of retirement plan. If something should happen to the woman whereby her means of support were cut off, she would sell her jar of perfume and have enough money not to be completely impoverished. But this woman took her entire retirement plan, and she poured it out over Jesus in a gesture of love.
What actually strikes me this morning is the response of the disciples to the woman’s action. They were all for devotion to Christ, but not the kind of devotion to Jesus that would make people take “wasteful” actions in their minds. The complainers, perhaps not all the disciples, were not in favor of commitment to Jesus or displays of love for Jesus that went to a certain level of cost.
Where are you in your devotion to Jesus? Are you ready to pour out your life savings just to make him smell good? Are you willing to speak of his glory, even when people around you may not willingly receive your words? Are you willing to risk your life to take the gospel to a people who do not know it and do not want it? Are you willing to turn down a social engagement because you already have scheduled time with your Savior? Are you willing to give up a potentially lucrative career in order to serve in the ministry?
I do not know what it is that God is calling you to do personally in order to show your love and devotion to your Savior. I do know that, whatever it is, it is in line with his revealed truth in his word and never contrary to that. But what I want you to think about is the idea of just how that calling of God on your life is something that you do, even if it does not make sense to the world around you. This does not mean that you ignore wise spiritual leaders who are speaking truth into your life, but it does mean that not everybody in your life may be able to or willing to understand why you do what you do.
Here are some potential examples:
• A college girls’ friends do not understand why she will not date a young man who is very nice, even though he is not a committed Christian like she is.
• A man’s supposedly Christian friends are embarrassed by his constant witnessing—sharing the gospel with people everywhere he goes.
• A Christian couple’s parents do not understand why they would consider going overseas to share the gospel when they have a perfectly good opportunity back in their home country.
• A Christian girl’s friends do not understand why she has to make everything so “spiritual” all the time.
• A Christian man’s friends do not understand why he will not listen to a particular band, watch a particular film, or join them at the local bar.
• A minister’s congregation does not understand why he gets so hung up on making sure that everything they do lines up perfectly with scripture.
• A worship team does not understand why the worship leader is rejecting a perfectly fun song just because one line isn’t biblical.
• A Christian girl’s friends do not understand why she worries so much about choosing clothing that is not too tight or too revealing.
• A Christian couple is ridiculed by the world for modeling headship and submission in their home.
The fact is, there are a thousand different examples of ways in which the Christian life and Christian devotion can bring the Christian ridicule. Sometimes that ridicule comes from others in the church who are unwilling to go “too far” with their faith. Other times that ridicule comes from a lost world that is blinded to the gospel. But, as we see from the woman, Christ is pleased with those who pour out their best for him, even when those around her do not understand.
Now, as I said before, whatever action that you feel you should take in order to express your love to Christ MUST be in line with God’s revealed will in his word. God is not revealing to us new things to do that are substantively different from or contrary to his word. We must always make the scriptures our standard for what God wants us to do, and we must never work in opposition to the Bible.
Dear Lord, I deeply desire to serve you faithfully. I want to pour out my life for your glory in much the same way that the woman poured out the ointment on your body before your death. I will submit myself to your revealed will in your word. I pray that you will protect me from the temptation to be led astray by my flesh or my own vain imaginings. Let me do what honors you in the way that you have shown to be your will in your word. I also pray that you will help me to be fully willing to honor you with my life, even when the world around me will not understand. I am yours, and my desire is to please you. I desire your approval, not the approval of man.
.
This account of the woman anointing Jesus with the costly perfume is a beautiful reminder of what wholehearted devotion to Christ looks like. As has been taught in many places, women of those days would often keep an expensive jar of ointment or perfume as a sort of retirement plan. If something should happen to the woman whereby her means of support were cut off, she would sell her jar of perfume and have enough money not to be completely impoverished. But this woman took her entire retirement plan, and she poured it out over Jesus in a gesture of love.
What actually strikes me this morning is the response of the disciples to the woman’s action. They were all for devotion to Christ, but not the kind of devotion to Jesus that would make people take “wasteful” actions in their minds. The complainers, perhaps not all the disciples, were not in favor of commitment to Jesus or displays of love for Jesus that went to a certain level of cost.
Where are you in your devotion to Jesus? Are you ready to pour out your life savings just to make him smell good? Are you willing to speak of his glory, even when people around you may not willingly receive your words? Are you willing to risk your life to take the gospel to a people who do not know it and do not want it? Are you willing to turn down a social engagement because you already have scheduled time with your Savior? Are you willing to give up a potentially lucrative career in order to serve in the ministry?
I do not know what it is that God is calling you to do personally in order to show your love and devotion to your Savior. I do know that, whatever it is, it is in line with his revealed truth in his word and never contrary to that. But what I want you to think about is the idea of just how that calling of God on your life is something that you do, even if it does not make sense to the world around you. This does not mean that you ignore wise spiritual leaders who are speaking truth into your life, but it does mean that not everybody in your life may be able to or willing to understand why you do what you do.
Here are some potential examples:
• A college girls’ friends do not understand why she will not date a young man who is very nice, even though he is not a committed Christian like she is.
• A man’s supposedly Christian friends are embarrassed by his constant witnessing—sharing the gospel with people everywhere he goes.
• A Christian couple’s parents do not understand why they would consider going overseas to share the gospel when they have a perfectly good opportunity back in their home country.
• A Christian girl’s friends do not understand why she has to make everything so “spiritual” all the time.
• A Christian man’s friends do not understand why he will not listen to a particular band, watch a particular film, or join them at the local bar.
• A minister’s congregation does not understand why he gets so hung up on making sure that everything they do lines up perfectly with scripture.
• A worship team does not understand why the worship leader is rejecting a perfectly fun song just because one line isn’t biblical.
• A Christian girl’s friends do not understand why she worries so much about choosing clothing that is not too tight or too revealing.
• A Christian couple is ridiculed by the world for modeling headship and submission in their home.
The fact is, there are a thousand different examples of ways in which the Christian life and Christian devotion can bring the Christian ridicule. Sometimes that ridicule comes from others in the church who are unwilling to go “too far” with their faith. Other times that ridicule comes from a lost world that is blinded to the gospel. But, as we see from the woman, Christ is pleased with those who pour out their best for him, even when those around her do not understand.
Now, as I said before, whatever action that you feel you should take in order to express your love to Christ MUST be in line with God’s revealed will in his word. God is not revealing to us new things to do that are substantively different from or contrary to his word. We must always make the scriptures our standard for what God wants us to do, and we must never work in opposition to the Bible.
Dear Lord, I deeply desire to serve you faithfully. I want to pour out my life for your glory in much the same way that the woman poured out the ointment on your body before your death. I will submit myself to your revealed will in your word. I pray that you will protect me from the temptation to be led astray by my flesh or my own vain imaginings. Let me do what honors you in the way that you have shown to be your will in your word. I also pray that you will help me to be fully willing to honor you with my life, even when the world around me will not understand. I am yours, and my desire is to please you. I desire your approval, not the approval of man.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tribulation? (Mark 13:19-20)
Mark 13:19-20 - For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
.
The coming time of tribulation, as Jesus spoke above, is a period of time that will come on the earth in which God pours out his wrath against the wickedness of humanity. It will be a dark and terrible period of time, and it will stand as a true indicator of the holiness of God and just how much God hates human sin. There are, of course, many views as to how this time period may work out, and I do not intend to try to start a discussion or debate on eschatology. Let us simply recognize that there will come a point, at the end of the age, when God will wrap up human history, reward his elect, and bring his wrath on those who reject him.
The reason that I write on the above verses is because they stir in my mind one simple thought regarding eschatology. The coming tribulation will be awful. Over the past several years, many books have been written and movies made to help people to imagine the time of the end. It has even recently been brought to the world’s attention that the “Left Behind” video game will be hitting store shelves this fall. But, with all the adventure-filled and action-packed portrayals of the period of tribulation, we are in danger of missing the force of Jesus’ words here. We are in danger of setting up the period of tribulation as an epic battle in which the forces of good take on the forces of evil—a battle which no red-blooded male wants to miss. The fictional portrayals of this period are designed to appropriately bring fear to those who are in danger of God’s wrath, but also to entertain with action, adventure, intrigue, and even romance. Thus, Christians who read the books and watch the movies may actually fantasize about becoming part of the team, hence the video game.
As I said, we are in danger of missing Jesus’ point. Jesus said, regarding the tribulation, that it will be such a time of distress as has never been on earth in the past, nor will there ever be such a time again. Think about any terrible event or period of human history to this point, and recognize that the period of tribulation will be worse. World War II, Vietnam, the Bolshevik Revolution, the fall of Rome, or even the destruction of Jerusalem will not compare to what is coming. Then, astoundingly, Jesus makes the statement that, had God not chosen to shorten the time period of tribulation, everyone, every human being, would die. We live in a world of around six billion people. If the tribulation were to come today, by its end, it would threaten the lives of all six billion people were it not for the fact that God simply chooses to shorten the time from what we could receive from him.
Why bring this up? God wants us to think with sober judgment and proper fear about the time of the end. It will be dark and tragic. Evil will be loosed on the earth. Worse for the lost, the wrath of God for the sins of unredeemed humanity will be poured out. There is nothing about this period that is supposed to be appealing to us. There should be no desire, on the part of a believer, to experience the battle, not even via virtual reality video game. The coming of this period of wrath should drive us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many as we can as often as we can so that, perhaps, God will save some of them and prepare them to face eternity and to not be under his wrath.
No, I’m not writing here about any particular eschatological position other than those which hold that the tribulation is a real period that will come upon the earth. Beyond such a view, I can not define, with certainty, in what order events will take place. Nor do I believe that such an argument is necessary to understand what I have written. I know that no period has yet come to the earth that is as awful and destructive as Jesus just described. I know that God is loving and gracious, but he is also holy and just. I know that God will not pour out his wrath on his children, but that his children have often suffered at the hands of the lost. I know that God’s wrath will be poured out on those who are not his children, and that time will be dreadful. And, I know that Jesus told us about this so that we would know it all, be watchful for it all, and live obedient to the will of the Father until the end comes.
Lord, I come to you this morning, and I ask that you would help me to think with propriety and sobriety about the end times. Let me not get caught up in speculation that takes me off course. Let me not get caught up in any form of fleshly thinking regarding what is to come. I simply want to know what you want us to know concerning this event as you revealed it in your word. I pray that the truth of the danger to come for the lost will drive me with even more passion to preach the gospel to all who will listen. I pray that you will grant me the opportunity to help people to come to Jesus before such a dark period arrives. Let me live to honor you this day, and to grow your kingdom on earth. I desire to glorify you in all things, even in my thinking about these difficult topics in your word.
.
The coming time of tribulation, as Jesus spoke above, is a period of time that will come on the earth in which God pours out his wrath against the wickedness of humanity. It will be a dark and terrible period of time, and it will stand as a true indicator of the holiness of God and just how much God hates human sin. There are, of course, many views as to how this time period may work out, and I do not intend to try to start a discussion or debate on eschatology. Let us simply recognize that there will come a point, at the end of the age, when God will wrap up human history, reward his elect, and bring his wrath on those who reject him.
The reason that I write on the above verses is because they stir in my mind one simple thought regarding eschatology. The coming tribulation will be awful. Over the past several years, many books have been written and movies made to help people to imagine the time of the end. It has even recently been brought to the world’s attention that the “Left Behind” video game will be hitting store shelves this fall. But, with all the adventure-filled and action-packed portrayals of the period of tribulation, we are in danger of missing the force of Jesus’ words here. We are in danger of setting up the period of tribulation as an epic battle in which the forces of good take on the forces of evil—a battle which no red-blooded male wants to miss. The fictional portrayals of this period are designed to appropriately bring fear to those who are in danger of God’s wrath, but also to entertain with action, adventure, intrigue, and even romance. Thus, Christians who read the books and watch the movies may actually fantasize about becoming part of the team, hence the video game.
As I said, we are in danger of missing Jesus’ point. Jesus said, regarding the tribulation, that it will be such a time of distress as has never been on earth in the past, nor will there ever be such a time again. Think about any terrible event or period of human history to this point, and recognize that the period of tribulation will be worse. World War II, Vietnam, the Bolshevik Revolution, the fall of Rome, or even the destruction of Jerusalem will not compare to what is coming. Then, astoundingly, Jesus makes the statement that, had God not chosen to shorten the time period of tribulation, everyone, every human being, would die. We live in a world of around six billion people. If the tribulation were to come today, by its end, it would threaten the lives of all six billion people were it not for the fact that God simply chooses to shorten the time from what we could receive from him.
Why bring this up? God wants us to think with sober judgment and proper fear about the time of the end. It will be dark and tragic. Evil will be loosed on the earth. Worse for the lost, the wrath of God for the sins of unredeemed humanity will be poured out. There is nothing about this period that is supposed to be appealing to us. There should be no desire, on the part of a believer, to experience the battle, not even via virtual reality video game. The coming of this period of wrath should drive us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many as we can as often as we can so that, perhaps, God will save some of them and prepare them to face eternity and to not be under his wrath.
No, I’m not writing here about any particular eschatological position other than those which hold that the tribulation is a real period that will come upon the earth. Beyond such a view, I can not define, with certainty, in what order events will take place. Nor do I believe that such an argument is necessary to understand what I have written. I know that no period has yet come to the earth that is as awful and destructive as Jesus just described. I know that God is loving and gracious, but he is also holy and just. I know that God will not pour out his wrath on his children, but that his children have often suffered at the hands of the lost. I know that God’s wrath will be poured out on those who are not his children, and that time will be dreadful. And, I know that Jesus told us about this so that we would know it all, be watchful for it all, and live obedient to the will of the Father until the end comes.
Lord, I come to you this morning, and I ask that you would help me to think with propriety and sobriety about the end times. Let me not get caught up in speculation that takes me off course. Let me not get caught up in any form of fleshly thinking regarding what is to come. I simply want to know what you want us to know concerning this event as you revealed it in your word. I pray that the truth of the danger to come for the lost will drive me with even more passion to preach the gospel to all who will listen. I pray that you will grant me the opportunity to help people to come to Jesus before such a dark period arrives. Let me live to honor you this day, and to grow your kingdom on earth. I desire to glorify you in all things, even in my thinking about these difficult topics in your word.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
God's Sufficient Word (Luke 16:28-31)
Luke 16:27-31 – “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
.
The above passage is the word of Jesus as he taught on some very important issues. There are incredibly important truths to be learned in Jesus’ telling the account of the rich man and Lazarus. This account, which reads like a parable, but which also has a more narrative feel than a simple parable, is often rightly used by preachers to talk about heaven and hell. Others read this passage when giving eschatological hope to people who are suffering in this world. But, as R. Albert Mohler preached on March 23, 2006 in a chapel service at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, there is another crucial message for today to be found here.
At the end of the account, the rich man, tormented in hell for a life of godlessness, recognizes that he will never be comforted from his torment. He then calls on Abraham to send the noble Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his brothers of their impending doom. Abraham’s response to the suffering rich man is of monumental importance to Christian life, preaching, counseling, and evangelism. Abraham told the rich man, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” He went on to say, lest we miss the significance of his first statement, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
Now, let us remember, right away, that this is not the teaching of Abraham, though such teaching would be absolutely valid, it is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. The incarnate Son of God told us that, if we want people to repent of their sin, change their lives, and turn to God for grace, it will happen through the working of the word of God. When he said that the people had “Moses and the prophets,” he was saying that the written word of God is what the rich man’s brothers needed in order to avoid damnation. If he were saying it to day, the simple answer would be, “They have the Bible, let them hear it,” and “If they will not hear the Bible, they will not be convinced by any miracle, even the resurrection.” Jesus lets us know, in no uncertain terms, that the way to see souls saved and lives changed is not persuasive signs, felt-need preaching, clever gimmicks, philosophical apologetics, scientific research, or popular psychology. The way to see souls saved and lives changed is by the application and preaching of the inspired word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In his application of this passage, Dr. Mohler argued that we will live by one of two different logics concerning the scriptures. We will either live in the belief that the Bible is inspired and truly able to change hearts and lives, or we will not. We will either believe the scripture to be sufficient for our needs, or we will not. If we believe the scripture to be inspired and sufficient, our evangelism, preaching, and counseling will be based on bringing the word of God to people’s lives. If we believe that the Bible is insufficient to change lives, then our preaching, evangelism, and counseling will be centered around self-help, felt-needs, gimmicks, and psychology.
I could not agree with Dr. mohler more. It is time for the people of God to return to the true faith of Christianity for centuries that holds the Bible to be the inspired revelation of God that is sufficient for every one of our eternal needs. It is time that the preaching of the church was more focused on the word of God than on the 7 habits of highly-effective, purpose-driven, blue like emerging prayers of Jabez. It is time that the modes and methods of Dr. Phil are taken out of our pulpits, along with the same modes and methods of those who would carelessly slap a scripture verse on the same methods and call them biblical. It is time that our churches returned to the word of God. It is time that we held the Bible up as our ultimate resource for life and godliness, as God tells us it is. It is time that we believe our Lord when he tells us that if people will not believe the word of God, they will not believe no matter what we do. Jesus made the word of God the first and last line of defense, and so there we must stand.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your word. It is powerful, life-changing, inspired, and sufficient for life and godliness. You have given us what we need, and for that I thank you. I pray that you will help me to show others that your word is what we need for life and godliness, and we do not need to bow to the whims and gimmicks of a culture that rejects the Bible. Let us truly believe that your word is what changes lives when you apply it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us treasure your word, as it is the written revelation of yourself to us. Help me to faithfully preach and apply your word to the lives of all around me. Help me to speak your word to the saved and the lost. Help me to honor you by how I handle your word.
*** You may find Dr. Mohler's message from 3/23/2006 by clicking here. ***
.
The above passage is the word of Jesus as he taught on some very important issues. There are incredibly important truths to be learned in Jesus’ telling the account of the rich man and Lazarus. This account, which reads like a parable, but which also has a more narrative feel than a simple parable, is often rightly used by preachers to talk about heaven and hell. Others read this passage when giving eschatological hope to people who are suffering in this world. But, as R. Albert Mohler preached on March 23, 2006 in a chapel service at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, there is another crucial message for today to be found here.
At the end of the account, the rich man, tormented in hell for a life of godlessness, recognizes that he will never be comforted from his torment. He then calls on Abraham to send the noble Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his brothers of their impending doom. Abraham’s response to the suffering rich man is of monumental importance to Christian life, preaching, counseling, and evangelism. Abraham told the rich man, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” He went on to say, lest we miss the significance of his first statement, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
Now, let us remember, right away, that this is not the teaching of Abraham, though such teaching would be absolutely valid, it is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. The incarnate Son of God told us that, if we want people to repent of their sin, change their lives, and turn to God for grace, it will happen through the working of the word of God. When he said that the people had “Moses and the prophets,” he was saying that the written word of God is what the rich man’s brothers needed in order to avoid damnation. If he were saying it to day, the simple answer would be, “They have the Bible, let them hear it,” and “If they will not hear the Bible, they will not be convinced by any miracle, even the resurrection.” Jesus lets us know, in no uncertain terms, that the way to see souls saved and lives changed is not persuasive signs, felt-need preaching, clever gimmicks, philosophical apologetics, scientific research, or popular psychology. The way to see souls saved and lives changed is by the application and preaching of the inspired word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In his application of this passage, Dr. Mohler argued that we will live by one of two different logics concerning the scriptures. We will either live in the belief that the Bible is inspired and truly able to change hearts and lives, or we will not. We will either believe the scripture to be sufficient for our needs, or we will not. If we believe the scripture to be inspired and sufficient, our evangelism, preaching, and counseling will be based on bringing the word of God to people’s lives. If we believe that the Bible is insufficient to change lives, then our preaching, evangelism, and counseling will be centered around self-help, felt-needs, gimmicks, and psychology.
I could not agree with Dr. mohler more. It is time for the people of God to return to the true faith of Christianity for centuries that holds the Bible to be the inspired revelation of God that is sufficient for every one of our eternal needs. It is time that the preaching of the church was more focused on the word of God than on the 7 habits of highly-effective, purpose-driven, blue like emerging prayers of Jabez. It is time that the modes and methods of Dr. Phil are taken out of our pulpits, along with the same modes and methods of those who would carelessly slap a scripture verse on the same methods and call them biblical. It is time that our churches returned to the word of God. It is time that we held the Bible up as our ultimate resource for life and godliness, as God tells us it is. It is time that we believe our Lord when he tells us that if people will not believe the word of God, they will not believe no matter what we do. Jesus made the word of God the first and last line of defense, and so there we must stand.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your word. It is powerful, life-changing, inspired, and sufficient for life and godliness. You have given us what we need, and for that I thank you. I pray that you will help me to show others that your word is what we need for life and godliness, and we do not need to bow to the whims and gimmicks of a culture that rejects the Bible. Let us truly believe that your word is what changes lives when you apply it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us treasure your word, as it is the written revelation of yourself to us. Help me to faithfully preach and apply your word to the lives of all around me. Help me to speak your word to the saved and the lost. Help me to honor you by how I handle your word.
*** You may find Dr. Mohler's message from 3/23/2006 by clicking here. ***
Monday, July 03, 2006
True or False Repentance (Hosea 7:13-14)
Hosea 7:13-14 - Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.
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What does it look like when a sinner repents of his or her sin? What does it mean to repent? Strangely, though the call to repentance is such a common call throughout the scriptures, few people have a grasp on its true meaning. There is such a thing as false repentance, and there is genuine repentance.
In this pair of verses in Hosea, we see false repentance at work. The people of Israel are crying out to God. Externally, we might assume that they are genuinely distraught over their sinfulness with hearts of true repentance. But God, who knows the hearts of all, declares to them that he can see right through them. These people weep, but not over their sin. They are weeping and crying out to God because they are upset at the loss of things they love. They do not love God. They instead love the things he makes. They are returning to God, not for restoration with God, but for restoration of their goods. James warns us against such a self serving attitude in the New Testament when he writes, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:3-4).
Genuine repentance involves three things that must not be pretended. The first is a true recognition of sin as sin. The mind of the sinful person must change about what he is doing. There is no longer any self-justification or excuse-making. The person sees the sin for what it truly is, ugly rebellion against a perfect, loving, and holy God. This new thinking about the sin leads to the emotion of sorrow over the sin. This is not sorrow because the sinner is embarrassed that he or she is caught; nor is the sorrow the sorrow for the loss of goods as we see in Hosea 7:13-14. Instead, the sorrow that the sinner feels is a genuine grief over the fact that they have sinned against God. Then, the changed thinking and sorrow must lead the person to a change in behavior, a 180 degree turn to walk away from the sin and toward God.
False repentance will counterfeit or misplace one or more of the three factors in repentance. In the case of Hosea 7, the people display sorrow, but it is a worldly sorrow, a sorrow over their loss of things instead of over their broken relationship with God, that comes from the flesh and leads to death (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). In the case of a legalist, someone might change their outer behavior without any change of heart about the sin (legalistically doing good deeds or depriving yourself of something you want in order to make up for your sin is known as penance, and is an unbiblical concept). Still others might change how they think about a sin, feel genuine sorrow over it, but for some reason refuse to change their behavior. Falsehood in any of the three areas of repentances makes the repentance false. And, as we see in Hosea 7, false repentance does not bring God’s favor.
So, what do you do when you are in sin. You need to have the three parts of repentance in place in order not to dishonor God. You must allow your whole heart and attitude to be changed toward that sin. Allow the word of God and the Spirit of God to show you how ugly, repulsive, and purely evil is your sin. Do not shrink back from the dark feelings of guilt, as such feelings are justified for any person in sin. Then, your heart will feel true and godly sorrow for your sin; not because you lost an earthly treasure, but because you sinned before a holy God. Finally, let that new thinking and sorrow lead you to a new style of living that turns from your sin and turns to God. God is faithful and will forgive anyone who is in Christ and who turns to him in genuine repentance.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me never to attempt to counterfeit repentance as did the people described in the verses above. I recognize that it is the tendency of the human heart to try to pull a fast one on you, but I also know that such a thing can not be done. You see deep into my heart. You know when my repentance is genuine and when it is not. Please give me a new mind toward sin, a mind guided by your revealed word. Help me to feel the sorrow I should feel when I dishonor you. May I never simply mourn over the loss of a privilege or a reputation, but may I truly grieve over the fact that my sin is against you. Then, guide my steps to right living, aiding me in the process of turning from sin and to you. Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son to die as the payment for my sin. Help me to honor you by living a genuine walk of repentance in the grace of Christ.
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What does it look like when a sinner repents of his or her sin? What does it mean to repent? Strangely, though the call to repentance is such a common call throughout the scriptures, few people have a grasp on its true meaning. There is such a thing as false repentance, and there is genuine repentance.
In this pair of verses in Hosea, we see false repentance at work. The people of Israel are crying out to God. Externally, we might assume that they are genuinely distraught over their sinfulness with hearts of true repentance. But God, who knows the hearts of all, declares to them that he can see right through them. These people weep, but not over their sin. They are weeping and crying out to God because they are upset at the loss of things they love. They do not love God. They instead love the things he makes. They are returning to God, not for restoration with God, but for restoration of their goods. James warns us against such a self serving attitude in the New Testament when he writes, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:3-4).
Genuine repentance involves three things that must not be pretended. The first is a true recognition of sin as sin. The mind of the sinful person must change about what he is doing. There is no longer any self-justification or excuse-making. The person sees the sin for what it truly is, ugly rebellion against a perfect, loving, and holy God. This new thinking about the sin leads to the emotion of sorrow over the sin. This is not sorrow because the sinner is embarrassed that he or she is caught; nor is the sorrow the sorrow for the loss of goods as we see in Hosea 7:13-14. Instead, the sorrow that the sinner feels is a genuine grief over the fact that they have sinned against God. Then, the changed thinking and sorrow must lead the person to a change in behavior, a 180 degree turn to walk away from the sin and toward God.
False repentance will counterfeit or misplace one or more of the three factors in repentance. In the case of Hosea 7, the people display sorrow, but it is a worldly sorrow, a sorrow over their loss of things instead of over their broken relationship with God, that comes from the flesh and leads to death (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). In the case of a legalist, someone might change their outer behavior without any change of heart about the sin (legalistically doing good deeds or depriving yourself of something you want in order to make up for your sin is known as penance, and is an unbiblical concept). Still others might change how they think about a sin, feel genuine sorrow over it, but for some reason refuse to change their behavior. Falsehood in any of the three areas of repentances makes the repentance false. And, as we see in Hosea 7, false repentance does not bring God’s favor.
So, what do you do when you are in sin. You need to have the three parts of repentance in place in order not to dishonor God. You must allow your whole heart and attitude to be changed toward that sin. Allow the word of God and the Spirit of God to show you how ugly, repulsive, and purely evil is your sin. Do not shrink back from the dark feelings of guilt, as such feelings are justified for any person in sin. Then, your heart will feel true and godly sorrow for your sin; not because you lost an earthly treasure, but because you sinned before a holy God. Finally, let that new thinking and sorrow lead you to a new style of living that turns from your sin and turns to God. God is faithful and will forgive anyone who is in Christ and who turns to him in genuine repentance.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will help me never to attempt to counterfeit repentance as did the people described in the verses above. I recognize that it is the tendency of the human heart to try to pull a fast one on you, but I also know that such a thing can not be done. You see deep into my heart. You know when my repentance is genuine and when it is not. Please give me a new mind toward sin, a mind guided by your revealed word. Help me to feel the sorrow I should feel when I dishonor you. May I never simply mourn over the loss of a privilege or a reputation, but may I truly grieve over the fact that my sin is against you. Then, guide my steps to right living, aiding me in the process of turning from sin and to you. Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son to die as the payment for my sin. Help me to honor you by living a genuine walk of repentance in the grace of Christ.
An Answer for Prosperity Preachers (1 Kings 3:11-14)
1 Kings 3:11-14 - And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
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What would you do if God gave you a blank check? What would you ask for if God told you you could have any one thing? Would you ask for money, fame, fortune, fun, or health? Would your request be noble or selfish?
When God came to Solomon in chapter 3 of 1 Kings, he offered Solomon one request. Solomon had the chance to ask for anything his heart desired, and he asked God for a wise heart so that he could faithfully govern the people. God’s response, which we read above, shows that God was pleased by the young king’s thinking. God was especially pleased with the way that Solomon thought in contrast with the way that many would think, greedily seeking earthly comforts.
In our day, there are no lack of preachers out there who declare that God wants his children to have everything they desire. These proclaimers of health, wealth, and prosperity declare all followers of Christ to be adopted children in the family of the King of kings—a true statement. They then reason that, since we are King’s kids, we are wealthy and should live as wealthy as royalty. They instruct their followers to simply name whatever they desire (nice car, fancy clothes, large house, etc.), and God, the King, will happily give such things to his adopted progeny.
I wonder if the preachers of prosperity gospels ever pay attention to how God responded to Solomon. Yes, I am sure they notice that Solomon got wealth and prosperity; but I wonder if they recognize that he did not ask for it. Health, wealth, and prosperity teachers preach the exact opposite of what God commends in Solomon’s request. God was pleased by the fact that Solomon did not ask him for money, power, or fame. God gave such things to Solomon for the express reason that Solomon was not seeking them. Solomon wanted to please God by ruling his people well, and God rewarded Solomon by granting his request for wisdom and adding in the fame, money, and power for the fun of it.
If you want happiness and joy from God, the way to receive them is not to seek possessions or comforts in this life from him. To seek the things that God has made before seeking God is idolatry, and God will not tolerate it. The way to have a joyful and full life is not to seek earthly treasure, but to seek God. Ask for the Creator, not is creation, and he will give you what you need. But recognize that you can not scheme a reward by tricking God. If your heart is set on earthly wealth, God is not going to be fooled by your worship, full of pretense. Your heart has to change, and your desire has to be the glory and majesty of God above all. The prosperity you seek needs to be eternal prosperity in his name.
Though many preach to us that we need simply name and claim our desires, they fail to preach to us the true gospel. God does not tell you to “name it and claim it.” He instead tells us to change our earthly, fleshly, sinful desires. He tells us to stop seeking earthly treasure, and seek his Kingdom and righteousness in its place (Matthew 6:33). So it is time for the people of God to let the false preachers of prosperity gospel know that what we really want is God’s will, preachers to preach the true gospel.
Lord, I pray that you will make me aware of any way in which my life is enslaved to a desire for earthly comforts or things. I want to seek you and your kingdom and righteousness. I want to please you by asking for wisdom, discernment, righteousness, and a faithful heart. I want to have you grant me the ability to follow you with everything that I have. I want to be able to serve you on this earth until my dying breath. I want the passion to share the true gospel with the lost, and to see the lost come to know you through Christ. I also pray that you will free your people from the false preachers of a man-centered, flesh-exalting prosperity gospel. Change the hearts of your people to hearts that seek you above any of the things you created. Do this, I pray, that your name might be exalted above all things.
.
What would you do if God gave you a blank check? What would you ask for if God told you you could have any one thing? Would you ask for money, fame, fortune, fun, or health? Would your request be noble or selfish?
When God came to Solomon in chapter 3 of 1 Kings, he offered Solomon one request. Solomon had the chance to ask for anything his heart desired, and he asked God for a wise heart so that he could faithfully govern the people. God’s response, which we read above, shows that God was pleased by the young king’s thinking. God was especially pleased with the way that Solomon thought in contrast with the way that many would think, greedily seeking earthly comforts.
In our day, there are no lack of preachers out there who declare that God wants his children to have everything they desire. These proclaimers of health, wealth, and prosperity declare all followers of Christ to be adopted children in the family of the King of kings—a true statement. They then reason that, since we are King’s kids, we are wealthy and should live as wealthy as royalty. They instruct their followers to simply name whatever they desire (nice car, fancy clothes, large house, etc.), and God, the King, will happily give such things to his adopted progeny.
I wonder if the preachers of prosperity gospels ever pay attention to how God responded to Solomon. Yes, I am sure they notice that Solomon got wealth and prosperity; but I wonder if they recognize that he did not ask for it. Health, wealth, and prosperity teachers preach the exact opposite of what God commends in Solomon’s request. God was pleased by the fact that Solomon did not ask him for money, power, or fame. God gave such things to Solomon for the express reason that Solomon was not seeking them. Solomon wanted to please God by ruling his people well, and God rewarded Solomon by granting his request for wisdom and adding in the fame, money, and power for the fun of it.
If you want happiness and joy from God, the way to receive them is not to seek possessions or comforts in this life from him. To seek the things that God has made before seeking God is idolatry, and God will not tolerate it. The way to have a joyful and full life is not to seek earthly treasure, but to seek God. Ask for the Creator, not is creation, and he will give you what you need. But recognize that you can not scheme a reward by tricking God. If your heart is set on earthly wealth, God is not going to be fooled by your worship, full of pretense. Your heart has to change, and your desire has to be the glory and majesty of God above all. The prosperity you seek needs to be eternal prosperity in his name.
Though many preach to us that we need simply name and claim our desires, they fail to preach to us the true gospel. God does not tell you to “name it and claim it.” He instead tells us to change our earthly, fleshly, sinful desires. He tells us to stop seeking earthly treasure, and seek his Kingdom and righteousness in its place (Matthew 6:33). So it is time for the people of God to let the false preachers of prosperity gospel know that what we really want is God’s will, preachers to preach the true gospel.
Lord, I pray that you will make me aware of any way in which my life is enslaved to a desire for earthly comforts or things. I want to seek you and your kingdom and righteousness. I want to please you by asking for wisdom, discernment, righteousness, and a faithful heart. I want to have you grant me the ability to follow you with everything that I have. I want to be able to serve you on this earth until my dying breath. I want the passion to share the true gospel with the lost, and to see the lost come to know you through Christ. I also pray that you will free your people from the false preachers of a man-centered, flesh-exalting prosperity gospel. Change the hearts of your people to hearts that seek you above any of the things you created. Do this, I pray, that your name might be exalted above all things.
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