How do you view death? Philippians 1-2

Philippians 1:21 (NASBStr)

 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Paul is writing this letter to the believers in the city of Philippi from a prison in Rome.   He always wanted to go to Rome, but didn't realize it would be in chains with a praetorian guard (see v. 13).  He is telling the Philippians to have all joy in whatever they do for Christ because Christ is the ultimate victor in all things life (see chapter 2).   In the process of that encouragement, Paul is staring death right in the face ... or, could be.   He doesn't know what the future holds, He only knows (as the song goes) who holds his future.  And, because of that belief he can pen the above line.   He is not sure if he will die (which he believes is a far better option) or if he will suffer and stay (which he believes is good for them, but not him).   Perhaps this is the ultimate test of our faith and peace in Christ.   When we can face death and know that, even in the pain of death, nothing separates us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:36-39).   Paul knew that he was facing death, like we all are.   Yet,, the peace he had in being in the love of Christ made it possible for him to live, not only victorious, but joyfully.  It also allowed him to encourage others to live the same way.  There is one thing to have a counselor or pastor or friend, who are great people and serve great needs, tell you to be joyous in adversity; but it is quite another thing to have someone in prison facing a possible beheading to pen the above phrase and encourage you to take on the same attitude.   We (today's believers) can get so petty in our complaining.  If the local wifi doesn't allow us to surf the net fast enough we think we are having a bad day.  If we have to work with a co-worker who is socially challenged we complain all evening upon our return from work.   Yet, in the midst of death Paul rejoiced and encouraged others to rejoice.   The test of our maturity in Christ is that we can see the beauty in death (as a stepping stone to Christ) and encourage others to live in light of it.  No ... to live desiring it!

How shrewed are you in this world? Luke 15-16

Luke 16:8-9 (NASBStr)

And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.

This story in Luke 16 is about a middle-manger who was about to be let go for stealing his master's goods.   Before it happens, however, he takes advantage of his position and re-writes several of his masters contracts.   In the ancient world when you did something good for someone they were obligated to do something good in return.  So, by re-writing the contracts and giving his master's debtors a deal, he may have, once again, swindled his boss, but he assured himself of future good treatment ... albeit he would be permanently unemployed.  His master is impressed with his shrewdness.  To better explain the meaning here that Jesus is getting at note what the World Biblical Commentary has to say about this section:

"But what of the master's reaction to this? This last set of actions had not made him any more criminal than he was already, and the reaction to his former squandering was to be dismissal. Nothing more could be done from that angle. What about recovery? If the steward had sought to lay claim to more of his master's goods for himself at this point, the master, now alerted and present, would have made all legal moves necessary for their recovery. The stroke of brilliance was the tranfer to a series of third parties. Here the wealth is out of the master's reach, but on the basis of the reciprocity ethic, it was effectively within the reach of the steward. The master can do nothing more than he had already done. However grudgingly, the master can only acknowledge the cleverness of the now dismissed steward. The whole of the action has taken place in connection with the less than savory nature of what so often goes on in the world of business and high finance. The ethics are at a pretty low level. But what should attract our attention is that the steward has shrewdly appraised the situation in which he found himself, and acted to save himself. The challenge is for us to have the shrewdness to recognize and seize the opportunity that exists in the midst of threat. In the immediate context, the threat and opportunity are those created by the ministry of Jesus. But beyond that the story challenges all Christians to be as successful as the worldly wise in cutting their cloth according to their situation: to act committedly in the light of what we know (in knowing God in Christ) of the larger shape of reality, and its moral texture, and its orientation to the future judgment."

Jesus is not rewarding the actions of the steward, but rather stating that believers tend to fall flat in this world with the knowledge have in Christ.  We don't use the information we have about God and who he is to our advantage to secure future treatment.   We could spend days and weeks gleaning more meaning from this passage, but suffice it to say for this small devotional that God what us to be shrewd in this world and to maneuver every benefit we can for the glory of God!!

Are you following YOUR Spirit? Ezekiel 13-18

Ezekiel 13:3 (NASBStr)

Thus says the Lord God, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.

The false prophets in Israel were  leading the people astray.  Rather than following the Word of God and confirming God they, instead, were following "their own spirit."   If we took some time to meditate on that phrase we would see why their counsel was wrong.   Instead of following the Spirit of God they decided to yield to their own spirit.   We read in Romans 6-8 that our own spirit is alienated from God.  Even AFTER we are made sons of God we have a conflict with the "old man" inside of us.  This old man, despite being defeated and declared dead, still fights for supremacy (Romans 7).   To avoid this approach we have to, by faith, yield to the Spirit of God.   The problem begins because our spirit is so convincing and makes us think it is His Spirit.   HOw do we know the difference?  When we follow the Spirit of God and walk with the Spirit and yield to the Spirit, we will find ourselves obeying the established Word of God (something we don't do naturally).  When we are In the Spirit we will find ourselves doing things not natural: Like forgiving others.   When we are Spirit led rather than flesh led we will produce the fruit of the Spirit which is not natural for the unbeliever or believer alike.  It is only in the Spirit that God honoring activity happens.  The reason the prophets in Israel led people astray is because they allowed their own spirits to lead them astray.   We have to ask each day: Will my spirit lead me or with His Spirit lead me? 

What do you listen to? Where will it take you? Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:24 (NASBStr)

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

The word "listen" in the above proverb, in the Hebrew, is used over 1,000 times in the Bible.  LIke trees on the road you might simply pass it by without noticing.  Solomon, in chapter seven, is describing for us the perils of an adulterous women (code-speak for the deceptions of folly in our lives).   After describing at length what she looks like and how she approaches the "naive", he is now given us the one proverb solution to avoid her charms, but then her crimes, and eventually her crushing blows.   In the first four verses of this chapter and the next verse (25) Solomon gives us the key to unlock the chains of seductive sin.   HIs solution?  Listen!!  Pay attention!!   The words might cause us to pause and think this is too simple.   Yet, that is his solution.   He is telling us that the way to avoid the sin of folly, especially as it manifests itself in the seductive nature of adultery, is to hear God's Word and pay attention to the wisdom found in it.   But, the listening is not simple grade-school-passive-hearing.   To listen to God's Word is to digest and allow the things it teaches us to impact, motive and direct our lives.   If we get caught "listening" to the seductress; or, paying attention to the flattery of her words, we will be lead astray.  It should be noted that the seducer in this chapter gets the attention of the naive one through his senses and then has him "listen" to her.  The lips stick gets him to "pay attention."  The words lead him to listen and fall.   We listen and obey many things.   But, the solution to avoid sin is to use those senses to listen to truth, rather than deception.  If you want to avoid the pains of death listen to the words of life.  

How do you go from Woes to Wonderful? Psalms 75-77

Psalms 77:10-12 (NASBStr)

Then I said, “ It is my grief,

That the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

 I will meditate on all Your work

And muse on Your deeds.

Psalms 77:10-12 (NIV1984)

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:

the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

 I will meditate on all your works

and consider all your mighty deeds.

Both translations of the passage in Psalm 77 are the answer the writer develops and/or discovers after a night full of wanting, worrying and woe.  The writer is lost in the grief he feels over Israel's demise and looks to God for solace.   When we are in the depths of despair the only real place we can turn is our faith in the character and acts of God.   Instead of meditating on the woes of the day, the writer, by faith, meditates and considers the wonders of God.   He remembers and recollects the great things God has done for him.  His salvation based upon God's grace enters his mind rather than his condition in the depth of despair caused by sin.  Why not, when we are defeated by the stain of sin, focus, rather, in faith, on the strength and permanence of our salvation. When we spend our life musing about the mess we will find despair at the end.  When, through faith, we consider His character and faithfulness, we can live in rejoicing.   Our heartache is turned to joy when we go from thoughts of our sin to thoughts of our Savior.  

Have you ever seen a more amazing display of God's grace? 1 Kings 18-22

1 Kings 21:27-29 (NASBStr)

It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son’s days.”

Wow!!!  You only have a to read a few chapters about Ahab and Jezebel to know how amazing these few verses are in the story of God's grace.   Ahab was a wicked man.  His leadership over Israel brought scores of idol worship and mistreatment of man.  Ahab is a picture of the worse of sinners.  Yet, God's grace postponed Ahab's punishment due to his repentance.   God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.   It should be noted that God only "postponed" Ahab's discipline.   God did not remove it.  But, this humility and act of contrition opened the door for a compassionate God and a patient God.   God wants man to repent.  Even the most wicked man will be given God's grace if they will but repent and know the glory and holiness of God.   Pride keeps us from repentance.    Satan tries to convince us that God won't forgive so there is no reason to repent.  Yet, here we have the perfect example of God's grace in the lives of wickedness.   God's grace is an ocean we can't fathom.   

Do you have your right ear, thumb and toe in for God? Leviticus 7-9

Leviticus 8:24 (NASBStr)

He also had Aaron’s sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar.

Moses is consecrating Aaron and Aaron's sons to be the priest.   In so doing Moses takes them through a variety of instructions and rituals.   At the end of the instructions on the sacrifice, Moses takes the blood and anoints the right side of Aaron and the boys.   The right side, in Scripture, is always spoken of has that of honor.   The mother of James and John asked our Lord if her two boys could sit at the right side of Jesus in the Kingdom.   Jesus is said to be at the right hand of God.   So, by anointing the right side, Moses is giving them honor.   But, by anointing the ear, the thumb and the toe, Moses is also saying Aaron and the boys are all in.  They must "hear" the Words of God; they must "do" the Words of God; and, they must "walk" in the Words of God.   Their service is not limited to a mere cognitive ascent.   Their service is complete and final.  They are surrendering their lives to God's service.   God is requiring of them complete and total service.   Such is the life of all believers.  Peter left the nets full of fish (twice) to follow Christ.   Matthew left the tax collectors fortune to follow Christ.  Paul left the life of an honored Pharisee to follow Christ.   John gave his life to follow Christ, as did most of the other apostles.  The life of Christ is one of complete and total commitment.  It is not one where only the ear is involved.  It is not one where we service and don't listen to God's Word.  It is not one where we walk with out service of doing.   Have we allowed God to consecrate our ears, thumbs and feet?  

What does your walk each day actually look like? What should it look like? Ephesians 4-6

Ephesians 4:1-3 (NASBStr)

 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I love Paul.   He is not only genuine and bold in his relationships with the churches he addresses these letters to, he is also practical and exact.   He gives good doctrine and than shows how to carry that doctrine into the practical aspects of day to day living.  In the first three chapters of this little letter he has given us some of the most powerful doctrinal statements in all of Scripture.  In fact, the fist long sentence of chapter one is 13 verses long and has spent theologians reeling for centuries.  BUT, he doesn't stop there.  After laying ground work for our faith being fully and wholly in God sovereignty and Christ's work on the cross he now moves us into the ministry of the Spirit in our lives by telling us the goal first.  We are to "walk" in a manner worthy of the God who saved us and the Savior who died for us.   He doesn't just tell us the goal however (verse 1), however, he gives us five earmarks of what that looks like.  Like navigational points on the journey of life, Paul tells us to walk in:  1) Humility (putting others first and knowing we were nothing without God's grace); 2) Gentleness (the ability to address difficult situations with the grace of God and love of Christ); 3) Patience with loving tolerance (the ability to allow God's grace to flow through you to others and allow them to be changed the way you were in Christ); 4) Diligence to preserve unity (the ability to work toward the unity Christ prayed for in the garden for all believers).   Paul is telling us we have been saved by God's grace therefore God's grace should simply flow through us.  We are conduits of what God has done to us and for us.   Paul contrasts this walk with the way we "used to walk" in 4:17 and on.   It would be wise to see that comparison.  Like two different roads, God shows us how to live with God rather than self.  

Do you self-promote? Luke 13-14

Luke 14:11 (NASBStr)

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Recently I was invited to attend an award presentation for one of my "students" (a leader who I was hired to coach for a few years who turned things around and received honor for it).  When I arrived I had a choice of where to sit within the party.  I choose to sit in the back.   The person in charge spoke up and told me to move to the front.   Had that been reversed I would have been more than embarrassed.   That is the point that Christ is making in this story.   When you try to promote yourself, He says, you will be humbled.  When you humble yourself, you will be promoted.   Christ showed us what it is like to be humble.  He washed the disciples feet.  In our society the one in charge has "people" who do that.   He left heaven and slept on the earth, or in the back of boats, and had a rock for pillow.  In our society those who are great stay at the Hampton's, not the Hampton Inn in Jersey.     Humility is lost on a society that is all about flashy, shinny and self-promoting.   Jesus showed us His way is the meek and lowly.  The abased.   That is not to say that God doesn't promote and appoint.  Solomon was an example Jesus Himself used to show that God does and will promote and lavish (Matthew 6:29).   But, when God lavishes us with something we are to stay humble and to rejoice in His exalting us.  We are not to seek our own exaltation.  

How do you cure a hard heart? Ezekiel 7-12

Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NASBStr)

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

This section (Ezekiel 7-12) God is pointing out to Israel (and us), through Ezekiel, that HE KNOWS OUR SINS!!!  We need to come to grip with that.   We can't do something in the dark that God doesn't see and fully know.   This chapter is also about knowing that God will punish sin.  He knows it and He punishes it.  You can't read these six chapters and not see and hear that message.   Yet, in the midst of the message, God's grace is still there.   Despite the sin they did, we do, I do, God's grace is still flowing.   They have no desire to follow God in love and obedience.  Yet, Ezekiel is telling them that there is a day coming when God will take away their stoney heart of disobedience and give them a heart of the Spirit.   In the midst of the dark and wicked sin of man God's grace shines through.  God will give us a heart of obedience as we walk in faith toward Him.   Here is a perfect example of God's atonement for man.  

Can you walk near fire and not smell like smoke? Proverbs 5-6

Proverbs 6:27-28

Can a man take fire in his bosom

And his clothes not be burned?

 Or can a man walk on hot coals

And his feet not be scorched?

Our modern-day version of this proverb says it this way, "if you play with fire you'll certainly get burnt." Solomon is sharing with us the cost of an adulterous relationship.  He wants us to know in these chapters that the pleasure always gives way to an exceedingly difficult pain. Again, for clarification, is talking in two realms. One realm is the actual adultery and sexual relationship. The other realm, is the realm where adultery represents folly; sin in general. There is no doubt here that Solomon would have had a conscious thought process about his own father, King David.  David's sin with Bathsheba certainly shaped Solomon's thinking about adultery and sexual relationships. He also saw the pain that it brought to those around him and the legacy it left with his father.  There are many in this world who believe that they can play with this type of thing in their life. They believe they can flirt and engage in sexual banter and nothing will happen. They believe they can look and not touch and nothing will happen. But Solomon is letting us know that if you are around fire you smell like smoke. Our Lord told us that if a man looks on a woman to lust after her he is already committed adultery in his heart. This sin begins in the heart. Therefore getting close to it can cause extreme pain and suffering for all those involved.  Taking hold of wisdom will keep us from this difficulty.  As we apply Christ to our life and allow Him to rule and reign we will have protection from this flame and pain.  

Are you envious of the wicked? Psalm 72-74

Psalms 73:1-4 (NASBStr)

 Surely God is good to Israel,

To those who are pure in heart!

 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,

My steps had almost slipped.

 For I was envious of the arrogant

As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

 For there are no pains in their death,

And their body is fat.

Psalms 73:17 (NASBStr)

Until I came into the sanctuary of God;

Then I perceived their end.

Asaph, the writer of this Psalm, is one of my most favorite Bible Characters.   I think he and I have lived in the same places.  Many, if not all, of his Psalms resonate with me because I have felt what he feels and thought what he thinks.   In Psalm 73 he talks about living with an "envy of the wicked."   He talks about watching them and noting that they seem to have little pain and are good and fat with the things of life.   To deny what we see is to not fully be healthy.  Like Asaph, we do see the wicked prosper and we do see them stuff themselves with the things of life.  They go on and on like there is no tomorrow and seem to enjoy life, completely absent of God.    Asaph admits the sin in even this simply act of envy.   He sees the wrong in his actions but can't help what he sees and what he feels.   What is he to do?  What am I to do, when I see and think the same things?  What are we to do?   Thankfully, Asaph doesn't leave us in this strange and ugly place.   In Psalm 73:17 we see how his mind and heart were corrected.   He would have continued in this way had he not walked into the place of God and taken on God's World View.   When he came into the place of worship he began to think of God's plan and God's judgement of the wicked.   That faith in God's plan was all that was needed to replace the mind of the flesh; the mind of envy.  Now, instead of envy for the wicked, Asaph morns!   He sees their end and knows of their destruction.  Instead of seeing their life of ease as a blessing he sees it as their blindness to the very judgements of God.   When we begin to envy the ease and lose cares of the wicked, it is wise for us to rejoice in God's plans and collect a world view based upon Faith, not Flesh.   

What do you fear? Why do you fear? 1 Kings 14-17

1 Kings 17:13-16 (NASBStr)

Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth. ’” So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah.

Do not fear!!!   These three words carry so much for us in our day to day lives.   When you think about the things you struggle with there is always a fear attached to them.   God knows our fears and He knows how to care for our fears.   The reason for this is because God loves us and promises to care for us ... fears and all.  Note what John tells us in his epistle:

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.  

God does not want us to fear.   He didn't come to give us fear.  Elijah showed up at a time that the widow was in full fear that she and her son would die due to the famine in the land.  Yet, God sent to her Elijah to provide for her miraculously.  God loves us and faith in that love casts out all fear.   Because we know that God loves us we know He will care for us.  Therefore there is nothing to fear.   God has adopted us, just like Elijah adopted this widow and her son.   He made sure she was cared for.    Satan wants us to fear ... but fear is punishment.  God has redeemed us and delivered us from punishment.  

Romans 8:15

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “ Abba! Father!”

When we are in need and lack anything, God tells us to cry out, "Abba! Father!"   God sent Elijah to the widow to show His love for her.   God will provide for us because He loves us.  There is nothing to fear.  

Do I have to pay for sins I don't know I did? Leviticus 4-7

Leviticus 5:17 (NASBStr)

“Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

If you wanted to start a great debate at work, in your family or with anyone you meet, try asking this question: "If someone sins and doesn't even know that it is a sin, are they still accountable for that sin?  Do they still owe a debt to God for it?"   What do you think the response of most unbelievers would be?  What do you think would be the response of most believers?   The answer, according to the above verse, is that, yes, they are both guilty of the sin and there is a punishment for that sin.   Our society tends to think that we aren't responsible for a sin against God if we aren't aware of it.   Yet, that doesn't make logical sense in our society.   We have people who go through stop signs because they were "unaware" it was there and get tickets, every day.    In our world, "ignorance of the law" is not a defense.  Yet, we plead ignorance of God's Laws all the time and think God will blink.  God doesn't blink.  That is why He sent His Son to cover our sins, even those we do we don't know or remember or realize.   God is the great God of compassion.  But, He is also the God of justice.  NO sin is just forgiven without punishment.   But, every sin in the believer's life has suffered punishment through the atonement of the Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus.   God doesn't simply forgive (blink) at our sin.  Each one must be paid for, in full.  Jesus did that.  The unbeliever pays for each himself or herself.   Believers have it paid for by the grace of God.  

Where does your strength come from? Ephesians 1-3

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NASBStr)

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

If you were ever going to pray for someone this would be the prayer, the purpose and the desire you would want to pray.   Paul, an apostle sent by God, lifts up the believers at Ephesus and prays that they, through the working of the Spirit and based upon faith (alone) in Christ, would have strength, not in their jobs, or their homes, or their relationships, but would have strength in the "inner man."    That strength would allow them to have a deep understanding of the fullness of God.   Paul, here, is giving us the formula for a right relationship with God, after our salvation, and the correct formula for our relationships at home, work and play.   Even though they were already justified, by faith, they are now to be sanctified by faith and that sanctification means a growing in the understanding of the fullness of God.   In this passage we have the work of the Father, Son and Spirit in our day-to-day sanctification process.   Just as our salvation is not our own (chapter 2) neither is our sanctification is our own.  Paul wants them to be strengthen in the inner man, with power of the Holy Spirit.  He does not want them to think they can muster up the inner man by their own flesh.   It is ONLY through the ministry of the Trinity that we can have sanctification take place and find strength in the inner man.  Pray this for me.  Pray this for your family.  Pray this for the Body of Christ; every believer you know.  

What is in your storage closet? Luke 11-12

Luke 12:16-21 (NASBStr)

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? ’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do:I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘ You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? ’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Yesterday, for my business I had the task of sending out invoices for the work done in the schools I work with throughout the school year.  It should be a fun day because I am billing them for hours of work over the past nine months.  However, I hate numbers and I hate charging for a job I would naturally do for free (I hope none of them read this blog).   The other part I hate about it is contained in this parable of our Lord's, above.   I NEVER  want to be the guy in this story.   I NEVER want to lay up treasures on this earth.   I want to capture, in my life, what Jesus is talking about.  I want to be RICH TOWARD GOD.  We live in a society that so measures a man by his car, his house, his financial status.    If you have BIG house and an EXPENSIVE car you are better off than others.  Yet, all that is wasted energy ... read Solomon's Ecclesiastes on this subject!   We are to be rich toward God.  The meaning here is that our concentration should be on mercy, love, grace, servanthood, kindness and a stock pile of FORGIVENESS.   Keep me from sending out invoices and rather invites to share the grace of God.  Keep me from counting my dollars and, instead, count the times I have forgiven my brother, in grace.   

What would happen if you saw the glory of God? Ezekiel 1-4

Ezekiel 1:28 (NASBStr)

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

I don't know how many times I have said, prayed, or heard another person in church ask God in some fashion or another to "show us Your glory."   When we worship on earth in our services we desire to see the glory of God.  We hunger for the glory of God as believers in Christ.   Yet, to my knowledge, every place in the Bible where, anyone, saw the glory of God they instantly fell down to worship in fear and trembling.   Moses, the Israelites, Isaiah, the three disciples on the mount, Paul on the Damascus road, John on the Island of Papmos and many more.   As believers, the hunger to see God in His glory is as natural as a baby desiring mile from his/her mother.   Yet, we, in our flesh, seldom think about what that means.   We, in sin, can image what the pure holiness of a sovereign God looks like.   In the above passage Ezekiel has just seen a strange vision with some kind of angels, wheels and amazing colors and crystal.   Above that vision he sees what he later writes is the "glory of God."   Then he says, "I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking."   This is what we will do for eternity.  This is what God intended for us as His created children.  We are to see His glory and then fall down and worship His glory.   God's glory isn't something we will behold and give each other high-fives over.    We won't jump up and down in glee and point fingers at His glory like a kid at an amusement park.   When we see His glory we will fall down and realize our sin and His great and awesome grace.   The next time someone in church prays, "Show us Your glory," be prepared to fall on your face.   Because if God does, you will!! 

Do you have a permenant relationship with Wisdom? Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4:13 (NASBStr)

Take hold of instruction; do not let go.

Guard her, for she is your life.

What we embrace is what we value.   What we hold and secure tightly and don't want to let go we honor and worship.  When Peter, James and John were called to follow our Lord they "let go" of their boat, a boat load of fish, their former life and took hold of Him who gave life.  Later he would tell them, "I give you abundant life."   It is what we take hold of that we worship.   If there is something in your life you won't let go to worship Him than you worship it.  In the above proverb Solomon is telling us to grasp firmly and tightly and protectively the wisdom found in God's Word through the Wisdom received in Christ.  True wise instruction is about Christ (1 Corinthians 2).   He is referring to wise counsel ... the Fear of The Lord.   We are take hold of it as though it is valuable to grasp.   But, reaching out in a temporary basis is not what Solomon is referring to.  He wants us to take hold and to "not let go."   Temporary grasping is futile.   Securing wisdom is the intent.  Yet, it does not stop there.   We are to grab it; secure it; and then "guard her."   The contrast here is obvious.   Note what Solomon just told us about wisdom in verse six of this chapter:

Proverbs 4:6 (NASBStr)

“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;

 Love her, and she will watch over you.

Note that wisdom is guarding us.  When we secure her (Him!) we are guarded.   Yet, in our proverb above we are told to guard her (Wisdom).   Wisdom makes our path in life protected.  We are to protect the securing of wisdom.  We should not allow anything come in between our reading wisdom through the Word or allow anything to influence us away from Christ.   We guard the process of acquiring wisdom and He guards us from the evilness on the path of life.   That is "how" she becomes your life.  We talk of Him in the way, in the path, in the conflict, in the reward.   Take hold, secure, guard and she will be your life.  

Are we reflecting God in the middle of crisis? Psalm 69-71

Psalms 69:6 (NASBStr)

May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts;

May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel,

2010 & 2013  

Are we a blessing to God by pointing others to Him? Especially when we are going through a crisis? In Psalms 69-71 we see that David is concerned about how he may or may not point others to God during the crisis he is going through; especially in Psalm 69:6. In each of these Psalms, David wants to magnify God in his life so that others will see who God is through Him.  We sometimes forget that how we respond to crisis in our lives is as much about what we show others about God as it is what God shows us about Him.  Be willing to be that mirror for God:  We are to reflect His character through our own.  If we only worry about us, we might be reflecting something that is not as bright and brilliant as God.

Do we reflect the glory of God or steal the glory of God? 1 Kings 10-13

1 Kings 10:6-9 (NASBStr)

Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

What are you known for?   What is your reputation?  What do people say about you and how does that affect their relationship with God?  In the above verses we have the essence of our vertical identity in Christ and our horizontal relationship with man.   God established Solomon on the throne of Israel for the very purpose stated above.   God, actually, called Abraham from his country to make a nation out of him for this very purpose.  God does not want us to live our own lives without being a reflection of His character.  Like the moon to the sun we are the light of the world to then unbelievers because we reflect the character of God.  Solomon was not ashamed of his God or that relationship. He knew where his wisdom came from.  Now so did the Queen of Sheba.   Apparently she was a big deal.   Yet, whatever power she wheeled over the earth, at that time, was a mere candle to the light of God as seen through Solomon.  Do people know that we stand for God? Is our reputation to draw the eyes of others and turn them to God?  Or, do we desire a reputation to be seen by others as the source of wisdom and talent?  Do we want others to sing our praises, or do we want them to see us and sing the praises of God.   Our fear should be that we take something from the glory of God.   If others are talking about us and not seeing the reflection of God in our lives or because of our lives than we have failed in many respects.  But, mostly by stealing the glory of God.    Later in this chapter of 1 Kings we read this verse.  May this be said of us all:

1 Kings 10:24 (NASBStr)

All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart..

How do you smell? Do you stink? Leviticus 1-3

Leviticus 1:9 (NASBStr)

Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

The english word, in the NASB, aroma is used 47 times.  I has a variety of meanings but typically what you think; a good smell.  When the priest offered a sacrifice for the Israelite and it was presented in the right way and offered in the right way, the smell to God was a soothing aroma.   Paul might have been reading this passage prior to his writing the following:

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NASBStr)

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

We no longer offer a lamb from our flocks to find acceptance to God.  God offered a lamb from His flock of One, His Son, for our sin.   That Lamb was without blemish.   That Lamb was the sweet aroma God needs to forgive our sins.  However, through faith, He comes into our lives, through the ministry of the Spirit, and becomes a sweet aroma both TO God and FOR God.   We can't be an acceptable offering to God.  It is only through the ministry of the Spirit that God can and does produce in us an aroma He can tolerate and He can use.   God is the God of a sweet aroma.     He is the only one who can clean up our stink.   We the lamb full of blemish and could never qualify to be offered on the alter.   It is only though God's Son that we can be a sweet aroma for God.   His substitutioninary atonement provides His Son to be the sweet aroma for our lives.   

What does your faith do? Galatians 4-6

Galatians 5:6 (NASBStr)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

Galatians 5:6 (NIV1984)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

What really counts?  What is the main thing?   In the verse just previous to the one we have posted above, Paul says that we all way eagerly, in hope, for righteousness.   He is talking about believers.    The Galatian believers were tempted to follow the false teaching in their area churches that was telling them to follow the law and be circumcised (which was the outward symbolic act that you were followers of the law).   These false teachers were telling them that righteousness came from "acts" they did.  Paul is trying to correct their thinking and get them back to the gospel.  The gospel message says that neither circumcision or uncircumcision avails anything.   But, faith in Christ, is the sole avenue to hope for righteousness.  That faith, however, is not simply intellectual ascent (although it isn't void of intellectual reason).  The faith Paul is talking about is a faith that is demonstrated in our acts of love toward others.   Faith is not merely belief; it is belief in action.   Since we have faith that God forgives, we can forgive and treat our enemies with love.   Since we have faith that God is in control we can live through pain and disappointment.   Since we have faith that God defeated death and the enemies of our soul (the flesh, Satanic power) we can live victorious in this world.   It is not "IF" we keep the law that saves us, it IS faith that saves us.  But it is a faith that demonstrates it life naturally by doing acts of love.   

Do you know how to find your life? Luke 9-10

Luke 9:23-25 (NASBStr)

And He was saying to them all, “ If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

Christianity is often called the "upside-down" religion.  The reason for this moniker is the teaching of the above verses of our Lord.   Every sin we have ever been wrapped up in is based on the opposite of what Jesus tells us here, in this passage.   The world tells us to grab for what we can get.  The world tells us to strive to satisfy our longings.   The world and the flesh crave to fulfill the needs, wants and desires of our corrupt hearts.   But, Jesus says differently.  It is interesting that these words in Luke's account of the life of Jesus come on the very heals of the 5,000 men be feed from a very small surplus.   Their physical cravings were the very reason for the miracle of our Lord.   God wanted them to be satisfied in their bodies.  And, the Scripture says they were very satisfied.   Yet, within a few moments the disciples are instructed that satisfying the body is not what God wants us to pursue.  Instead we are to deny the wants, desires and needs of the body.  God wants us to turn it upside down and deny those things and follow Him ... in life and in death.   We are to deny the satisfying of our life for the sole purpose of following Jesus.   IF, we are able to gain the whole world and satisfy every longing of our corrupt souls, what good would it be if (and it is more than an if) we lose our very soul?   Seek to satisfy the physical and we forfeit the eternal.   Christ says deny to get.   Christ says give up to gain.   Christ says to lose it to find it.   Christianity is backward.  It is not about us and our desires.  It is about forsaking us to find fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ and Christ alone.   

How do you view Pain? Lamentations

Lamentations 3:31-33 (NASBStr)

For the Lord will not reject forever,

 For if He causes grief,

Then He will have compassion

According to His abundant lovingkindness.

 For He does not afflict willingly

Or grieve the sons of men.

To fully grasps these verses in Lamentations chapter three you have to fully understand the book of Lamentations in general and the theme of chapter three specifically.   God is doing a "terrible" work in the nation of Israel.  By terrible we mean that God is carrying out the punishment He told them He would do if they disobeyed His Word (Deuteronomy 28-31).   God had warned them.  Now it was time to pay.   The book of Lamentations is the lament, the morning of the punishment.  They had sinned, they are now paying, so Jeremiah laments and morns for them in their pain ... his shared pain.  While reading the book you can't, at times, tell if Jeremiah is talking about the nation or himself because the pain is so personal for him.   Four times, however, in the third chapter Jeremiah speaks of hope.  Once he says that all hope has perished.  Then it happens.  He, like Job of old, stops looking at the pain and starts looking at the God who is allowing the pain.  When he sees only the pain and the blight there seems to be no hope.  However, when he remembers the character of God hope springs eternal.   He sees the pain in the context of God's great love.   He knows "God will not reject" forever.  He knows "will have compassion."   He knows "He does not afflict willingly."    When Jeremiah looks vertically he can handle and put into context what he feels and sees horizontally.  When we are in the midst of trouble we tend to only see the trouble.   However, when we get our eyes and hearts and feelings off the pain and look toward the God of compassion and of great faithfulness we see God's will doing a great work in our lives.   It might be due, like the Israelites, to disobedience.  It might, like Job, due to Satan's attacks.    Who knows.  God does not afflict or grieve the sons of men willingly.   He is faithful and any affliction of His people will not be forever.   God is faithful.     

Are you on the right path with the right people? Proverbs 2-3

Proverbs 2:20 (NASBStr)

So you will walk in the way of good men

And keep to the paths of the righteous.

You are the company you keep!  Or, so they saying somewhat goes.  Another popular colloquial saying is, "You can judge a man by the company he keeps."   Or, "You can judge a man by his enemies."   Any of these modern day sayings are based on the truth Solomon establishes in the above proverb.   To understand this proverb you really have to know what Solomon has said in the previous 19 verses of this chapter.   He has just told us that if we hold fast to God's Word and put it into our hearts that we will be given the gift of Wisdom (Christ) that gift will give us several benefits.  One of the blessings Wisdom gives us is the clear understanding and discernment of where we should walk and who we should walk with as we travel through this life.  Solomon tells us that when we have the Wisdom and Understanding of God (through fearing The Lord and obeying His Word) we will end up on a "walk" with "good men."   We will end up traveling on "paths of the righteous."    The logistics of this is quite easy to understand.  As we listen to God's Word and compare it to the words of those around us we will inevitably start to hear others who speak the same language as His Word and flock to them.  Wisdom Lovers gather together and reject the fools of this world.   We don't have to fret and worry if we are on the right road and with the right people IF we simply listen to God's Word.  He will enable us to walk on the narrow path of righteousness.   There will be few with us, but we can be assured we are where God wants us to be. 

Does the sin in your heart close the ears of God? Psalm 66-68

Psalms 66:18

If I regard wickedness in my heart,

The Lord will not hear;

John 9:31

We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God- fearing and does His will, He hears him.

Both the Psalmist and our Lord make a point of telling us that sin in the heart of a man affects the hearing of God. Prayer is not a universal language. Prayer is reserved for those who have sought God first in repentance, before petition.  The confessing of sins, acknowledging that God is holy and we are sinful, opens the doors to the throne room of God so that he can hear our request.    It should be noted that David here is speaking of harboring sin in our hearts not simply being sinful. He tells us if we "regard" sin in our hearts God will not hear us. We all have sin in our hearts. It is when we do not repent that we should not expect God to listen to our prayers.  As God convicts us of one sin or another, we need to lay that sin before God and allow his Som to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, before we come to him with our meager request.

Are you jealous of what God is doing in others and no you? 1 Kings 5-9

1 Kings 5:3 (NASBStr)

“You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

I wonder if David would have had a spirit of envy because of what Solomon is about to accomplish.  It was David's dream to build the temple in Jerusalem for God to dwell in and for Him to have His name there.  Solomon would later tell us this vital truth:

Proverbs 13:12 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

The delay of David's hope of building the temple would make his heart "sick."  That sickness is not sin.   But, if it would have led to envy than it would be sin of the worse kind.   In the Garden of Eden, Eve had the spirit of envy as she saw the forbidden fruit: She desired to be like God.   Aaron and Marian envied Moses position.   John and James mother had a spirit of envy to have her sons sit on Jesus right hand in the kingdom.   Simon the Sorcerer had a spirit of envy when he saw the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts.   He attempted to buy it.   When we envy what others have built we do a dis-service to God and forget to give God the Glory.  David desired to see the temple built and when told NO he did everything he could to prepare the material for his son, Solomon.  Solomon builds a great temple for God in these chapters.   To have a spirit of jealousy over "who" builds something for God is evil.   We should just rejoice that God is glorified.  Notice what Paul told the Philippians about false teachers:

Philippians 1:15-18 (NASBStr)

Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice,

We should rejoice when something is built for God, weather it is us or them; out of pure motives or false; God is glorified.