Do you know the key to success in leadership? Joshua 1-5

Joshua 1:8-9 (NASBStr)

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

When I was just a boy two of the first verses I ever committed to memory were the above two.   The story of Joshua and Jericho and his other exploits intrigued me.  I was captivated by his victories and leadership, I assume.   The key to his success was laid out to him by God.   Like Solomon, who chose wisdom over wealth, Joshua was rewarded for his faithfulness.  For the past 40 years he was a loyal, #2 to Moses.   Moses had sent him and Caleb to the promise land as spies.  Joshua was one of the two to give a great report and encourage the nation to go into the land.    When Moses went up to the mountain to received the ten-commandments, Joshua was there.    When Aaron and Miriam rebelled against Moses, Joshua was there.    When Moses was in the mountain holding high his arms to God, Joshua was in the valley seeing the sun stand still as he claimed the victory for God.  The key, however, to Joshua's success would not be his training, association with Moses, his experience, or his natural leadership ability.   The key to Joshua's leadership would be that he committed wholly to the Word of God, memorized it, meditated on it, and obeyed it.   God does not give us victory because of our experience, associations or skill-sets.  He gives us victory because we, by faith, believe His Word and obey His Word.   Meditate on it and you will be rewarded by it.  

Do you know why God sometimes keeps us away from some things? Genesis 1-3

Genesis 3:22-24 (NASBStr)

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Adam and Eve had failed to heed God's warning to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   They failed to obey and the consequences were grave.  Through their disobedience they introduced "death" to creation.   God had warned them and they followed the flesh instead of believing God's word in faith.   They failed to follow by faith and therefore passed death onto all.  God introduced to them the penalty of death for the future and the immediate banishment from the garden.   But, this is were we see God's grace.   Not only was there a tree in the garden that they couldn't eat (the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil), but there was also a tree call the Tree of Life.   Eating from the Tree of Life would allow them to live forever in the state they were currently in: Sin!   Since they disobeyed God and were now "in sin" and had the condemnation of death hanging over them, if they were to eat from the Tree of Life they would be forever locked into death.   God wanted to give them, and all man-kind, the opportunity to receive His grace, even after their disobedience.  That would mean keeping them away from the Tree of Life.     God's grace was to keep them from the Tree of Life.    Sometimes God keeps things from us in His grace so we are not harmed by them.   Adam and Eve may have felt ashamed and disappointed being forced to leave the Garden of Eden.   Yet, the truth of the matter is, that, in doing so, God was being gracious.  He could have allowed them to eat of the tree of life and sealed their death.  We don't think about the things God keeps us from in His grace.  He wants us to know that grace, regardless if it is because He is giving us something or taking something away.   Technically it is God grace when we get something we don't deserve and God's mercy when He withholds something from us we do deserve.   In this situation God's mercy was to not kill them instantly.   In His grace He kept the Tree of Life and the Garden of Eden from them.   The next time we have something we want and we think God has denied us, think about this truth: In God's grace He keeps us from things that we might want but He knows will harm us.  

Do you know why people water down the gospel? Jude

Jude 1:16 (NASBStr)

These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Jude is writing a short letter to echo what Peter and John have also addressed in their letters (2 Peter 2 and 2 John).   There are, within the church, a group of apostates (those who confessed Christ and now reject Him) or blasphemers (those who reject Christ and never believed), who Jude is warning the church to watch and to guard against.   These false believers, have, somehow, risen to the position of leadership and teaching in the church.   They attempt to persuade the followers of Christ to forsake the teachings of Paul, Peter, John and the other apostles and follow a watered down version of the gospel, or no version at all.  The reasons they do this and how they do this is listed in the above statement by Jude.   They are not content with the God-given leaders of the church.  So, like the nation of Israel who didn't yield to Moses' leadership, they grumble (Numbers 16:11).   This murmuring was to rally others to see failures and faults within the leadership of the church and follow these false teachers, instead.   Since these false teachers reject God's will and the will of Godly leadership they have one option left; to follow their own lusts and desires.   When we reject God's will there is only one will left to follow; our own.   But, like anyone, these false teachers don't want to be alone on the journey they have mapped for themselves.   Therefore they will entice others to join them by watering down the Word and requirements and play to their audience to curry their favor for one purpose:  They want to gain advantage.   Proverbs warns about taking a bribe and allowing the bribe to change what you teach or counsel you give ... saying what the audience wants to hear so that they will follow you deeper or accept you fuller (Proverbs 17:23).   We ought to be aware of those who change their message to gain reputation and power over their hearers.  Being politically correct would be today's version of this warning.   When we water down the commandments of God and the teachings of God so that we can be politically correct than we fall into the same vein as these teachers in the early church.   We are simply changing our message to gain an advantage over our audience for our own desires.   

Do you have the courage to deliver bad news? Acts 27-28

Acts 27:20-22 (NASBStr)

Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

 When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “ Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

The 27th chapter of Acts is a detailed description of Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome, in which, as a prisoner, he was almost killed multiple times.   Luke, the writer of Acts, gives us a blow by blow account of the ship, the sea, the storm and the salvation of those aboard.  Paul had warned them previously (see Acts 27:10-11), but they refused to listen.  Now Paul was put into the "I told you so" mode.    This time, however, they decided to listen to his Godly wisdom.    Sometimes, as believers, we have to deliver bad news so that others will hear the good news.   When asked by our friends and neighbors about "why" a tragedy has happened, we want to give good news and avoid the bad.  However, God has said that when others reject Him, He will actually laugh at their calamity.  Note the following:

Proverbs 1:24-26 (NASBStr)

“Because I called and you refused,

I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

 And you neglected all my counsel

And did not want my reproof;

 I will also laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your dread comes,

In the story in Acts 27 we see that they refused God's counsel.  He could have just "laughed" at them.   But, God, in His abundant grace, extended a hand again to them, through Paul.   This time they decided to listen and they followed Paul's God given counsel.   As believers our job is to tell others the truth, no matter how harsh it might be.   When they reject the truth our job is not to water it down so that they might here it.   They are typically in a bad situation because they did not listen to Godly counsel.   As believers are job is to deliver the truth, not worry about how they will take it or not.  

Do you see the contrast between God's way and man's way? Revelation 18-22

Revelation 21:18-21 (NASBStr)

The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Contrast the above description of the New Heaven and the New Earth with the description of the Old Earth John previously was speaking about and was destroyed in the war called Armageddon:

Revelation 18:2-3 (NASBStr)

And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “ Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”

This is the story of God's redemption.   The passage in chapter eighteen is our life before Christ or without Christ and the passage in chapter twenty-one is our life with Christ and in Christ.   When man rules the earth and his own life this is the certain life that will be produced, absent God.   Man will create a place of sensuality and evil and indulgence to meet the desires of an evil heart.    But, when Christ reigns in the heart and is the Ruler of the life, we see something built that lasts and that reflects the glory of God.   God brings to our lives wholeness and beauty.  Without Him we have destruction and wickedness.  

Did you know that love can't be stopped? Song of Songs 7-8

Song of Songs 8:6-7 (NASBStr)

“Put me like a seal over your heart,

Like a seal on your arm.

For love is as strong as death,

 Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

 The very flame of the Lord.

 “Many waters cannot quench love,

Nor will rivers overflow it;

 If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,

It would be utterly despised.”

In the final chapter of Song of Songs we see the two lovers expressing the depth of their love for each other.   The contrast in the above two verses is obvious.  Their love is so hot it is like fire (v. 6) that can't be quenched by many waters (v. 7).   When they say, "Love is as strong as death," we see a reference that produces the phrase, "Love never fails" of Paul (1 Corinthians 13:8).  Like death, which escapes no man, so, too, love will be certain to accomplish its task.   You can stop love.   Jealousy might be severe, but it can't stop love.  No amount of water can quench love or put out its flame.   IF you tried to purchase love, even all the possessions you own and could used to purchase love would be despised - it would not be valuable enough to purchase love.   If you put that last line into historical context you would recall that to own a home in these days would be safety and security.  It would be very valuable, versus living in a tent.    What Solomon is telling us is that love is certain (like death), it can overcome the worst character quality (jealousy), it can't be quenched or suppressed by anything (water), and, it can't be purchased with anything on this earth (even a valuable home).  True love for your partner will overcome anything.  It is when we try to manipulate love and fail to show true love that we think it can be purchased with a present.  False love can be quenched by a minor storm of life.   

Do you glorify God on your bed? Psalm 149-150

Psalms 149:5 (NASBStr)

Let the godly ones exult in glory;

Let them sing for joy on their beds.

The nation of Israel often had a wide breath between what they could see with their eyes and what they were suppose to believe in their hearts.  God had made a covenant with them and they were, despite the circumstances of life, to believe in Him and that His covenant would be fulfilled.   Faith does not look with the human eye.    Faith looks at God's character and God's promises and lays hold of them.    In Psalm 149 the writer is calling for the nation to praise God despite their circumstances and to glorify God both publicly and, as above, privately that He will fulfill His covenant to them.   In the above verse the author tells them to praise Him in the silence and aloneness of their bed.   As they fall asleep and as they awake they are to glorify God for what He had done and will do, based upon His promises.   God wants us to glorify Him where ever we are in life.   When we go to bed that is the most private we are.  As we fall asleep we are absolutely confined to our own thoughts.  It is in this moment we are to rejoice and praise Him.   The last thing we think and the first thing we think ought to be the glory of God in our lives.   Exult in His glory on your bed.  

Did you know that God is even in control of the balance of evil men? Esther 6-10

Esther 7:7-8 (NASBStr)

Haman Is Hanged

 The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

God is in control of even our balance in life.   In the portion of the story of Queen Esther, Mordecai, King Ahasuerus, and Haman, the king has just discovered that Haman, his trusted right-hand man, has gone behind his back in an attempt to destroy the people of Esther, the Jews.   While exiting the room to clear his thoughts, Haman begins to beg for his life.   In the exact timing, even Hollywood could not construct in a movie plot, Haman loses his balance just as the king re-enters the room.  But, he didn't lose his balance just anywhere in the room.  He lost his balance in a way that caused him to fall into Queen Esther's lap, causing the implication that Haman was attacking the Queen.  For God's purpose, this man's equilibrium was distorted to accomplish God's greater plan.   This is not the first time something like this has happened.  Poor Joseph was put in a compromising situation with Potiphar's wife and it caused the wife to take hold of his garment and accuse him later of rape.   God could have allowed his rope to stay on his back as he fled the scene, actually resisting Potiphar's wife's advances.   But, as in the story of Haman, God had a different purpose.    In the one, Joseph, a good man would be moved to a jail to learn to trust God more and to be in the exact place he needed to be to later meet a member of the King's royal court.  In this one, Mordecai, had his balance distorted so God could excite the anger of the King and rescue the people of God; the source of the Messiah for the world.   There are no accidents with God.   God moves the pieces the way He will to accomplish His purpose.  We don't always know why we fall one way or the other, but we can be assured that even when we lose our balance, God is doing His great work.   He is completely in control.  In this case the evilness of a man wishing His people to be destroyed was brought down by a set of circumstances only God could coordinate.   Rejoice is such sovereign grace. 

Are you ever bitter in regard to how God is using you? Deuteronomy 32-34

Deuteronomy 32:4 (NASBStr)

“ The Rock! His work is perfect,

 For all His ways are just;

 A God of faithfulness and without injustice,

Righteous and upright is He.

God's Word does not need my commentary to make it plain and understood.  The Spirit of God does that for us.  If there was ever a passage that needs no explanation, it is the above verse in Moses' final words.   Moses was told by God that he was to go up to the top of the mountain and die.  He was NOT to go into the promise land.  He had wandered next to it and had a chance to taste its fruit and see it from afar.  But, God would not allow him to step a foot into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.   But, instead of acting on his ego and living in envy, Moses pens the above passage.  He tells us that God does NOTHING without pure perfection and justice.  God is NEVER unjust.   In our world we might think that the greatest prophet that ever lived (Deuteronomy 34:10) would get a chance to at least die in the promise land.   We might claim that this is entirely unfair.   We might say it is unjust.   Yet, it is Moses, himself, who reminds us that God's ways are perfect.    He never makes a mistake in fulfilling out lives and His plan in our lives.  God is the Rock!!   Moses uses that word numerous times in this last poem.   He wants the nation to remember that it was not him who saved them and lead them, it was the Rock ... God the almighty; a God of faithfulness and without injustice.   We can't get bitter when we don't get what we want in God's plan.   God is not going to do anything that is not just and right for us.   We, by faith, believe God has a plan and our moment in time is just part of that plan.   He is our Rock!!

Do you know how to use your personality for God? 3 John

3 John 1:9-10 (NASBStr)

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrophes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

The Bible does not pull any punches when it comes to describing problems with those who profess belief in God and, yet, walk contrary to Him and the Gospel.   God fully exposed Moses, David, Peter, and others, in their mis-steps before Him.   Paul himself is exposed at the end of Acts 15 in his argument over John-Mark with his co-missionary partner, Barnabas.  The Bible speaks to the genuine failures of the sinful man and, despite our belief in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, we still end up failing.   Those who point to hypocrisy as one of the reasons to reject the Gospel are typically not in want for ammunition.   Here, in the above passage, we see the story of Diotrophes.   He was a man in the first church who, based upon a strong personality, took up a leadership role, without the Gospel as his balance.   He, according to John, want to be "first" among everyone.   The Greek word here is only used in this passage in all the N.T.   It is the word, philoproteuo, which is made up of two Greek words, philo (to love) and protos (first).  It literally means that Diotrophes "loved to be first" among everyone.   Apparently that love for first-ness was enough to prevent others from practicing the Christian gift of hospitality to traveling ministers.  Perhaps Dio was upset because when traveling ministers showed up at the door of the church he was no longer first.  Perhaps Dio simply didn't like John's power, position and authority over the church.   Whatever the reason, John is telling Gauis, the receiver of this little letter, to be aware of Diotrophes and make sure he was both corrected and not followed, or imitated by other believers.   It is not hard in a local church for strong personalities to assume leadership positions.   Their ability to humbly submit to other leaders is a lost art.   A strong personality does not make you a good leader; or, more importantly, God's appointed leader.  Diotrophes had a chance to use his God-given ability to serve and influence the church in the right way.  Yet, he didn't. John had to take the time to correct him and instruct the church to aware of him.   Sometimes what God gives those in the church is not used for God's glory but for their own.  The Bible doesn't shy away from telling us this type of story.  It is good for us to know it.   Better to make sure we avoid it. 

Do you use bad situations to tell good stories? Acts 25-26

Acts 26:30-32 (NASBStr)

The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “ This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

In the above passage Paul has just defended himself in the presence of King Agrippa (the Roman designate for the region who happened to know much of the Jewish custom) and Governor Festus (another Roman designate).  After using the opportunity to present the gospel, Paul completes his defense by telling both these powerful men that he would hope they, too, would become believers in Christ.    Although not persuaded to have faith in Christ (to our knowledge) they are convinced that Paul is an innocent man.  But, in the earlier rounds of his defense, Paul had appealed that his case be heard before Caesar, himself.   In the eyes of the world it made no sense for Paul to go to Rome.   They saw his appeal to the King of Rome as both foolish and a strategic mis-step.   From a legal point-of-view it might have been.   From a practical point-of-view it might have looked foolish.   Yet, in God's plan (and Paul was about doing God's plan), it made perfect sense.  Paul was not interested in his own safety (see Acts 21:13).   Paul was not interested in power, position or rubbing shoulders with the high and mighty of the land.  He was interested in spreading the gospel and giving himself more opportunities to tell the story of Jesus.   His life was committed to that end.   On advice from counsel he may have been told to keep his mouth shut.  There was no reason he was on trail. He had done nothing wrong.   But, right and wrong were not his issue.  He was about telling the story of Jesus.  May it be so for me. 

Do you know why we should worship God? Revelation 12-17

Revelation 14:6-7 (NASBStr)

 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “ Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”

God's message is the same in any age: "Give Him Glory, His judgement has come; Worship Him.     In the midst of the terror on the earth described in this section of Revelation (12-17), God takes an interlude and offers the gospel to the condemned world.   God wants people to repent and wants to offer them the gospel.     In the above passage we see that gospel offered.  The world will reject the message ... they always do.    But, that does not stop God from offering His free grace.    The gospel begins with a "fear of God."   Fearing God is not being "afraid" of God, but it is a fear of awe and respect.  It is the kind of fear that recognizes the authority and supremacy of God.  Many people "believe" in the existence of God, but that does not mean that they "fear" God - have a worshipful-respect for Him.  In this time frame described by John in the Revelation, people knew that God existed.  But, they did not fear Him.   God demands that we worship Him and that we recognize His authority.  He made the heaven and earth and the springs of waters.  He deserves our honor and worship.   This passage shows God's mercy and grace.    In the midst of their rebellion God offers grace and mercy.  One more reason He deserves our honor and worship.  

Do others see that your love is special? Song of Songs 5-6

Song of Songs 6:9-10 (NASBStr)

But my dove, my perfect one, is unique:

She is her mother’s only daughter;

She is the pure child of the one who bore her.

The maidens saw her and called her blessed,

The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

 ‘Who is this that grows like the dawn,

As beautiful as the full moon,

As pure as the sun,

As awesome as an army with banners? ’

When you look at the one you love, what do you see?   Does the one you adore capture your eye?  The entire fifth and sixth chapters of Song of Songs is dedicated to the relationship between the bride and the groom and their mutual adoration for each other.   In the above passage, however, we see the view of others on the bride.    Not only does the groom see her as special, others see her as blessed and special, as well.  The bride is so special she is compared to aspects of God's creation: The Dawn, the full moon, and the blazing sun.   When you think of these three things you realize how beautiful this bride is.   Look at the dawn, it captures you eyes.   Look at the full moon at night, it takes the breath away.   Look at the sun in the brightest part of the day, the warmth it provides.    The groom sees her as unique and special.   The view of others can say a lot about a person.   The praise of others tells you much about the character of the one praised.   It is one thing for the lover to see something special in the one loved.   It is another for outsiders to see it and express it.   Character matters and character is noticed by others.   When we love we can be blind.   Our sight is improved when others express seeing what we see.    

Do you know why we praise Him? Psalm 146-148

Psalms 147:3-5 (NASBStr)

He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

 He counts the number of the stars;

He gives names to all of them.

 Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;

His understanding is infinite.

David, in this Psalm and those surrounding it, is telling us to Praise The Lord.   In each of these Psalms of Praise he is giving us reasons to praise Him; as if we need them listed out.   In the above portion of these marvelous songs we see three reasons given to praise God:  1) He heals us; 2) He not only knows each star, of the millions, He names them; 3) God's strength is awesome and His knowledge beyond our computation.   Each of these three, alone, is enough to warrant our praise and singing to glorify God.   Together they inspire us to fall prostrate before Him.   In our pain we know that God is there to heal us and fix us.    God knows the pain of His children and allows us to sit in His lap as He holds us and comforts us.   He can do that because of His extreme power and knowledge; He knows the stars by name.    Imagine the knowledge this thought is.  In the summer we can't remember what our winter wardrobe looks like.   God not only knows the stars, He knows them intimately.  You only name something you are personal with.   God knows each star and blows it out at His will.   Awesome!!   God's understanding and strength are infinite.  We neither measure it, nor understand it.   We can only, by faith, praise it.   That is the compulsion we have after reading these verses.   How can you not praise the God who is so powerful He controls the very life of the hottest and biggest star and, at the same time, will pick me up and put me on His lap to heal me from a fall that wounded my knee?  He heals us because He can and because He wants to care for us.   

Do you change who you are with power and position? Esther 1-5

Esther 2:20 (NASBStr)

Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.

Honor and position should never change our inward character!!   Esther was chosen to be the queen by King Ahasuerus.  It is said in this passage she "found favor" (found grace) in the eyes of all those who knew her.   She was a women of character because of what her cousin, Mordecai, who was raising her as his own daughter, had taught her.   Now that she was crowned Queen she had power and position.   She could have become something different.  She could have told Mordecai that he was not her father and that, now as Queen, she could do what she wanted.   But, Esther was a person of character despite being a big shot.   That is unusual.   In our society today people get drunk on power and tend to want to cast off their former training and forget how they got where they are today.    The start to rely on the money and their attainments, losing sight of their faith in God and what He has done for them.   God  brings us into these situations for His glory and His purpose (which we will soon see in this story for Esther).  We ought not become drunk on our power.  Esther maintained humility and character within the walls of the palace.  She remembered her training and her faith in God.   She had been taught that God was in charge of her life despite circumstances and therefore a change in circumstances doesn't and can't prevent faith in God.  

Do you know the mind of God? Deuteronomy 29-31

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NASBStr)

“ The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.

As Moses was composing the above lines he was at the end of his life.  He had seen it all ... or, at least he thought it did.   But, after all the years traveling this earth and leading these people (Israel), Moses had come to the point of his theology to realize that although God had shown him much, there was a vast ocean between what he did know and what he didn't know.   God had secrets He didn't tell Moses.   God has secrets that belong only to God!   We must remember that Moses had some grand and glorious experiences.    He had seen God in the burning bush and talked to him.  He had seen God at the top of the mountain.  Moses time with God was so intense it made is physical face shine.   Moses lead the people out of Egypt and was the administrator of the 10 plagues directed at Pharaoh's unbelief.  But, even though he was a great man and had seen great things, Moses knew that God was awesome and he dare not think, at the end of his life, he had arrived. All great men of God have come to similar points in their lives.   King David was the greatest king Israel had and a man, even God described as man after God's own heart.  Yet, David would tell us he came to a place where he know God was so great that he did not try to understand the deep things of God (See Psalm 131:1).    The great theologian Paul, after meditating on the doctrine of election and predestination, came to the conclusion that the God's plan and ways are so deep he cannot fathom them:

Romans 11:33-34 (NASBStr)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?  

God is deep and His ways past finding out.   The older we get the more we both relax in that thought and are amazed by it.   When you get older in your walk with God you mind find there are more things you understand.  But, like trying to jump the Grand Canyon, you might make a long jump but will still be quite short.   So, too, knowing the mind of God.  Rest and relax in the ways of God.   

Do you know why you are supposed to love other believers? 2 John

2 John 1:1-2 (NASBStr)

 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

At the time of the writing of this little letter, the church was under much persecution.   Believers, once discovered, lost most of their relationships, all their possessions and were in danger of physical persecution, to the point of death.  That didn't stop Joh, the Evangelist, from addressing a concern he had for the church.  It only addressed how he would address them.   Instead of identifying himself and them, specifically, he simply referred to himself as the "elder" and the church leadership as the "chosen lady" and the congregate as "her children."   Despite the threat of persecution the "elder" still had a responsibility to correct a problem in the church.   John wanted to make sure, that despite the persecution (which would cause people to become self-centered and suspicious other others), the church showed genuine love for one another.   He doesn't simply want them to love because they "feel" like love.  He wants them to love out of truth.  This means their love is based upon the command of Christ: Love one another (John 17).  This love was not situational; was not conditional; and was not relational.   This type of love was out of obedience.     That does not mean we won't establish relationships with others, but relationship is not a prerequisite for Biblical love.   Throughout the letter the elder is letting the lady and the children know that Biblical love is based upon truth (what God told them to do) and is done in truth (the way Christ loved them by sacrificially giving Himself to them).  If we love in truth we do so with no malice or reservation.  We believe that since God told us to love our fellow believers we are not to be reticent.  He will care for the "issues" in life of mis-trust and false representation.   John was afraid that circumstance would infiltrate the church and reduce the one measure of our relationship with Christ: Love.  When we are asked by Christ to love one another that is not an option dictated by conditions on the ground.  It is only through belief in the heart that this type of love can be experienced.   Love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).   Belief creates the avenue for love - not feelings.  

Do you know where conflict comes from?

Acts 24:1-2 (NASBStr)

Paul before Felix

 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,

“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation,

It is always amazing at how many versions there are in a conflict.   In the above passage we have the story of Paul being brought before the Roman designated leader of the region; Felix.    He was taken there by the centurion in charge of the Roman army in Jerusalem.   The enemies of Paul (and the gospel) tried to end Paul's ministry because of their hatred of him and the gospel.   Having discovered a plot against his life, the centurion, Lysias, brought him to Governor Felix.     Paul was ready to tell Felix his story.   Lysias was ready to tell the Governor his story.  The Jews, on the other hand, came to the Governor with their own story, through the mouth of a lawyer named, Tertullus.   As Tertullus unfolds his "version" of the events, like all unbelievers who hate the gospel, his version is full of errors.    Paul will latter get to the main point of the argument; the resurrection of the dead.    When going through a conflict we always have to be careful of those who unpack the problem, as NOT the problem.  The issue at hand was their belief in Jesus Christ as the Resurrected Savior.  This is ALWAYS at the heart of every issue.   Conflict comes from those who think they are being unfairly treated by someone else and cry for justice.   In this case they thought Paul was not honoring their "views" of God.   The problem was that their views failed to consider Christ's work and word.   Our job in conflict is to stay focused on the center of the conflict.   God is at the center of all conflict.   God has provided the solution for conflict.  Since man has rejected the solution (Christ) they will continue to be in conflict.  That conflict will affect us.  

Is it your job to exact justice on others? Revelation 6-11

Revelation 6:9-10 (NASBStr)

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs

 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

In Revelation 6 we have the unfolding of the seven seals of judgment.   Although lost in our normal day-to-day speech, God's judgment is real and imminent.   In the above description of the fifth seal, those who have been and will, yet, be martyred for the sake of the Gospel will cry out to God for judgment on those who persecuted and abused them.  The phrase "underneath the alter" should be understood in the context of Old Testament worship and sacrifice.   In the Tabernacle and, later, the Temple, the sacrifice would be laid on the alter.   Once offered, however, the blood of the offering would pour out through the bottom of the alter.   Therefore, the blood under the alter represents the souls of those who's lives were taken for the sake of Christ.   Like Abel's blood in the ground that called out for God's judgment (Genesis 4:10), so, too, does the blood of saints, here, call out.   Even in death there is a deep desire in the human soul for justice.   When someone "does us wrong" we have a great desire to see and know justice has been carried out on them.   When we don't get justice and/or we think they will "get away with it" we want to exact our own justice.  We do aggressive, or, more likely, passive aggressive behaviors to make them uncomfortable, unpleasant, or, pay for their offense.   The problem arises is that we neither know real justice, lack truce grace and mercy to carry it out justly.   Our justice, is ... unjust.   Here in the above verse we see the ultimate prayer of the saints: Asking the God of justice, mercy and grace to carry out the justice we cry for in our lives.   Only God can exact perfect justice.  Only God has the perfect balance of justice, mercy and grace.   The reason I can forgive others and live at peace over injustice is that I know that God will exact perfect justice.  Those who have offended me have been judged on the cross.  If they are believers their penalty has been paid in perfect justice by what Christ suffered on the cross.   We can rest and be assured that those who don't believe will be judged.  That is God's promise to us.  This is what we see prayed in the above verses.  Even in death we need justice.   We just have to remember it is God who is to exact the justice, not us.   

Did you know that your eyes were connected to your heart beat? Song of Songs 3-4

Song of Songs 4:9 (NASBStr)

“You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride;

You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,

With a single strand of your necklace.

Love has an emotional response that can cause a physical response.   God has so caused our bodies to act in peculiar ways when love strikes the heart.  In the above verse Solomon tells his lover that her mere glance at him caused physical and emotional responses.     The newlyweds are in love and his heart beat can prove it.   He has not grown numb by the stress of life or the cares of life or the looks of other women.  This women alone has captured both his eye and his heart.   We might not always feel the same way about love or being in love.  Measuring love by the feelings we get is actually a poor matrix to use for such an important aspect of life.  Love is still an action and not an emotion, despite what physical and emotional reactions we may get.   But, when it comes to romance this verse gives us a picture.  Like a car with an instrument panel of gauges to inform us about the engine, so, too, has God given us an instrument panel of emotion and physical indicators to tell us when love is strong.   His eye-gate is the only instrument needed to engage the rest of the body.   He sees her and her beauty changes his condition.  Beauty, here, is in the "eye" of the beholder.   We should rejoice that God has created us so.   We should thank God for the connection we "feel" between love and emotion and physical changes.   God has connect our senses with our sight.   No other creation on the earth has this type of connectivity in this depth of pleasure.  Rejoice in how God made you and me.   Rejoice in the pleasure you can enjoy with the one God gave you to love.   

What to you want to hear first thing in the morning? Pslam 143-145

Psalms 143:8 (NASBStr)

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.

David, in this Psalm, is acknowledging the character and act of God.  In the previous verses he has stated that all men are wicked and no man could stand before God.  He ask God to withhold judgement (v. 2), because no man could stand before it.   In the above verse he sums up his prayer to God.  He asks God to "let me hear Your lovingkindness".    When  you think of lovingkindness  you think of feeling it, not hearing it.   You want the warmth of God's embrace to be felt on your shoulders.  You want to bury you fearful heart into His chest and ask for comfort.  Hear, however, David wants to hear the lovingkindness.   Note how the NIV states the same verse:

Psalms 143:8 (NIV1984)

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

David is fearful he will be cut off from God.   Either by his own sin or the work of his enemies he fears that he and God will lose touch with each other.   So, he prays to God that he might continue to hear of God love for him.  It is easy when we sin and when we are in despair and when we are being persecuted or tormented by others to lose out on the voice of God.    He knows that he needs to hear from God and about God.   He does not want to be cut off.   It is too bad that too many believers cease, by their own decision or lack of interest, to hear God's voice and about His lovingkindness each day.  Here, David wants to hear God's love "in the morning."   He knows the pain of night and the sin of night and the darkness of night.  In the morning he doesn't want to tune to the local news, the traffic report, ESPN Sport's Center, or Fox News.   He wants to hear about God's steadfast and continual love.  That is the only thing that will rescue him from the despair of the day.   He wants to be taught how to walk the day's path.   He offers his soul to God.   It starts with the right desire in the morning: Hearing about God's lovingkindness.  

Are you in a place to claim God's blessing based upon His promises? Nehemiah 10-13

Nehemiah 13:31 (NASBStr)

... and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

In the above verse that concludes Nehemiah and his work of restoring Israel we see him asking God to "remember me."   Although the book ends this way it is not the first time he prays such a prayer.   In Nehemiah 5:19; 6:14; 13:14, 22, he asks God the same thing.  We could probably ask ourselves why would a man of God be so inclined to ask a God who knows everything to remember something good we did?  Nehemiah is not in the belief that God either forgets or doesn't see.   He is in the place of reminding God of His promises.   God had promised to bless those who obeyed God (Deuteronomy 28-30).   Nehemiah believed in those promises and takes a moment to claim the blessing of those promises in prayer.   God is not angered, embarrassed, or taken aback by our remembering and claiming His promises.  In fact, that is the code for pleasing God (Romans 4:20-21; Hebrews 11:6).  having faith in God's promise honors God.  Claiming those promises and demonstrating our faith in them, obedience to them, knowledge of them is pleasing to God.   When we "stagger" at the promises of God in unbelief we fail to realized His blessing.   When we have faithfully obeyed His word we can faithfully and boldly claim His promises and the blessings attached to them.   The order is important, however.   Obey the Word of God in obedience by faith.   Than we can come to God in praise and worship and ask Him to remember our obedience so that we can claim His promises.  

Do you know what causes doubt and lack of assurance? Deuteronomy 26-28

Deuteronomy 28:66-67 (NASBStr)

So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening! ’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning! ’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see.

In chapters 27 and 28 of Deuteronomy God is telling the nation of Israel that when they go into the land they can either live for Him or forget Him.   But, the walk of faith (for Him) or the walk of the flesh (for them) will come with some utter consequences.   These chapters are knows as the "blessing and the curses."   If you obey God through faith and walk in His ways, you will be blessed.  If you disobey God and in the flesh walk in your own ways, you will be cursed.   God spends more time in these two chapters outlining the curses.  He concludes with the above statement.   The worst curse you might have is no hope.   Instead of hope and a great view of the future, the only thing that remains for the disobedient person walking in the flesh is doubt and loss of any assurance in their lives.  When we decide to walk in the flesh we lose out on any assurances of God's love and God's care.  The blessings are, in fact, God with us or God without us.   In disobedience we will wish it was something other than it is.  At day time we will wish it is night.  At night we wish for the morning.   Lake of faith and trust in self will always cost us our assurance and bring in doubt.  The only way we can have a feeling of assurance in our lives is to have faith in God and walk according to His ways via faith.  The nation would not do that.   They would lose their assurance and have nothing but doubt.   

Do you fear anything? Do you know how to stop fearing? 1 John 4-5

1 John 4:18 (NASBStr)

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.

We have in the verse above an in-depth statement with many, many building blocks to further and establish our faith.   Theologically it follows John's thoughts on how love is an evidentiary result of having a true relationship with God.   Word Biblical Commentary states it this way:

By now, John has described three necessary marks of the authentic Christian:possession of the Spirit (v 13); confession of Jesus as God's Son (v 15); and living in love (v 16).

We see, from John's argument, that faith, trust and love all play a large part in our relationship with God.   In the development of his argument, John is not showing how that relationship with God affects us in regard to our relationship with other believers (we should necessarily love them) and with our view of the future.  Since both the Gentile and Hebrew world had some concept of judgement, John wants both to know that there is no reason to fear future judgment, or any judgment, because perfect love (the love God has for us) transcends fear.   Again, Word Biblical Commentary:

The train of thought which began in v 16 is thus completed. God is love; the person who lives in love remains in God, and God in him; in this mutual indwelling love finds its complete expression; and, as Jesus is imitated closely, the believer's last fears are banished (cf. Westcott, 158).

Fear is not a matter of self-confidence.  Fear is a matter of love ... the love God has for us.   His perfect love means he has taken care of all judgment and will continue to do so.   Fear is a matter of faith (Luke 8:25).   From a psychological point-of-view this his a key turth.   Psychologically we all fear something.  In our working with others when they tell us their fears (rejection, abandonment, loss, discovery, inadequacy, insignificance, approval, etc) they are telling us that they do not trust mankind, those in their lives, to love them despite these things, or something.   Because God loves us completely and fully, we have no reason to fear any of these things; which are actually poor judgments people are making about themselves our about us.   John tells us we can have confidence (1 John 4:17) and not fear because God's perfect love casts our - rids us of fear.   Fear is a form of punishment.  Since Jesus defeated sin, fear no longer has control over us.  When we come to faith that God fully loves us we can rest in that love and not worry if anyone likes us, supports us, believes in us, we are adequate for them, they will leave us lonely, etc.   God fully loves us and that casts out fear.  If we fear the answer is to come to full faith that God indeed loves us in a perfect way. If we understand that than we understand that no matter what happens to us is in God plan for us.  And, in His plan He is simply expressing His perfect love for us.   

Would you ever go against the unction of the Spirit? Acts 21-22

Acts 21:4 (NASBStr)

After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.

At first reading the above verse catches off guard.   Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem and, yet, still went.   Later, in this same chapter he will be warned by the prophet Agabus that "if" he goes he will be bound (Acts 21:10).  But, Paul still went.   Even though he was warned by the Spirit he still went.   Why?   Did Paul disobey the Spirit of God?   We might easily draw that conclusion.   But, we have think about what was happening.   God allowed this prophecy to be told (his demise in Jerusalem) not to prevent it, but to confirm it to the saints when it happened.   God's warning was not to stop him but to strengthen them.  The prophecy game to them so that when it happened they would not fear (losing the largest voice of the church) but have their faith built up.   It should also be noted Paul was the one, lone voice, to the Gentiles.  These were Gentiles who were begging him to stay and not go to Jerusalem.  There motives were good but perhaps their agenda not.   If Paul did not preach the gospel to the Gentiles, who would?   Having a prophetic voice that something might happen to him, they did as all of us do - forget about the God who is in control and think about our daily needs.   God had a plan for Paul. It did include difficulty in Jerusalem.  But, it would ultimately be a trip to Rome for Paul and with that countless books we call the Prison Epistles.  His writings have move the Gentiles further done the road of faith than almost any writings on the earth.  The reason he had time to write? He was in prison.  The reason he was in prison? He went to Jerusalem even though it was going to be bad for them and him.   It was good for us.  

Do you know how Christ identifieis Himself? Revelation 1-5

Revelation 2:1 (NASBStr)

 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

How do you describe yourself?  Tall? Skinny? Wide? Thick? Knowledgable? Humorist? Skilled? Athletic?  We all have an image of ourselves and what we see in the mirror we have come to appreciate, adore, ignore, hide and excuse all at the same time.  How a person thinks of himself/herself and defines himself/herself says a lot about them.   In these chapters of Revelation, Christ is speaking to the seven churches (some believe the seven churches refer to seven eras of the church and some believe it is seven attitudes Christ is correcting all churches, in any era, can reflect).  As He speaks to each church, Christ first identifies Himself; a characteristic He wants them to know about Him.  Note the characteristics:

2:1 - The one who holds the seven starts in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands (the seven churches).

2:8 - These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

2:12 - These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.

2:18 - These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  

3:1 - These are the words of Him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

3:7 - These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.

3:14 - These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.

The official title of this book is the Revelation of St. John.  But, in reality it is the Revelation of Christ to St. John for us!   In this book Christ is revealing Himself and His plans for His church, even further than He did through the rest of the New Testament writers.  Christ wants us to know He is alive, living, in total control, strong, authoritative and much more.   When we read the Revelation we need to realize that these statements are not an avenue for "a message" of the book, but they ARE the message.  Christ is revealing to us Who He is.   He is all that above and much more.  Later in the book when it says He is worthy to be praised it is because He is worthy.   Read these seven statements again and you see why John fell on His face when He saw Jesus.  

Do you love her/him so much others look like thorns? Song of Solomon 1-2

Song of Songs 2:1-2 (NASBStr)

 “ I am the rose of Sharon,

The lily of the valleys.”

 “ Like a lily among the thorns,

So is my darling among the maidens.”

The book of Songs is telling us a story about love and how two lovers express their love for each other.  There is certainly a Christ-loves-us-and-gave-Himself-for-us theme throughout the book, as it is in all of the Bible.   But, the story is also about the love Solomon has for his Beloved.   As they exchange loving comments about each other, to each other, they express what many lovers have said, or should say to the one that captures their heart.   In the above text we have the bride begin by claiming to be the "rose of Sharon" and the "lily of the valleys."  There are some divergent views of this portion.  Some believe she is saying she is unique and special.   Therefore the groom is to lover her for this specialness she possesses.   There may be some truth in that aspect but in keeping with the tone of her other phrases, she seems to worry about how she is viewed and whether she "fits" in (see 1:5-6 as one example).   There is also the consideration that, if this is a picture of Christ saving the church, the church does not, or should not, view itself as worthy of the love Christ is showing.   There is also a consideration of the phrase itself.  She is a "lily of the valleys."   She is one of many and nothing special to behold.  She seems to be saying I am nothing special and, yet, I am loved.   The groom's response seems to fit that context even more.   He to be telling her not to look at herself as one of many lilies in the valley, but that he sees her as the a lily among thorns.    He sees her as the lily and the other maidens in the land are to him as thorns.   So, she is special to him.  Her beauty and his love for her has made every other lily in the land nothing but sagebrush and tumbleweed.   That is what true love does.   Those men who think they can continue to look for and at other women once they have found "true" love miss out on the point Solomon is making here for us.  True love captures us and diminishes all other objects.   Same as when we come to Christ.   When we love Christ all other objects fail in comparison.   Paul told Timothy about a man named Demas, who left Christ because he loved this present world more than Christ (1 Timothy 4:10).   When we fail to notice that the one we love is the ONLY one worthy of love, we start to stare at and search for other things and other people.   Christ is the ONE whom we love.  Our spouse is the ONE on this earth He gave us to love.   She/he is the lily among the thorns.   She/he may only view herself as a lily of the valleys, one of many.   We ought to see her/him as the one among many thorns.  Nothing can compare to the one we love or the ONE we love.  

Do you invite someone to chisel your life? Psalm 140-142

Psalms 141:5 (NASBStr)

Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me;

It is oil upon the head;

Do not let my head refuse it,

 For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.

Psalms 141:5 (NIV1984)

Let a righteous man strike me–it is a kindness;

let him rebuke me –it is oil on my head.

My head will not refuse it.

Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;

David, in these three Psalms (140-142) utters prayer after prayer about the wicked, who is not only laying snares for him along the road, but is also attacking him and slandering him.   He is fully conscious of the deeds of the wicked to him.  He knows they mean him harm and their criticism is from evil hearts.   Yet, he prays, as well, that he will not be closed to Godly criticism.  In the above prayer he ask God to help him know the difference between the evil hearted critic and the Godly directed critic.  Both wish to chisel his life.  One uses a jack-hammer and is set to destroy.  The other uses the soft hammer of the sculpture and only wishes to improve.   God is not with the one but is totally behind the other.   God send people into our lives to critic us and to shape us.  David had Nathan the prophet.   Moses had his father-in-law.   Saul had his son, Jonathan.  Saul didn't listen to Jonathan and that caused him trouble.   David and Moses listened to those God put in their lives and it was for the good of them.   In our desperate running away from those who wish to torment us we need to be careful not to through out or ignore the people God brings into our lives to shape us.   It is "oil on my head," David writes.   When we can invite "chiseling" from God's hand by God's people we will find it refreshing and useful.   We might want to run from evil critics but we dare not push away and avoid the chiseling of God through His servants.    Like David, we ought to pray for it and look for it because we know its value. 

Do you know who to listen to and who to ignore? Nehemiah 5-9

Nehemiah 6:11-13 (NASBStr)

But I said, “ Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.

Nehemiah was being threatened and oppressed by the people of the land who didn't want the city of Jerusalem rebuilt.   While this suppression was going on he also had difficulties with the citizens of Jerusalem as they oppressed their fellow Israelites.   In the above passage we see his response to a request of a false prophet to meet with in and the counsel of a "friend", also providing false counsel.   The "friend" suggested that he run into the temple to find refuge.    To a common man who had no sense of God's Word and one who had no fear of God and was only looking out for his own skin, this would have been great advice.  The Temple (just rebuilt under Ezra) would be a place of peace and safety.   Yet, Nehemiah knew that two things were wrong with this plan.  The first was that he was not a Levite.  Since he was not a Levite he could not enter into the temple on a whim.  He knew they wanted him to do so in order to give a bad report about him to the others.   Running into the temple would destroy his credibility.   The second reason he could not run from the enemy is that is not what people who fear The Lord do,   That is what people who fear man do.   In Proverbs 29:25 we read that the "fear of man is a snare."   Nehemiah was the example for all of the people in regard to what it means to be a man of faith.   He had indeed reminded God of that and asked God to bless him as a result in the previous chapter (Nehemiah 5).   Sometimes the advice we get from "friends" is wrong.   It needs to be filtered through God's Word.   Simply doing what others suggest is not wisdom.  Wisdom is to take the counsel of man and judge it against the fear of God and His Word.   Notice the next verse in this sequence.   Nehemiah stood strong for God:

Nehemiah 6:14 (NASBStr)

Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

Do you show mercy and forgiveness? Deuteronomy 23-25

Deuteronomy 24:21-22 (NASBStr)

“When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.

Being shown mercy and showing mercy is an act of Godliness.   God shows us mercy when we don't deserve it and shouldn't expect it.   We tend to think of ourselves as deserving God's grace and mercy, but that is not the case.  If we received what we deserved we would all be crushed.    In the above passage we see God's instruction to the nation of Israel in regard to how much they gleaned in their fields.   This is a simple and basic day-to-day function of the nation.   Going out into the field to glean the product is what farmers do.   It would be natural to want to get every last piece of grain into the barns.   Yet, God tells them not to glean to the utmost.   They are to assure that something is purposefully left for the poor and orphan and alien in the land, who have nothing.   The reason He wants them to practice such mercy is because they were at one time aliens in the land of Egypt.   They were once slaves.   God is reminding them that the mercy shown to them during their time of trouble (in Egypt) was now to be shown to others.  There is nothing so unrighteous as someone who has been shown mercy who won't show mercy.   When we don't show grace and forgiveness despite the fact that God forgave us we fail to see the real meaning of grace and mercy in our lives.   God is showing us mercy each day we draw breath.  We should breath in His mercy and breath it out to those around us.  

Do you have motivation for purity? 1 John 1-3

1 John 3:3 (NASBStr)

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

John is writing his book to give the believers assurance that they can, indeed, be assured of their salvation and have full joy of their salvation (1 John 1:3; 5:23).  But, also that they will not be deceived about their salvation (1 John 2:26).  As he develops his theme he comes to Christ's resurrection providing us with hope of eternal life.  He has just told them that not only will they have eternal life but also, in the resurrection, be just like Christ (... we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is.).   That thought, according to John, should be a motivating factor toward our holiness.   God wants us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15, 16).   But, he doesn't leave us alone in our pursuit of holiness.   God gives us the Spirit of God who, the motivation that we will soon be like Christ and see Christ, we can and will be sanctified toward holy living.   Hope is often seen (by both Greeks and Hebrews) to be something ONLY in the future.  Yet, John plainly tells us that hope in Christ is not an "in the future" aspect, only.   It is for the here and now.   Since we have hope we change how we live.   Biblical hope is not confined to some future prospect only.   It is something that lives in our lives right now and, through the Spirit, changes how we live right now.  

See Word's Biblical Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:8 in regard to vs. 3. 

WORD:  Plainly the Advent hope is treated as an incentive to Christian life and conduct here and now. The motive power for Christian life and conduct is supplied by the indwelling Spirit (cf. 4:8); it is his indwelling presence, indeed, as other letters of Paul make plain, that insures that the Advent hope is no vain hope but one which, because it is so well founded, is ethically fruitful in the present mortal existence.