Did you know that wisdom WILL always produce fruit in those who believe in Her? Luke 7-8

Luke 7:35 (NASBStr)

Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

In the above passage we have the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the day) being challenged by Jesus.   He is telling them that even though they criticized John the Baptist one way and Jesus, Himself, the other way, in the end, both would be vindicated.   Vindication will allows come with God's master plan.   We might hear people make arguments against God, His Son and His plan, but in the end, the plan will prove to be right and they fruits of it eventually known.    There are many who argue the even the very existence of God.   Yet, Wisdom (the personification of Wisdom is God speaking) is vindicated by Her children ... God will make Himself known to even those who doubt He exists.   This is true of God and true of the lives we live.  Jesus is one person to say this and believe, but He was the Son of God.   However, John the Baptist is someone else.   People criticized him and only by faith could he believe he would be, one day, justified by the fruits of his labor.   He didn't see immediate fruit, but he was acting in the plan of God by faith in God.   God had promised him if he did "x" than "y" would happen.  This is true with all the prophets.  It is true with all those who serve God.   But, "x" is always obedience powered by faith in God's grace.   God is in charge of "y", but we are in charge of believing God's promises and allowing HIs grace to empower us to succeed.   Wisdom is vindicated by all her children.   

Does your pride bring God's judgment? Jeremiah 47-52

Jeremiah 48:42 (NASBStr)

“Moab will be destroyed from being a people

Because he has become arrogant toward the Lord.

In this section of Jeremiah we see the judgment of God being leveled against the nations who lifted up their hands and hearts toward God and His people.   God IS going to judge.   It has taken the entire book to get to for us to hear these dreadful and complete destructions on these surrounding nations.   This particular verse just happens to be taken against the judgment pronounced against Moab.   In each of the nations that are being judged we can find a similar verse.   Their judgment, as well as the others, is based upon the obvious: Their Pride.   When man raises his hand and head against God it brings forth judgement.   Note the following:

1 Peter 5:5 (NASBStr)

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

God is "opposed" to the proud.   Pride brought down Satan as a favored angel in heaven.  Pride brought down Eve as God promised her more if she ate the forbidden fruit.  Pride brought down David when he numbered the people to puff up his standing in the world.   Pride was the thing tempted Christ with in the desert to entice Him to take the kingdom without a death sacrifice.   Pride is man's number one sin.  We think more highly of ourselves and reject that we are totally depraved.  That rejection of our own sin makes it impossible for God to save us.   Salvation, sanctification, glorification are total acts of God.  Our pride hinders us from relying totally on Christ to redeem us and transform us.   Moab was brought down because they lifted their hearts in pride toward God.  The same thing will happen to any person or nation who thinks they are more than they are:  A people needing to be redeemed.   

Do you continue to seek wisdom? Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:5 (NASBStr)

A wise man will hear and increase in learning,

And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

There is an archetype that men and women live out in their lives identified as the Sage.  The Sage is someone who knows things.  They are often asked, "What do you think?"  In fact, they loved being asked that question.  Most excellent Sages will be asked that question most of their lives.  Especially if they are a good Sage and actually have some great knowledge, wisdom and understanding.   However, there are men and women who do not have the character of a good Sage.   The reason for this is that they might be asked, "What do you think?" but they never ask anyone, "What do you think?"   The reason for this is they believe they have reached the end of the line; they are at the end of the food chain when it comes to accumulating knowledge.  This is what Solomon is addressing in the above proverb.   A true Sage, someone who is knowledgable and has wisdom by Fearing The Lord will be someone who is "increasing" in learning.   They continue to acquire knowledge and understanding.   When we think we have reached the end of the learning line and we think we are only left here to deliver that accumulated knowledge we become fools.   God's Word tells us that a wise person is someone who is increasing in knowledge.   The word for increasing in the above proverb means to "add to it."    As we grow in The Lord we are to "add to it."   We are to increase our fear of The Lord.   The older we get the more we are to seek deeper understanding and acquire wise counsel.  If we find ourselves seeking less and delivering more we become that poor Sage that simply thinks they know stuff and in reality are no longer significant in the seeking of Wisdom.   A wise man is "increasing."  

Is your cart making trenches in the earth as you pull it through life? Psalm 63-65

Psalms 65:11 (NASBStr)

You have crowned the year with Your bounty,

And Your paths drip with fatness.

Psalms 65:11 (ESV)

You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

We often hear those in the business world, especially the self-employeed, state the following, "It was a good year."  Or, regretfully, they might have to say, "This has been a bad year."    If we are believers, however, we ought to be saying the above Hebrew poem.   The writer of this Psalm is giving praise to God for His goodness and His abundant provision.    Like a crown on a king that signifies his majesty and authority, the writer states that God has crowned the year.   The emphasis here is not the crown, but the one who gives the crown ... in this case God.   God uses the bounty of the earth as a reward to the servant singing this Psalm.   He has the authority to give bounty and does so to those who walk in His way.  If you have ever had a good year of profitability or productivity or reward or honor or victory, it is from God's hand that was supplied.   The second line is especially intriguing.   Note the ESV:  "your wagon tracks overflow with abundance."    The writer is telling us that the wagon is so full it is make deep tranches and tracks and, in those tracks, falls the overflow of the wagon.   That is a completely full wagon!!   Imagine that God blesses you so that your wagon is so full it is getting stuck in the dirt and you can't pull it and then imagine the overflow of the wagon is pouring out into those furrows.   That is a great picture of how God can bless and wants to bless us.   It is important to know that God wants to do that for us.  Not so we can boast about our tax return.   He does not bless us so we can boast about OUR skills or OUR earnings.  We love to brag about what we earn.  We don't do it verbally, as that would be arrogant and turn people off.  Instead we brag about what earn by what we buy.  We show off our earnings through out toys.   In this Psalm the writer brags about God's blessing.  He wants God to have the praise.   God crowns the year with bounty and makes the wagon so full it digs dip trenches in the earth that are filled with the overflow of what He gives us.  That is what blessing looks like when we follow God in faith.  "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life."  

What does true wisdom look like? Do? 1 Kings 1-4

1 Kings 3:28 (NASBStr)

When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

Solomon was made king over Israel when he was around 12-14 years of age (there is no exact age given, but Jewish historians put it at about this age).  He was confronted by God shortly after his annointing and given the opportunity to ask anything he wanted to ask of God.   He asked for Wisdom.  God, of course, was elated with this request and gave him wisdom in abundance.    In the above verse we see the result of his first recorded act of using that wisdom.   Two women came to him and made similar claims to be the mother of the same new born infant.   One was lying and had actually killed their own child, rolling over it at night.   God gave wisdom to Solomon in such a manner that he was able to discern that the real mother of the child would not want any harm done to the child, while the mother was had actually been the cause of her own child's death would be so bitter she would not be concerned with the death of the child.  That is what wisdom does ... it gives you insight others might miss.  He was able to see the pain in both mother's eyes, but for different reasons.   He took a sword to cut the baby in half and that brought strong emotions from each.   From that point on it was easy to find the real mother.   As a result of this first act of wisdom, Solomon was able to demonstrate beyond his years the wisdom God gave him.   Wisdom, when asked of God to enable the life, is no respecter of peoples, age, or gender.   God gives wisdom and when we use it in faith to glorify Him the above verse takes place.   True wisdom will get noticed.  Jesus is the supreme example of this as He talks about the accusations of the Pharisees about His ministry.  Note the following: 

Luke 7:35 (NASBStr)

Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.

Wisdom gives birth.   Wisdom will always produce positive fruit.  It is never sterile.    James says that wisdom from above (true wisdom that comes from God) looks like this:

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

You will know that the wisdom you have from Christ is truly from Christ if it produces pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable decisions that are full of mercy and the fruits of the Spirit and doesn't have hypocrisy.   True wisdom is extraordinary and  has very fruitful results.   

Do you know what is at the center of God's Glory? Exodus 33-36

Exodus 33:17-19 (NASBStr)

The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, “ I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”

Moses and God had a special relationship.   In verse eleven of this same chapter states that they talked face-to-face.   Later in this section we read that after Moses talked with God his face would shine so brightly he had to cover it so others could still be around him.   In the verses above, Moses imposes even more on this relationship by asking God to "show me Your glory!"    Moses, apparently, didn't even know what he was asking.    God will answer him later that he can't see the complete glory of God, but only His backside.   He tells Moses that to see the complete glory of God would kill Moses.   The key in this passage, however, is how God answers the original request.  Notice that God's answer is not, "Sure, I can do that!" or, "Yes, stand still and I will show you!"   God's answer talks about His goodness and His sovereign choice to have mercy on whom He will and compassion on whom He will.   Remember, Moses asked to see God's glory.   Moses didn't ask for an explanation of how God choose Abraham, or the entire Israelite nation.  Moses didn't ask Him to explain the significance of sovereign will and the Decrees of God.   Moses didn't tell God he had enrolled in the local seminar and they were debating in their Theology class the truth and validity of Divine Election.   Moses asked to see God's Glory.   In our mind that would mean that Moses wanted to see the very essence of God, or the most important aspect of God.   God's answer?  His sovereign power and will to elect!!   Note how Paul uses this in Romans 9 to explain Gods right to choose!!! God is answering Moses' request to show him His glory.  God is saying My Glory is that I am free to save whomever I want. This is why it is so dangerous to deny Gods election.  Of all the things God could have said here, He choose to say, "I'm sovereign in my choices.  I can choose whom I will and whom I don't will."   People love to argue God's sovereign will as opposed to man's free choice.   Denominations have been formed over their answers.   Wars have been fought over this answer.   Thousands of books have been written and sermon's preached.  People have been offended by it and humbled by it, all in the same time frame.   God decides to answer Moses' question about His glory by displaying and bragging about His sovereign right and will to choose whom He will.   Argue divine election all you want, but remember that God's glory is at the center of it.  

Are we rejoicing in our weakness? 2 Corinthians 11-13

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NASBStr)

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

In the last three chapters of 2 Corinthians the Apostle is writing a very tense portion to the members and leaders of the Corinthian church.   It is apparent that someone there was questioning Paul's authority, sincerity and apostleship.    Even though they readily even accepted false teachers in a pleasant manner, they were resistant to him and his words, despite the fact that he was the one that brought the gospel to them, didn't take any support from them and spoke the truth consistently in front of them.   To demonstrate his authority he has given them several arguments - one of which is the many times he has been persecuted or in pain for the gospel.  Because of the obstinate treatment of his authority and concern he was (according to his reasoning) forced to boast about his own Apostleship and credibility.   However, after giving much evidence of his Apostleship, Paul now stops his boasting and, in fact, confesses that God gave him a "thorn in the flesh" so that he would be forced to trust God through all of this ministry.  Paul knew the human spirit.  He knew that most men live to be worshipped.  In fact they worship themselves more than anyone else.   He also knew that God was gracious and gave him this thorn (bad sight, bad health, surrounded by people who doubted his authority?) to keep him humble and trusting in God.   His conclusion, seen in the above verse, was to maintain that God gave him these distresses and persecutions and difficulties to keep him weak and dependent upon Christ.  It is Christ that we are to have at the center and to worship.   God allowed these things (Paul concludes) to make sure the Apostle's every breath cried out for God's strength and he could take credit for nothing.   God kept Paul in a state a weakness.   God wants us to call upon Him for strength, not our knowledge, position or experiences.  Even though Paul used all three of those to claim some authority to speak to the Corinthian believers the way he was, in reality all of this was to keep Paul trusting in his Savior for strength.  It is in those times that we come to really know Christ.  When we are in our weakest times that is in our best of times.   God is perfecting us IN WEAKNESS.   The world thinks the way to get better is to get stronger, smarter, faster, or more beautiful.  God says the way to get perfected is to get weaker and more dependent upon Christ.  

Has God ever asked you to do something that hasn't made sense? Luke 4-5

Luke 5:5 (NASBStr)

Simon answered and said, “ Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

Obedience in faith trumps feelings of our flesh and even the empirical data of our senses!   Simon Peter and his crew were seasoned fishermen.   They understood the long nights of their trade and the "luck" that often came with it.   Finding fish with no technology was an art more than a science.  You had to know your favorite fishing hole.   In the story of Luke 5 we see that Simon and the others had toiled all night and were actually cleaning their nets when Jesus came by and asked to use their boat as a public speaking platform.   Simon and the fishermen may have continued to clean their nets as Jesus spoke.  Maybe they became interested and took seats in the front.  Maybe they wandered through the growing crowd and let everyone know that it was their boat used by Jesus.   After the speaking gig was complete, Jesus told them to get back into the boat and cast their nets again.  These would be the nets they just cleaned tossed into the "empty" lake they were just skunked by after doing so all night long.   Their expertise, their eyes, their work ethic, their combined physical stamina, their lack of knowledge of who Jesus even was (remember, He was a carpenter by trade) all spoke that they should not put their nets back into the water.    Yet, we see Peter's words above.    God had commanded them and they obeyed.   The result, was a miracle.  More importantly, however, the result was men repenting and joining Jesus in His ministry.   Any miracle follows the same approach.       Moses could have told God about the physics behind the rock.   He could have told God that water has never come out of a rock.   Yet, water did.    When asked to cross the Red Sea, Moses and the people could tell God this just isn't done.  They had watched that river for centuries and it never stopped flowing.  Yet, it did.   Obedience in faith trumps feelings of our flesh and even the empirical data of our senses!!

Do you seek great things for you or for God? Jeremiah 42-46

Jeremiah 45:5 (NASBStr)

But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh, ’ declares the Lord, ‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go. ’”

The above verse is spoken to and about Jeremiah's scribe (administrative assistant ???), Baruch, specifically, but, perhaps to all of God's servants, generally.  Baruch was responsible to write out Jeremiah's prophecy and, at times, deliver them to the proper recipients.  Baruch was the traditional messenger who had the right, responsibility and desire to say, "Don't shoot the messenger."   Yet, that is exactly what would happen.   Jeremiah would take God's prophecy that was less than favorable to Judah and Israel and give it to Baruch, who would write it down and deliver it to the authorities and people of the land.  Since the prophecy was about God judgment, it was seldom received with favor.  Thus Baruch would get the brunt of the reaction and negative response.   Baruch serves as an example to us all ... those who want to serve God.   God may use us as His instrument, but we ought to know that we are only the conduit for His glory, not the center of the show.   Baruch was a man who apparently was unsettled in his life and, as the scribe, might have preferred rather to be the speaker.    Yet, Baruch, like us, need to remember that God has a bigger plan.  He has a plan that will, at times, bring disaster that will encompass even our own lives.  We are in this world and we will suffer the affects of sin in this world.   God will give us protection but that does not mean we will always sail through life unharmed.  Our personal desires (for great things for "ourselves") must take a back seat ... in the trunk ... to God's plans and His glory.   He will give us our life and that life is abundant.   But, it is also part of the sufferings of this world.   Sin breaks stuff.  It breaks bodies, buildings and objects.   Airplanes break as a result of sin in this world.   Cancer exists as a result of sin in this world.  God is judging this world and we can rejoice that He knows us and brings us through these things.  But, He doesn't bring us through them without them having an affect on us.   We can rest assured of these two things:  1). We will have the affects of sin on our lives.   2). We can have the assurance that God will bring us through it.  We ought not to seek great things for ourselves, but for God and His Plan.  

Can you handle the hippo or the crock? Or, how about your own suffering? Job 40-42

Job 41:8 (NASBStr)

“Lay your hand on him;

Remember the battle; you will not do it again!

In these last chapters of Job, God is brining His final and closing argument to Job.   Job has, in his defense against the accusations of his friends, failed to recognize God's sovereign control over Job.   God, in His patience with Job, has waited long enough to respond.   In chapter forty God brings an argument to Job about His control over all things by speaking of the mighty Behemoth.  Most commentators believe this is the modern day equivalent of the hippopotamus.   God is pointing out Job, that Job couldn't even control or provide for one of God's creatures; especially the biggest one.   In the above verse God brings exhibit two and talks about the Leviathan.  Many commentators believe this is in reference to the crocodile.  Whatever the animal is, it is powerful and uncontrollable by man.   God has laid before Job two examples of His sovereign rule and Job is quieted by them.   In this verse in particular God is telling Job to try to conquer the Leviathan.   He is warning him that if he does he better be prepared for a battle. If you want to go to war with the Leviathan (symbol of something you cannot tame) remember that the battle will be fierce and you will not want to do it again.  You can't do this (anymore than you can fight with God's sovereign rule in your life).  We are told in Scripture that before you take on such a creature in battle (something tough to conquer) get support and insight from others:

Proverbs 24:6 For by wise guidance you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Proverbs 20:18

Prepare plans by consultation,

And make war by wise guidance.

Yet, this is what Job's friends did not do.  They simply spend their time pointing a finger at Job, rather than to the power of God.   God is telling Job there are many things in life you CAN'T do.   Yet, God can!!!   If Job's friends would have focused on God's sovereign power and rule Job and they would have been better off.   God is telling Job through the examples of the Behemoth and the Leviathan that He is in charge and can handle the BIG stuff because to Him the BIG stuff is rather small.   Let's quit trying to do the BIG and small stuff and let God have the sovereign rule over it and our lives and our response to it.   

Who can get you to the next level? Psalm 60-62

Psalms 61:1-3 (NASBStr)

 Hear my cry, O God;

 Give heed to my prayer.

 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

 For You have been a refuge for me,

A tower of strength against the enemy.

Do you know why you trust in one thing over another?   What gives you confidence and what causes you to have alarm or caution?   In the above portion of King David's prayer, we see him express great confidence and trust in God.   He asks God to "hear" him; to "heed" his prayer.  He states even if he was at the end of the earth he would call out to God; even if his heart was faint.   The reason is found in the last two lines (verse 3).  He knows that God has been his refuge in the past - a "tower" of strength against the enemy.  God has come through for David in the past, so he has reason to trust Him in the future.   Unlike the world, David doesn't trust riches (they disappear), his friends (they also disappear), or his skill sets (he was a great rock thrower).   David leans on the One who doesn't disappoint because HE has NEVER disappointed in the past.   David has tried God and found God faithful.   So much so that David asks God to not only care for him at the level he is currently walking but David also wants God to take him to the next level.  He asks God to "lead me to a rock that is higher than I."   Taking it to the next level is a God-thing.   We don't exert our muscle to make it to the next level.   We must have God take us there.   The rock is higher than we are because we are of a lowly state.   God wants to take us to higher heights in relationship to Him.   That is what David desires.  The word picture David uses here brings to mind the rocks and caves he would have hidden in when on the run from Saul and other enemies.   He would know the advantage of being on the highest rock.  He knew "if" he were higher he could see better, be safe from the rushing floods of the low lands, escape the animals and better spot danger.  Or, even better, from a higher rock David could see more of God's marvelous creation and plan.    But, David knew that in order to get higher it would be God who would take him there.    In this prayer he acknowledges the One who has cared for him and the One who can take him to knew places of safety and beauty.  

Are you able to follow a lessor skilled person? 2 Samuel 20-24

2 Samuel 23:18-19 (NASBStr)

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three. He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.

In this section of the book the author is recounting the events and men known as "David's Mighty Men."   If you look at the end of this chapter you will see that there are 37 of them.  All of them a type of "special forces" group that did David's will and carried out his commands.   These men were great warriors and faithful followers of the king.    The above mentioned warrior, Abishai, was one the better of the 37, but, as noted in the end of the above verse there were three even better than him.   Although they have already been listed, the Big Three, were a story to themselves.   These "Three" had a reputation known of the others could measure up to or match.    Yet, it was not one of them that lead this band of 37.   Although the "Three" were of better skills, had more notoriety and longer resume of enemy kills, Abishai was the leader.   The lesson here is rather obvious: The leader doesn't have to be the best at doing the job.  He only has to be the best leader.    Leadership is not always about being the "doer" of the work.  It is about getting others to do the work and knowing how to do that to the max.  Apparently Abishai was able to motivate and coordinate these special men into a true quick-response team.   It is often thought that these are the same men mentioned earlier in David's life, when he was on the run from Saul.  Note the following:

1 Samuel 22:1-2 (NASBStr)

 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.

If these 37 emerged out of the 400 mentioned above, it is a great picture of God's grace at work in the lives of men.   David was, at first their leader.   But, under David's leadership others emerged to lead.   Abishai was able to put his pride aside and allow others, much more equipped to do work, take the battle and garner the reputation.   Yet, he was still the best leader.  The other three were able to put their pride aside and follow a lessor skilled man with a lessor reputation.   This is true humility in leadership and in follwer-ship.   The best doesn't always have to be the leader but the best should always follow the best leader.  

Do I know I am the same as everyone else in God's eyes? Exodus 30-32

Exodus 30:15 (NASBStr)

The rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel, when you give the contribution to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves.

In this passage Moses is instructed by God to collect from every male, twenty-years and older, a portion of money to supply to the newly constructed Tabernacle.   There is some confusion among scholars as to why this was an annual instruction, as once the Tabernacle was constructed there would be less need for the funds.   It is also confusing why the money was collected in a compulsory method such as this, as it is indicated the people brought so much money voluntarily there was no need for more.  Moses actually tells them to stop bringing money (such is the results of hearts that love God and are, in faith, obedient to Him).   Here, however, is a command of God to the nation.   A command, that having reason, or no reason, doesn't change.  In Matthew 17:27 we have an account of Jesus telling His disciples to pay for the tribute tax so as to not offend anyone.   It appears the tax was a perpetual tax to support the work of the tabernacle.  It is easy to get lost, however, in the "why" and miss an important lesson, seen clearly in the above verse.  Whatever reason for the tax and for the continuation of it, the amount paid was to be the same for the rich and the poor.   The indication here is that God is no respecter of persons like we are in our world.   We talk a good game about the rich and poor are alike and have equal standing, but such is not the case.  The President might have a policy to take care of the poor in this country, but not one of them have ever been seen asking the poor to one the parties at the White House.   Celebrities and dignitaries attend the ball, the poor is on the outside looking in.  This is true in most states and cities and churches.   God is saying that He values both and that both have equal responsibility before God.  Financial status doesn't get you something special and lack of it doesn't set you free from obligation.   God sees us all as the same.  My responsibility in this walk with God is the same as the rich man.  His the same as mine.  

Do you live for others and God, or for self? 1 Corinthians 9-10

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASBStr)

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Paul, in these chapters, is addressing the freedom's we have in Christ.   He has used himself as an example in chapter nine.   His conclusion there is that he is free to do a lot of things, but his over-riding principle is that what he does he must serve others.   In chapter ten he is going to use the nation of Israel to make another point.  We are to please God with our service.  We are to glorify God with our interaction with men (see 1 Corinthians 10:31).    He started the chapter by saying that all of Israel had the same experiences but not all of the "pleased" God.   The only way we can please God is if we do what we do by faith (Hebrews 11:6).   They did not respond in faithful obedience and therefore God was not pleased with them.   They did not practice their faith in faith. They became performers of works, lacking a true heart of faithful repentance.   Rather than glorifying God with their lives they served self.  This is what Paul is warning the Corinthian believers about and wants to prevent in their lives.   These serve as an example to us.  Their failure to practice faith in faith and to allow God to produce in them caused them to be cast off and God to lay them waste in the wilderness.  He doesn't want to the Corinthians, or us, to make the same mistake.   The failed in their relationship with God.   We are not to use our freedom (remember, this is the point of this entire section .... what we use our freedom to do or not do) in way to please ourselves.  We are to use the freedom we have in Christ to serve ourselves as they did.   That is the point of them being our example.  

Do you have the filling of the Spirit producing the power of the Spirit? Luke 3-4

Luke 4:14 (NASBStr)

Jesus’ Public Ministry

 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

Compare the above verse with the verse that started off the fourth chapter:

Luke 4:1 (NASBStr)

 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness

In the beginning of the chapter it is said that Jesus was "full" of the Holy Spirit.   At which time, Satan takes Him into the wilderness and tempts His flesh (with food); His pride (with the offer of a Kingdom); and, His relationship with His father (tempting God).  AFTER the temptation, in which Jesus responds in faith in God's Word each time, the Scripture nows says that "Jesus returned to Galilee in the POWER of the Spirit."    The obvious lesson Luke wants us to see here is that being filled with the Spirit leads to having the power of the Spirit.   When we are filled with the Spirit we can endure the temptations Satan throws our way and the simply produces more and more power by the Spirit.   God has given us the Spirit to be the guide, the power and the assurance we need while we wait for the consummation of our hope.  We can't have the power of the Spirit without first submitting to Christ and allowing the Spirit to fill us. Jesus has not left us alone.  He not only gives us the Spirit, He lived His life the way we are to live ours and gave us the same power He had to defeat sin and Satan.  

Who do you hope brings you relief? Jeremiah 37-41

Jeremiah 37:5, 8-9 (NASBStr)

(v. 5) Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem.

 (v. 8,9)  ‘ Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me:“Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt. The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.”’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go.

Relief is not salvation!!  That would be the big idea to the verses in the above section of Jeremiah's prophecy.   When Babylon (the Chaldeans) besieged the city of Jerusalem, the nation of Israel was fearful of what the Chaldeans would do to them.  The even prayed to be rescued.  They remembered the time of the Judges when, despite their sin, they prayed to God and God would send a deliverer.   So, when the Egyptian army had set out toward Jerusalem they thought they had some relief.   Yet, Jeremiah is sent a message by God that this momentary "relief" from the discipline of God would not last.   Jeremiah told them the Chaldeans would return and take the city.   The nation, however, fell into a false sense of ease and peace, thinking Egypt was their salvation.   The nation had not looked to God for salvation.  They had not repented to bring in salvation.   The mistakenly thought that the world could save them.   How many times do we fall into the same trick.   We sometimes think counseling can save a marriage.   Counseling can lead us to God who can save a marriage, but the counseling is only a method, not the source of salvation.    People put their faith in a church or pastor and give them credit for turning their life around.  Yet, God only uses those tools to bring others to His Salvation.   The world or tools or temporary and earthly people, places and things can't bring permanent relieft.   God brings salvation through the person of His Son and no other way.   We are to lean on Him and not on our education, our positions, our friends, our churches, our pastors, etc.   

Do you know why you "think" at all? Why is it that you "reason"? Job 38-39

Job 38:36 (NASBStr)

“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being

Or given understanding to the mind?

God is in the midst of asking Job and his friends essay questions about life.   If this were their ACT test they would all fail most assuredly.  Job and his friends have been in a long debate about the reason for Job's pain and suffering.  Toward the end of each of their dissertations they have accused each other and, in reality, denied the power of God in the entire experience.   God, in these extensive - "Where were you when ..." - questions, is putting them in their place.   God has asked them where they were when the sea was made, the weather formed, the earth shaped, and several other inquires they certainly must remain in silence about.   Yet, in the midst of this cross examine of the facts, God asks the above question.  He no longer is asking them to explain the very universe they are living in, He asks them to explain how they can reason at all.   Men, in their pride, attempt to deny God by way of their limited reason, not acknowledging that they are the only creatures on the earth who CAN reason as a very gift from God.   Men attempt to deny the existence of God despite the fact that they have to use knowledge, understanding, reasoning, and thinking - something given to them by the very God they hope to prove doesn't exist.  No other creature on the earth can reason like us.   No animal can seek wisdom or desires to seek wisdom.   God gave us a mind; it is a gift from God to be used to praise God.   Men use their intellect to create things to replace God.   Men "think" they are so creative and so "ingenious" to develop tools and toys and teachings that promote themselves.  Yet, it is God who gives any level of understanding to the mind and ONLY God who gives the gift of Wisdom (Proverbs 9:10; James 1:5).   Our minds are a gift from God and who we allow to interpret things for the mind is a key to our coming to God.   Job and his friends had loss sight of their pursuit of God and, instead, began to simply promote their own opinions, views and arguments.  They used the mind they have to ignore God and to promote self.   Yet, it is God who gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  In the midst of a trial such as Job's, it might be wiser to not try to explain it but simply let God reveal more of Himself in it.   

Where do you turn when people get on your nerves? Psalm 57-59

Psalms 59:9-11 (ESV)

O my Strength, I will watch for you,

for you, O God, are my fortress.

 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

 Kill them not, lest my people forget;

make them totter by your power and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield!

Psalms 59:9-10 (NASBStr)

Because of his strength I will watch for You,

For God is my stronghold.

 My God in His lovingkindness will meet me;

God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.

In this section of the Psalms, David is praying to God for protection, reprieve from and even vengeance on his enemies.  In the above specific verses some text translate them that David is stated as looking to God for His strength, while in another, the same thought is stated (God waiting on God's strength) but the text states, "because of his strength" David waits.  The "his" in this translation is the wicked leaders of the nations.   In the NASB translation the thought is that because of the strength of the enemy, David watches for God and waits for God's vengeance and power.  Despite the difficulty of the Hebrew translations the thoughts are one of the same.   David is praying about his enemies and the power they have.  He has no where to turn.  So, in the midst of that pain and pressure, David turns to God and seeks God's strength, love and victory.   It is important that we find the same place of rest and same source of strength.   In the midst of the trials we have plenty of alternatives to turn toward in our pursuit of relief or strength.     Some turn to some substance to seek relief.   They just need a drink or a smoke or a piece of pie ... there is a reason they call some foods, "comfort foods."   Some turn to more and more activity.  They work and work until they become numb to life and life's difficulties.   Some turn to exercise, thinking that since a good workout makes them feel better than can exercise demons along with fat.   But, in reality the only real source of relief for the stress that others bring to us in a relationship with God and a faith in His strength, love and triumphant work.   David writes this Psalm to assure us that we, too, can find rest and assurance with God, in the midst of wicked rulers, nations and men.   But, the source of our strength is not from within, it is from beyond, in God Himself.   In the midst of the stress find your stronghold in the One who is Strong.  

When given the opportunity for revenge do you seek forgiveness? 2 Samuel 15-19

2 Samuel 19:19 (NASBStr)

So he said to the king, “ Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart.

When David was forced to leave Jerusalem, our man making the statement in the above verse, Shimei, stood beside the rode and cursed David.  He also thru stones at David and his mighty men.   These are the same mighty men who had killed hundreds with their bare hands.   Shimei was one of the few remaining descendants of Saul.  His view of the world was still that of a bitter, but loyal, man to his only heir to the throne, Saul.   Shimei is the perfect example of the person who attacks us when we are down.   David was forced to leave Jerusalem and give up the throne because his son, Absolam, was taking the throne by force.   Shimei thought this would be the time to curse and destroy David.   His bitterness was so strong it clouded his judgment.   At the time of David's exodus from Jerusalem, the might men around David wanted to kill Shimei.  David stopped them, telling them that God might have sent Shimei to curse him, so they should not intervene.   However, now it was obvious that God was bringing David back to the throne and now was the time to seek revenge with all those who sided with Absolam.   Yet, even in his return, riding on the cloud of victory, David refused to have this man killed.   David doesn't let the mighty men kill him a second time in this passage.  The man comes seeking forgiveness and mercy.   David, in the eyes of the world, could have killed him or had him killed.   Yet, God wanted him to do what Paul shows us in Romans 12.   Rather than seek revenge David was willing to show forgiveness.   In his leadership he desired to show those around him the compassions of a man of God, who knew forgiveness.   In our lives we will have similar chances to show forgiveness.   God wants us to demonstrate His love, even to those who don't deserve it.  The world would not prevent us from seeking revenge.  They might even applaud it.   Yet, God did not send His Son for us to merely seek revenge.   God wants us to demonstrate the same forgiveness He shows us.    When you have the opportunity to get revenge, seek love through forgiveness.    

How would you like God to talk to you? Exodus 25-29

Exodus 28:30 (NASBStr)

You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.

If you had your choice of the following to find out what God wanted you do in regard to His will, which would you pick:

A). A loud voice from Heaven

B). A Cloud by Day and a Fire by night

C). A representative (like a Moses)

D). Two stones that lit up or shined like a true and false machine

E). A trusted inner voice of the Holy Spirit

In the nation of Israel they would move through each of these methods as God dealt with them.   The above verses speak to the Urim and Thummim that were two precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest.  Although we know only a little about them they apparently would glow or get hot or do something when you ask a question of God.   God would indicate His approval or disapproval through the two stones.   God would speak to the high priest through those stones and the high priest would speak to the nation on His behalf.   Those stones (and all other forms of communication) have been replaced by the Voice of the Holy Spirit.   God has given us His presence and direction by the unction of the Holy Spirit.   The intimacy of the Spirit in our lives requires us to read the Word and to listen carefully to that voice.    It causes us to leave by faith.  It makes us stay away from what we see in the flesh and live in the spiritual world.    This is God's plan.   He comforts us; teaches us; corrects us through the Spirit of God.   Our yielding to Him is of utmost importance in our lives if we want to know the perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).   We might wish we had a loud voice, or a sign from heaven, or a true representative, or even two cool stones that glowed in the dark times of life.   But, Israel had all those things and failed to follow God's perfect will.   God replaced all those with His Divine presence through the ministry of the Spirit.  We ought to rejoice in that and walk in the Spirit, not the flesh.  All those other methods were for the flesh.  

Do you honor God with your body? Do you know it is His? 1 Corinthians 6-8

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NASBStr)

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price:therefore glorify God in your body.

Paul starts out this chapter telling us not to take disagreements we have with other brothers before the natural law courts.   He is not telling us that the legal system is corrupt but that two believers, who disagree, ought to be able find a believing brother who can assists in the dispute.   That argument and issue launches him into the very debate of what we do with our bodies.   Just as we ought not to hurt our brother in Christ (because he is "IN CHRIST" with us) we ought not to hurt our own bodies.   Why?  Because these are not our own bodies.   These bodies we dress, groom, pamper and exalt actually are not ours and they are not permanent.   In Paul's argument in the chapter he tells us that those who use their bodies for adultery or idolatry or homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God.   He wants us to know that the actions of our bodies reveal the content of our hearts.   Those who have come to Christ for forgiveness have, at the same time, acknowledged Christ as Lord.   The term Lord in God's Word means He has the authority.   As a result of that coming to Christ our bodies are now temples that He dwells in through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit dwelling in me is the reason I can do anything for God ... anything righteous for God.   The Spirit is the indwelling Person of Power that gives me the ability to exalt Christ.   My body, soul and spirit were purchased by the blood of Christ.   That means I am to take care of my body.   Believers will often condemn those who do drugs, or smoke or drink for the "sinful" nature of it.   However, if you attend any church on any given Sunday the obesity among Christians rages on.   We seem to think it is wrong to do drugs and drink and smoke and okay to do pizza, ice cream and cake.   Laziness and unfitness is not a way to take care of the temple of Christ.   Our acknowledgement of Christ as Lord and of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives is also an obligation to assure that our temples are fit for Him.  But, the key is fit for HIM.  We might admire our bodies in the mirror but when we remember that this is not our body, but His, we should have a new perspective as to what we are doing with it.  

Do you know the powerful 15 words of child rearing? Luke 1-2

Luke 2:52 (NASBStr)

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

There has been much written and stored in this world's libraries, book stores and on-line depositories about how to rear a child.   Dr. Benjamin Spock shocked the world with his Baby and Child care; now in its 8th additon.  Spock opened up the world of permissive child rearing.   It was first published in 1946 and it changed the world as to what is happening with children today.  The "helicopter parent" who hovers over their child and expects the child to be "feared" (revered as the center of the universe) was a product of his writings.   Dr. Spock does not equate with what we read in the above verse about how a child should grow.   In this verse we see the growth of the perfect child.  So, the parent should be followed by all parents.   Jesus is said to grow in wisdom along with stature.   Wisdom is the fear of The Lord (Proverbs 9:10).   If Jesus, the Son of God, is taught to fear (respect) God, so, too, should all children.   Putting God in the center of the child's life removes the child from that position.   The child is not the center of the universe - God is.   That is how you begin to raise a child.   It is only than that you have a child who can grow in "favor" with God and man.  The word, favor, was first used by Luke when Mary is told by the angel that she was "favored" by God.   This is God showing "grace" to Mary.   What Luke is telling us is that Jesus was growing in grace ... the Fear of The Lord (Wisdom) produces a favor with God.  It also produces favor with men.  Note what Solomon (a man who knew the wisdom of God) said about this subject:

Proverbs 16:7

7 When a man's ways please the Lord,

he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

When we raise our children to avoid a permissive life style and instead submit to God in fear, we will raise a child who will grow in God's grace and will find that same peace and grace with even the worst of men.   There is a way to raise a child. It is found in the above verse.  You can find many books with many words about child rearing.   But, sometimes the most that should be said can be said in the least words.   Like the 15 words above!

Do you know people who think they can ignore and even destroy God's Word? Jeremiah 32-36

Jeremiah 36:32 (NASBStr)

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

This story in Jeremiah 36 about Jeremiah writing all the words God gave him on a scroll is something everyone should come to know.  In the beginning of the chapter Jeremiah is instructed by God to write everything he was told by God on a scroll by Baruch.   Then he was told to have Baruch to go out to the kings palace and read the content of the scroll.   Jeremiah was "shut up" in the court and was not allowed to mingle freely through the city of Jerusalem and certainly not to the king.    So, Baruch did as he was told.   But, when the king heard the contents of the scroll (only a few columns of content) he tore it up and tossed it into a fire, showing no respect for God's Word or tolerance for it.    The king then demanded that Baruch and Jeremiah be killed.  However, God hid them from the king.   It is at this point that the above verse is recorded (on another scroll we are now reading).   Notice that God will not allow His Word to be destroyed.  There are wicked men who think they can destroy copies, but God will restore what He wants us to know.   In the above verse we see that God not only restored the previous words but "added to them."  Those who reject God's Word need to know that they cannot destroy God's Word.   He will not only replace what they try to destroy but add to them.   This has happened in country after country as men have tired to destroy both God's Word and the places and people who preach it.   The Word simply multiples.   We can be assured, as believers, that God will continue to keep His Word alive.  

Do you know the depths of God? Can we know the depths of God? Job 37

Job 37:23 (NASBStr)

“The Almighty — we cannot find Him;

He is exalted in power

And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.

To grasp the above statement by Elihu we need to recall something he would have heard Job utter a few chapters earlier in the book:

Job 23:3 (NASBStr)

“Oh that I knew where I might find Him,

That I might come to His seat!

It might be wise to look later in time and in Scripture at what Paul utters to young Pastor Timothy, as well:

1 Timothy 6:15-16 (NASBStr)

which He will bring about at the proper time —He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Or, how about Moses:

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.

Elihu is coming to an end of his treatment and talk to Job.  Job has, as we see, earlier, actually wondered how he might "find" God.    Elihu seems to have a contradiction between the first lines of this verse (we cannot find Him) and the second and third line (HE IS ...).   How can Elihu state in one breath we can't find God and then in another a definitive piece of knowledge about Him?  The answer is that there is much, much we can't and don't know about God.  We can't find Him like we find the sun, a cloud, or rain (what Elihu has been describing in this chapter as evidence of God).  But, there are some things we DO know about God because God has chosen to revel them to us.   Note Psalm 19:1; Psalm 139; Romans 1:18-19 as examples were we are told that creation reveals the character of God.   Enough, according to Paul, that we should know to worship Him.  We don't know everything or even much about God in the sense of comparing what we do know to who God is.   But, what we do know is that He is just and righteous in all that He does.  We can and should behold God as knowing Him, but not knowing all we can about Him.   Each day we see more of His grace and mercy and love.   Paul said it best here:

Romans 11:33 (NASBStr)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

What do you desire when you find yourself in a cave of life? Psalm 54-56

Psalms 56:13 (NASBStr)

For You have delivered my soul from death,

 Indeed my feet from stumbling,

So that I may walk before God

In the light of the living.

In Psalms 54-56 we King David on the run and dealing with friends and foes who have sought his life and are currently seeking to destroy him.   He is being hunted by Saul, a former friend; by the Philistines, former enemies; and, people he doesn't really know are turning against him. We can't really understand this verse unless we see David in one cave and then running for his life to another cave.   He has surrounded himself with valiant men, but men who are wanted like he is.   These three Psalms come out of the darkest days of David's life.   Yet, in the midst of these dark times we see the greatest expressions of faith.  Unlike when David when he will be restored to the Kingship and falls into multiple sins and distress with his children, these are times David has been stripped of everything.  So, he goes where all of us go when everything is bad: To God.   In the midst of the dark David prays to God and assured God will deliver to the light.   The contrast in the above lines is obviously striking.  Darkness is all around him (he is in caves, hiding) and he longs for the light of God's presence.   Death is at this door (in reality) and he longs for life and living with God.  Hence the translation "light of the living."   David is facing the darkness of death.   But, in faith he knows that God will and has delivered him from stumbling.   As he goes across the rocks as Saul and his men pursue him, David acknowledges both in reality and metaphorically God has kept his foot from stumbling.   God has "delivered" (literally to "snatch away") him.   It is in the darkest times of our lives that we can find the most assurance of God's work in our lives.   As we follow God in prayer and seek His deliverance He will give us an assurance, even if we find ourselves in the deepest, darkest cave.   We should note that David's desire at this point is to walk with God in the light.   His heart is seeking after God.  Maybe this verse and this prayer of David is what God to say, "he is a man after My own heart." (Acts 13:22).   Despite the circumstances (good or bad) we should seek to "walk before God."   Despite the situation (good or bad) we should desire to walk in the "light of the living."   God wants us to fellowship with Him and rely on Him.  He allows the caves of life so that we will be on our knees and seek fellowship with Him.  

Do you demonstrate 1/2 forgiveness? 2 Samuel 10-14

2 Samuel 14:23-24 (NASBStr)

So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. However the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

The above passage is taken out of a long story of a feud between King David and his son, Absalom.   A few years earlier Absalom's half-brother, Ammon, was lustfully seeking his half-sister and Absalom's sister, "Tamar."    Ammon could not contain himself and, in a plot of deceit and lust, raped his half-sister.   Even though Kind David knew this about his sons and Tamar, he did nothing.  This very much frustrated Absalom.  He felt no justice by David, both his father AND the King.   (David was supposed to exact justice as the authority in the land.  Just as he had been unjust with Urriah and had him killed, he acted unjust with Tamar and Absalom.).    Absalom took matters into his own hands and killed Ammon.   He then flees Jerusalem in hiding.  This, too, brought a grieving attitude by David, but no action.    Finally, convinced by his top military leader, Joab, David allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem.  BUT, David doesn't do anything with Absalom.  He allows him to return but has no contact or fellowship with him.   Here we have an example of 1/2 forgiveness.   He allows him to return but he DOES NOT show any actions of forgiveness toward him.   Verbal forgiveness is not real forgiveness.   God does tell us to "say" we forgive someone.  God tells us to demonstrate the actions of forgiveness.   God does not simply say, "I forgive you," to us when we sin.   He does the actions of forgiveness, by sending His Son to the cross to "pay" for our sin.   When we forgive it must come with the actions of forgiveness not the words or just attitude of forgiveness.   Words and attitude are necessary, but empty without actions.   It took two years for David to bring Absalom into his presence.   That was two years of empty forgiveness.  This will hurt David latter as Absalom attempts to steal away the kingdom later.   The lack of true forgiveness not only displeases God, it will cost you in your relationships later.  

Do you see God's grace in the Old Testament AND New? Excodus 21-24

Exodus 24:9-11 (NASBStr)

Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

The above set of verses sounds more like it should come from the New Testament than the Old.  The vision of the Old is that God is a fierce God; a consuming fire.  In fact, in other places in these Exodus passages we read about the nation of Israel being fearful of God.  Yet, what we have here in this passage is a communion service setting.  There is fellowship alluded to in this passage.   This is a communion between the people of God and God Himself.   God is here to fellowship with Moses, Arron and Arron's sons and the leadership of Israel.  You wonder why the nation would fall away after this.   Yet, the same is true with us.  We attend church and have sweet fellowship with God on Sunday, only to fall away and sin on Monday.  God is, in this passage, communion with His creation.   The backdrop here is the Law.   God is given the Law and, yet, in the midst there is fellowship.  That lesson should not be missed.  We tend to think of the Law in another way.   God wants to fellowship with man.  The Law was meant to instill that.   The Law is God giving us the picture of His grace.   If we read the Law we can see how much it asks us to have mercy and grace with others, as God is expressing mercy and grace to us.   We ought not think of the Law in fear and trembling.   Moses and the other leaders of Israel had fellowship around the giving of the Law.   God is gracious and merciful in ever age.   We ought not make Him to be the Just God in the Old and the Gracious God in the New.  He is always Just and Gracious no matter what passage we find ourselves reading or studying.  

Does your body groan? 2 Corinthians 4-5

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NASBStr)

 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Does your body groan?   Does your body ache?  Do you groan over sin in the world?  Are you tired of sin and how it ravishes the world, your community, your family, your children, yourself?   Do you groan in your body and wish things were better? Does that sin-habit you can't break continue to beat you down where you have days of almost complete feelings of defeat?  What Paul describes in the above verses are these feelings, thoughts, experiences and issues in this life.   In our United States Constitution we are told that we have the "right" to pursue "happiness and liberty."   We are told, by our government, that we have the right to be happy and free.   What Paul is telling us, however, is that, for believers, in this life, we will have groaning!!   He tells us that our bodies will groan because we have be reborn for a new body ... one we long for in this life.   We long for the body (Paul calls it a "tent", a "house", a "temple") that God has prepared for us in heaven.   Believers SHOULD be groaning in this body.  Despite the fact that we spend an inordinate amount of money and time trying to make the body comfortable, pleasing, happy and free, Paul's teaching tells us that the believer won't be comfortable in this body ... IF they are earnestly seeking God's Glory.  The weight of our body, the shape of our body, the complexion of our body are only temporal.   The real tent, house, temple for us to dwell in is eternal and in the heavens.   We are to be spending our time in this temporal body glorifying God for our eternal body, in the heavens.  Psychologically we are taught groaning is bad.   In reality, this groaning we feel in this life is really a confirmation of the life to come and our desire for it.   But, what do we do until that happens?   Paul gives us the answer to that question by telling us that God has prepared us so and that to assist us in this groaning we are given the ministry of the Spirit, as a pledge of God's promise to redeem us from this groaning.   As we live by faith and walk in the Spirit by faith, we can handle the groaning (read on verses six and seven of this same chapter).   God has given us the Spirit so that when the pains of this world inflict the body and we are groaning out of a desire to finally be redeemed we can still have strength.  The Spirit is God's pledge to us that the final redemption is going to take place.    The next time you groan because of the world's sin in our lives and the lives of others, don't go out and buy something to make yourself comfortable.  Don't eat something to satisfy yourself.  Don't engage in wrong sexual patterns to make yourself feel good because the groaning is so bad.   Don't spend money to feel good.   The next time you groan in this body, acknowledge it as a part of the believers life in a sinful world and instead of finding happiness and freedom in those things find it in the ministry of the Spirit and the Love of Christ.   Walk by faith and not by flesh.   

Can you rest in God NOT know NOW what His intent is with your life? Jeremiah 27-31

Jeremiah 30:24 (NASBStr)

The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back

Until He has performed and until He has accomplished

The intent of His heart;

In the latter days you will understand this.

There will be a time we understand what God is doing in our lives.  We tend to want to know NOW what God is doing and how He is doing it.  We like to have the end known.   We like our lives predictable.   We even store up money for the end of our lives so we can predict the way the end will be.   Yet, God doesn't do that with His character or His plans.   He is completing His plans.  Whether through HIs anger, wrath, love or forgiveness, God is going to accomplish His plans.  He is going to perform and accomplish the intent of His heart.   It will only be in the later days (we really don't know what that means in regard to time frame) He will allow us to understand.  That might be later in our lives as we mature and see His grace working in our lives; it could mean when we get to Glory; it could mean both, or, something we don't understand right now.   To say we understand what it means when God says we won't understand until later seems redundant to consider.  God doesn't have to tell us what He is doing, why He is doing it or when He might start or stop doing it. In Jeremiah He was revealing the way He was going to discipline the nation of Israel.   Yet, some prophets came in a false way to say when God is doing "x" or "y".   Yet, the character of God is not to always tell us His plans.   But, the hope we have in Him is that someday we WILL understand.   He promises so in the above passage.  God is a revealer of truth.  He likes to let us know His plans.  Just not at the time we may want to know them.  But, but faith we can believe He will and until then we just live by faith on those words. 

Do we diminish God in our arguments and defense of our lives? Job 35-36

Job 35:1-3 (NASBStr)

(Elihu Sharply Reproves Job)

 Then Elihu continued and said,

 “Do you think this is according to justice?

Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s ’?

 “For you say, ‘ What advantage will it be to You?

 What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned? ’

In this speech of Elihu he continues to rebuke Job (and Job's three friends ... Is Elihu, here, a type of Christ since he seems to stand for God and corrects they others?).   Elihu is particularly concerned about Job's theme and premise in his defense of his own righteousness that somehow God may be unjust and there may be no "profit" or advantage in serving a, therefore, unjust God.   There may be some rebuke of Job because he seems to continue to be focus on himself and uses "my" themes throughout his response to his friends.  It is important to realize that IF we say that God is unjust or imply that He is unjust in His Ways we are also implying we are just, as we are making a judgement about Him.  In order to make a judgment about Him we MUST be more just than God.   That is why it is sinful to claim God is unjust in any form or function.   If God's justice can be judged by us we make ourselves out to be gods.   Job, in claiming that God is being "unfair" to him is also accusing God's acts of being unjust.   This is Elihu's argument to Job and his friends.  The same can be said about the question if there is any "profit" to live for and serve God.   The very question claims a judgment about God that only God can make.   Measuring God the same way we would the gas mileage of a car is not honoring Him or respecting His character and gifts in our lives.  To imply He is less that glorious and therefore worthy of our praise, service and life, is to demote Him from The Lord of Lords to a god.   Elihu is rebuking Job for good reason.  His themes are all diminishing the character and attributes of God.   Yes, he was under extreme attack, but he, like we, must still remember who God is and glorify Him, even in our pain.