Do you know how to get others to repent? 2 Timothy 1-2

2 Timothy 2:24-26

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Being the servant of The Lord is a tough gig.  No one has the restrictions and expectations in regard to leadership as do these servants.   Young Timothy was fresh into the ministry and was even told to not let others despise his youthfulness.   It is no doubt he made some mistakes.  But, in his, perhaps, human desire to respond in an unkind and uncivil manner, Paul sends him the above admonishment.    Timothy was faced with false teachers all around him.   In chapter one Paul actually identifies two of them.   Timothy was not to "stand-up" and scold them.   He was, with gentleness, to correct them, in kindness, without quarreling.  The purpose of the correcting was to lead them to the knowledge of the truth, should God so desire to give it to them.   This knowledge of the truth would allow them to escape from Satan's domain and allow them to repent.    The approach of the servant of God was as important as the repentance of the false teacher.   One act of grace would open the door, God willing, to another act of grace.   Don't expect others to repent if you don't, yourself, act in grace.   Grace begets grace.  

Do you know why God made you so? John 9-11

John 9:1-3

Healing the Man Born Blind

​ As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

In the story of Easter in the Old Testament, her uncle, Mordecai, was informed of a plot against the Jews that would utterly wipe them out.   He needed to get a message to the King to stop the plot and knew that God had put Easter in the exact place that God could use her to save the nation.  In his message to Easter the most famous words of that book are stated to her by Mordecai:

 Esther 4:14

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

God has and does put certain people in the exact place He wants them to accomplish His glory.   For Easter it was winning a beauty contest and becoming the Queen of a foreign land for the sole purpose to rescue the nation of Israel from destruction.   In the passage in John we have the story of a man born blind that has been told, preached upon, written about and studied for centuries.   When the disciples were asked about his condition as to why he was blind the answer was that he was in this state for "such a time as this."   He was born blind because for this moment, the moment the disciples saw him, he would be the forefront of the work of Christ.   He suffered many years with no sight just so at that very moment the disciples would see him and Christ would heal him.   This is truly an example of what Paul taught us in Romans:

 Romans 9:22-23

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,

God has made me the way He wants.  He can use me the way He wants.  He might use me for  a season and then put me back on the shelf for another day.  All for His glory.   Can the pot say to the potter, "Why did you make me so?"   This blind man will eventually be rejected and put out of the Jewish worship service.  He will come to knowledge of Christ.     But, for all his life up to this point he was blind just so God could be glorified at the exact moment God wanted him.    

Do you worship God for Who He is or for What He does? Hosea 8-14

Hosea 13:6

As they had their pasture, they became satisfied,

And being satisfied, their heart became proud;

Therefore they forgot Me.

The entire book of Hosea is about Israel's unfaithfulness and how God dealt with it.   Israel had rejected God, despite His abundant mercy and love poured out upon them.  They, rather, pursued false gods, made with their own hands; or, God creation rather than God the Creator.    They not only sought other gods, these gods came out of God's blessing on them.   God gave them pasture lands and abundant food from those pastures.   As a result, instead of glorifying God for those blessings, they began to praise themselves and please themselves.  They became proud of themselves for "what they had accomplished" rather than praising God for how He had blessed them.  Their satisfaction lead to idol worship rather than glorification of God.  In Proverbs, Solomon makes an observation about the wicked, in the same way:

Proverbs 1:31

“So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way

And be satiated with their own devices.

Those who become satisfied with their own devices will cease to worship the God who loves them and wants to be glorified by them.   Israel became so satisfied with what they thought was their own accomplishments that they ceased to glorify God, who gave them those accomplishments.   We all seek to be satisfied.   When we do our tendency is to forget God and rest on our own accomplishments.  Let's not get so satisfied with what God give us that we fail to worship Him for Who He is rather than What He has done.  

Do you know the advantages of your age? Proverbs 20-21

Proverbs 20:29 (NASBStr)

The glory of young men is their strength,

And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

Here is a great truth that gives us many lessons for our own lives.   Perhaps the one that comes to mind first is that each age has its own blessing and/or advantage.   The young man has the distinction of his strength and the old the experience of his age.   It should be noted that the Hebrew word for "strength" in the first line is, perhaps, better rendered, skill.   Young men have skills that gives them glory and a good reputation.   Their vigor keeps them moving forward.  Yet, when old age does catch them and the skills wane from lack of use, lack of power, or lack of will to learn new skills, the aged have an advantage of knowing the short-cuts in life and not having to run the full mile. Perhaps Solomon was thinking of his father, David, who had skills in youth and wisdom in age.  It should be noted, however, that the old and the young both do miss the point of proverbs, however.   Perhaps that is why Solomon gives us this truth.  Both seemed to concentrated on something other than the Fear of The Lord.   Note what Jeremiah tells us, well after Solomon is gone:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NASBStr)

Thus says the Lord, “ Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

So, the aged might think they have accumulated wisdom simply by hanging around.  The youth may think they don't need the Fear of The Lord because they have their skill-set(s).   But, neither our skills or our experience can replace the need to know God and to live in Fear of Him.   It might be our glory and our honor, but it can be to our detriment when we trust in these things rather than the Fear of The Lord.

What does God do beside hearing our prayers? Psalm 102-104

Psalms 102:17-20

He has regarded the prayer of the destitute

And has not despised their prayer.

This will be written for the generation to come,

That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. 

For He looked down from His holy height;

From heaven the Lord gazed upon the earth, 

To hear the groaning of the prisoner,

To set free those who were doomed to death,

God knows us and He knows our weaknesses.   In the next chapter the writer makes that quite clear:

Psalms 103:14

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust.

Since He knows that He has a listening ear to our prayers.   He knows we will be calling out to Him at some point and He has obligated Himself to hear His children's cries.   That is His character.  As it is stated above, "He has regarded the prayer of the destitute."   He "has not despised their prayer."  It states that God "looks down from His holy height" and "The Lord gazed upon the earth."   We can rest assured that in the midst of our failures to be holy in our lives, God is watching and waiting for our cries for help.   In our weakness His strength is perfected.  

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Although all the above is refreshing and reassuring, the real beauty of this portion of the Psalm is in the final two lines above.   He "hears" the groaning of the prisoner and "to set free" those doomed to death.   It isn't that He just hears.  The guards of the prison hear.  The other prisoners hear.   But, they are powerless to set the chains free.  It is only God who not only hears but sets us free from our death and our chains.   That is the greatness of the passage and why the writer just said, "this will be written for the generation to come."   Our freedom from the penalty of death; our freedom from the power of death; and our freedom, soon, from the presence of death is all because of our great God whom we praise to others. 

Do you worship before or after God gives you a blessing? 1 Chronicles 15-19

1 Chronicles 15:16

Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

David prepared for rejoicing before there was something visible to rejoice over!!   In chapter fifth-teen of this book David is about to move the Ark of the Tabernacle back to Jerusalem.   He had attempted to do this before but because they used a cart and not the Levites carrying the Ark, God burst through in judgment and killed a man who reached out and touched the ark with the oxen stumble and the wagon began to tip.   This incident was fresh on the minds of all Israel.   But, David confessed his sin and was now about to move the Ark, correctly, and he prepares prior to the move, for an awesome celebration.   We sometimes think of worship as something we do AFTER God does something.   But, David gives us a great lesson in this text that we ought to prepare prior for a celebration, in anticipation of what God is ABOUT to do.   We can worship AFTER; there is nothing wrong with that.   But there is something special about preparing for what God is ABOUT to make happen.   That is true worship by faith.   Daniel's three friends did that just before they were tossed into the fire ... they worshipped God whether they would live or die.  They didn't know which one.   They worship for what God was ABOUT to do.   We ought to be intentional, in the above manner, with our worship.    Waiting for God to do something and then worship is a great idea.  But, preparing prior to God's working is truly worshiping by faith.   

What do you do when you find yourself in a place you don't like? Numbers 9-12

Numbers 11:11-15

So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”

Sounds like me about my "career" and complaining I am not in the "ministry."   For years I have complained about the place God has placed me in His service and I sound just like Moses and these people; complaining about my "lot" in life.   The odd aspect of this portion of the story is that in Moses' words about how the people are complaining to him about having no meat to eat, he, in turn, complains to God about the role he has to play in this plan. If it were not for His abundant grace, God would have destroyed them all; He would destroy me.   WE all need to accept the role and life God has given us.  He does not make mistakes.  We ought not fear what He has us doing, the role playing, or the place serving.  We ought to only fear that we don't do it according to His Word.   Later in this same chapter Moses' brother Aaron and his wife will complain that Moses gets to be the boss.    God will strike them.    God wants us to faithfully follow Him ... not according to our desires, but according to His plan.   He will give us to eat what we need and He desires to give us; He will give us the positions He desires to give us; He will put in charge whom He will put in charge.   We are only to submit to His leadership and follow His plan for our lives and rejoice.    God is most glorified in me as I am most satisfied in Him.  

How do you avoid the fables of the world (1 Timothy 4-6)

1 Timothy 4:13

Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

The last verse of 1 Timothy is as follows:

1 Timothy 6:20

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—

Paul is writing to Timothy to warn him about the false teaching that was infiltrating the church.  He wanted to make sure that Timothy held strong to the things he was taught, by Paul, to keep the church pure from this false doctrine.  In the above verse 4:13, Paul gives Timothy a formula for avoiding the false teachers of the day.   But, before looking deeper into that verse, not a few verses prior and Paul's warning:

1 Timothy 4:7

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

It is evident that Paul was concerned about the false teaching (typically "Gnosticism") that was creeping into the church as a way to be godly in this life, but was absent a walk in the Spirit, with Christ.   That is why Paul gives Timothy the instruction in verse thirteen, above.  He tells Timothy to be sure to do three things, while leading the church.    The first is the plain and simply habit of reading the Scripture.  This would be highly in step with the Jewish believers norm, as in the Synagogue it was typical to read long portions of the Old Testament to those who were in attendance.   Reading the Scripture is the first and foundational step to assuring we are not lead astray by the silly, false, but persuasive arguments of the world.   The second step is found in the word "exhortation".   The minister of God (Timothy) is not to be beating up the sheep.  The are to be exhorting them.  The word means to come along beside and to encourage them to allow the Spirit of God to work in their lives via the Scripture.   They are not their to hammer them and beat them daily.  They are to come along side exhorting them to move forward in their faith, by the Spirit ... not by their own efforts ... that would be the fables of the world Paul is warning about.   The third step in the process is teaching doctrine.   The difference between step two and three is the both the purpose and the method.   Exhortation is practical use of the Scriptures for day-to-day living.   Teaching is doctrinal use of the Scriptures for a deeper understanding of who God is and what His plan is all about.  One is practical and one is cognitive ... both are essential.  One tells you how to do the walk and the other why to do the walk.    Perhaps, however, they both tell you how and why.   There is symmetrical work between the two.   The key here is to realize that the fight against fables is found in the proper instruction in the Scriptures.  Failure to teach them and use them properly makes the walk for Christ dangerously close to falling into the trap of the world's silly fables.  

Did you hunger for the wrong freedom? John 7-8

John 7:3-4

Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”

In the above passage the "brothers" (followers of Jesus) were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and it was time to establish His kingdom.   The Jewish people so wanted to be out from under the rule of the Romans that they failed to see that the real rule of Jesus was in the heart, not in the land.   Jesus would begin to talk to them about the freedom they would find in Christ from their sins, but they were so earthly kingdom minded that they failed to hear the truth in His worlds about the spiritual world that His kingdom was really about.   They wanted him, as stated above, to seek His kingdom and give them earthly freedom.   This is true of me and of all men.  We think freedom from our food habits, or our physical habits is the point.   And, whereas there will be fruit produced in us via the Spirit to change the physical world we live in and have come accustom to, the real realm of Jesus power is in the spiritual.   Jesus time, in the above passage, was not yet then.   But, it did come.  But, that coming of time was for the purpose of spiritual blessings in our lives and to set us free from the penalty and the power and, eventually, the presence of sin.   We have to be careful that we don't get so caught up in the earthly blessings of His salvation that we forget that this is truly about the spiritual blessings of freedom.   Too many people follow Jesus hoping for a change in their physical life.   And, whereas that can happen, their can be suffering.   God provides relief in this life, but escape is still future.   The real escape today is in the freedom we have from the penalty of our sin and the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives.  

Do you know God's restoration experience? Hosea 1-7

Hosea 2:14-15 - Restoration of Israel

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,

Bring her into the wilderness

And speak kindly to her. 

“Then I will give her her vineyards from there,

And the valley of Achor as a door of hope.

And she will sing there as in the days of her youth,

As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

Hosea is the first of many prophets (Isaiah, Joel, Amos, Jonah), of his time, to prophecy about Israel's punishment for their sins.    Yet, like most other prophets, he also provides words about their restoration.   In the above passage we see the that restoration of the nation spoken.   God's discipline for them, as for us, is often taking us to the wilderness.   It is interested that the words "allure" her to the wilderness are used.  The use of the word "wilderness" here might be used in the context that God is going to strip away everything else they have to make sure He is the only one they can focus upon.  Remember when they were called out of Egypt to the wilderness they complained they no longer had the food and safety of Egypt.   God put them in a place where they needed Him for water, food, safety, shelter.  In this wilderness, with all others voices silenced, we can hear Him speak "kindly" to us.    And, despite it being a wilderness, God (and only God) can make a vineyard in the place.   God can turn a "valley of Achor" (the symbol of no hope) into a place of hope.   It is only when we are striped of all we own and have and are that we can see God do a work in our lives.  Israel, like us, had disobeyed His Word and sought satisfaction in other gods.   Yahweh would lead them to a place of nothing to give them everything.  That, according to this passage, would solicit singing ... as when they had first experienced their freedom.  There is nothing more celebratory than when we remember the first days of our salvation.   Since that day Satan is a master of making our view cloudy and our memory fade.  He wants us to forget the memory of freedom.  God, in restoring His people, will take them to a place to restore them to that point in time that they sang for joy over the chains of Egypt destruction.   Restoration might begin with a wilderness but it ends with singing.  

What do you desire ... is your heart in the right place? Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19:22

What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

So, if I read this proverb correctly, being poor trumps being a liar and being kind trumps them both! I can see how kindness can trump either one but why are these three characteristics used in concert with each other? Take a look at each and look what the Holy Spirit is providing us. Lying is deception in motion. The heart is deceitful and is revealed by a crooked tongue. Being poor trumps a deceptive heart because being poor is not a situation of heart but a situation of circumstances. Obviously, being kind returns back to the heart. I think what the writer is telling us is that the greatest "desire" in man is to show kindness becuase that shows a heart that is seeking a heart like God. Kindness is an act of giving and sacrifice. But, even if you have nothiing to show kindness with, because you are poor, is better than if you are a liar ... a liar boast about being kind but doesn't do it because his heart is corrupt. Someone rich, who has the means to be kind but doesn't show it through his kindness is a liar. He can boast of great giving, but when he doesn't come through with that giving in acts of kindness he is a liar. Better to be poor than that! So, show kindness with what you have. Even if you are poor. That demonstrates the heart of God.

Do you hang with those who encourage righteousness or deal in falsehood? Psalm 99-101

Psalms 101:6-7

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. 

He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;

He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

As David penned the above text, perhaps, Paul was reading it when he penned the text to the church at Corinth.  David and Paul are telling us that those who are wicked, who deceive, who practice their craft in the way of falsehood, should not be in our company.    The reality of that thought is worked out fine when we are in our own houses, churches or personal lives.   We can withdraw and not associate with people who deny the truth and reject righteous living.   In our society today, however, this is not as easy to practice when we are in an employment or collective setting with the world.  Being on someone's "team" constitutes an inability to withdraw from them.   Yet, the truth is still true.   If we don't remove their influence from our lives we will end up corrupting our character.   We think if we drop our character into their pool we will change the pool.   But, what changes is our lives.   A young girl may think she is going to change the young man by hanging out with him and even marring him and, yet, the opposite happens.   David says his eyes will be on the "faithful" of the land.   He will "dwell" with them.   He will only allow those who are "blameless" (righteous by faith in Christ) to "minister" to him.   Who do we hang with and are they the faithful or those who speak falsehood. 

Do you seek God's leading each day ... for each issue in your life? 1 Chronicles 10-14

1 Chronicles 14:10, 13-14

David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You give them into my hand?” Then the Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will give them into your hand."

The Philistines made yet another raid in the valley. David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees.

Note in the above verses the similarities and the different response by God.  In both cases the same leader (David) sought permission from God to attack the same enemy (the Philistines).   Even those the same situation was presented by David to God, God gave him two different responses.  It would have been easy for David to simply assume the second time that God would be with him again, as He was the first time.   Yet, in each case David sought The Lord an in each case The Lord directed differently.   We ought not to assume God is fickle, by reading this story, however.  God IS constant.   He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).    Yet, God will, obviously, change the method He uses to accomplish His work in us.   We ought not put God in a box as to method.   Yes, as to character, God is always holy, always just, always loving, always there.   But, no, God is not in a box as to methods.   He does what He must due to character in the way that He wants due to His will at that time.   When the nation of Israel needed water, at one time, God purified a stream.   Another time He had Moses strike a rock.  The next time Moses just had to speak to the rock.   Methodology is not Holy.   God can choose to do things the way He wishes.   We ought to seek Him as such.   David was walking in the Spirit.  He wanted to be lead by the Spirit.   That means we have to seek Christ's leading through the work of the Spirit each day.   Don't get locked into methods.   Do get locked into the character of God and His leading by Christ through the Spirit.  

How do we handle suspicion within the marriage relationship? Numbers 5-8

Numbers 5:14-15

if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself, the man shall then bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, a reminder of iniquity.

Suspicion in a marriage relationship can kill the relationship and the marriage.   The above passage  is only a portion of the entire chapter of Numbers 5, where Moses is given specific instructions on what to do if a man thinks his wife is unfaithful to him and has sleep with another man.   The jealous husband is to bring his wife to the priest, with a very small grain offering.    He is to do this if there is no evidence of adultery, but only a suspicion.  The priest is to take the dust from the floor of the Tabernacle and make a concoction mixing it with the Holy Water that was held in the Tabernacle.    The wife is then to make an oath before The Lord that she DID NOT have adultery and then is to drink this holy mix of Holy water and Holy dirt from the ground (just a great picture of how God sanctifies even the dirt ... see the burning bush where Moses stood as another example).   IF the women did commit adultery and lied to The Lord her womb would become swollen and her thighs would waste away (perhaps referring to a miscarriage of the pregnancy caused by the adultery).   If she did NOT commit adultery nothing would happen.  She would go away innocent ... and, also, would her husband for the false jealousy (Numbers 5:31).   Imagine such a scene playing out in any denomination or affiliation of church function.   Imagine what the feminist movement would say about such a practice, if it were done today.    The concept to learn from this, however, is not the specifics, but the fact that suspicion and mis-trust in a marriage relationship needs to be dealt with.   This case is almost assuredly in regard to a women who gets pregnant and her husband doesn't think the child is his.  What God is showing us is that He is to be sought out in these cases.   Spiritual leadership is to be sought out.   Oaths are to be made.  God is to be asked to intervene and provide wisdom.   Consequences are to be paid for wrongs done.  If there is suspicion in the marriage and it is not dealt with, there will be a deterioration of the relationship that will continue to eat away at the structure.    Jealousy is to be dealt with.   If not, it will consume the relationship.   

Do you know what our role is in regard to God's plan? 1 Timothy 1-3

1 Timothy 1:4

... nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

The man of God, the Pastor, has a responsibility to "further the administration of God which is by faith."   In that one phrase we can find so much.   The "administration" of God is a word that is often translated as "stewardship."    When we think of stewardship we often think of money.    We think of time.   We seldom think that it is the man of God (and anyone who believes in Christ) that our main stewardship is God's plans - God's activities through His Word.    To do that we need to know God's plan.   To do that we need to know God's Word which is the outline of His plan.   Our job is to "further" that plan and make sure that our activities are following His plan.   This passage is found int he context of warning young paster Timothy that there are false teachers who are spreading a teaching that is contrary to the "administration" of God's plan.   We need to make sure that our activities support the administration of God's plan.    How do we do all this?   By fostering faith.   By promoting faith in Christ.   Not by promoting effort or commitment or some grand plan.   Those things flow from faith in God.  Sari didn't believe God could come through with a child for her and Abram.   So, she gave Abram her handmaid, Hagar.    Her plan, absent faith, produced the Arab nation which has been in conflict with the nation of Israel (which was born from the seed of Isaac, the real son of faith).    We are not to foster a system of work to further God's plans.   We are to insight faith in God.   Faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).   Let's not become one of the false teachers who fosters something that hinders the administration of God through faith.  

Do you know what to pursue in life? John 5-6

John 6:26-29

Words to the People

Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

In this world we are so "physically" driven.  We want what will make our physical more comfortable.   We want food for our bellies (cool food); apparel for our bodies (cool apparel); and, buildings for our residence (cool buildings).   We want shinny, big and fancy things.   We strive to obtain them and we boast of their attainment.   We post signs on our autos that say, "he who dies with the most toys, wins!!"   There was no difference in Jesus day.  The food was different, but still desired.   The apparel strange to us, but still desired.   The huts replaced houses, but the desire for them was still intense.   Jesus, in the above passage begins to reshape their thinking.   He gives them a better interpretation for life.  He tells them that instead of seeking after material physical things, to instead, seek the things of God ... seek Jesus.   He tells them that the only work they should strive to do ... the ONLY work ... is the work of Faith in Christ ... Belief.   We would rather strive to earn something.  We would like to know we did something and accumulated something.   But, God already provided all we need, through faith, in His Son.   Our "work" is belief.   To most that is not a "work" at all.   Yet, when you think about how hard it is to just believe instead of strive, it is a most difficult "task" to do.   We ought to pursue Christ, through faith, like we would "work" for food, clothing and housing.   We ought to go to work ever day in the mindset of faith toward Christ and allow Him to provide the food that satisfies and never perishes.  The food soon becomes waste.  The clothing becomes tattered and torn and what you just had to have becomes second hand material.  The houses need repairs and grow disenchanted and too small and too plain.    Jesus, remains the same.   Jesus empowers and does not drain.   We chase these temporal things only to see that pursuit take our life away in stress and striving.   "Do not work for the food which perishes!"

Do you know what our responsibility is toward today's leaders? Daniel 7-12

Daniel 11:1

​ “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.

In the midst of all this conflict we have a remarkable statement by Daniel as he receives any more prophetic messages.   God is giving Daniel insights about the events of the world and how God's plan will unfold.   It was so intense that Daniel began to wear the evidence of this on his face.   Yet, in the midst of so, so important utterances, we find this verse.   Daniel was sent to receive the message of God, but was also there to minister to the king, God has placed in such a role.  It should be noted that this king was a Gentile and Daniel, a Jew.    It should be remembered that Daniel was in captivity at this time.   It should be observed that we have NO references or information that would lead us to believe that Darius was a believer.  So, what we know is that, Daniel, at the time of the highest point of revelation from God (he was in the highest point of his worship) that he STILL was to minister to an ungodly man and encourage the man, as the leader God had put in place to accomplish that portion of God's plan.   This is so important for us to remember and to learn.   Believers have a responsibility to encourage and to sustain the leadership God puts in place in the world around us, no matter their spiritual condition and no matter what point of our worship.   Daniel could have focused on his theology.  Instead he focused on his servanthood.   Daniel was concerned about the state of Darius' leadership.  Instead of forming a campaign against the leadership, Daniel made sure the leadership was encouraged.  It begs the question if Daniel shared the material of his revelations from God with Darius.   It would not matter at the point here is that Daniel, despite his special relationship with God, had a responsibility to serve the people around him and above him.    

Do you know the advantages of keeping silent? Proverbs 17-18

Proverbs 17:27-28 (NASBStr)

He who restrains his words has knowledge,

And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Proverbs 17:27-28 (NIV1984)

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,

and a man of understanding is even- tempered.

 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,

and discerning if he holds his tongue.

What great counsel is here given by Solomon.  Note the contrast in these two proverbs; which could, without impunity, be handled separately, as well.  If we hold our tongue and have a cool spirit (not hot tempered) we are said to be have knowledge and understanding.   Yes, even a fool, who has no understanding or knowledge by very definition, is admired as though he is wise.   There is an old Egyptian proverb that says if you would have kept silent you might be considered a philosopher.   Those who are pensive and thoughtful and not rushing to say "their piece" are often thought wiser than those who ramble with nothingness until everyone notices.   The balance we have here, as one commentary put it, is that if we speak too much we will be perceived as a wind-bag.  If we don't talk we might be perceived as though we don't know anything.   The power of the tongue to convey the heart is a like the big picture window into any home ... you can see what's going on quite easily.   The calm spirit and slow tongue shows wisdom and prudence.   Our society is full of people who simply want to say what they think.   On the news program we call them the "talking heads."    Yet, Solomon (the ultimate guy the news would go to today) says the wise man should be calm, cool, and of little words.   We don't have to speak first and the loudest.   Sometimes silence is the best way to convey a wise spirit.  If it words for a fool who has nothing to do with wisdom, just think how well it work for those who do.  

See also Proverbs 14:29; 16:32; 18:6-7, 13, 20, 21

Do you know why some lead and others can't? 1 Chronicles 5-9

1 Chronicles 5:1-2

Genealogy from Reuben ​ Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),

In these chapters of Chronicles the writer is establishing the place for each tribe and head of tribes, within the nation.   The overall purpose of the book is to chronological demonstrate the Messianic line of Jesus, as well as trace the unfolding of God's people and God's plan for their lives based upon that unfolding.   In the above verses we are given a short statement as to why Reuben, the rightful first born of Israel, was not allowed to lead and why, as a result, the line of the Messiah was taken from him.   His sin of sleeping with his father's concubine disallowed him from leadership and the rank he was born in to.    Leadership, instead was given to the tribe of Judah and the blessing of the first born was given to Joseph, via his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  Reuben's sin affected his life.   Sin does that.   As we see throughout history, sexual sins, in particular, sully the life and reduce those who could lead, but no longer can.   David's building of the temple was not allowed because of his sin with Bathsheba.   Solomon's sin with too many wives and following their gods reduced his leadership in his later years.   Samson's sexual sin diminished his reputation and strength and his ability to judge Israel and ultimately resulted in his death.  Sin reduces our ability to lead.   Judah was given leadership over Reuben.   God will take away leadership from one and give it to another due to sin.   Leadership is a privilege, not a right, simple because you are born into it, or even because you desire it.   

Who is at the center of your camp? Numbers 1-4

Numbers 2:17

“Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; just as they camp, so they shall set out, every man in his place by their standards.

In the center of the camp, when it was at rest, and in the center of the camp, when it was on the move, was to be Tabernacle.   The obvious lesson here is that God was to be at the center of all that the Nation did.   This arrangement, both at rest and on the move, was to be a picture of what God was trying to tell the nation.   It should not be lost that the "pictures" of the Old Testament are important for us as we learn about God and who He is.   God's revelation to us is quite plain in regard to the words that He speaks.   But, so, too, are the pictures, if we are willing to look for them.   God is to be our center.   In the New Testament, Jesus is to be Lord of all.   The message is clear for us ... nothing else is to get that type of attention or honor.   We do the same today for people of honor.  We put them at the "head" table.   We give them the biggest "box" at sporting events.   We all them to sit on "stage."   That picture is not lost on us.  Yet, we seem to close our eyes when we have something beside God through Christ at the center of our lives.  We put family, occupations and endeavors before HIM and we should not.   Let God rule both in spirit and in the way we arrange our lives.   This is the biggest struggle we have.   Taking ego off the throne and putting it Him on and leaving Him on the throne.  

Do you know how Salvation works? 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

This may be one of the most important texts in regard to the Gospel and how it actually works in our lives.   For those who think they can make a declaration of receiving Christ and then live their merry way, the message of these verses is going to a shock to their belief system.   Note the progression Paul gives us about our salvation.   It is an act of God has He has "chosen" us from the beginning.  So, Salvation starts off as a Divine act of God prior to our birth.    But, the "chosen from the beginning for salvation" is "through sanctification."     The process of sanctification is as connected to salvation as physical breath is to life.   Where their is no breath, there is no life - where there no sanctification and no salvation.  We are saved "through" sanctification and that sanctification is "by the Spirit and faith in the truth."   The agent of Sanctification (which assures Salvation) is by the Spirit and Faith in the truth (the Word of God).   Our ability to "stand firm" and to "hold the traditions" taught by Paul and the other Apostles flows from these Divine truths.   We are saved by God, from the beginning, as an act of God and it is completed as He sanctifies us through the Spirit and the Word of God.   The Holy Spirit has a part in Salvation as He is the agent of change in our lives.   We need no other agent or philosophy.   We can stand firm and hold confidently to the traditions of Paul knowing that God is using them to complete us in Christ.   

Are you dropping your bucket into the right well? John 3-4

John 4:11-14

She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The world has a desire to be satisfied.   They seek many different ways to quench their thirst and those inward desires.    Yet, despite all their work, their education, their skill sets, and/or their effort, we see them dip into empty wells with buckets full of holes.   They can't get from this world what they want, or, more importantly, what they need.  When Jesus alluded to having some source of water that would quench physical thirst and end the effort of drawing water every day (think what she would have said if she saw our modern faucet and plumbing system).    Jesus promises so much more than what we think we could ever have.  Having Jesus is to have the fullness of God (John 1:27).   IN HIM is the fullness of life.   Note how the Psalmist records this thought for us:

Psalm 16:11

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Through Jesus we have life and we have it abundantly (John 14:27).    We need to rejoice in what we have in Him and how that will satisfy our ever longing.  The world's wells are empty at best.   We drop our buckets riddled with holes into a well of dust and dirt.   We drink the content as though it could ever satisfy, yet they dry contents only causes us to desire pure and perfect water ... that only Jesus can deliver.   The world offers nothing to help us.  It is through Jesus that we can be satisfied.   

Do you know what I want to do when I grow up? Daniel 1-6

Daniel 2:21-22

“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.

Daniel is my favorite character of the Bible.   He is what I want to be.  Since the day that I had to leave the ministry and started by leadership coaching business, I have wanted to be a Daniel to the world's Nebuchadnezzars.   It is important to note, however, in such a request and pursuit, that God is the one who reveals the knowledge, wisdom and understanding to make this happen.   Daniel was not an arrogant or ego driven man.  He recognized, as stated in the above verse, that God is the one who gives the insight necessary to give the appropriate advice to Kings.   Daniel didn't want fame or claim or material things  (see Daniel 5:17).   God was able to give Daniel the insight he needed when he needed it.   Daniel feared God and served God.  God put him the places he needed to be to give the advice to the kings Daniel needed to give that advice to.  Daniel's advice changed history.   We need to be careful to remember that Daniel (and his friends) suffered much persecution for this submission to God.  Insight is given to the faint of heart.   I want to be a Daniel to others.   But, to be a Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar you have to be a man who first and foremost is humble and obedient and in faithful reverence to God.  

Do you know your appe-type for life? Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16:26 (NASV)

A worker's appetite works for him,
for his hunger urges him on.

The above proverb is an observation that those who are hungry will be driven to work.   Even begging on the side of the road can be consider, by some, as a form of work.  The hunger of that man or women has driven them off their couch and onto the streets to at least beg.   Hunger is a motivating factor.   Note what the Word Biblical Commentary says about this proverb, below:

Life is presented here as a struggle in which bodily appetite is seen as a powerful moving force. "Appetite" (נפשׁ) is paralleled by "mouth," which here is not the organ of speech, but serves as a synonym for desire or appetite. "Toil" (עמל) is a key word in Qoheleth, and Whybray interprets line a in the light of Eccl 4:7-8 (a rich person toiling out of greed) and 3:9 (toil seen as futile). However, such a context is forcing this proverb which is content to merely register an observation. A better analogy would be Eccl 6:7: "All human toil is for the mouth, but the appetite is never satisfied." Here mouth and appetite are in parallelism. Although the dissatisfaction of Qoheleth is apparent, his comment recognizes that the appetite for food is a basic fact that moves humankind to toil.

Whereas the hunger is stated as a motivating factor the type of hunger is not.  Those who are "hungry" for riches will strive and work to get more.   Those who "hunger" for affection and appreciation will go through walls if others show them thus.   Solomon, therefore, gives us a key that to get others to work is to find or identify their particular hunger or appetite.   It might be said that we each have a particular "appe-type" of life.   Discovering that "appe-type" is a way to assure that the worker never becomes de-motivated in life.   His or her hunger will urge him or her on.

Do you know where man's knowledge comes from? Psalm 93-95

Psalms 94:10-11
He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, Even He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are a mere breath.

Man thinks they know things.   They are extremely proud of their accumulated knowledge.   The celebrate it and boast over it.   To be "published" about your knowledge is a grand prize to be heralded.  Even though this accumulated knowledge that flows from man's past experience can never amount to one ounce of righteousness to attribute favor to God, man believes this is the end all and be all.   (Paul wrote to the Colossian believers about this very thought.)   Despite man's arrogance the above passage from Psalm gives us insight into where man's knowledge actually comes from.   In the context of Psalm 94 we see that God is talking about the unjust judges and rulers who are afflicting the poor and innocence with unjust treatment.   The writer is calling for God's judgment on these men of renown.   In this call he writes the above couple of verses that tell us that these wicked leaders, who think they are so smart, have been given that knowledge by God, Himself.   The thoughts of man are mere breath.    Think of everything on the internet that contains all the thoughts of every man and than multiple that by every generation and then exhale ... that is the sum of man's knowledge as compared to God.   Man is only smart in regard to other men.   Man, even unbelieving and wicked ruler/judger man, owes their knowledge to God.    No man has knowledge God did not allow to accumulate.   Man's epistemology is owed to God.  

Did you know that God is so holy He must put to death wickedness? 1 Chronicles 1-4

1 Chronicles 2:3
The sons of Judah were Er, Onan and Shelah; these three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so He put him to death.

There are not many places in God's Word where the above theme is stated.    The fact that "someone was so evil that God struck them dead" just doesn't appear much in the Holy Writ.   I can think of Acts 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira.   God struck them both dead for lying to the Holy Spirit, via lying to the Body of Believers.    God doesn't always strike people dead, but we ought to take note when He does.   In this long chronological list we only see Er in this framework.   To understand this we ought to consider Paul's words in Romans 9-11 in regard to Divine Election.  In that section Paul tells us that it is God's Divine prerogative to create some vessels for honor and some vessels for destruction.   When we question that Divine act and right we question the very character of God.   If God is to be God He must be perfect in His love and in His judgment.   If God were to judge unfairly He would cease to be God.   We must believe than that Judah's son, Er, was an evil man and deserved the death administrated by God.  We must also believe that since God included him in this chronological list and made mention of his death in this list, we are to pay attention and learn from it.   God does not allow wicked men to live.   All, in time, will be destroyed.   It is God's prerogative to determine the time line of that result.  We are to rest in the fact that He does these things in perfect love and perfect holiness and justice.

Do you know why you have peace in your life? Leviticus 25-27

Leviticus 26:6
I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.

As Moses draws the book of Leviticus to a close he communicates to the nation God's blessing and curse for obeying or failing to obey this covenant of laws.   God has laid out what it takes to be holy ... to be like Him.   He demands holiness (in every age).  In these laws and regulations the nation was to obey.    The won't of course, which is why God will later in this same chapter tell them what WILL happen when they don't.   An important point to note in the above passage, however, is that God decides who has peace and who doesn't.  The truth in the above passage is that it is God who eliminates harmful beasts (no matter what they look like or how they are described).   God can give us harmony in our lives, or remove that harmony and give us turmoil and difficulty.  Note later in this chapter what God tells us from Moses' writings:

Leviticus 26:14-16
‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.

Christ stated that He came to give us peace (John 10:27).   We need to recognize that it is God who establishes a peaceful existence and not we ourselves.  God gives us the ability to enjoy peace and tranquility in our lives.   When we fail to recognize that and believe our peace is based upon on our work we fail to worship God for who He is and what He does in our lives.   Reverence for God is based upon His work in our lives that produces a fruitful and peaceful life.  

Do you know how to work with different people? 1 Thessalonians 4-5

1 Thessalonians 5:14
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, is encouraging a good group of believers to excel even more in their Christian walk.   He has affirmed them and is also encouraging them.  He wants their love for each other to be so dominate in their lives.  Yet, he knows that their will times when even their much acclaimed love is stressed and stretched.   There will be times when brothers and sisters within the body push out buttons and fail in their own walk.  To that end Paul wants the Thessalonians to know that even though all sin is offensive to God and to other brothers, all sin does not come from the same place.  In the above passage we see that some do wrong things out of an "unruly heart."  Others are simply "fainthearted."  Still others simply do something out of a "weak heart."   Each of these three are subscribed a different approach.  We are to "warn" the unruly.   We are to "encourage" the fainthearted.   And, yet, we are to "help" the weak.  If we were to use the wrong subscription on the wrong root issue we won't see the right results.  We can't try to encourage those who are weak ... they need help not encouragement.   We ought not to try to admonish the fainthearted.  They will simply get more discouraged.   If we try to help those who are actually unruly we will more than likely get sarcasm and ridicule.  Paul knows that if we are keep love moving forward we have to have methods to deal with those who are acting unlovable.  The final admonishment is to be patient with all men.   Love is patient.  (1 Corinthians 13:4).   Paul wanted their love perfected ... added onto ... continued.    To do this we must be willing to understand "why" people act the way they act and then work with them accordingly.      

Just how much of God dwells within us? John 1-2

John 1:16

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

The theme of the book of John is repeated several times in the book, but in the following passage we have it stated succinctly:

John 20:30-31

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

John is writing so that we might believe the Jesus is the Son of God.   And, since He is the Son of God, in Him dwells all the fullness of God.   So, by that truth we know that when we dwell in Him (by faith) and He takes up His residence in us (via the Holy Spirit) we have all received that same fullness of God in us.   What John wants us to know is not only that Jesus is the Son of God but that through faith we have received Him and been declared Children of God, and as children of God we have received His fullness.  I simply terms that means we are complete.   We need nothing to make us important, known, or valuable.   We are, through Faith by Grace, filled with the fullness of the Son of God.    This is entirely by His grace.   It is not works, or because we have something special in us, but it is totally by His grace that we have received the fullness of the Son of God in us.   That means power, privilege, position and passion.    We can rejoice in this fullness.   We can allow that fullness to live out in us and give us new conduct in this world (Colossians 1:9-12).   We must rejoice that we have the fullness of the Son of God in us.  Note where else Paul uses the same term here:

 Ephesians 3:19

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

God wants us to know and experience His fullness!!!

Do you know how a dead land gets new life? Ezekiel 43-48

Ezekiel 47:9
It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

In the final chapters of Ezekiel the prophet is describing the new Temple to be built in the new city of Jerusalem.   God goes to great length to describe, in a vision, how the people are to order their worship and follow the structure and procedures of The Lord.  The City and the Temple is the place where God will dwell.  Note the last verse of the entire book:  

Ezekiel 48:35
The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is there.’”

What we see is be reading the above verse is that out of this Temple will flow a river.  The river is symbolic in nature, as well as real, to demonstrate God's grace flowing out of His presence to all men who wish to drink.   It is important to note that the direction of the river is toward the waterless region between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.   It is, again symbolic, of God's grace refreshing all those who are dead in their sin.   God sends forth His grace to quicken those dead.   Like a fresh river of water on a parched land, new life springs fourth.  This is only possible by the grace of God.