What Does Grace Look Like - 2 Samuel 5-9

2 Samuel 9:6-8 (ESV Strong's)

And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

Tag:  What Does Grace Look Like

In ancient Biblical days, when one leader either conquered another, or took the place of another, it was common practice to seek out the family, servants and loyal slaves of the previous king and have them killed ... typically in sight of all the land. It signaled power and might to the kingdom. It also made sure none of them snuck up on you in the middle of the night to kill you.   In the above text, however, we read the story of King David, becoming King of Israel.  After conquering several surrounding kingdoms, chapter eight, David seeks out any family from the previous king of Israel, Saul:

2 Samuel 9:1 (ESV Strong's)

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?”

Normally, an inquire like that meant destruction for the family member(s) found.   But, David is a man of grace and peace.   David looks for and finds his best friends, Jonathon’s, son - Mephibosheth.    Instead of killing him, David shows him grace.   Mephibosheth, himself, admits that he is but nothing.   He refers to himself as nothing more than a “dead dog.”    Remember, earlier in David’s life he referred to himself, when speaking to Saul, as nothing more than a flea on the back of a dog:

1 Samuel 24:14 (ESV Strong's)

After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!

David expressed grace to Mephibosheth because David experienced grace from God.  Grace produces grace.  When God gives us grace we ought to bestow equal grace on others.   

Tag: Leadership Qualifications - Exodus 17-20

Exodus 18:21 (ESV Strong's)

Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Tag:  Leadership Qualification

You can read a hundred leadership books and business magazine articles and not find a better description of a great leader than what Moses’ father-in-law (Jethro) give him in the above passage.   Jethro was a young believer and Moses was a new leader.   Moses was now leading 1.5 million of his brothers away from Egypt and into the wilderness.   God had set the vision and will, in a couple of chapters, set the norms for operation.   Moses job was to lead.  But, the people were - people.  They argued and quarreled.  Moses had to do the things leaders do.  When Jethro confronted Moses about what he was doing each day, here was Moses’ response:

Exodus 18:15-16 (ESV Strong's)

And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.”

Jethro doesn’t buy it, however. He may be younger in his faith but God gave him wisdom to give the more mature Moses insight (there is one lesson right there ... truth can come from younger believers and leaders).  Here is what Jethro said about leadership and developing those around you to lead.  It should be in an article in Inc Magazine:

1.  Find “able” leaders to help you.  The word “able” here in the Hebrew is skilled, or resourced in a variety of areas. It could mean wealth. It could mean strength.  It could be unique skills.   So, we are not surrounding ourselves with people who have no skill.  But, we are not surrounding ourselves with people with “our” skills, either.  Note #2.  

2.  Find leaders “from all the peoples.”  It should be noted that these were all Israelites.   But, I There were twelve tribes of Israel.  Each had a unique flavor to them.   Later Israel would fold in other nations and they would become uniquely “Jewish.”   Jethro is telling Moses he has leaders right in his midst.  Promote them.   Develop them.  

3.  Find leaders who “fear God.”  This is probably the hardest in the contemporary world of separation we all live in.   Yet, the truth is not diminished because our lives are restricted by governments.   We ought to find leaders who have God at the center.  No, we can’t hire through the lens of discrimination, but we must realize that each degree of separation from the fear of the Lord means less wisdom.  The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  If we want wise leaders we need people who fear the Lord. If we are forced to hire leaders who don’t fear the Lord we must filter and analyze all their decisions through our own fear of the Lord. 

4.  Find leaders who are “trustworthy.”    The root of the word “trustworthy” here is “stable.”  We need to find leaders who have a sense of stability about them and are not lead away by every wind of change that comes along.   Trustworthiness is directly connected to someone who is connected to something stable.  They have a connection with #3 above.   

5.  Find leaders who “hate a bribe.”   The concept of taking a bribe speaks toward the person’s integrity.  What would they “sell” their leadership for in order to get something in return.  Perhaps they would sell it for recognition.   Perhaps they would sell the leadership for promotion.   Perhaps they would seek their leadership for power.    We are to find leaders who reject these things.  

Tag; A Reason to Boast - 2 Corinthians 1-3

2 Corinthians 1:12 (ESV Strong's)

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

Tag:   A Great Reason to Boast

Paul is very careful when talking about himself and his ministry to never boast in his own strength or about his own skills and/or wisdom.   In the above passage he makes an exception when writing to the church at Corinth.   Paul had a strained relationship with this church.  Note what he will about to say:

2 Corinthians 2:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

In the first letter to this church, Paul had to correct a problem with a young believer, who was living in open sin.   That letter caused them “pain” (and the young man pain).   Paul is unapologetic about causing the pain, but he wants to move forward in restoration and establishing peace.  Therefore speaks about his conduct toward this church.  He conveyed:

1. His “conscience” is clear.   Between God and Paul, things are good.  Paul does not have something in his mind that is making him feel as though he has done something wrong toward them.  This should be the first thing on everyone’s mind.   God uses our conscience to guide us.  Spirit filled believers are allowing the Spirit of God to speak to their conscience and allow that speaking to guide them.  

2. He behaved in “simplicity” (some manuscripts translate this word, “holiness) and Godly “sincerity.” Paul is defending himself against the false teachers in Corinth (there were many) and he wants the readers to know that he was directed by God and his standard for living was God’s standard.   A good conscious only works if it is filled with a standard of living.   People who have no problem doing evil are not pricked in their conscious.   That is because their consciousness does not consider the standard of God’s holiness.  Paul’s does.  That is his measure.  He is saying that he has lived in front of them and toward them based upon God’s standards, not the world’s, not theirs and not a standard in his own mind.   

3. He has acted toward them with God’s Wisdom. Remember, Paul was taught Rabbinical teaching.  He would know that the “wisdom of God” was the “fear of the Lord.”  He saying to them that he taught them and approach them based upon first, his fear of the Lord.   Paul did not fear man (Proverbs 29:25).   This wisdom came to him as a “grace” of God.  Paul understood that his approach to them was based upon God’s approach to him ... in grace.  

4.  He acted “supremely” toward them.  The word “supremely” does not actually appear in the Greek text.  His thought is that he has done all of this “toward” them ... in full view of them.  What Paul is saying to them should not be a secret to the. Not only is his conscious clear for a “good testimony,” but they should recognize these things about them.  

Paul’s boasting is wrapped up in his living for God and serving God.  We should always avoid boasting, as Paul did on most occasions.  But, IF and WHEN we boast it ought to be this type of boasting ... what God is doing in and through us via His grace.   

Tag: Do What You Can Do - Mark 13-14

Mark 14:3-9 (ESV Strong's)

(Jesus Anointed at Bethany)

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Tag:  Do What You Can With What You Have

The above story has been preached upon and spoken about by pastors, preachers and priest.  Just as Jesus said it would be!!  This is a marvelous testimony to the promises of Christ - the mere fact that I am writing a devotional about it testifies of Christ’s truth.  

This woman was willing to take what she had (an alabaster flask of expensive ointment) and pour it over Jesus head.  This was an expensive way to show favor to Jesus.   There are some lessons to learn from this woman:

1. First, she was a woman.  Women were not this bold, by nature or custom, in this time and age and land.   She had to, by faith, be filled with such boldness just to consider this act of worship.  

2. This was an act of worship.  She recognized the deity and kingship of Christ.   She was willing to worship Him.  She made Jesus the center of her worship, the ointment ((as the disciples would).   

3. She exposed herself to complaints and criticisms.  She was putting herself out there for people to say anything they wanted.  She did not have a fear of man (Proverbs 29:25). 

4. She had to break something to do all this.  Sometimes you have to let go of something you are clinging to in order to worship Christ.   We like to worship Christ and “hold on to” the things in one hand and worship Him in the other.  

5.  She did what she “could.”  This is not a talented woman in regard to speaking.  She did not have a skill set, like Martha, to make a meal for Jesus.    She was not perfect in her service.  She just did what she could do.  

6.  Doing what you can gets noticed by the Son of God.   God will establish your legacy when you do what you can for Him.   

Jesus made sure her act of kindness, goodness and faithfulness would be spoken of for the rest of human history.  And, that is what we just did.  

Tag: God Calls Out Liars - Jeremiah 22-26

Jeremiah 23:9-10 (ESV Strong's)

(Lying Prophets)

Concerning the prophets:

My heart is broken within me;

all my bones shake;

I am like a drunken man,

like a man overcome by wine,

because of the Lord

and because of his holy words.

For the land is full of adulterers;

because of the curse the land mourns,

and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.

Their course is evil,

and their might is not right.

Tag:  God Calls Out Liars

Speaking truth should be the way all peoples speak.  But, we know that is not true.  Mankind is full of sin, and like the father of sin, Satan, they lie:

John 8:44 (ESV Strong's)

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Lying comes from a heart that has not be perfected in Christ.   Everyone lies.  Even priest, prophets, teachers and popes lie.  We have yet to be set totally free from untruth.  We live in a world of mis-truth and in bodies wrecked with sin and lacking truth. In the above passage, however, we see what happens when this bent on lying comes into contact, on a regular basis, with those who say they speak for God.  The prophets of Jeremiah’s day were full of lies.   God, in these verses and those following, calls them out for their deceit.   Toward the end of this passage Jeremiah states:  “... Their course is evil, and their might is not right.”    These “prophets” were speaking from a place of “power” (might).   Those in power should specifically speak truth; especially those who they say they speak for God; who is truth (John 14:6).    When they don’t God takes note and corrects all the falsehood.  We might not see it right away, but God is taking care of all those who use their power to speak falsehoods and deception.  That is good to know in a world that has many men and women of power speaking deception and half-truth in order to further their agenda’s and strengthen their might. 

Tag: I Just Have to Vent!! - Job 32-34

Job 32:20-22 (ESV Strong's)

I must speak, that I may find relief;

I must open my lips and answer.

I will not show partiality to any man

or use flattery toward any person.

For I do not know how to flatter,

else my Maker would soon take me away.

Tag: I Just Have to Vent!

How many times have people just “vented” to you about something they are upset about, don’t understand, or fuming over?   Venting seems to be a national pastime.   People love to simply tell you want they think of something and “vent” out their emotions.  The origin of the word “vent” comes from the Latin “ventus” and means “wind.”   Ha!!  So, venting is simply blowing out wind.  It has no meaning, other than to let the “wind” in our lungs out.   In the above passage, Elihu, the youngest of Job’s friends, gives us some insight into his boundaries or guidelines for venting.    He is in the middle of telling Job and Job’s other three friends what he thinks.  He his younger than they all are and he has “held his tongue” up to this point.   He has heard all the arguments of Job’s friends as they condemned him and he has heard Job’s arguments as he has attempted to justify himself:

Job 32:2-3 (ESV Strong's)

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.

Now Elihu is going to give them a “piece of his mind.”  Perhaps, in these brief verses we find some guidelines for our own human venting process.  Here are some take-a-ways from Elihu’s world we might use in our own venting:

1. Make sure we realize that our “venting” is coming from a place where we are attempting to justify God and not simply our own emotion.   Elihu is NOT simply expressing his emotion.  Elihu is speaking up for God by expressing himself.   He is saying, “I have to speak in this situation - God demands it in my soul.”  Note another man of God who said something similar:

Jeremiah 20:9 (ESV Strong's)

If I say, “I will not mention him,

or speak any more in his name,”

there is in my heart as it were a burning fire

shut up in my bones,

and I am weary with holding it in,

and I cannot.

2.  If we speak we should not attempt to show partiality toward one person and flatter another person.   True justice simply speaks truth.   Elihu reminds us that in our speaking we ought not to use charisma and charm.  We are to speak truth, no matter who we are speaking to in our “venting.”   

3. Remember, we ultimately answer to God for every word we speak to others.   Note Jesus’ words:

Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV Strong's)

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The next time we just have to “vent,” we might want to recall Elihu’s guidelines.   

Tag: God Defines Beauty - Psalms 48-50

Psalms 50:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

(A Psalm of Asaph.)

The Mighty One, God the Lord,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

Tag:  God Defines Beauty

As stated above, this is a “Psalm of Asaph.”   Asaph was a song writer.  As with most song writers, Asaph loves to use imagery to convey the truth or thought they wanted the reader to learn or hear.  In this Psalm we are reading about God the judge of the earth.  God is coming to judge the world and Asaph is calling us to praise Him for that.   However, to start the song, Asaph states that God, the judge, who as issued a “summons” to the earth (to call them to judgment) is coming it of Jerusalem (Zion) and is the “perfection of beauty.”  We have many things in this life we use to describe utilizing the word “beautiful.”  We might say a newborn baby is “beautiful.”   Men might say their spouse is “beautiful” (if they are smart).   We might say a sunset is “beautiful.”   W might even say a story was “beautiful.”  But, we seldom say anything is the “perfection of beauty.”  The entertainment and marketing world likes to show us what they believe is the “perfection of beauty.”   Yet, they miss the mark as compared to what Asaph is using as the “perfection of beauty.”    I love this passage from the first letter of Peter about women and “beauty:”

1 Peter 3:1-4 (ESV Strong's)

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

God knows beauty and created it and describes it.  There is certainly nothing wrong with describing babies, wives, stories and sunsets with the term “beauty.”   But, Asaph has given us the definition of “beauty.”    God is the “perfection of beauty” and we would do well to worship Him in that way and ask that He transform us into that image, as well:

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV Strong's)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Tag: Letting God Is Often Forced - 2 Samuel 1-4

2 Samuel 3:12-16 (ESV Strong's)

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.” And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.” Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

Tag:  Letting Go Is Often Forced

One of the hardest qualities of life to develop is the ability to let go of something.   When we worship something strongly, it is even harder to let it go.   We can worship a lot of things but other people may be the strongest.  We tend to worship our children, our spouses, and families.   We often hear God, Family, Self.  But, that can be a trite phrase.  When pressure pushes against our lives, it often exposes what we worship.  We might worship work.  We might worship finances.  We might worship acceptance.  In the above story we have the picture of what it is like to worship something and not let it go ... from several angles.  As we read the story we can see that David could not let go of the fact that his first wife left him (one he secured from King Saul by killing a hundred of his enemy).   Abner could not let go of wanting to be powerful.    And, we see that a husband, Paltiel, son of Laish, could not let go of his wife (who he received when Saul took her from David and gave to him).    David, Abner and Paltiel all had control issues.  None of them could let go of what they worshiped.   David used his new power as the new king to get Michal back.   Abner used Michal as a pawn in his game to get power back.   Poor Paltiel lost it all and was forced to return home, no longer able to worship his wife.   Letting go may be the hardest act of emotion or the most challenging aspect of living we go through as human beings.   Just when David was finally reaching out to God again, he makes the above move because he can’t let go.   Micah would never really be his wife.  She would mock him, soon, in the future (2 Samuel 6:16).  But, David would still have her, even if he never really had a relationship with her.   Abner would get power back, although he would in the very next verses of this chapter (2 Samuel 3:26-30).   And, Paltiel?  We never hear about him again.  Letting go is tough.  Getting back might be tougher.   Only God can help us to let go of something we falsely worship so that God can replace it with something that will never leave us: Himself.   

Tag: God Triumphs for Us - Exodus 13-16

Exodus 15:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

(The Song of Moses)

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation;

this is my God, and I will praise him,

my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Tag: God Triumphs for Us

Israel was delivered from Egypt.  But, in that deliverance the Egyptians pursued after Israel, only to be destroyed by drowning in the Red Sea.   God lured them into the sea but allowing their anger to get the best of them.  God then destroyed them in front of the nation of Israel.   Imagine that scene.   Note what they saw:

Exodus 14:31 (ESV Strong's)

Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

Seeing the great power of the Lord ought to make us break out in song.  That is exactly what Moses did. Remember, this is the same Moses, who earlier to God he could not speak.  Suddenly, after seeing the power of God, He supernaturally breaks out in song before God.  The above lines are from that song.   When we see the deliverance of God in our lives and recognize His power, we ought to breakout in praise for Him.  Nothing els should matter to us.    God has triumph over the greatest enemy of all: Sin (and her fruit, Death).   We ought to like Moses sing how great God is and wonderful His salvation toward us.  Instead, like the nation of Israel we start to complain about our conditions.   Moses breaks out in song in chapter 15 and in chapter 16 Israel complains.   Songs seem to be great on Sunday, but Monday morning we are upset that we are not as comfortable as we want.  Mankind has not changed since the days of Israel at the story of the Red Sea.   God delivers and we all complain.  None of us is exempt to this fact.   We have to remember the songs and constantly fight the desire to complain.   God is our deliverer.   

Tag: Victory Over Death Comes by Death and Dying - 1 Corinthians 15-16

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (ESV Strong's)

(Mystery and Victory)

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tag:  Victory Over Death Comes by Death

We all face death.  Death wants to conquer us.  The ultimate power of sin is to take life.   Romans 6:23 reads:

Romans 6:23 (ESV Strong's)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death wants to swallow us up.  Death has, of course, a physical form.  It is the most prominent of sin’s deadly outcome.   But, sin’s most devastating outcome is spiritual death.   Sin wants to ultimately kill any relationship we could have with God.  This relationship is restored because Christ paid for our sin by dying and defeated death by raising again.  This is Paul’s point in the above.  We, too, will someday raise from the dead.  But, the only way to defeat death is through dying and then raising again with Christ in the great resurrection.  The way to beat death is by death.   Jesus beats death via the resurrected life.  We, too, therefore have the same outcome in our future.  We probably all fear the experience of dying.   But, we should not fear the event of death.  Save Christ returning today, death is our only avenue to resurrection and a resurrected body.   We can fear the experience but we must savor the event for what it brings after: Complete victory over death and ultimate destruction of sin.  

Tag; A Summary of Living Right Before God - Mark 11-12

Mark 12:28-34 (ESV Strong's)

(The Great Commandment)

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Tag:  A Summary of Living Right Before God

In the above verses we have Jesus’ summary of the power of the Gospel.   This is what it would man to observe the Gospel in its entirety.  If we want to know what it is like to be a child of God, this is it.   Our complete love for God and for others is the key to fulfilling all the Old Testament Law.   There is not much to write about this.  However, we can’t simply love God with all our heart, soul and mind because wee are weak in the flesh.  We need to ask for God’s forgiveness and allow Christ to pay for that sin, fill us with His Spirit and then and only then can we fulfill what Jesus is talking about here.   Christ enables us to fulfill the above verses.  We don’t do this on our own.   When Jesus tells the man “you are not far from the kingdom of God” Jesus is telling us that knowing this and recognizing this is one thing, but it is not the only thing.  We have to be empowered to love God.  That only happens when Christ saves us.  We have to be empowered to love others.  That only happens when Christ saves us and the Holy Spirit fills us and produces His fruit within our lives.   

Tag: Vengeance of God - Jeremiah 17-21

Jeremiah 20:12-13 (ESV Strong's)

O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous,

who sees the heart and the mind,

let me see your vengeance upon them,

for to you have I committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord;

praise the Lord!

For he has delivered the life of the needy

from the hand of evildoers.

Tag:  Vengeance is of God

Jeremiah is often referred to as the “weeping prophet.”   He is, throughout the book, ridiculed, punished, persecuted and/or defamed.   No one likes his message (God is coming to punish them and they should surrender and give themselves over to captivity).  As a result, they don’t like him.  This is a classic, “don’t shoot the messenger” book.  Yet, they do shoot at him, repeatedly.   Note what was written about Jeremiah earlier in just this chapter:

Jeremiah 20:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the Lord.

Jeremiah is in a tight place. He is prophesying to a nation that has disobeyed God.  As a result, he is telling them that God will punish them for their disobedience.  Yet, to tell them about the punishment, they will hate him.  But, if he does not tell them, he is disobeying God and all the punishment that he is telling them would fall on him, as well.   Being obedient to God is to trust Him in these tough circumstances.   God inflicts punishment on those who disobey.  There is no getting around it.  Those who come to Christ and ask forgiveness can’t simply keep on sinning and disobeying God and expect God’s great love and mercy to continue to be poured out on them.  That does not happen. God will have vengeance on those who reject His Word.  Jeremiah decided to live for God and obey God and let God be his advocate.  And being his advocate God was.  As we can see from the above verses God will enact punishment on those who attack His servants.   We are to give praise to God for this.  He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.  

Tag: Only God Can Accuse and Justify - Job 31

Job 31:35-37 (ESV Strong's)

Oh, that I had one to hear me!

(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)

Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me as a crown;

I would give him an account of all my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

Tag: Only God Can Accuse and Justify

Job is in a pickle.  His physical condition has lead all his friends and family to believe he is an abundant sinner and must deserve the punishment inflicted upon him.  They have gathered around him to mock him, charge him, accuse him and do anything but what they set out to do: Comfort him (Job 2:11)!

Instead of comfort, Job is feeling attacked.   He believes they have falsely accused him and has, naturally, come to defend himself.  In the above passage we see him “demanding” a court date.  He is issuing a “subpoena” and wants his day in court.   Job is willing to put his signature to his statement and have God take a look at his deposition and make a judgment.  

It might look like Job is acting out of pride and demanding from God a fair hearing.  But, Job is not believing God is going to come in and be the judge in this case.  Job is actually asking God to come in and testify on his behalf.  His accusers have already made the judgment.  Job is defending himself and that is why he wants the testimony of a credible witness.  Remember, this entire story is about Satan making false accusations against Job.  The friends are just Satan’s tools to make his accusation practical and real in Job’s life.  Job believes God knows the truth and wants God to come to the trail and speak on his behalf.   The term “indictment” in the above passage is better translated as “deposition.”  He wants God to tell everyone what the Holy Sprit told us right at the beginning of this story: Job is a righteous man who eschews evil (Job 1:1-2).   

If God would do that for him, if Job could get this day in court, he knows he would be exonerated and he would then, once again, walk as a “prince” and be vindicated in front of this “jury of his peers.”  In essence, Job is saying to those who are accusing him, you have not seen all the evidence.   He saying, “Ask God and he will tell you different.”  

The lesson here is simple:  Satan accuses the believers all day (Revelation 12:10).   Men make judgements about us all day and every day: False judgments.  Our own minds accuse us and false imprison us and make us think less of ourselves.  But, God is the real judge.  He is the redeemer.  Jesus is my champion and is there to stop Satan’s false accusations.   Romans 8:1 says there is NO MORE condemnation to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS.   We are free from these accusations.   Christ is both our defense attorney and our stand in.  He stands in for us when we are guilty and pays the penalty and stands up for us when we are falsely accused as our attorney.    That is the message of the Gospel.  Like Job we should wear our reprieve like a “prince” - for we have been declared holy and free from sin and punishment.  

Tag: God is King over all the Earth - Psalms 45-47

Psalms 47:5-7 (ESV Strong's)

God has gone up with a shout,

the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

For God is the King of all the earth;

sing praises with a psalm!

Tag:  Reason To Praise God

“For God is the King of all the earth!”   If there was a lack of reason to praise God, that phrase alone would fill all the gaps in our minds.   Think of the power of that single thought.   

1.  God is the King of all the earth so I don’t have to worry about the leadership of our nation or the other nations.  All the worry we put into the care of the earth and the control of the earth is cleared up completely by that thought.  

2. God is the King of all that earth so I don’t have to jump into the hysteria of the politics I see on TV.   People are all consumed with politics figures and political agendas.  But, when I realize that God is the king of the earth, I can rest in that peaceful thoughts. 

3. God is the King of all the earth so I don’t have to be. I can quit trying to control my life and the lives all those around me because God has got it covered.  He is the king - I am not.   I can not only take the day off because He has it covered, but I can cease in my attempt to control my universe. 

4. God is the King of all the earth and that gives me a sense of purpose and plan for my life.  Jesus told us to pray the following:

Matthew 6:9-10 (ESV Strong's)

Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

So, I am to pray for the King of the Earth to have His plan worked out on the earth and I am part of that plan.  I am seeking His kingdom first:

Matthew 6:33 (ESV Strong's)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So, the fact that God is the King of the Earth gives me great reason to praise today.   

Tag: The World’s False Image of Believers - 1 Samuel 26-31

1 Samuel 29:6-11 (ESV Strong's)

Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Tag:  The World’s False Image of Believers

We never really know what others are like.   We see this in the above passage the King of Achish, where David had been hold up in his flight from Saul.   The Kings of the Philistines had told the King of Achish that David was a liability in the upcoming battle with Israel.  Remember, David had previously killed Goliath, the Philistines champion.  Now, on the run from Saul, he pretended to want to fight for the Philistines, not against them.   The entire time he was with the King of Achish, David had lied about where they were conducting raids.  David would say he was raiding the cities in Israel. In reality he was raiding far out cities of the Philistines.   David was untruthful to the King of Achish on multiple occasions.  Now, in the above text, he pretended to be insulted at the suggesting he could be dishonest or deceptive.   The King of Achish even says you have been like “an angel of God” in his midst.  What?!!   Yes, indeed, David had begun his return back to God and was doing things to honor God. He would, in the next chapter, begin to really seek God’s face and God’s wisdom.    But, he was not “an angel of God.”   The world often has a view of the people of God that is different than we really are.  David, in the above story, acts indignant toward his treatment.   But, he was not an innocent man.  Yes, these are the enemies of God, but never-the-less David was anything but “an angel of God” and he did nothing to correct the impression the King of Achish had of him.  We might be able to fool a foolish world, but we can’t food God.  He knows who we are.   David, in the next chapters will be presented with who he really is.   He will, in Psalms 51, eventually admit to God who he is.  But, in the above story he can pretend to be an angel of God in front of a foolish world.   But, only God really knows who we are.   

Tag: Pride Hinders Obedience - Exodus 9-12

Exodus 9:17-21 (ESV Strong's)

You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.”’” Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field.

Tag:  Pride Hinders Obedience

The above text is found at the beginning of the plague of the hail that fell upon all Egypt.   God had promised to bring the hail if Pharaoh would not let Israel go.  He did not.   God also promised to separate the people of God from the Egyptians.  He promised to pour down hail on the Egyptians household an property but not on Israel’s household and property.   In the above text we see that those Egyptians, who humbled themselves, would also escape the hail and thunder.  We have no idea what that looked like in real time.   Did one house have hailed and the next house not?  Apparently, that is what is implied in the text.  God is able to separate those who fear him from those who are too prideful to bend their knee to Him.   In the pride, the Egyptians would not bend a knee to obey and honor God.  God would, therefore, bring punishment on them.   Pride will always hinder obedience.   God is bringing all this on the Egyptians because of their pride.   Pharaoh is the type of person we all are.  Absent God’s work in our lives, we would all be full of pride like Pharaoh.   Pride always Hinders obedience.   

Tag: Love Never Ends (Fails) - 1 Corinthians 12-14

1 Corinthians 13:8 (ESV Strong's)

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Tag: Love Never Ends (Fails)!

Paul, in this chapter of 1 Corinthians, is outlining for the believers at Corinth the proper use of spiritual gifts.   In chapter 13 he specifically is informing that any gift needs to be governed in its use by the concept of love.  If we don’t have love, it matters not the use of the gift.   Note the earlier verses:

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

When Paul says that “love never ends” he is not saying that love always wins.   Jesus himself loved unconditionally and with complete purity.  Yet, even His love could not persuade all to love him.   Even one of his own disciples betrayed him with a kiss.  Love never ends (or fails) because it is tied to the character and essence of God.  As compared to spiritual gifts, Love is permanent and gifts are impermanent.   Paul will be further outlining the use of gifts (the gift of tongues and prophecy, specifically), but first wants the readers to know that no matter the gift it must be governed by love.   Even though love can’t conquer the will of others at all times, it is still the essence of God and should be the primary motivation for what we do and say and how we act as believers.  Everything we do should be done out of God empowered love, no matter the results.   Love will never end because it is the essence of who God is.  In heaven, when all gifts will be no longer important and when ministry and service to others will be replaced by joy and worshiping God, only love will remain.  Love will never have a time when it does not manifest itself through the plans and work of God.   Nor should it end when we minister and serve God and others.   

Tag: Division in the Body is Unhealthy - Mark 9-10

Mark 9:38-41 (ESV Strong's)

(Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us)

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Tag: Division in the Body is Unhealthy

Imagine your left leg deciding to reject your right leg.  That would be unhealthy!   The above verses are talking about how believers, within the Body of Christ, need to be one.  Jesus would actually, before His death, pray for this:

John 17:23 (ESV Strong's)

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

In the top verses we see the disciples demonstrating their territorial tendencies.   This is something that was not limited to their day and age.  Today’s churches are found, at times, across the street from each other.   We have members rotate from one church to the other over simple preferences.   We are constantly dividing and have the attitude of the disciples that says, 

“They are not following us.”   Jesus makes the point that says, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”   

Believers need to embrace other believers.  Jesus died for us to be one, not divided over ministry emphasis.   

Tag: Even the Wicked Bear Fruit - Jeremiah 12-16

Jeremiah 12:2 (ESV Strong's)

You plant them, and they take root;

they grow and produce fruit;

you are near in their mouth

and far from their heart.

Tag:  The Wicked Bear Fruit

The above passage is a prophecy from Jeremiah about the wicked - those who reject God’s Word and ways.   The entire prophecy is about God bringing the wicked down and their ultimate punishment.   Just a couple of verses later we read:

Jeremiah 12:4 (ESV Strong's)

How long will the land mourn

and the grass of every field wither?

For the evil of those who dwell in it

the beasts and the birds are swept away,

because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

The arrogance of the wicked will bring them down.  God is not mocked - whatever we sow, we reap.   Yet, the truth we can also see in the above verse is that God “plants” the wicked and they “produce fruit.”   We need to recognize that the wicked can produce fruit.   We are not told the type of fruit that is produced, but we do see that their lives are fruitful.   There are several things we need to know about this “fruit,” however:

1.  The fruit is produced because God enables it to be produced.  The entire point of the verse is to declare that God has planted them, rooted them and used them to produce fruit.  Whatever the fruit is, it is not theirs to claim.   

2.   The fruit does not produce a righteousness for them.  They are not credited righteousness as a result of their fruit bearing.   This fruit, whatever it is, does not put them in a place of favor for God.   

3. The fruit does not negate their wickedness of rejected God’s truth and God’s plan.   Even though they were producing fruit it was not causing them to turn to God, but rather away from God. 

4.  The fruit did I not prevent God’s discipline of them.   This chapter is about Jeremiah’s prophecy about their certain destruction.   Whatever the fruit was that they produced it was not something that would prevent God’s judgment.   

What we can see is that wicked men, if they bear any fruit - any good in this life - it is because of God’s flavor and it is because God allows it.  But, it is not the fruit of righteousness.  Paul prayed for that type of fruit over the Philippians:

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV Strong's)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

God produces the fruit of righteousness in our lives.  But, not all fruit God produces in the lives of men is righteous fruit.