Tag: God’s Judgment and Mercy Displayed - Jeremiah 47-52

Jeremiah 52:31-34 (ESV Strong's)

And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king's table, and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, until the day of his death, as long as he lived.

Tag:  God’s Judgment and Mercy Displayed

The message of Jeremiah is one of God’s judgment and hope for God’s mercy.   Throughout the book we have the prophecy of impending doom and the anticipation of future hope and restoration.   You can’t help but see this in the entire story that Jeremiah tells and lives for us.  In the final verses of the book we have a microcosm of his message.   It is demonstrated in the life of King Jehoiachin.   Jehoiachin was taken into exile along with the last of the remaining Jews.   This is a picture of God’s faithfulness to His Word that He would judge Israel and Judah for their constant disobedience to Him.  God is not mocked, whatever we sow, we reap!!   But, God also promised them restoration.  In the above story of Jehoiachin we see that God also provided the restoration He promised.   God keeps His Word. Both the doom and the restoration.  We can rejoice in both.  Both flow from His mercy and grace and power and love.   God is willing to restore those He loves.  He is also, justly, going to punish those who constantly reject that love and mercy.  God is a God of His Word.   

Tag: The Hunger of the Wicked vs the Righteous - Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:10-15 (ESV Strong's)

My son, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us ambush the innocent without reason;

like Sheol let us swallow them alive,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

we shall find all precious goods,

we shall fill our houses with plunder;

throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse”—

my son, do not walk in the way with them;

hold back your foot from their paths,

Tag:  The Hunger of the Wicked vs the Righteous

Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, is giving us “sayings” that drive us to “fear the Lord” (which is the beginning of wisdom).   Ungodly men are attempting to lead us astray.   They want us to follow their path of destruction and mayhem.   Notice in the above passage that their desire is to plunder those who are righteous and to “find all precious goods ...”.  They wish to “fill our houses with plunder ...,” and have “one purse ...”.   The accumulation of goods is and always will be a replacement for real hunger and thirst.  In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us this is what our hunger should look like:

Matthew 5:6 (ESV Strong's)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

The wicked hunger for the accumulation of things in their lives and will do anything they have to do in order to fill their “purse.”   The righteous hunger and thirst for righteousness.  This is Solomon’s contrast.  He tells us to “not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths.”  Our hunger ought not be for things and accumulation but for righteousness. That is the only place we find real satisfaction.   

Tag: Praise is Due - Psalm 63-65

Psalms 65:1 (ESV Strong's)

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,

and to you shall vows be performed.

Tag:  Praise is Due

Psalms 65 is a praise song for all that God does for his people.   It speaks of God’s greatness in creation and sovereign supply of provision for His people.  God is truly worthy to be praised.   The writer (David) states that praise is “due” God, although the word “due” is implied and comes through in translation.   Because God deserves our praise, it is to Him we make vows and perform them before Him. It is not out of a need to prove ourselves to Him that we make vows and “perform,” but out of praise and appreciation for Who He is and What He does in our lives. Our performance does not earn us grace, but because God gives grace we offer our performance.   We don’t attempt to earn something from a God who gives freely, by His choice.  If we “earned” something from God, God would have to perform and would “owe” us.   But, that is now what this song says or what God’s Word says.  We don’t “earn” God’s grace.  But, when God freely gives us His grace we want to live in appreciation and give God His “due,” so we make vows and perform them out of love for Him.  Because He first loved us.  

Tag: God Gives Wisdom - 1 Kings 1-4

1 Kings 3:10-12 (ESV Strong's)

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

Tag:  God Gives Wisdom

When we talk about walking with God we can, at any time, claim the promises of God for ourselves.   Note what James tells us about wisdom and a promise from God:

James 1:5-8 (ESV Strong's)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We have these verses shown in the story of Solomon.  Solomon was young and was asked of God what he would want God to do for him.   Solomon could have asked for riches, power, or the death of his enemies. Instead, Solomon asks for wisdom.  Maybe this is what James had in mind when he would pen his words almost a thousand years later.  God gives wisdom.  In fact, He makes it available on every corner:

Proverbs 8:1-4 (ESV Strong's)

Does not wisdom call?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

“To you, O men, I call,

and my cry is to the children of man.

Wisdom calls out to all who want her.   But, we have to ask in faith, nothing wavering (like a wave of the sea).  This is an aspect of belief.  We have to believe that God has wisdom and that He will grant it to us when we ask.   Wisdom comes from God and no other place.   It does not come from age or education or power or riches.  It comes from the fear of the Lord:

Proverbs 9:10 (ESV Strong's)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

We must “fear” God - live in reverence of Him.   That is where wisdom begins. That is what Solomon did and demonstrated for us and God granted him wisdom and discernment.  

Tag: Skilled at Labor and as a Teacher - Exodus 33-36

Exodus 35:30-35 (ESV Strong's)

Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

Tag:  Skilled at Labor and as a Teacher

In the above passage we read the portion of the calling of the head laborers who will build the Tabernacle and the furniture and utilizes of the Tabernacle.   Two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, will be the master craftsmen both in charge of doing the work and responsible to develop the talent around them.   The key thought in this passage is that it was the Spirit of God who enabled them to be do the work and teach others to do the work.   It is a great picture of the same functions in the early church.  Note what Paul told Timothy while he was in the church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV Strong's)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

God, no matter the economy, wants Godly men to teach Godly men.  The concept of being both skilled and a teacher to teach your skill is God’s design for growth and to honor Him.   God wants us to learn the skills He gives us and then He wants us to teach others, so that the Body of Believers will grow.   That is God’s system.  He designed education.  He designed teaching and learning systems.  When we complete these systems we honor God.  

Tag: Preaching Truth vs Eloquence - 2 Corinthians 11-13

2 Corinthians 11:5-6 (ESV Strong's)

Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

Tag:  Preaching Truth vs Eloquence 

Paul, in this second letter to the church at Corinth, is writing to correct previous misconceptions from a previous letter and a previous visit, and to correct an on going problem with false teachers.  He had been accused of not being the most eloquent or gifted teacher.  Note what Paul writes about these comments these “super-apostles” (so they called themselves) said about Paul’s delivering style:

2 Corinthians 10:10 (ESV Strong's)

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.”

In the passage we are looking at he states they said he was “unskilled.”  The Greek word for “unskilled” is “idiōtēs.”  So, they were not only criticizing Paul’s style, but his intellect.   Note what the commentator John MacArthur says about this passage:

(MacArthur NT) As noted in the discussion of 10:10 in chapter 26 of this volume, the false apostles scorned Paul for being unskilled in speech. Idiōtēs (unskilled) has a contemptuous ring to it, reflecting the false apostles’ view that Paul was a crude, amateurish, unrefined speaker. The apostle acknowledged that he was not interested in the rhetorical and oratorical skills that so impressed the Greeks, because he was not concerned with technique, but with the truth. He was not interested in theatrics or in manipulating his audience. Therefore, his message was the gospel, clear and simple. Paul knew that human eloquence draws people to the preacher, not to the cross; faithful preaching, on the other hand, results not in people admiring the preacher but the Christ he proclaims. The gospel itself is “the power of God for salvation” (Rom. 1:16) and does not need any human embellishing.

We have a challenge in this society of being entertained by everything. Our attention spans are short, our interests are narrow and our depth of learning is shallow.  It would be a risk to have Paul preach in our churches today, based upon what we read that was said about him and what our audiences have grown used to.  Yet, Paul is not to be measured by style, but by substance.  That is his point in the above passage.  We are not to be titillated by our speakers, we are to be taught.  We are not to be entertained, we are to be edifies.   Paul is not concerned about these false prophets.  Paul (as he will go on to write) is empowered by God and his message is the power fo the Gospel, not the power of his speech tempo, tone, or skilled styled.  It is the message of the Gospel that he preached and that was the only power he needed.  

Tag: Christ Has the Authority - Luke 5-6

Luke 5:22-24 (ESV Strong's)

When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

Tag:  Christ Has the Authority

Imagine someone come along side of your car at a red light and attempting to issue you a ticket.   But, that “someone” is just the guy behind you in a beat-up Chevy!!   Since that person is not an officer of the law, he/she has no “authority” to issue you anything ... at least not binding.    But, replace that person with a sworn officer of the law and suddenly your day takes a bad turn.   Having authority or not having authority is a BIG deal.  In the above passage a man with paralysis comes to Jesus, in faith, and asks to be healed.   Jesus, instead, says to him:

Luke 5:20 (ESV Strong's)

And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

This, statement of forgiveness for sins, sets off a firestorm with the religious leaders who were observing the entire incident.   They challenged Jesus “authority” to forgive sins.    Jesus presents to them a bigger challenge by asking them which is easier: To say, “Your sins be forgiven you,” or, “Rise and walk?”   This is rhetorical in nature.  Jesus is making a point that in appearance it is easier to tell the man to his sins are forgiven than it would be to actually heal him ... at least in the eyes of the religious leaders.   But, Jesus knows the forgiveness of sins will cost Him his life.  By actually healing the man (much more theatrical) Jesus commands the body to do something.  Jesus has authority over the body ... and the soul.  That is the point of the story.  Jesus has the authority to do what He wants with God’s creation, except go against the plans of God.   God has given His Son the authority and power over all the earth and all creation:

Matthew 28:18 (ESV Strong's)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

We can rest in the fact that mere man has no authority over us.  We are under the authority of the King of Kings.  He has the authority to do whatever He wants in our lives:  Good or bad.  We can rejoice in that power because God always uses that power for His glory and our ultimate good.  

Tag: God Controls the Nations - Jeremiah 42-46

Jeremiah 46:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

Tag:  God Controls the Nations

Jeremiah is stating, in the above verses, the destruction of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon.   Jeremiah had warned the remnant in Judah, that was not taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, that if they went to Egypt for safety, instead of remaining in the land, God would also destroy Egypt.  In the above chapter he states that is exactly what God did.  The nation of Israel, once again, disobeyed God and went down to Egypt for their salvation.  That, again, was a rejection of God.   So, God kept His promise and destroyed Egypt, as well.  This is the principle that God’s people must learn: Our disobedience can be at the cost of others.  Egypt did not want the remnant from Judah. They were happy and content people.  But, the disobedience of Judah brought condemnation onto the Egyptians people.   The same is true today.   We can’t expect that our disobedience to God will not impact others.  When the church at Corinth had sin in their midst and they refused to deal with it, here is what the Apostle Paul stated to them in his letter to them:

1 Corinthians 5:6 (ESV Strong's)

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

They had in their midst a young man that was sinning and they refused to do anything about it.  Paul uses a word picture from the kitchen and tells them that if they leave the sin in their midst it would impact the entire church.   Or, how about the sin of Achan in the story of Joshua, Jericho and hidden jewels. When the nation of Israel defeated Jericho, they were instructed to destroy everything and not take anything.   However, Achan took some jewels and hid them in his tent.  During the next warring campaign Israel suffered great defeat at the hands of a little city called Ai.   Here is what God told a weeping Joshua:

Joshua 7:10-11 (ESV Strong's)

The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.

Our individual sin will impact those around us.  When we choose to disobey God we don’t just separate ourselves from the fellowship we have with God, but we impact others.   Sin impacts the world and when we sin we impact the world closest to us.  In the above case, Jeremiah tells us that God uses one nation to destroy another nation due to the sin of His people.  God uses nations to do His will.  He is in control of them.  

Tag: Are We Right and God Wrong? Job 40-42

Job 40:6-9 (ESV Strong's)

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

“Dress for action like a man;

I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Will you even put me in the wrong?

Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?

Have you an arm like God,

and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Tag:  Are We Right and God Wrong? 

Job, throughout the book of his life, has claimed his innocence before God.   His three friends believe in “retribution theology” - God punishes us because we sin against Him; that is the reason for evil and suffering in this world.    Yet, in the above verses (and throughout these last chapters) God challenges Job (and his three friends) about their beliefs.  God NEVER (throughout the entire book) answers Job’s main question:  Why to the righteous suffer?   God simply tells Job and his friends what is NOT an answer to the question.  God does not simply allow suffering to come into the lives of ONLY those who are evil. It is plain from the book that God is demonstrating that He can and does allow suffering on the righteous.  That is the ONLY conclusions you can draw from the book. In that thought, God has perfect justice and righteous to allow those who are righteous on this earth to suffer and experience the fallout of evil in this world.   God, remarkably, gives illustrations about this from the created world around Job.   What God is saying is that, “I can do what I want with MY creation and creatures ... and I DO!!”   God allows the wicked to run free (for now) and He allows evil to afflict the righteous and He is perfectly just in allowing that to happen.  That is the message of the book.  The quicker we get to understanding and believing that the quicker we can get to the end of the book (where Job is double blessed ... yet, with the remaining scars of the preceding 41 chapters).   God has the right to do what He wants with His creation and we must relax and rest in that thought.  That is a blessed life!!! 

Tag: Praising in the Midst of Vows - Psalms 60-62

Psalms 61:8 (ESV Strong's)

So will I ever sing praises to your name,

as I perform my vows day after day.

Tag:  Praising in Vows

Psalms 61 is a song of David.   It is a specific song that David is singing as he travels to the temple to worship for the purpose of rejoicing and keeping his vows; which is the point of the above verse.   This is the last verse of the song and it summarizes the entire point of the song.   It gives us the insight we need about both worship and service.  There is a dynamic relationship between worship and service.  They are not separate entities. In our lives these are not separate aspects of a believers lives.   When we serve we should be worshiping and when we are worshiping we should be serving.   David had this as his theme.   He wants to make sure that the vows he has committed to are the vows he keeps.  But, the doing of a vow should not prevent the rejoicing of worship.   David commits to singing “praises” to God’s name as he performs his vows “day after day.”  This is another vow he makes to God.   God has honored David’s vows and commitments.   David does not count it “hard” or “difficult” to follow hard after God.  David, in the midst of his vow paying, praises God.  That should be the norm.  

Tag: Not the Best But Still Better - 2 Samuel 20-24

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (ESV Strong's)

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

Tag:  Not the Best But Still Better

The above mention about Benaiah is taken from chapter twenty-three of Samuel’s book.   In this chapter the author is outlining the various men who assisted David in his warring and kingdom.   These men are called “David’s Mighty Men.”   They are “hero’s” of the day and their exploits are mentioned here as a worship song to God.   God is outlining for us what “mighty” men who serve His servants look like.  It should be noted that these men probably rose for David’s beginning days when he was on the run from King Saul.  Note:

1 Samuel 22:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

Note that these men were in debt and in bitterness of soul.  Yet, through David’s leadership and by God’s grace, they became David’s Mighty Men.   Benaiah is probably one of these.  The writer goes out of the way to tell us that Benaiah was NOT like the top three of David’s Mighty Men, but he was still one of the best.   Since these men were warriors it must have been a little tough to hear you “almost” attained the elite status.  Yet, note where Benaiah came from.  He was not the best but he was better than the most.  He came from debt and bitterness to power and might.  This is what God can do for those who submit to him and who follow His ways.  David taught these men how to be warriors and how to follow God.  They were not just David’s Mighty Men, they were men who demonstrate God’s grace in their lives.   A man, once on the run, is now a powerful warrior for God and King and Country.   That is the power of God’s grace in the life of someone who will but trust God.  

Tag: Worship Singing Can Be Deceptive - Exodus 30-32

Exodus 32:15-18 (ESV Strong's)

Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.”

Tag:  Worship Singing Can Be Deceptive

Moses and Joshua had gone up into the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law.  God had given it to them in two large stones.   While they were in the mountain, the people of Israel became bored and, along with Aaron, decided to start their own worship service.   

Exodus 32:1 (ESV Strong's)

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

Aaron gathers all the gold they had (which they would have used later to build the Ark of the Covenant ... and, it is now wasted).  This is what happen as they worshiped the golden calf they made, as a result:

Exodus 32:6 (ESV Strong's)

And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

When Moses and Joshua come down from the mountain, they heard the “worship” and had two different understandings of what they heard.  Joshua thought it sounded like war and Moses thought it sounded like singing.   They both were right.  It was a war against God, with false singing to a false god.   They sounds of our worship, today, are worshipped all by themselves.  Our music worship leaders are making sure we have rhythm and rhyme.   The “meter” of the music trumps the “message” of the music.  The “lyrics” can be compromised to fit the word picture, over the “truth” they are supposed to convey.   Perhaps the world would have seen Aaron’s worship service and thought, “Wow!!”   But, God did not think much of it.  Nor did Moses and Joshua.  Worship sounds must have a proper focus (God) and the sounds and sights must reflect Him (not our man made gods).  

Tag; Grace Begets Grace - 2 Corinthians 9-10

2 Corinthians 10:15-16 (ESV Strong's)

We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence.

Tag:  Grace Begets Grace

Paul, in this chapter of his letter to the church at Corinth, is attempting to encourage the community of believers in Corinth to participate in the ministry he was given by Christ.   There were some in the Corinth church that were attempting to usurp Paul’s Apostolic authority.   Paul was attempting to gather financial support to extend and expand his ministry. The other “teachers” within the church were attempting to prevent Paul’s influence.  This was their ego and envy vs Paul’s commission from Christ himself.   Paul’s point in the above passage is that their obedience in the area of “giving” would show both their growth in faith and extend Paul’s area of influence to bring others to Christ.  Paul was fully and completely sold to spreading the Gospel message and not about power.  This “teaching” group in the church attempted to discourage the church from giving to Paul (if they gave to Paul they could not give money to these other “teachers”).   Paul wants them to know that God has given him this authority and influence, but he is ONLY using it to further the Gospel, not to further his own power.   That is the difference between ministers who are sold out to the Gospel and those who are sold out to their own personalities.   God can use those with Paul’s approach.   Those who oppose the Pauline approach for their own persona fail the church and hinder the progress.  Paul is telling them that IF they act in faith, through grace, God will use that to extend grace into the lives of others. Our response to giving can be used to expand God’s grace to others. Grace begets grace.   

Tag: It is Written - Luke 3-4

Luke 4:3-4 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

Tag:  It Is Written

The above phrase, “It is written ...” appears four times in chapter four of Luke.  Here are the other three:

Luke 4:8 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Luke 4:10 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

for it is written,

‘HE will command His angels concerning You to guard You,’

Luke 4:17 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

When Christ was tempted by Satan, He used the Sword of the Sprit.  When the Son of God was tempted by Satan, His Defense was God’s Word!!   That is an amazing thought.  Jesus “quoted” the Scripture to defeat Satan.  When we are discouraged and defeated and depleted of energy, we have the power of God’s Word on our side.  But, only if we believe it.  Jesus, of course, believed the Word.  He wrote it!!!   But, He saw that using it was turning the Word of God into the Sword of the Spirit:

Ephesians 6:17 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Our belief in God’s Word and quoting God’s Word is the key to defeating the enemy of every believer.  Believe it and quote it!!!   

Tag: The Fear of Man is a Snare - Jeremiah 37-41

Jeremiah 38:1-5 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Jeremiah Thrown into the Cistern

Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’” Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.” So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you.”

Tag:   The Fear of Man is a Snare

Solomon the King, in Proverbs, wrote the following:

Proverbs 29:25 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

The fear of man brings a snare,

But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

Doing things out of fear of men is a dangerous and slippery slope.  When we live worried about what other’s think we “worth-ship” their opinions as though they are God.   In the above passage we are reading about the prophet Jeremiah and how he boldly spoke for God, telling the people of Judah to give in to their potential captivity.  This was rebellious talk to some of the leadership and they wanted to throw Jeremiah into a pit to stop him for telling everyone this message.  The King, Zedekaih, OUT OF FEAR OF MEN allowed them to do this.   He would, later, out of the fear of men, do the same thing:

Jeremiah 38:19-20 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.” But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over. Please obey the Lord in what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and you may live.

When we worry about what others think of us, or how they might reject us, or hurt us, we cease to obey God.   God does not want us to fear man, He wants us to fear Him.   When we fear man we create a “snare” for ourselves.  The Hebrew word for “snare” in Solomon’s proverb is “loose” or “trap” or “lure.”   When we worry about what others think of us we fall into a trap and it holds us and binds us.  We have to find a way to be released from that fear of man.  We do that by fearing God, more.   Notice what Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 10:28 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

God is the one we are to fear.  We worry and say, “What will they think of me?”   But, we should say, “What does God think of me?”

Tag: Where Were You? Job 38-39

Job 38:4-8 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding,

Who set its measurements? Since you know.

Or who stretched the line on it?

“On what were its bases sunk?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

When the morning stars sang together

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or who enclosed the sea with doors

When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;

Tag:  Where Were You? 

Job, for a number of chapters, has been defending himself against his “friends” attacks about his character.   Job has been tormented by pain and by the philosophy of his friends.   Rather than comfort Job they have confronted him with false allegations and deceptive arguments.  What was the result of this bad approach to counseling?  Job defending becomes the defaming of God.   We have to be careful that we do not push people to the brink of self-rationalizing because of our “counseling” them.   Job is now faced with the Words of God.  Rather than point him to God, Job’s friends caused him to defend his “righteousness.”   Now God must come to speak real truth to Job.  As He begins, God asks Job a series of questions about the creation of the universe and the nature of the creation around him (chapters 38 and 39).   God is putting Job in his place.  God is showing Job that He, God, is the one who knows all and is perfect in all of His ways.   When we hurt and we are in pain and we want to defend ourselves, our pride comes out.  When pride comes out that leaves no room for God.  God is simply telling Job to quit looking within and start looking up at Him.  That is the solution for those in pain and in pride.  We are to get our eyes off the problem and off ourselves an onto the God who created the universe.  

Tag: God Is To Be Exalted - Psalms 57-59

Psalms 57:5 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Be exalted above the heavens, O God;

Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalms 57:11 

Be exalted above the heavens, O God;

Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Tag:  God Is To Be Exalted

When we “exalt” something, we lift it high above other things.   We promote it in our lives.  We can do that with our children.  We like to talk about what they have accomplished or what we did for them. We lift them up in the eyes of the world around us.  We like to promote them.   We can do that with our jobs.  We like to tell people what we do.  Some jobs or occupations seem to have more “glory” than others.   Some exalt their finances by spending their money on things that show they “can” spend their money on things.  You don’t often see a person with money who drives around in a beater car.  They instead op for something that speaks “status.”  We can exalt our houses, our pets, our land, our personalities, our accomplishments, etc.    In the above verse(s) we are given David’s prayer.  David did not exalt in his accomplishments or status.  He could have.  The people actually created a song that song David’s praise.   But, David, instead, exalted God and cried out, “... Let your glory be above all the earth.”  If we are telling everyone about great things in our lives and that does not exalt God, we are telling them all the wrong things.  We should be exalting God to the world around us. 

Tag: Envy Eats the Heart - 2 Samuel 15-19

2 Samuel 15:2-4 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.” Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.”

Tag: Envy Eats the Heart

Absalom, one of King David’s sons, so wanted to be the king.  Per the above verse, he even played the king in the streets.  Absalom would sit at the city gate and pretend to be the king and help them with their conflicts.  He would “claim” that the King (his father, David) did not have time for their petty quarrels.   In this case, he did exactly what David did when he was young and King Saul was the king:

1 Samuel 18:16

But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

Absalom simply did what David did ... he captured the heart of the people:

2 Samuel 15:6 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.

But, why?   Out of pure envy for the position of King.  In the next five chapters the story is unfolded of this royal coup.  Absalom would run King David out of Jerusalem.  David would flea and then Absalom would hunt him down.   David’s soldiers would eventually kill Absalom and David would return to being the king - absent a son.   Why? Out of pure envy.  Envy eats the heart.   Envy destroys the consciousness of the brain and causes us to do foolish things.   Absalom did a foolish thing by revolting against his father’s leadership.  He eventually dies for it.   Envy can eat your heart and eventually you will die for it.  

Tag: God Gives Gifts to Give Him - Exodus 25-29

Exodus 25:3-7 (ESV Strong's)

And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

Tag:  God Gives Gifts To Give Him

In the above passage we are being told what the Nation of Israel can give toward the building of the Tabernacle.   The question would be, if they have been wandering through the wilderness, where would they have obtained these gifts?   The answer is that when they left Egypt, the Egyptians were so eager to have them leave that they gave them some of these gifts:

Exodus 12:36 (ESV Strong's)

And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

When they attacked a few nations along the way, God gave them provisions.  They attacked several other nations and secured their property.  Over the course of the entire trip they began to accumulate goods.  Now it was time to give those goods back to God, who had given them victory over their enemies.   God gives to us so that we can give to Him.  We are not to be consumers or hoarders.  We are to be givers.   That is why God gives us goods.  

Tag: The Appearance of Integrity Matters - 2 Corinthians 6-8

2 Corinthians 8:16-22 (ESV Strong's)

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.

Tag:  The Appearance of Integrity Matters

In the above passage Paul is writing to the church at Corinth to encourage them to give money to the cause of the impoverished in Jerusalem.   To do so, logistically, he is sending Titus AND two other brothers.  Paul has great confidence in Titus.  But, for the appearance of man, he is also sending two other believers, who have a great testimony before the church. Paul wants to make sure there is no appearance of impropriety when it comes to the collection of the money.   What does this tell us about the nature of man in the past as compared to the nature of man today?  Little has changed.  The difference may be the act of Paul to assure integrity is maintained.  Today, a modern day “Titus,’ might object to the overwatch ... feeling slighted that he/she could not be trusted.     Yet, this is the case then as it is now.  We must all be “Pauls” in this world to assure that our testimony is not blemished by the mere sight of misdeeds.   God intends us not to be ashamed of His work and we need to assure we are presenting all aspects of our work in transparency and integrity.   Today’s ministers are less worried about the appearance of impropriety as they are their own personal appearance.   Paul was not that type of minister.  

Tag: Your Child Will be Great Before ... - Luke 1-2

Luke 1:12-15 (ESV Strong's)

And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

Tag: Your Child Will Be Great Before ... 

In the above passage we read a portion of the story of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth.  The desired to have a baby.   Zechariah was a priest and was selected to enter the Holy of Holies, in his Temple service.   As he enters, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, speaks to him to tell him the Elizabeth will become pregnant and that the child will be John the Baptist.   A key phrase in the above passage is, “... for he will be great before the Lord.”   What an amazing thought.  To hear from God, via His chosen messenger, that your child will be “great before the Lord.”   Today, if you ask most parents to finish this sentence, what would they say?  “I want my child to be great before ___________!”    Most might say, the “world.”  Some might say, “family.”  Others might say, “I want me child to be great before all our relatives.”   Zechariah and Elizabeth were informed that their child, John the Baptist, would be great before the LORD!   That is what every parent should desire, pray for and teach their child.   Being great before the coach on a sport team means the child will play in the game more than others.   But, that is not where the child needs to be great.  Being great before the teacher for good grades or before the ACT monitors is nice, but that is not where the child needs to be great.   Being great before the interview committee for a job is wonderful, but that is not where we want our child to be great.   Being the top of their class and being great before the classmates might sound wonderful, but that is not what matters.  Being great before God is what matters.   That is what these two parents were told.   Our prayers and parenting should be to want our children to be great before the Lord.   

Tag: God Honors Those Who Honor Authority - Jeremiah 32-36

Jeremiah 35:18-19 (ESV Strong's)

But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.”

Tag:   God Honors Those Who Honor Authority

The above verses are taken from the last lines of a story about the family known as the Rachabites.  The Rachabites are a family God is using as an example for the rest of the nation of Israel.   The father of the Rachabites, Jonadab, had taken a “Nazarite” vow.  The Nazarite vow was a vow taken to abstain from wine and other things in a pledge to live for God in a separated manner.  The word Nazarite meant separation or consecration.  The vow would indicate you were abstaining from wine, wine ginger, grapes, raisins, intoxication and eating or drinking anything that came from grapes.   It meant that you were separated from others and consecrated to God.  The entire family of the Rachabites had decided to follow and obey the vow of the father, Jonadab.   The example for God was that these Rachabites were willing to obey the command of “their” father in something like a Nazarite Vow, but you, Israel and Judah, will not obey the command of “your” father, God the Father.   This is the premium that God puts on obeying authority in general and Him in particular ... as THE Authority of mankind.   As we can see from the above passage that God gave a special honor to the Rachabites’ family by telling them they would always have someone from their family walking with God.   That is quite a legacy.   God is honoring their obedience to their father.  God will honor anyone who respects authority.   God will, specially, honor those who obey Him.   God sets up authority and He wants us to honor that authority structure.   Why?  Because it is ultimately a sign that we live by faith and trust how He has placed us in this world.   We honor God by honoring authority.  When we do, God honors us.  

Tag: STOP!!! And Consider!!! - Job 37

Job 37:14 (ESV Strong's)

“Hear this, O Job;

stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

Tag:  STOP!! And Consider!!

The interesting thing about a STOP sign is that it only works if people “stop” and then consider what they see.  You can “stop” and then proceed ahead without looking or perceiving what is at the intersection you are entering.   In the above passage the speaker, Elihu (Job’s younger friend), tells Job to “stop” but to also “consider.”    Joseph, in speaking to Pharaoh, told the King to look for a wise man among his people that could lead them through the seven years of fat and the seven years of famine.  He told Pharaoh to “discern” who might be wise enough to do that (and, of course, Pharaoh selected Joseph).   Elihu is telling Job to stop looking at his sores and lift up his eyes to look at God and His majesty.  He wants Job to “consider” God’s power and God’s awesomeness.   In the next few verses he asks Job if Job can understand even some of the most basic things he can see in the sky.  Can we understand how the sun works?  Can we understand how the stars stay in place?  Can we understand how that earth is in a constant state of spinning and tilted exactly right so that we aren’t too close to the sun and be burnt alive or to far away and freeze to death?  We can see a sunrise or sunset and be amazed at its beauty.  But, do we stop to consider why?  How?   Do we consider the “wondrous” works of God?  Or, do we have our eyes so focused on the pain we are in, the experience we are in, the struggle we are in, that we don’t see the power and the wonder of God?  Elihu knew that the power of God and His works are the best way to treat someone who is in Job’s situation.   He is, in essence, saying to Job:  Stop looking down and start looking up at the power of God.

Tag: God Hears - God Humbles - Psalms 54-56

Psalms 55:16-19 (ESV Strong's)

But I call to God,

and the Lord will save me.

Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,

and he hears my voice.

He redeems my soul in safety

from the battle that I wage,

for many are arrayed against me.

God will give ear and humble them,

he who is enthroned from of old, Selah

because they do not change

and do not fear God.

Tag:   God Hears - God Humbles

In Psalms 55 we have a song of David in regard to an “enemy” he is facing.  What “enemy?”

Psalms 55:12-13 (ESV Strong's)

For it is not an enemy who taunts me—

then I could bear it;

it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—

then I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man, my equal,

my companion, my familiar friend.

David is crying out to God and the first thing we learn is that “God hears” him.   God hears his voice.   In a crowd of people screaming each day, God hears our voice.    When I personally pray, I like to imagine my voice going directly into the throne room of God.  I imagine Him sitting on His throne when I pray and Jesus is on His right side.  I even imagine my mom, who is in heaven, listening nearby (I have no idea if that is true ... but I imagine it).   I know from this verse and others that God is listening to me and hears me and He rejoices in my prayers.   

The second thing I learn in this prayer is that God “redeems my soul in safety” against those who would want my destruction.   That is a remarkable thought.   We have God fighting out battles.  This really ups the game from the days on the playground when one kid says to another, “my dad can beat your dad.”   Well, our Father in Heaven can beat the Father of Lies (Satan).  Satan is trying to convince us to believe his lies, but God will redeem my soul in safety.  We have no idea who this friend is David was being attacked by, but it was a close friend.  God says that He will redeem David’s soul from that affliction.  

The third thing that I learn in this passage is that God humbles those who attack His children.   Why?  “Because they do not change and do not fear God.”  God does not, indiscriminately, humble those who hurt “us.”   God humbles them because they hurt Him.   They refuse to submit the fear of the Lord. If they did, they would not hurt us.  

The fourth thing I learn from this passage is that God does all this during the “evening and morning and at noon,” because that is when David cried out to God and God heard his voice.  That is a lot of crying out.   God says in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  We can’t experience of the comfort of God (which is the best comfort in all creation) unless we are truly at the depth of mourning.   When you mourn “evening, morning and at noon,” you are really mourning.   That is when God’s greatest comfort comes and He hears us.   

Read this again and see the four things God does for us in our pain and sorrow:

Psalms 55:16-19 (ESV Strong's)

But I call to God,

and the Lord will save me.

Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,

and he hears my voice.

He redeems my soul in safety

from the battle that I wage,

for many are arrayed against me.

God will give ear and humble them,

he who is enthroned from of old, Selah

because they do not change

and do not fear God.