Prayer - 2 Corinthians 1-3

 2 Corinthians 1:11 (ESV)

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

The above passage comes at the end of a paragraph that Paul has written to the church at Corinth.   Paul has expressed to them the great suffering and affliction that was presented to him on his various missionary journeys.   Paul was being attacked on a variety of levels, both from the Roman world and the from the leaders of the Jewish faith.   Those who would want Paul’s fame and position were using Paul’s affliction as evidence that he was not a real apostle (read chapter 11).   But, Paul has been delivered from many of these dangers. Note the verse just before the above verse requesting prayer:

2 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV)

He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Paul’s hope was set on God’s deliverance from all these attacks and hostility toward him.   But, he knows that this deliverance will only be advanced by the prayers of the saints.    This is the formula for Paul to live victoriously in this ministry God has blessed him to live.   He knows that the blessings of his ministry will come as a result of many prayers.    He is not flexing his own muscles to them.  He is flexing the power of prayer in the lives of the saints.    

When Paul writes to the church about the armor of God his last piece of that weaponry is prayer. Note:

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

... praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

This is Paul’s offensive weapon.   He has the sword of the Spirit and the prayers of the saints to attack the evilness around him.   Prayer is a collective weapon we can use to defeat Satan and his unholy host.   As we pray for the saints God is able to move His amazing mercy, grace and peace into their lives and empower them and protect them.  Prayer is the weapon we use to support them.  Our prayers are the most powerful tool we can use to support the ministry of the Gospel.  

Money Corrupts the Mind - Mark 13-14

 Mark 14:10-11 (ESV)

Judas to Betray Jesus

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

It is important to understand the word “then” that opens this section of Mark’s Gospel.  We have to go back a few verses to learn the context. It will give us some clue as to “why it was this moment” that Judas decided to betray the Lord:

Mark 14:3-9 (ESV)

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.”

Judas was the one who held the “bag.”  The “bag” was the money bag.   Judas appears to be the elected “treasurer” for this group of twelve.  Rather than rejoice that the woman had sold the perfume and given it to Judas, he was frustrated.  He wanted the money.  He cared less about the poor and more about filling the “bag.”  

This is why it was time to betray Jesus.  Judas was denied by Christ when He rebuked Judas (and other disciples) over the ointment.   This became a trigger for Judas to do the unthinkable.  But, he so loved the world’s financial system that he gave away his soul to it.   That was true in the early church as well:

Acts 5:3 (ESV)

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?

2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

A few chapters back in Mark we read were Jesus warned the disciples of this very thing:

Mark 10:25 (ESV)

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Paul warned young pastor Timothy about this issue:

1 Timothy 6:9 (ESV)

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

James also warned the early church:

James 5:1 (ESV)

Warning to the Rich

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

Make no mistake, this trigger for Judas was something that would be repeated in man’s heart for the early church and the ages to come.   Why is this so mentioned in God’s Word and why is the story of Judas relevant for us? 

Luke 16:13 (ESV)

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

How Long Is Our Ministry? Jeremiah 22-26

 Jeremiah 25:3 (ESV)

“For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened.

You don't get to determine how long your ministry will be.  In Jeremiah 1:7 we read the following:

Jeremiah 1:7 (ESV)

But the LORD said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;

for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,

and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

As we read through Jeremiah, here is what we find out about Jeremiah’s ministry:

Not only do you not get to choose the message you speak when you are the messenger, but in Jeremiah 1:18; 5:14 and Jeremiah 11:18 and Jeremiah 20:7-14 you don't get to choose how others will react to the message.   

In Jeremiah 7:2 we read you don't get to choose the place you deliver the message. 

In Jeremiah 13:1 and Jeremiah 27:1-3 we read you don't get to choose "how" you will convey the message.   

In Jeremiah 16:1 we read you don't get to choose who you deliver the message "with."  

In the above passage we read you don't get to decide how long your ministry will be (Jeremiah 25:3).  

And, you don't get to decide how your ministry will end:

Jeremiah 26:8-11 (ESV)

And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD. Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

Our ministries are not are own.  God decides every aspect of our ministry.  

Dreams - Job 32-34

 Job 33:13-18 (ESV)

Why do you contend against him,

saying, ‘He will answer none of man's words’?

For God speaks in one way,

and in two, though man does not perceive it.

In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on men,

while they slumber on their beds,

then he opens the ears of men

and terrifies them with warnings,

that he may turn man aside from his deed

and conceal pride from a man;

he keeps back his soul from the pit,

his life from perishing by the sword.

I am not a “dreamologist.”  I do not study dreams.  I do not interrupt dreams.  I do dream, dreams, if that helps.  I do remember most of my dreams, which is not true from some people.  My wife seldom dreams and, if ever, remembers her dreams.   I have read a lot about dreams (since I dream almost every night.).   I am curious about them.   

In the Old Testament we read a lot about God speaking to people in their dreams. You can actually do a search and find almost fifty times a scripture passage that talks about dreams.   In fact, Job already mentioned that God has spoken to him in his dreams:

Job 4:12-13 (ESV)

“Now a word was brought to me stealthily;

my ear received the whisper of it.

Amid thoughts from visions of the night,

when deep sleep falls on men,

In the above passage, Job’s fourth friend, Elihu, is confronting Job.  He is confronting Job about Job’s accusation against God that God will not answer when Job calls.   Yet, Elihu states, that is not true.  He reminds Job that God speaks in many ways and forms.   Now, here is where it gets dangerous for the 21st Century believer.   Remember, in Job’s day they did not have the full cannon of Scripture.   God did speak in audible voice, through a donkey’s voice, in the voice of storm, through prophets and priest, from a mountain, through a brith light on the road Paul was traveling, in a small still voice, and, many times, in dreams.   What Elihu is teaching us in the above passage is not that we should expect to hear God in our dreams, but that God uses dreams to stir man’s hearts.  Note these two passages:

Jeremiah 23:16

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.

Psalms 16:7 (ESV)

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

Jeremiah is warning the people not to listen to false prophets who tell you to do something contrary to God based upon the dreams in their heads.  But, in the Psalm passage David is saying that God instructs him at night, in his dreams.   

I have no idea about the psychology of dreams.  Neither to psychologist.  They study dreams to see where they come from  and what they mean.  One thing we do know is that man is not even aware that god stirs thoughts in their minds via dreams that they might see God.   God uses all types of ways to say, “I am here.”   Note:

Psalms 19:1 (ESV)

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

God declares Himself in the heavens and He can declare Himself in dreams.  But, the final authority rest in what He has said about Himself in God’s finish Word.  The point that Elihu was making to Job was that God does speak to you Job, you just don’t want to hear what He has to say.  At the end of the book, God will speak to Job.  We have no idea if that is audible or through a prophet or in a dream.  But, God does speak to declare His glory. 

Commendation or Condemnation? Psalms 48-50

 Psalms 50:3-7 (ESV)

3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;

before him is a devouring fire,

around him a mighty tempest.

4 He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

6 The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge! Selah

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

Psalm 50 is a unique psalm as in these verses we have God speaking to us, rather than, like in most of the psalms, man is speaking to God.   God is coming as a judge and He is declaring in this song, through Aspah, the writer, that He will call all of heaven and earth and speak to them and testify against them.   Why?  Because He, alone, is God.  We are told in this song that God will call “to the heavens above and to the earth.”   Why? That He may judge his people.   Peter tells us a little about this when we read the following from his first letter:

1 Peter 4:16-18 (ESV)

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

The good news is that our sins were judge on the cross where Jesus died for them.   So, we no longer are in a place to receive God’s condemnation:

Romans 8:1 (ESV)

Life in the Spirit

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

But, we can be in a place to receive God’s commendation.   How will God judge? He will judge in His righteousness.   God will bring punishment on those who rejected His Son and will bring blessing and eternal riches on those who receive His gift for the salvation of their souls.   He can do this because He is righteous in His judgment.   

Sow-Reap - 2 Samuel 1-4

 2 Samuel 2:8-11 (ESV)

Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

The story of Abner making Ish-bosheth king, is a strange event.   Saul and his son Jonathon have died in the battle.  In fact we are told by the writer that all of Israel has fled before the Philistines:

2 Samuel 1:4 (ESV)

And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

So, the story of Abner even being alive is strange.  Why did not Abner die in the fight like many of the others?  Abner was a high ranking official in Saul’s army.   

A second question to ask stems from what will further read about Abner after his attempt to anoint Ish-bosheth as king.  Note the below passage:

2 Samuel 3:6-11 (ESV)

While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?” Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog's head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the LORD has sworn to him, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

Here we read about Abner attempting to overthrow the very person he worked to be king.   Sleeping with a king’s concubine was a way of saying, “I am taking your kingdom.” Once Ish-bosheth discovers this and confronts Abner, Abner makes a sudden turn in his life decisions.   Now he is anxious to turn Ish-bothseths kingdom over to David.   

All these turns and twists show us the unstableness of Abner.   He will later come to David to deliver the kingdom to him.  But, in doing so, he will lose his life by one of David’s right hand men, who still seem him as a danger.   There are at least two takeaways from this passage. The takeaways actually oppose one another:

1. Rebelliousness to God’s plan will always cost you in the end.   Abner was disobedient to God’s plan and the decisions he made before he changed his mind about David and God’s plan would cost him his life.  

2. Obedience to God’s plan, even after disobedience, brings you blessing.  Yes, Abner lost his life by one of David’s right-hand men, but it did bring praise and admiration from David.   Note:

2 Samuel 3:33-34 (ESV)

And the king lamented for Abner, saying,

“Should Abner die as a fool dies?

Your hands were not bound;

your feet were not fettered;

as one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.”

And all the people wept again over him.

When we make foolish decisions we pay the consequences.  But, when we repent and get back on track, we can still see honor at the end of a life.   

Decision regrets - Exodus 13-16

 Exodus 16:1-3 (ESV)

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

There is often regret in decision making when you make the decision for the wrong reason.   In the above passage we read the second time Israel “grumbled” against Moses and Aaron.  The first time was right after they saw the miracle of the Red Sea crossing.  After the crossing the drinking water they came to was bitter.  They saw God heal the water and then bring them to the most wonderful stop to recover from the exodus:

Exodus 15:27 (ESV)

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

Now they are leaving Elim and, again, they grumbled.   The reason for this grumbling is because of instead of leaving Egypt to follow God, they left Egypt to simply flea oppression.   They did not want to serve God and follow God and live for God, they wanted to quit working for the Egyptians.   It should be noted that the Egyptians, as well, had regrets about letting Israel go:

Exodus 14:5 (ESV)

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”

They, too, did not let Israel go because they feared God in a sense of awe and wonder.  They simply reacted out of fear.   They woke up the next morning and realized they had no one to fetch their water or make their beds or make their bricks or ....!  They had regret.  

We have decisional regrets when we make decisions to meet our own needs and not to bring glory to God.   He, alone, is the reason we live and breath and have our being.  We will continue to regret decisions when our decisions are made for personal reasons and not for His glory and praise.

Giving to the Church - 1 Corinthians 15-16

 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (ESV)

The Collection for the Saints

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

The early church had similar challenges to the church today:  The need for financial support.   The Apostles did not hesitate to lead the church in taking care of the members of the Body of Christ.   For most Christians working in the Greek/Roman culture that meant being hired by a “trade guild.”   These guilds often had religious overtones. So, when you confessed Christ you were quickly ostracized from the guild, hence your source of income, leading to impoverish conditions.   This meant the faith you gave your allegiance to was in contrast to the faith of the guild.   So, the Church had a responsibility to care for those in their Body.   This is why Paul is writing the above passage.   Latter he will write to this same congregations again in his second letter to them:

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 (ESV)

Encouragement to Give Generously

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

It seems that this first letter stirred them up to give, but they were lagging behind a bit by the time Paul wrote the second letter:

2 Corinthians 8:10-11 (ESV)

And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

The early church was quick to recognize this need in the body:

Acts 2:44-45 (ESV)

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Caring for the Body of Christ is both a response out of love for the brother and sister in Christ but also out of compulsion of obedience to Christ.   It is noted that in all the passages teaching this truth that believers are asked to give “... as he may prosper ...”.     There is not a demand here.  There is not a fixed amount or a percentage.  This type of giving for the members of the Church is based upon what God has given you.   The heart of a person is tested deeper when the gift is to be from the heart vs a percentage of the head.   Perhaps our Lord gave us the best example of what it means to really give when He observed a power woman give amongst the rich:

Mark 12:44 (ESV)

For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

HE IS LORD! Mark 11-12

 Mark 11:1-6 (ESV)

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.

Imagine a world where when the phrase, “The Lord has need of it,” results in those of the world responding as those in the story above.   The word “Lord” in the above passage, according to Vine is:

kyrios; from κῦρος kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title): — God, Lord, master, Sir.

Imagine a world where Jesus is recognized as Lord and the always responds.   This is what the end of the world looks like.  At the end of the age, this is what will happen.  Note:

Revelation 5:12-14 (ESV)

saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Jesus will be recognized as Lord by all at the end.   But, HE IS LORD, now.  He was Lord in this story and He is Lord today and He will be Lord forever.   The world may not recognize this truth.  They may deny it, fight it, subvert it.   But, they can’t overcome it.   Jesus is Lord and if He has need of something we are to submit.   We expect the world to fight this truth.  But, what about the believer.  In the above story we have no idea who these people are who “let them go” (speaking to the disciples).   They may have been followers.  They may have been those who throw down palm branches one day and yelled, “Crucify him, crucify him,” the next time.   All we know is that in this story they submitted to the request of the Lord.   Would we?  Do we?  This was a “colt” tied up.   What do we have “tied” up that we don’t want to untie and let the Lord have it for His needs?  Money? Talent? Time? Children? Home? HE IS LORD of all!!!

Reject God? He Will Reject You! Jeremiah 17-21

 Jeremiah 21:1-2 (ESV)

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, “Inquire of the LORD for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us.”

To fully understand the above verses you have to remember everything that Jeremiah has been saying to these leaders of Jerusalem.    Here is a brief summary from an earlier passage:

Jeremiah 19:6-8 (ESV)

... therefore, behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth. And I will make this city a horror, a thing to be hissed at. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its wounds.

Jeremiah has repeatedly stated words like this for the past 20 chapters.   God is displeased with their idol worship and their constant sin and their disdain and treatment of their fellow man.   God is sending the Babylonians to punish them.   Yet, after hearing this message from Jeremiah over and over and over, they now ask Jeremiah to ask God to do something.  

In the above passage we read that a prophet named “Pashhur” is also asking Jeremiah to interceded in prayer for them.  Yet, it was him who beat Jeremiah and put him in prison because Jeremiah was prophesying this message of doom.   He, too, comes to Jeremiah, asking for intercessor prayer and their behalf. 

This is very much like the world and those who do not have true faith in God.   They reject God for most of their life and when they hear the Word of the Lord they scoff or ignore.  But, when a serious pain and suffering come along they ask for intercessory prayer on their behalf.  They act as though God owes them something.   Their thought in the above passage was that maybe God will do a work “according to all His wonderful deeds.”   NOW they recognize God’s power and sovereign control over the things of man.   Before they rejected God sovereignty over their lives.  In fact, Jeremiah once took them (chapter 18) to a potter, to observe the potters sovereignty over his own pot.  Jeremiah asked them:

Jeremiah 18:5-6 (ESV)

Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

The unrighteous ignoring God and then asking for help from God is not a new thing.  Note what Solomon wrote decades before:

Proverbs 1:24-31 (ESV)

Because I have called and you refused to listen,

have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when terror strikes you,

when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

would have none of my counsel

and despised all my reproof,

therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

and have their fill of their own devices.

Don’t be surprised when the unrighteous ignores God and then clamors for God.   Don’t be surprised when God laughs at their cries and ignores their need.   That does not make God unloving.  That shows man’s depravity.  

Innocent Suffering - Job 31

 Job 31:2-4 (ESV)

What would be my portion from God above

and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

Is not calamity for the unrighteous,

and disaster for the workers of iniquity?

Does not he see my ways

and number all my steps?

Job 31 is Job’s last, full speech.  He will speak briefly, later, when God questions him.  He is about to end his speaking to his friends (and God) with a series of “if” claims.   We have to remember that his friends believe in retribution theology: That God sees us and disciplines us according to our deeds.   His friends believed that when we do wrong, God will punish us.  They believed when we do right God will reward us. It was that simple for each of Job’s companions.   However, Job, in his arguments, has continuously made the point that if what they were saying is true, why does he see the unrighteous flourish and the innocent (like himself) suffer.   His friends have given no good answer to Job’s practical claims.   Neither Job or his friends can comprehend the suffering of the innocent, however.   Which is what the story of Job is all about.   

In the above verses Job is setting up his final argument with is (retribution theology) “if” I have done “x,” then yes, God, give me “y.”  In these opening verses Job makes the following claims or acknowledges the following:

He confesses that it is God who give man his “portion” and his “heritage.”  By confessing this Job is literally acknowledging that God has the knowledge of man’s life and that God has the power to respond to man’s life.   In essence Job is admitting that what is happening to him is FROM GOD!  Job is not blaming Satan for his ills.  He is fully stating that it is God who knows man and gives man his due.   

Job then, in an odd way, agrees with his tormentors (his three friends) about “retributive theology.”  He simply states that “calamity” and “disaster” are for the unrighteous (implying that God brings that to them).  But, Job’s argument is since God does that, then God should be punishing me “IF” I deserve it.  Job then goes off on over 15 “IF” phrases about what He could have done, implying, however, he HAS NOT DONE!  

Job’s argument in this final speech is to continue to confess his innocence.   He is correct, as we have read that, twice, in the in beginning of the story.    Job openly admits that God “sees”his steps.  He even goes as far to say that God “numbers” his steps.   That is the detail that God has about Job’s life.   His argument is that if God can see each step he takes he must see that he has not done a single one of these “If” statements that follow.   Job acknowledges God sovereignty over his life, His omniscience of his life and his omnipotence in his life.  The only thing Job has failed to acknowledge in all that is that God can (and does) allow the innocent to suffer.   How do we know this?  Because God allowed His Son to suffer.   God allows the believes to suffer under the cruelty of the world (1 Peter).  God allowed Paul to suffer.    God allowed Joseph to suffer.   We may not understand the why, but we can not argue with the what.   Innocent suffering does happen.   In the end, God is glorified through it.  During it, however, man is often confused by it.  

A Godly Leader is to Praised - Psalms 45

Psalms 45:4-5 (ESV)

In your majesty ride out victoriously

for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;

let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

Your arrows are sharp

in the heart of the king's enemies;

the peoples fall under you.

There is no other Psalm like Psalm 45.  All other Psalms are directed toward God in praise or some particular teaching about God and/or God’s attributes.   This song is a wedding song for the king and it is written to praise the king.   It is a song of him being married and such has the celebration of him and her and their nuptials.   The beginning section (where the above verses are appear) address the king as the warrior.   He is going out to battle.  The song anticipates victory.   

The above verses, in particular, not only assume victory they tell us why the king is in a battle.   A true Godly king is one who fights for truth, meekness and righteousness.  He is willing to go to battle for these principles.   He is not seeking power.  He is not seeking more property (land, or expansion).  He is not seeking possessions (bounty and/or material goods).   This king fights for truth, meekness and righteousness.   He is the Ruler.   He wants his kingdom to be established on the right attributes.  

But, this king is not arrogant.  This king is teachable.  The verse says that he allows himself to be taught.   He is not the Sage on the stage.  He is, instead, the king who not only fights for meekness, but demonstrates meekness.   

Lastly, he is a victorious king.  His enemies fall under him.   He goes out and conquers. He is the Warrior.  

This Ruler-Sage-Warrior king is to be honored. That is the reason for the song.   Those leaders who stand for what is right (Ruler) and are willing to learn (Sage) and can conquer their foes (Warrior), are to be praised.  

Turning To God In Times of Crisis - 1 Samuel 26-31

 1 Samuel 30:7-10 (ESV)

And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

The context for the above paragraph is the story of David and his men pursuing those who raided their city and captured their wives and children and took all their belongings.   David’s men began to turn on him because of this.   Up to this point, David has walked a fine line between godliness and worldliness.   He has, at times, sided with the enemies of God and acted in their manner (by raiding and killing the innocent). And, at times he has acted as a man of God (by not killing Saul when he had two chances).   Now he is confronted with someone who raided his home.   God will use this time to bring David back into relationship with Him.   David turns to God. This is the first occurrence of this manner of life since he ran from Saul over a year or more earlier.   Note what one commentary says about this coming to God for wisdom and counsel:

“The situation was bad but possibly not irreversible. Using the ephod was probably more for the men’s sake than for David’s. It turned their attention away from their loss, away from their perceptions of David’s guilt, and toward God. The message given through the ephod convinced them in a way that David’s own words were unlikely to have done that God was still with them and that there was hope that their families would be restored to them. It gave them the renewed confidence that was vital if any success.” (Understanding the Bible Commentary)

When David’s men began to rebel against him (because David’s leadership had put their families in a bad situation), David finally turns back to God.  To make sure his men know that things will be okay, David does a visual act of worship before them.   They now know that David is pursuing God’s will, not his.  They are able to see that David’s is bending to God’s will, not theirs.    Leadership needs to be visual with where their motivations and decisions come from.   In the past chapter King Saul turned to mediums to find wisdom for battle.  In this chapter David turns to God for wisdom for battle.   That is the difference between good leaders and bad leaders.  

God Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart - Exodus 9-12

 Exodus 7:3 (ESV)

But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,

Exodus 7:13 (ESV)

Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 7:14 (ESV)

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.

Exodus 7:22 (ESV)

But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:15 (ESV)

But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:19 (ESV)

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:32 (ESV)

But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

Exodus 9:7 (ESV)

And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

Exodus 9:12 (ESV)

But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

Exodus 9:34-35 (ESV)

But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

Exodus 10:1 (ESV)

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,

Exodus 10:20 (ESV)

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.

Exodus 10:27 (ESV)

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.

Exodus 11:10 (ESV)

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Do you see a pattern here?  Note what Paul does with this material:

Romans 9:17 (ESV)

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

God raised him up for one purpose:  To put Him down to glorify Himself.   God sometimes creates calamity and hardens hearts so that He can be glorified in His plans.  

Women in Church Leadership and/or Teaching - 1 Corinthians 12-14

 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (ESV)

the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

If you want to have a real debate in churches today, bring this paragraph out to the public debate.   The role of women in the church today is not just a hot topic, it is a divisive topic.   This entire concept of “submission” of women is a difficult and also divisive theme.  Peter also wrote about this concept, but not in the context of the public worship of the church, but of the home.  Note:

1 Peter 3:1-6 (ESV)

Wives and Husbands

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. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

So, we have two different authors, writing about ten years apart (1 Corinthians was before 1 Peter), about two different contexts (the church and the home), instructing believers about the same thing: Submission of women.   There are many who interpret these passages as “historical” or “contextual FOR THAT TIME.”   However, there is a third passage that also speaks to this thought.  Note:

1 Timothy 2:8-15 (ESV)

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Paul wrote this letter to pastor Timothy about this same time frame.   It is important to note that Paul’s argument for women to be submissive in the church and to not teach or exercise authority over a man, was not based upon a “FOR THAT TIME” argument.  It was based upon the story of creation and the story of the fall.  Paul does not base his argument on the context of the Jewish faith in the 1st century or even the argument of the Jewish faith in the Old Testament.   Paul basis his argument on the fact that God choose to create Adam first and Eve second.   It was based upon the argument that it was Eve who was deceived, not Adam.  

You can not like the idea of submission.  You can certainly debate the issue.  But, at one point you have to simply decided if the Scriptures are true and if they dictate how we live our lives?    

One more passage is meaningful here, as well.  It is a verse that follows the 1 Peter passage:

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Men and women in the church are “joint” heirs of God’s grace.   But, in regard to position of authority God designed it differently that we see the world operate.   It would not be wise to force the world to operate as the church is instructed.   But, it is disobedient to operate the church the way the world is instructed.   

In Death He Served Us by Saving Us - Mark 9-10

 Mark 10:45 (ESV)

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The above passage comes at the end of a tense moment regarding the disciples and Jesus’ teachings to them.   He has just told them many things about the end times (chapter 9) and has laid out the truth that they were on their way to Jerusalem where Jesus will die.  In the above verse we see an amazing truth that Jesus taught them, yes, but also lived before them:

Jesus was determined to die!!   It is the only way to live. 

This is the key verse in Mark. It is a transition truth:

Mark 1-9 Jesus is portrayed as the servant

Mark 10-16 Jesus is portrayed as a savior

Jesus will now start His journey toward Jerusalem and the events of the Passover and the Crucifixion will take place.   The disciples were just fighting among themselves for position in the new Kingdom.   Of course, when Jesus talked of His death and the Kingdom they thought it would be the overthrowing of the Roman occupation and the downfall of the religious leaders.   They had no idea, at this point, what He meant.  They just wanted powerful positions in the new government.   As we would have been, they were clueless.    But, Jesus came to be a servant by dying.   That was the two-fold ministry He merged into one.  On the cross He served us by giving us life through saving us in His death.   He served by being a savior.  In His being a savior He served us.  

God’s Faithfulness Despite Man’s Rebellion - Jeremiah 12-16

 Jeremiah 16:5-14 (ESV)

5 “For thus says the LORD: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the LORD. 6 Both great and small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried, and no one shall lament for them or cut himself or make himself bald for them. 7 No one shall break bread for the mourner, to comfort him for the dead, nor shall anyone give him the cup of consolation to drink for his father or his mother. 8 You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink. 9 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will silence in this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.

Jeremiah is instructed to no longer lament over the nation.  He is told to not feel sorry for them.  He is told not to go and feast with them.  He is told not to hold any type of celebration and, in fact, God will silence any type of gladness or joy.  Why? 

If you want a reason for this and a summary of Jeremiah’s message to the nation of God’s people, this is it.   The following verses tell us why God is bringing them into judgement:

10 “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’ 11 then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the LORD, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, 12 and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me. 13 Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.’

The LORD Will Restore Israel

God is going to punish them for their rejection of Him as their God.   God will no longer have mercy on the because they rejected Him.   Because they have forsaken Him, He will forsake them.    

Yet, here is the marvelous story of the Cross and the marvelous demonstration of God’s on-ending love and faithfulness.  Note the next two verses:

14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.

Those who repent will be saved!  That is the story of Jeremiah and the Gospel.  God will restore those who repent of their sins and turn to Him in love.  That is forever the story of the Bible.   

Honor God IN Suffering - Job 29-30

 Job 30:11-14 (ESV)

Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me,

they have cast off restraint in my presence.

On my right hand the rabble rise;

they push away my feet;

they cast up against me their ways of destruction.

They break up my path;

they promote my calamity;

they need no one to help them.

As through a wide breach they come;

amid the crash they roll on.

The above section is Job’s account of what has been happening since this long trial has begun.   This is now how the common man that knows Job, treats him. It is not just his three friends who are digging into him.  It is those who knew him before.  They now disdain him.  Note how in contrast this is to how he was treated before his trials began:

Job 29:7-11 (ESV)

When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I prepared my seat in the square,

the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose and stood;

the princes refrained from talking

and laid their hand on their mouth;

the voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

When the ear heard, it called me blessed,

and when the eye saw, it approved,

What changed?  Once admired, but now admonished!  Once revealed, but not rebuked!  Once esteemed, but despised!  What changed?  Job could say, “It was Satan who did this to me!” He would be correct according to the accounts in chapters 1-2.  He could said it was the evilness of mankind. He would be correct if we read chapter 1 again.    But, instead he says:

Job 30:11 (ESV)

Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me,

they have cast off restraint in my presence.

Job, in the midst of the worse trials known to mankind, gives all the credit of this to God putting him in a humble position.  Remember, it was God who claimed that Job was righteous.   Let’s read it again just to remind ourselves:

Job 1:8 (ESV)

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

Job 2:3 (ESV)

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”

There was a reason mankind honored and respected Job.  So, too, God.   Even in his trials he makes sure everyone knows he believes in the sovereignty of God.   He states that God “loosened his cords.”  That phrase is probably better interpreted as God has unstrung my bow.   In Job 29:20 Job refers to his strength as a strung bow.  So, Job is honoring God by saying it is God who has taken his strength that has allowed others to ridicule and becomes his tormentors.  Even in the worse of his life Job honors God.   

He Delivers Through Trials - Psalms 42-44

 Psalms 42:9-10 (ESV)

I say to God, my rock:

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?”

As with a deadly wound in my bones,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me all the day long,

“Where is your God?”

Psalms 43:2 (ESV)

For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you rejected me?

Why do I go about mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalms 42 and 43 are probably one psalm.  As we can see that they share a common theme.   There are other reasons they are probably combined as one, but the theme of oppression by an enemy and the feelings of being without God permeate across both songs.  This is a prayer song and the author(s) are lamenting that there soul is cast down (Psalm 42) and then pray for deliverance (Psalm 43).  

The rejoicing truth in the both of them is that in the midst of this being “cast down” (the term is used four times in the two psalms) one can turn to God for deliverance.   That is the blessed hope of the believer in times of trouble.   Those who turn to God are not delivered from trouble.  They will still have struggles in their lives (see Joseph, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, etc.).    The believer is delivered in the midst of trouble (see Joseph, Moses, David, Peter, Paula, etc.).   We can rejoice that even in our most difficult times we can raise our voices and God hears us and will come to our aide.   We might feel like we are “forgotten,” but God is ever present with us.  Our enemies have no such context for this.  This is why taunt, “Where is your God?”   However, note Peter’s words to those believers who were scatter throughout the word soon after the Church was born:

1 Peter 1:6-9 (ESV)

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

We may not see Him, but we know Him.  We may not see His working but we are delivered by His work!   

God Uses the Weak to do the Great! 1 Samuel 21-25

 1 Samuel 22:1-2 (ESV)

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.

The above passage is the beginning of David’s running from Saul.   It is also, however, the beginning of him forming his team.  Notice who comes to him:

1. Family.

2. Those in distress.

3. Those in debt. 

4. Those who are bitter of soul.

It would be hard to find any team that posted want ads for workers and team members with these qualifications for joining the team.   David was a great leader but apparently this is who God wanted him to have for his team.   Later, in 2 Samuel 23, however we will read about all their exploits and they will be referred to as David’s Mighty Men.   This is a great lesson for us in life in regard to the things God has lined up for us in life.   Earlier we read this about David (when he was under Saul’s favor):

1 Samuel 18:14 (ESV)

And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.

This tells us why David is successful, even with this band of marauders.   Over the next chapters we will read of the David’s exploits as he runs from Saul and eventually becomes king.   Why?  Because God was with him.  It is not the size of type of our undertaking it is who we take with us in the undertaking.   In this case, for David, it was God.   The others, as described above, will become might warriors in God’s hands.  This is what God does.  Note:

1 Corinthians 1:27 (ESV)

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

In God’s hands even those who appear on the outside to the world’s standards and qualification can become a mighty army in His hands.   

False Teachers Can Duplicate But Can’t Negate God’s Power - Exodus 5-8

 When God delivered the nation of Israel out of bondage from Egypt, He sent plagues on the nation of Egypt.   When God performed the miracles in the land of Egypt, the Egyptians “magicians” also tried to duplicate the miracles.  But, as you can see, duplicating the miracle didn’t help them.  They needed to reverse the plague that God sent, not duplicate it.   Note:

Exodus 7:11-13 (ESV)

Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 7:21-22 (ESV)

And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:6-7 (ESV)

So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

Exodus 8:18-19 (ESV)

The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Exodus 9:11 (ESV)

And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.

We can take three things away from all this:

1. False teachers can perform miracles.   This is why Paul warned us about Satan’s trickery:  

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV)

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2. False teachers can’t perform miracles that can or will stop the purposes of God.   

3.  At some point, even the prophets of the world will have to confess, “This is the finger of God.”    

Lord’s Table - Not a Party - 1 Corinthians 11

 1 Corinthians 11:23 (ESV)

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

Paul is writing to the church at Corinth, who at best, were great examples of how not to do something in faith.   We have to love the genuineness of the Bible.   Rather than just give us stories and reports of successes, the Word of God bares it all.  The Holy Spirit crafted the message for the Church with the stories of success AND failure.  The believers in this church had some great victories, but they are also the leading candidates for the hall of shame.   Imagine a marketing strategy for a business in our society today taking this same approach.  Telling us all the good about their product but also all the bad.   God’s Word is so, so unique.   

In the above verse we come to a place where Paul is now correcting how the church at Corinth was abusing the Lord’s Table (Communion; The Eucharist).   They had turned the celebration of the Last Supper with Jesus into a disjointed, separated dinner time to please their own factions and feelings.   He had just stated:

1 Corinthians 11:18-22 (ESV)

For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

Now he wants to set them straight on how to observe the Lord Table.   There are three points in this verse that might be well to observe and learn something about in regard to both Paul’s purpose and his ministry in particular.

1. Paul was anxious to get it right.   Paul had no thoughts that “you do it your way and I will do it my way.”   He was anxious to assure that the church had explicit commands carried out (direct statements about believer’s life and conduct) or implicit teachers (implied principles to live our lives by).   We live in an era of Christianity where we can “do it” anyway we want as long as it feels good and looks like love.   Paul was not afraid to lay down standards.   

2. Paul’s number one standard and/or priority was to make sure what Jesus had taught him, he would teach.  Paul was not an originals Apostle.  But, on the Damascus road and subsequent encounter with the risen Lord, he had been given revelation for the Church.  He was not about to allow the church to live contrary to that teaching he received.  

3. He wanted to take them back to a time that would not just authoritative to them (coming from Jesus) but to a time that would be the most meaningful to them.  The historical fact of the Last Supper is a reality.  We have four major books that record it, from four different authors.  That is more eye witness testimony that a lot of the history we just take for granted.  Men and women go to jail on less eye witness accounts.  

But, this is not about the historical fact of the Last Supper that Paul is writing about.  This is about the “personal” aspect of the Lord Table.   This is, yes, an historical story.  But, the Lord’s Table is a personal moment for the believer, as well.   No, we are not actually eating part of Jesus’ body or actually drinking his blood.   We are, however, memorializing it as a personal reminder that God sent His Son to die on the cross for us.   Paul didn’t want the Table to be a common pot-luck dinner for the Church.   He wanted them to realize that this was THE time to come together as a Body of Believers and celebrate what Jesus had done for them.   The church at Corinth had trivialize this moment, this memorial.    Paul was not about to let them turn it into their own private party.   Like most things these believers missed the mark.  Paul wanted them to know he knew it and would not allow it.  

False Teaching - Traditions - Mark 7-8

 Mark 7:1-8 (ESV)

Traditions and Commandments

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

One of the most fascinating aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry was this continuous interaction with the religious leaders of the day.   Jesus had four particular platforms while He was on the earth.   

1. The disciples

2. The crowds of people (all nationalities) 

3. The political leaders

4. The religious leaders 

In each of these groups Jesus message was the same but His methods often varied. Truth was always the message.   For the crowds and the religious leaders He often spoke in parables. To the disciples He unfolded the parables and taught deeper truth.   To the political figures He often didn’t respond or challenge them. He even submitted to their authority (1 Peter 3-4).   But, to the religious leaders He often confronted them.   He even was so bold, as in the above text, to call them hypocritical for the way they conducted themselves and the way they hindered others from seeing truth.   In the above passage He confronts them about their valuing their own traditions over the truth of the Word of God.   When we get to the point that we hold on to our traditional way of doing things instead of listening to God’s Word we not only hurt ourselves we lead others astray.  That was Jesus’ main thought in the above text.   Jesus condemns tradition over obedience.   In our churches today we often hold so tightly to our traditions that we can’t see God’s moving in ways we might never have seen.   As God unfolds His plan for the end of the ages we will see more and more of His Word fulfilled that will run contrary to our traditions.   Yet we, like the religious leaders of the day, might be blinded to the truth because of the traditions of man.  

Form Worship Is Not Accepted By God - Jeremiah 7-11

 Jeremiah 7:1-7 (ESV)

Evil in the Land

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’

5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

Jeremiah was sent by God to the nation of Israel to carry the above message.  He went first and foremost to main entrance of the Temple to declare this message.   The leaders of the day pointed to the Temple as their saving grace.  They mistakenly thought that their “national” relationship with God would suffice them.  But, it was their “personal” relationship with God that would condemn them and bring this message.   They had the outside stuff in order.  But, the inside was corrupt.  That is what God is condemning through Jeremiah’s words.  Note what he will say later in this section when comparing Israel with other nations:

Jeremiah 9:25-26 (ESV)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

God does not want out outward trappings until first our inward heart is as His.   Notice God’s rubric for a spiritual person aligned with Him.  If our faith is sure and true:

1. It will be demonstrated by the way we live not just the way we worship (v. 3). 

2. It will be magnified not by the words preached but by the life we live (v. 4-7)

3. It will demonstrate justice (v. 5). 

4. It will demonstrate mercy and kindness (v. 6). 

5. It will be blessed with the application of God’s promises (v. 7). 

Moses already told them this earlier and Micah the prophet will tell them this again after Jeremiah is dead:

Deuteronomy 10:12 (ESV)

Circumcise Your Heart

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Micah 6:8 (ESV)

He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the LORD require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

God will hold His people accountable.  They will not be able to live a life of form worship.   It will have to be the worship of the heart.  

John 4:19-24 (ESV)

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Wisdom Can’t Be Dug Up - Job 27-28

 Job 28:9-11 (ESV)

“Man puts his hand to the flinty rock

and overturns mountains by the roots.

He cuts out channels in the rocks,

and his eye sees every precious thing.

He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,

and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

The title of chapter 28 in the ESV, placed by those who organized this version of the Bible, is, “Where is Wisdom.”   The entire chapter is about how man, animals and all creation is looking for wisdom.  The conclusion at the end of the chapter is this:

Job 28:28 (ESV)

And he said to man,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

In the context of the entire theme of Job, he is responding to his three accusers about their belief that his suffering is a result of his sin.  He continues to maintain his innocence:

Job 27:5-6 (ESV)

Far be it from me to say that you are right;

till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

In the above text he is exposing from the beginning of the chapter until now, the resourcefulness of man’s endeavors. He writes eloquently about mankind’s exploits in mining.  Man, even in Job’s day, had a great interest and ingenuity to dig under the earth for the hidden gems, still to this day, valuable to mankind.  Job is not bashful in telling us how great man’s skills are to go beneath the surface and find the most rarest of treasures.   He is truly complimenting mankind.  Why?  Because he is about to ask this question:

Job 28:12 (ESV)

“But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

Mankind is so eager to find treasure.  If you said you buried $10,000.00 on a particular beach you would have thousands show up to start digging.  Imagine if you did that during a Spring Break on a popular southern state beach!    People would dig with their hands to find this small amount of money, as compared to the true riches of the world systems.   Yet, if you put one person on the beach to teach mankind about wisdom they would ignore at best and ridicule and persecute at the worse.    Mankind is diligent, resourceful and skilled at digging for treasure they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands and trade for their wealth.  But, give them one piece of wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord and they opening reject this treasure.    Yet, what did Solomon tell us about wisdom:

Proverbs 8:10-11 (ESV)

Take my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than choice gold,

for wisdom is better than jewels,

and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

We go to work each day to make a living to care for our family.   We bring home a pay check to use for trade for the things we want.  We spend little time digging for and diving into the wisdom that God so freely provides that is worth more than all the careers, retirement funds, and property we could ever amass.   And it is completely fear to those who fear the Lord and ask Him for wisdom:

James 1:5 (ESV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Empty Self to Worship Him! Psalms 39-41

 Psalms 40:11-12 (ESV)

As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain

your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

ever preserve me!

For evils have encompassed me

beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

Psalm 40 is a praise song to God for His greatness, goodness and faithfulness.   David is the author, but we have no real correlation as to when it was written in his journey of life.  It is less autobiographical in regard to his specific travels but certainly speaks to his spiritual travels.   He is praising God throughout the song, especially the first ten verses.    In the above passage, verse eleven continues the praise of God by proclaiming God’s great mercy and steadfast and how God’s faithfulness is the only thing sustaining David.  David could have just left the song at that and ended the thought.  But, he does not.  He wants God to know why he so praises God’s mercy, love and faithfulness.   Verse twelve states the reason: 

“For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.” 

No one will really value and praise God for his mercy until he/she finally admits their need for that mercy by confessing their incredible corruption of sin.   Yes, this psalm is a praise song, but at the heart and soul of it is a confession by David.   He praises God for His greatness because he admits is own weakness.   We don’t praise God in our entirety until we are emptied of our self in humility.    That is the heart of revival.    The true praise for God cannot happen until we stop singing our own praise.   David teaches us through this song that when we come to God to worship all of Him we have to first make sure we have emptied ourselves of all of us.   

Wisdom Over Aggression - 1 Samuel 16-20

 1 Samuel 16:1-5 (ESV)

The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

In the past, it was Samuel who Saul feared.  In old age, it was Saul who Samuel feared.   In the past it was Saul who was timid.   In old age it is Samuel who is timid.   This metamorphosis comes about because God’s presence in Saul’s life changed, or was changing.  It won’t be until the end of this section that we read:

1 Samuel 16:13 (ESV)

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Perhaps it was these words that Samuel said to Saul that even Samuel knew meant certain peril:

1 Samuel 15:26 (ESV)

And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

Samuel knew that the Spirit of God was living and would live Saul’s life.  This caused him to fear.    Samuel could see what was coming if God was anointing someone else to take the throne.   Samuel was sensitive enough in his old age to see that Saul was losing it.   But, Samuel was also changing and we have nothing other than his old age to account for it.  Apparently his timidity was triumphing of His faith that God would protect him.  In old age we should be becoming more and more bold in our faith.  But, in Samuel’s case something had changed.  He began to cast his eyes on Saul’s extreme behavior rather than the sovereign protection of God.  God does provide him with wisdom to navigate Saul’s crazy world, however.   Samuel may have lost his boldness, but he still could be assured of God’s wisdom.   Perhaps when we are older we are not as bold in our aggression but we are much more reliant on God’s wisdom.   

What Stops Us From Serving God? - Exodus 1-4

 Exodus 4:1 (ESV)

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”

There are often two things that prevent us from obeying God and growing in His grace.  One is a “cognitive anchor” and one is an “assumed constraint.”   We read of both in this story of God calling Moses to go to the people of Israel to deliver them from Egyptian tyranny.   In the last chapter and the above passage Moses stated that the people of Israel will not believe he has a message from God and that he, indeed, did talk to God.   Moses’ cognitive anchor was that these people, who do not now believe God will deliver them, will not believe if he comes to them.   God, in turn, tells Moses of His greatness.   He tells Moses how powerful He is.  He tells Moses how His mighty hand will bring them out of the captivity.   God had to replace Moses’ cognitive anchor with a new on.  No long should Moses fear the anchor in the hearts of the people of fear, but to believe in the new anchor that God stated about Himself.     

However, Moses still has an issue.  Having replaced the false anchor of his mind, God will soon be presented with Moses’ assumed constraint.  Moses begins to use two “assumed constraints” to prevent him from doing what God said ... utilizing a positive cognitive anchor from the last chapter. 

The first one is stated above when Moses says that the people will not believe him.  The second one is below:

Exodus 4:10 (ESV)

But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.

Not only will they not believe Moses actually saw and talked to God, but Moses was not eloquent of speech.  Both are a constraint that Moses believes can’t allow him to speak the truth God wants him to speak.   At first he didn’t believe God was powerful enough (a cognitive anchor).  Now he thinks he is not not good enough and these people are too dull to hear God’s message of deliverance. This is his assumed constraint.   This is what God must overcome to get Moses into the position to obey Him.  He often, if not always, has to do the same thing for us.  We have false anchors in our logic and weak constraints in our hearts that prevent us from serving God and being impactful for the mission He sends us to do.  

God’s solution to his cognitive anchor was to show Moses how powerful He was.   God’s solution to Moses’ assumed constraints was to provide Aaron, his brother, to speak for him.   God can overcome both our anchors and our constraints to equip us to serve Him.  Our anchors are replaced by the anchor of how powerful He is.  Our constraints are replace by how resourceful He is.   God supplies what we lack and overcomes what we believe. This allows us to do great things for Him.  

Testing vs Temptation - 1 Corinthians 9-10

 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

The word used for “temptation” in the above passage is “peirasmos” in the Greek.  It is a neutral term.   Whether it is good or evil depends NOT on the temptation, but on the response to the temptation.   Jesus was fully tempted but without sin because He didn’t yield to the temptation (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15).   The temptation was real by Jesus didn’t succumb to it.  God does not temp anyone (Jame 1:14-15).   When God test us, it is our response that culminates the test into an evil temptation.   

The word “common” to man simply means that the there is no temptation that is a supernatural temptation.  Temptations are common just as man is common.   Paul has been referring to the nation of Israel’s failures and how God tested them in the wilderness.  He wants the Corinthians to endure testing and not yield to the temptation.  We tend to think that temptation comes from the outside.  Paul is telling the church that temptation comes from the inside.  We are drawn to sin by our own desires (James 1:15).   Satan can’t make us sin.  Others can’t make us sin.   We are tempted by our own desires.  

The key in this passage is this statement:

“... but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

God, with each testing that comes, will provide a way of escape.  It is not many ways, it is THE way.  The way is through the power of Christ, via the Spirit of God.   Just prior to this statement it says, “... God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.”  So, although it is not God who turns the “peirasmos” into sin, it is God who can make sure it DOES NOT turn into sin.   Our own desires make a testing turn to sin, but it is God’s power that provides the way of escape.  When we yield to His power during the testing we find a way of escape.  When we fail to turn to God we succumb to the testing and it turns to sin.   Paul is telling the Corinthians (and us) that God provides us with the power over temptation but it only impacts us and prevents sin if we yield to Him.  He is our way of escape.  

God Squeezes the Flesh to Refine us to Faith - Mark 5-6

 Mark 6:45-52 (ESV)

Immediately HE made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while HE dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, HE went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and HE was alone on the land. And HE saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night HE came to them, walking on the sea. HE meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately HE spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And HE got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Jesus was in command of this entire scene.  The disciples had yet to grasps both the sovereignty of Jesus, or His power.   Note in the above what we read:

1. He made them get into the boat.

2. He dismissed the crowed from him. 

3. He went up to the mountain to pray.

4. He saw (from the mountain top) the storm.

5. He came to them walking on the water. 

6. He meant to pass by them is better interpreted that He came along side them. 

7. He spoke to them to not fear.

Jesus knew exactly what was going on.  This was no mistake to put them in a boat knowing that a storm was coming.  In fact, these were fishermen, they would have known a storm was coming and would have never jumped into a boat with one on the horizon.   This storm was also a sovereign act of Jesus.   The end of this passage gives us a clue about the point of the passage.  It states:

“And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”

Jesus, despite all the miracles prior to this event, knew that these men were still dull spiritually.    He knew there was much more learning to take place to soften their hearts for even harder truths to follow.   So, Jesus puts them in a place to show them His glory.   Jesus designed the perfect situation to test sailors with the storm of the sea.  Jesus had to show them the inadequacy of their striving so that they could be astounded at His glory.  Jesus puts us in tight places to show us that He has the power to deliver us.   Jesus was growing their faith by squeezing their flesh.   That is sometimes the only thing that replace the flesh with faith.