Does God care "how" we handle problems? Isaiah 29-33

Isaiah 30:1

 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord,

“Who execute a plan, but not Mine,

And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,

In order to add sin to sin;

Does God care "how" we handle problems in our life?   "Well, of course, He does," you say.   Yet, unless the situation is very bad we seldom begin with turning to God for help and solutions.   When we are out of money we think of banks and loans.   When we are in poor health we think of doctors and hospitals.   When we are hurting we think of friends and companions.     In Isaiah 30 we have the prophets message from God to Israel that they once again refused to turn to Him and, instead, turned to man, or man's ways, for strength, deliverance and support.    Israel's leadership, while under attack, was looking to Egypt for help.   They wanted to turn to their fellow man when other men was out to get them.   We do the same thing.   We first consult those around us and not always the One above us.   In 30:1 (above) we read that God says when we do things like this (seek help from others rather than God) we "add sin to sin."   The statement means that since they are "in sin" in their rebellion to God, they are now "adding sin" to this "sin" by not repenting, but rather seeking refuge in Egypt.   As a leadership trainer I have often told those I am coaching, "Don't let how you handled a problem to become the problem" (which happens all of the time in all types of organizations across the country).   That thought or principle comes from this verse in Isaiah.   Don't add sin to your sin.   Egypt was not going to save them for three reasons:  1). God had sent the trouble to them so only God can stop it.   2).  Egypt itself was about to be destroyed.  3). God is the one who rescues His people ... He is a jealous God.    When you are facing a challenge make a habit of calling on God first.  You may need to borrow money from a bank ... but, talk to God first and follow His leading.  He might answer your prayer from a loan.   But, He might find another way, also.   If you have health issues, you might need a doctor or hospital.   But, don't leave God off the list of who you call.   In a heart attack you can call God before you call 911.   If you are hurting God often brings friends to comfort you.    But, turn to God first and ask Him to send the right friends and give you the right ears to listen to them.    To compound sin with more sin.   Seek "first" the Kingdom of God ... 

How do you withstand life's turmoil? Psalm 15-17

Psalm 15:5b

... He who does these things will never be shaken.

Do you have the stability to withstand anything that comes at you in life?   Can you handle a death of a loved one?  Can you handle a bad health report?   Can you withstand the storms of financial ruin?  Can you still stand tall when sin knocks, continually, at your door?  At the end of Psalm 15 the writer tells us that we can be assured we "will never be shaken."   Those words are proceeded by a conditional phrase: "He who does these things ...".    In the proceeding verses he delineates what "these things" are.    A quick look at them and we see they are simply restatements of what "walking" like Christ would be.  They are the "fruits of the Spirit" in different words.    They are the entire Christian life word-for-word.    What the writer is telling us is that righteousness that comes from Christ worked out in our life by a walk with the Spirit will result in the ability to handle life's "shaking."   When we have the indwelling Spirit working out the righteousness given to us by faith in Christ we can be assured of stability and strength in times of trouble.   We can't handle life's difficulties on our own.  We can't handle life's pain without Christ's presence practiced in day-to-day outcomes.   Job was able to handle the largest amount of stress know to man.  His children were killed, his property destroyed or stolen, his health afflicted, and the loss of the support of his help-mate, his wife.   Yet, the righteousness that comes by faith sustained him.  It did not prevent these things from happening and may have even open the door for them.  But, he was not shaken by them and was restored in the end.    He who does these things (Christian life through faith in Christ) will not be shaken.  

Why do we need God's presence to serve? Judges 1-5

Judges 4:8

Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

To understand this verse you have to understand the context and the theme of Judges.    The nation refused to follow God's Word to both claim the land and to drive out those living in the land.  They were not to engage in relationships with them or have any contact with them.   But, they failed in that outcome and as a result mingled with the inhabitants of the land, following them in sin, especially idol worship.   As a result God would empower the evil nations and would allow them to persecute Israel.   Israel would call out to God in this pain and God would send them a deliverer, a "judge", to rescue them and lead them. (Of course, they would soon fall into the same sin and the cycle would repeat.)    During one of many of these cycles God had raised up a women, Deborah, to be the prophetess of record.   The fact that there was a women prophet speaks to the sinfulness of the men at the time (so say most commentators).   Deborah calls Barak to "lead" the people out of sin by taking on the current tormentor (who is empowered by God to inflict pain on the rebellious nation).   Barak is willing to go but not alone.   He is no fool.   Some may say he lacked courage or stamina or something, since he asked a women to accompany him.   However, perhaps more appropriately, Barak may have seen Deborah as God's representative.   She was the presence of God in their midst.   Since he had an impossible task, Barak knew the only way to be successful was to assure that Deborah (God's presence) was with him.   We can move forward into battle all we want.   But, unless we consciously assure that we have God with us, we endanger not only ourselves, but those we lead, as well.   God gives us His Spirit today to be with us.   But, we can move forward and quench the Spirit's activity in our lives.   We can attempt to do activities for God but it ought to be with God's power and God's leading.   Be like Barak:  Don't attempt to move without God's presence!  

What happens when our imaginations rules our faith? Genesis 20-23

Genesis 20:11 (NASV)

Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.

What happens when you use your imagination rather than having faith in God and his plan?   In the above section (and verse) we see that Abraham, after traveling to the land of Gerar, wanted to make sure the king, Abimelech, didn't kill him and take Sarah, Abraham's wife.   God prevents this by warning Abimelech in a dream to keep his hands off Sarah.   Abraham didn't help the situation because rather than trust God he lied to Abimelech and told him that Sarah was his sister, not his wife.   Why did Abraham do all this deception?   In the above verse we see his explanation.   He "assumed" that their was no "fear of God" in the place and therefore acted on his own plans and his own methods.   This is a formula for disaster.  Assumption that God can't work in a place like this is a sure way to find yourself in a worse spot.   God can act and care for us anywhere.   The story of Joseph, Jonah, Daniel, and Paul show us this.  Abraham forgot God's master plan.   The actual reason he lied to Abimelech was his lack of faith and trust in God's plan.   God had told him Sarah and he would give birth to a son.   That means God would not allow an unbelieving king to hurt them.  He needed to remember God's promises.    In chapter 22 that actually happens when God asks him to sacrifice the child (Isaac).   Here Abraham remembers that Isaac will be a leader of a great nation.  That meant, in Abraham's mind, that if he killed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead to fulfill God's plan.   God's plans are not hindered by unbelieving kings.   God's plans are not hindered in an unbelieving "place" where there is "no fear of God."    Our part is to trust God's plans and rest in them.   It is God's part to work out the details and what that may mean.   

What is the greatest desire of your heart? Romans 9-11

Romans 10:1

 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.

What is the greatest desire of your heart?  What should it be?   In Romans 9-11 we have one of the deepest, but also toughest sections of Theology.  In this section we have a complete breakdown of election - the act of God choosing those He wants to save and choosing (and even actually creating) those upon who He wants to demonstrate His wrath.  You have to read the section multiple times and, by the faith He gives you, accept the words stated by the Apostle Paul.   The fact that is section is so deep on election makes it even more amazing what Paul says about our part in sharing the gospel with the lost.  In 9:2 we read that Paul says he would give up his own salvation for his kinsmen in the flesh ... his people.   In light of election that is a ridiculous statement.   Never-the-less it shows Paul's understanding of His role in the salvation of others.   His point is that if God "chooses" those He wants to save He also will choose those He wants to use as instruments to lead them to salvation.   That point leads Paul to the above verse.   His greatest desire and deepest and most earnest prayer is for the salvation of his brothers in the flesh, the Nation of Israel.   Paul understood his role in the salvation process (later in this chapter we read about the need for a "preacher" to tell others about Christ).   Paul's greatest desire is the salvation of those he wants to see come to Christ.   We can pray for many things.   But frankly praying for the closing of a house, a better job, or even the health of someone we know, pales in comparison to what Paul's greatest desire in prayer is all about.   How much time in our weekly prayer journal would we find notes and comments about those we are praying will be saved?   We have many deep desires in our prayers, but do we actually spend time praying and desiring that those around us will find Christ? 

How should we treat "law breakers"? Matthew 11-13

Matthew 12:7 (NASV)

But if you had known what this means, ‘ I desire compassion, and not A sacrifice, ’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

The context for this verse is important in the understanding of the verse.   The self-pious religious leaders of the day had observed Christ's disciples walking through the grain fields and gleaning the grain.  They were hungry and this was a way that people of the day would actually find food.   There was nothing wrong with "what" they were doing.  But, the Pharisees where offended about "when" the disciples were doing this.   They were gleaning for food on Saturday, the Sabbath day.   Since the Law said you can't do any work on the Sabbath Day it was "technically" against the "Law" to do that.   However, Christ reminds them, using an example, that even the reverend King David allowed his men to do an even more incredulous act; eating the bread in the Ark of the Covenant, the Showbread.    Jesus' point is that if God allowed David to do this, the disciples were fine with what they were doing.   But, He goes on to explain more clearly, since the Pharisees seldom understood His stories, analogies and Scripturally examples.  He states the above verse as an explanation as to the reason the disciples are okay.   God is not as worried about our "Sacrifice of Worship based upon the Perfect Observance of the Law" if that "observance of the Law" does not also include "mercy" or "compassion."   In Micah 6:8 we have the same statement.  God prefers mercy and justice more than sacrifice.   God told Saul the same thing through His servant Samuel.   In this verse Jesus is actually quoting Hosea 6:6.   God wants us to have the right heart of worship before we do the acts of worship.   To tell a hungry person they can't eat because they have to follow the law is not merciful or compassionate.   God prefers love, mercy, compassion and obedience more than legalistic worship.   How we treat others is important to God.  It isn't one verses the other, however.   We ought to keep the law as we practice mercy and practice mercy as we keep the law.    God wants us to treat others with kindness and mercy.    

What does God think of the things we build? Isaiah 23-28

Isaiah 23:9

The Lord of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride of all beauty,

To despise all the honored of the earth.

This section of the prophet's message opens with the description of the nation of Tyre.   Tyre was the pride of the nations.  They were majestic and powerful and filled with all earthly beauty.   We might compare New York City, Chicago or Los Angels to it today.  Or Paris, Or London, or Dubai.   When you see these cities you are struck with the power they represent.   They are filled with all of man's glory.   They believe they are the answer to everything wrong with man and a testament to everything that is right with man.   So, why would God open, or include, His prophecy against Israel with this destruction description of Tyre?   If you read the verse above you can see the answer.   Note what one commentary says about this section:

Matthew Henry: "Whence shall all this trouble come? It is a destruction from the Almighty. God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he who exalts himself shall be abased. God will do it, who has all power in his hand; but the Chaldeans shall be the instruments."

I love Henry's line, "God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainly of all earthly glory."    When politicians speak today they are filled with such personal vanity and glory.   They believe what they have built with their hands will remain forever.   The same can be said of business owners, coaches, pastors and writers.   We all think that our hands have built great and wonderful things that deserve praise.   The Tower of Babel is a good example of the same thing in the past.   Man tries to build something to reach high and inflate their egos.   But, God, in His power and providence, can bring it all down.   He can take the greatest city (Tyre) and make it seems as though it was never there.    Rome was destroyed in that way.   In this chapter God will use the Chaldeans to destroy Tyre.  The Chaldeans will become prideful and God will use another nation (Persia) to bring them down.   Let us not think the thing we have built (no matter what it is) that we have built it and we deserve any praise or glory.   This is God's World.  He builds up and He tears down.