God Will Always Correct Bad Leadership - 1 Samuel 1-5

 1 Samuel 3:19-21 (ESV)

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

The contrast in the first five chapters of 1 Samuel is obvious. On the one hand you have the priest, Eli and his two son’s Hophni and Phinehas.  These three were supposed to be the spiritual strength, eyes and guides for Israel.  On the other side you have a barren woman, Hannah, who prayed deeply for a son and was given Samuel.   She was so dedicated to God and trusting of God that she dedicated Samuel, at a very young age, to serve God for the rest of his life.   Samuel didn’t get the choice to do college career day or visit the trades or take an assessment to see what career he would “like” to have for his life.  No, his other simply took him to Eli and said, “Here is my son, I dedicated him to the Lord, to serve in the Tabernacle.”   This was an amazing contrast to Eli, who allowed his sons to steal from the offerings and partook of their pillaging of the people’s worshipping himself.   Eli vs Hannah.  Hophni and Phinehas vs Samuel.    In the end, God killed Eli, Hophni and Phinehas for their disobedience and their neglect of being true guides to Israel.  In the end, Samuel, as we can see by the above passage, grows to become the spiritual leader of the nation.    God has complete control over His people and those who are leaders.  God does not have a hit and miss approach.    Eli failed to lead.   So, God replaced him with a child.   Eli’s two sons failed to lead.  So, God replaced them with a child.   We never have to worry if God will, in the end, set things right.  God might delay to make the corrections, but He will not ignore bad leadership.   

God Causes Us to Forget Past Pain - Genesis 40-43

 Genesis 41:50-52 (ESV)

Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

One of the puzzling things about the story of Joseph is the question as to why he never sent someone to search for his brothers and father?   Once he was given all that power, why didn’t he immediately find out how his family was doing?   Remember, he has spent several years in jail because of the envy of his brothers.  Of course the remarkable thing about Joseph is that he did not hold a grudge or look for vengeance.  But, why didn’t he at least go inquire about them?  He was second in command of all Egypt.   The above passage gives us insight into this question.   Joseph was confined to prison for 13 years (compare Genesis 37:2 with 41:46).   He had plenty of time to think about all this.  But, note what the passage.   God did a miracle In Joseph’s life.  God gave him the capacity to forget his family.   When he was given this new lease on life and put in charge of Egypts food supply, God gave him a wife.  That wife bore him a son.  That first born son was named Manasseh, which meant, “causing to forget.”  This is a marvelous truth that God gives us about getting past something.   God, in His sovereignty, can cause us to to forget a horrible past wrong against us.  But, God also gave him a second son named, Ephraim, which meant, “double fruitful.”    Not only did God remove the hurt, in His sovereignty He replaced the hurt with double the blessing (two boys).   This all happened during the time of the seven years of God’s blessing.   God removed the hurt in Joseph’s life.   That is the blessing that God can do for us.   We can allow Him to do the work of forgetfulness.  Our human spirit cannot forget like God can forget.  But, if we allow God to heal our hearts, God can cause us to replace hurt with double the blessing.   Probably the greatest example of this same truth is found in the end of the story of Job.  Note what God did for Job and I can do for us in regard to our hurt, as well: 

Job 42:12-17 (ESV)

And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

Do Not Fear Man’s Judgement - Fear God’s Judgement - 1 Corinthians 3-4

 1 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV)

Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

When Paul wrote this letter to the Church at Corinth, there was division, immaturity and open disobedience to the Gospel in the church.  This letter was written to correct those things, as well as many other topics.  In Chapter 3, Paul wrote to them about their division based upon allegiances to one servant of God vs another.  Specifically, one group was honoring Paul and another group was honoring the teacher, Apollos.   Paul is trying to set them straight that the one to honor is the Lord Jesus Christ and he and Apollos are not divided, but simply servants of Christ.   It is so easy for a church to honor one teacher over the other.   Paul is trying to correct this common behavior.   

But, Paul is quite aware that there are some in the church who are not only honoring Apollos over him, there are some who are “judging” him.   In chapter 4 he is attempting to correct their judgmental spirit about the work he is doing for Christ.  He has just stated that “it is the Lord who judges me.”   Paul is not fearful of judgment.  He is fearful of man’s false judgement.  To prove his point he writes the above.   He informs them that the judgment is so surface level and invalid.   He wants them to know that he is very much conscious of the fact that God will judge him ... and, not only him, but them!   Paul states that we should not judge someone’s ministry or work in the Lord “before the time, before the Lord comes.”   Paul is aware that when Christ comes He will judge not only what the Corinthians see, but “bring to light things now hidden in darkness.”  When Christ comes He will reveal the “heart” of the things.   Paul has no worries about human judgement.  He is simply in awe of Christ’s future exposing the hearts of men.   We don’t have to worry about man’s judgement.  If we are to worry, it is Christ’s judgement.   Note how the writer of Hebrews wrote about this same subject:

Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

We will all give account to God for the works done on the earth.  God will use His Word as the rubric to reveal our works.   Paul was not the least bit concerned about the judgment of men.  He knew that he would one day be judged by God.   He would not be judged by God for his salvation, as he knew there was no more condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).  But, he did know that the believer’s works will be judged, some consumed by fire and others coming out as pure gold. Note what he already told these “judgmental” church members in chapter 3:

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (ESV)

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Paul did not fear the judgment of men.  He feared the judgement of his risen Savior.  

Justice System - Matthew 26-28

 Matthew 27:11-14 (ESV)

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

It is hard to not defend yourself when you are falsely accused.  Most of us would line up our defense mechanisms and maybe even lash out.   Remember, Jesus is the Son of God.  He can defend Himself and even call down angels to do it for him.   He was, indeed, innocent of sin.  He was NOT innocent of the charges filed against Him, however.  They were charging that He was telling people that He was the Son of God.  That was true.  He did say that.   That of course was not the real issue.  As with most false accusations those who brought Jesus before Pilate (the governing authority at that time) were based upon their knowledge level and their rule of law.  It was not based upon God’s law and God’s mindset or God’s rule of law.   Jesus came to be crucified.  Yes, He could have defended Himself but if He was successful, He would not have been crucified.   That that what the very reason He came.  Therefore, He remained silent.  God used the false justice system of the Jewish leaders and Rome’s representative, Pilate, to crucify the savior of the world.  God used the corruption and evilness of man to crucify His Son in order to save man from that very evilness.   Jesus remained silent to allow God to complete His plan and raise Jesus from the dead.  God allowed His Son to die to defeat the one that has power over death, by His own death:

Hebrews 2:14 (ESV)

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

God’s Promises - Isaiah 51-55

 Isaiah 54:7-10 (ESV)

For a brief moment I deserted you,

but with great compassion I will gather you.

In overflowing anger for a moment

I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”

says the LORD, your Redeemer.

“This is like the days of Noah to me:

as I swore that the waters of Noah

should no more go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,

and will not rebuke you.

For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

When God destroyed the people of the earth in Noah’s day, He put a rainbow in the sky to remind us that He would never do that again.   It, the rainbow, was a sign of His everlasting covenant between God and mankind.   In the above passage we read about another covenant that God is making with mankind.  This is the covenant of His divine Son coming to pay the price for mankind’s sins.  In the above passage God refers to Himself as their “redeemer.”  Here is what Vine states about this Hebrew word:

(Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary) 

“ga‘al (גָּאַל, 1350), “to redeem, deliver, avenge, act as a kinsman.” This word group is used 90 times, chiefly in the Pentateuch, Psalms, Isaiah, and Ruth. The root appears to be almost exclusively Hebrew, the only cognate being an Amorite proper name.

The first occurrence of ga‘al is in Gen. 48:16: “The angel which redeemed me [Jacob] from all evil...” (KJV), means as in the NIV, “delivered me from all harm.” Its basic use had to do with the deliverance of persons or property that had been sold for debt, as in Lev. 25:25: “If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.” If he prospers, the man himself may “redeem” it (Lev. 25:26).”

God has made a covenant, through the giving of His Son, to redeem mankind.   That is God’s absolute promise.  We can rejoice in the fact that God makes and keeps His covenants.   Why? Because God had compassion on us.  If it were not for His generous compassion we would all be lost.   But, God’s compassion moves Him to redeem us!!!

Guidelines for Counseling - Job 20-21

 Job 20:3-4 (ESV)

I hear censure that insults me,

and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.

Do you not know this from of old,

since man was placed on earth,

An important rule or principle in counseling is that you have to remain clam and measured in your responses to the person(s) that you are counseling.  You can’t lose your cool, whether you agree or disagree with the one being counseled. They might do or say something odd that you might disagree with. The might (and often do) say something that even offends you, or attacks you.  But, you can NEVER take the bait.   You have to remember that they are coming to you for wisdom and advice.  They are coming to you because they are hurting and/or in pain.  You cannot be insulted by them.   Yet, this is exactly what happen to Zophar, as reported in the above verse.   Zophar has taken Job’s responses to him and his friends counsel and see that Job is correcting THEM!  He feels “censured” as the above states.  That word means “rebuked” or “corrected.”   Zophar’s thoughts are, “How dare Job speak to this wise group of men this way!”   

How does Zophar balance this?  He tells job that “tradition” has lead him to observe and believe that those in pain and suffering are wicked and deserve what they get.   We know that this is true based upon God’s final judgment.  But, in life, the wicked often flourish.  Never-the-less this is Zophar’s foundational truth: Traditional observations are truth.   He and his friends have no room in their lie-world-view for the suffering of the innocent.   This might be the major take away of the book of Job.   God allows the innocent to suffer.   But, Zophar has no room for this. Instead of listening to Job and trying to search for truth with Job, Zophar takes Job’s pushing back as a personal affront.  This causes him to lose his tack and starts attacking Job with more and more spears and javelins of words.  When we counsel others there are two lessons to learn here:

1. Never make the counseling personal.  If if you are attacked (and Zophar was not) don’t take it personal. 

2. Traditional observations might provide some light on the challenges of people and the reason for the pain people have.  But, tradition has to give way to how God is working in the lives of those we counsel.   Starting with the phrase, “Well, in the past this is what we know ...,” is not a good start.  Each person is different.  Job’s case was indeed different.   

Fear - What Do We Do With It? Psalms 27-29

 Psalms 27:3 (ESV)

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident. 

Have you ever felt overwhelmed? Have you ever felt overpowered?   That is how David feels in the above verses.   We do not know the situation that David is faced with in the above passage.  But, in Psalm 27 David gives a real look into his emotional state.  In the above verse we read his confidence in the faithfulness of God.  He is sure, that no matter the situation, God is on his side.  It is important to recognize where David gets his confidence.   He does not get it from his production in life.  He does not get it from validation from others.  He does not get it because he has risen to the occasion and conquered.  He doesn’t express that his confidence comes from his preparation.  No, David’s confidence comes from his faith in God.    He sounds so secure in the above passage.  But, notice what he will say in just a few lines later of this poem: 

Psalms 27:9 (ESV)

Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

Apparently, David’s psychology has not caught up to his theology.   David is “feeling” something different than he is “thinking.”  How many times has that happened to us.  We “know” God is there and we “know” that God can take care of us, even when we are outnumbered over overwhelmed.  We can “state” in our belief statement that “we shall not fear.”  Yet, there fear is, staring us right in the face ... or, rather rearranging our facial muscles.   But, David is not lead by his emotions.  David is lead by his faith.  Note how he closes this song: 

Psalms 27:13-14 (ESV)

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living!

Wait for the LORD;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the LORD!

David allows the theology of his life to rule and dominate the psychology of his life.  He does not deny the feelings of fear.  He doesn’t put on a face that hides the fear.  No, David writes a song about his fear.  But, he sandwiches the feelings in between absolute truths about God.  God will be his strength and, as he waits, God’s goodness will prevail.   God does not expect us to deny our fears when we are overwhelmed.  He just asks us to tuck them into the truths that He will never leave us or forsake us.