Faith is like a seed ... it must be nurtured - 1 Thessalonians 1-3

Paul is very complimentary about the "faith" of these believers in the church of Thessalonica. Apparently, when he first meet them they were eager to express their faith in Jesus and that faith had proven, over time to take root. Despite Paul's absence, their faith continued to grow, although he was quite worried about that and sent Timothy to check on them and the life of their faith. Paul repeatedly wants them to know how much he appreciates their faith and how he has heard good things about it. In chapters one and two he makes several mentions about their faith in good phrases and excellent reports. However, he is a teacher. He can't help but teach them and instruct them. Even though he nurtures them like a mother, he also encourages and teaches them like a father (chapter two). He wants them to do something with their faith in chapter three. He tells them in 3:10 that he wants them to "complete" what is lacking in their faith. Apparently this group of believers, that had a great reputation, was not to seat on their faith but was to work on growing their faith. Although it will be next week that we look at chapter four and five, in 4:1 and 4:10 he wants them to "excel more." Our faith is not to be stagnant. We are not to "get faith" and put it on the shelf like a cold piece of furniture. We are nurture our faith and grow it. We are to expand it and stretch it. That is why Paul refers to it in 1:3 as a "work of faith." We tend to think of faith as something we own, or something we get like a gift and can wear in pride and honor. And, although it is a gift it is a gift that is to be worked on. We work on our faith by reading more of God's word and trusting less of ourselves and more of His Word. Faith comes from hearing God's Word. We are to allow the circumstances in life to drive us to believe God's Word more and more each day. God allows circumstances to come into our lives so that we have a need for faith in God's Word. Nurture your faith today. Excel even more in it. Don't be happy with the same level of faith you have today that you had yesterday. Tomorrow you will need to stretch your faith a little more.

When you hear the Word does it burn within you? Luke 23-24

Jesus is on a walk with the two men who were traveling to a city called Emmaus in chapter 24. As He walks they "reveal" to Him the happenings of the last few days ... namely His own death and Resurrection. Jesus begins to unfold to them the entire plan of salvation as read in the "the beginning with Moses and with all the prophets" (24:27). (This is, by the way, a great passage to show the theme of the entire Bible and how it all talks about Christ even though it is divided up into man made sections). As He talks with them they can't seem to grasp who He is and that He indeed is the one they saw crucified. In 24:32 we read the words that as He talked His Words (the Scriptures) burned within them. This is what it is like to "be in the Word." When you read God's Word does it burn within you? Do you sense the Spirit of God working and chiseling away your heart and moving in your midst. There are some who only see God's Word as a cold set of standards and doctrines to be thought of with the mind. Here we have Christ's preaching of the Word (in a little walking Bible study) and seeing an emotional response to the Word. If the Word has become a cold and calculated script for you than something is missing. God's word is meant to engage us into an emotional response. We are not meant to be guided by our emotions but we are not to deny them either; we are to recognize them (and recognize when they are not there) and to subdue them. Do you allow God's Word to invoke an emotional response in your life? Does it invoke a response? Read the Psalms of David - the Scripture invoked an emotional response. God's Word is not a text book - it is life giving book. It touches all the parts of our life.

God really wants me to read the measurements of a city? Ezekiel 37-42

After reading today's section we have to ask ourselves how "profitable" for doctrine, correction and instruction of righteousness is this section on the measurements of the city and temple that God will build for His people, Israel? As I read it I tend to skip over (speed read) large sections. Wondering the value and profit for it I came up with the following:

1. This section teaches us that God has a plan. God is not driving this universe by the seat of the pants. He has a plan and that plan is important to Him and therefore I can rejoice in the fact that God is in complete control to make His plan work. Everything that happens is for the plan to come to fruition.

2. The section teaches us that God is exact with His plan. You can't help but read this material is the exact nature of what God has done, is doing and will do. The plan has a prescribed measurement and direction. North and south are distinguished in His plan. God is exact. No near misses with Him.

3. This section teaches us that God is willing to reveal that plan to us through His messengers and His Word. God is a speaking God. He wants us to know that He has a plan and what the specifics of the plan entail. We can rejoice that God is revelatory in nature. He delights in revealing Himself to men through men. When God reveals His plan through men, dry bones are made to come to life. God can change things with the power of His revelation.

4. This section teaches us that some parts of God's plan are still a great mystery waiting to be further revealed. God does reveal His plan but not all parts and not all reasons are listed out. We can't help but read this section and discover some things and wonder about many more. God is a mysterious God who delights in revelation but glories in mystery. He is a God too big to put into a box we have figured out.

5. This section teaches us that God's plan, revealed in part through man to men is for His glory. We may not understand it or be able to explain it but we can believe it and glorify Him for it and through it.

There are many sections in the Bible that are hard to read. But, when God says "all Scripture" is profitable for doctrine, correction and instruction (2 Tim. 3:16) we are to believe that and read them with that in mind. Above are five good reasons to read about the measurements of the city and temple. God will be glorified while His revealed plan is unfolded to us.

Being poor has some advantages - Proverbs 13

Proverbs has much to say about money, wealth and riches. In fact, before Dave Ramsey was Solomon son of David. (And, I would prefer the later over the former). In chapter 13 we have several good principles stated through Solomon about wealth. The chapter ends with a reference that the righteous will be satisfied while the wicked will always feel a sense of need and want in their stomach. Righteous people have a sense of contentment about where they are in regard to wealth and riches. If you sense a deep discontent when it comes to wealth it might be you are more bankrupt spiritually than financially. Righteous poor people are first and foremost content. But, earlier in this chapter Solomon adds that the rich are often oppressed and attacked because they are rich while the poor are often ignored and left alone. In 13:8 we read, "The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but the poor hears no rebuke." The meaning here is that the poor are often ignored and left alone because they are poor while the wealthy are often taken captive (in one form or another) for their wealth. Solomon is saying that being poor allows you to go about your life with little worries, not so much as a rebuke (although our modern world would cringe at that statement). Contentment with what little you have is a pleasure few experience in a world of grab and get as much as you can. In 10:22 Solomon said: "It is at the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it." The implication here is that riches that come to man in a way that God doesn't bring them will also bring sorrow; but riches brought by God don't add the complications to the life. Our next section after Proverbs to read will be the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon has much to say about wealth in that book. In Proverbs 22 we read we are not to set our eyes on wealth. The poor has many advantages over the rich if they will but see it. If, however, they have their eyes on the rich man's "stuff" they will never see the benefits of what they have. In 13:7 we read, "There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth. The poor man has much to be rich about. If they will just see what God has provided Him. Don't strive to be rich. Strive to be content with the riches you have.

God can fill your "horn" - Psalm 87-89

Psalm 89:17 - "For you are the glory of their strength, and by your favor our horn is exalted."

Psalm 75:10 - "And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up."

Psalm 92:10 - "But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil."

Psalm 89:24 - "My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, and in My name his horn will be exalted."

I am not sure what the "horn" concept might have meant to the Old Testament Israelite. The closest I get to that word in my world is that it is not good "to blow your own horn." Apparently the horn was something that meant their prosperity or well being. When Gideon attacked his enemy with the small army that was left he was instructed to break jars with lights in them and sound a "horn." In Lamentations 2:3 we hear Jeremiah lament that God had destroyed all the "horns" in Jerusalem, meaning all the strength was gone. The horn apparently is a picture of strength, prosperity and well being. In this above Psalms we read that God is in control of the blessings that our "horns" receive. If we are to be blessed and have strong "horns" (success and blessing) it will be because God has filled our horns and given us the strength we need. In our society we are taught to be self-reliant and to be self-motivated and to be self-sufficient. However, in God's world we are taught to rely on God for everything, including our blessing, our strength, our success and our exaltation. Who is filling your "horn?" God will promote and exalt us as we wait on Him. He is in charge of our career and our path-way to blessings. He exalts our horns.

God is Sovereign - 2 Kings 16-20

God is in complete control of everything! A statement like that can often cause a great debate in a room of theologians or unbelievers. Hearing that statement, unbelievers may ask, "If He is in complete control why does He allow bad things to happen? Either He is not in control or if He is He is a mean and uncaring God ... how can He be a God of Love if He is in control and allows bad things to happen?" Theologians would argue the extent of God being in complete control. They would ask, "Is He in control over every little thing in my life? What about free choice?" Although I would not be able to answer such "deep" questions in this little devotional for the day let me simply point out some things in our text and draw a faith based conclusion that I believe and therefore accept since it is hear in the Scriptures rather than because I can explain it to all those who question it: In this section we read that the Assyrians came before Judah and King Hezekiah boasting of their triumphs and were prepared to take Jerusalem down. Their spokesperson even claimed that they were sent from God to do the deed of destruction and captivity to Judah (18:25). He claimed God was in charge and in control of their actions (and, he was an unbeliever who recognized God's sovereign control). God, of course, doesn't appreciate the Assyrians pride and when King Hezekiah prays for deliverance God sends a death angel to kill 185,000 of their soldiers (19:35). God is in complete control. When Hezekiah becomes ill and Isaiah prophecies that he will soon die, we see that God is in complete control of a man's life and death. Hezekiah prays and asks God for more life on this earth. God gives him exactly 15 years (20:1-6). God is in complete control. God even was able to move the shadow on the clock the exact amount at the exact time in the exact way to prove His power to heal (20:7-11). God is in complete control. In this box it would be hard to answer all the objections to God being totally sovereign (By the way, you can be "half" sovereign. The word means "totally in control." You either are or your not, "sovereign."). However, in this little devotional I can point out that God demonstrates that He is sovereign and we are expected to believe it. We may not like the implications or have the answers to all the objections, but that doesn't change the truth of the doctrine. God is sovereign!

The LAW is full of mercy and grace. Leviticus 19-21

As we read this Old Testament book we see many pictures of mercy and grace. Leave food for the poor in your fields; love your neighbor as yourself; and keep just and correct scales for your business are just three examples of mercy and grace. We think of the OT as THE LAW, absent of NT grace. However this section of Leviticus is full of grace. We are to leave the corners of our fields for the poor - a picture of mercy and grace. We are to love our neighbor as ourself - a picture of mercy and grace. We are to have correct and just weights and balances in our bag for business - a picture of mercy and grace. The reason for this is because God is full of mercy and grace. When He gives us some law or guideline to follow it flows from mercy and grace. The reason given to observe these "Laws" is because, "He is the Lord." God is the character we are to follow for observing the law. We meat jot always make the connection but the Law is God's mercy and grace to us. We are to reflect it as it reflects Him. When we practice a law absent mercy and grace we don't honor Him. Mercy and grace are His and His alone. We should practice them in our daily walk. Be merciful today to those around you. Forgive them for their short comings. Be gracious today to someone. Grant them favor today even though they don't deserve it. Be a picture mercy and grace - be a picture of the real Law - be a picture of God!