Really, How Big IS God?

I awoke this morning to be reminded that God is so much bigger than we are, so much bigger than a puny nation of mostly non-believers.  But rather than get caught up emotionally in the results of an historical election, it was so clear to me that God desired for me to look even deeper into His Word.  I knew I wanted to read some Psalms, and as I was getting to Psalm 37, where I knew I would camp a bit, I stopped at Psalm 19 along the way.

" The heavens are telling of the Glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands."  Yes, this is a familiar sentence, simple and yet it gives a great reminder of who really is in charge.  But look closely at verses 7-13, where God's law, his judgments, and the fear of Him are discussed.  God's rules are perfect, His Word is more pure than anything imaginable.

So in times of crises and dare I say peril, He wants us to turn to the sole source of purity, His Word.  The 2012 election was no surprise, it merely validated what we as Christians see, hear, and experience every day.  So as I sat and read this morning before dawn, I knew I was in the right place, spiritually hearing from God.

And the last verse reminded me of the great peace we possess.  He is our rock, He is our redeemer:

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."


Psalm 37 then is so much as relevant now as it was in David's time.  If one cannot see the parallels in light of the state of our society today, one simply is not paying attention.

We have a responsibility to "cultivate righteousness", even in the midst of the "evildoers".  That's not easy, often not fun, but it should be joyful to the believer.  In truth, very plain and simple, this fallen world and it's devices are all the wicked have to take pleasure in.  They have no eternal hope, they have no better existence to look forward to besides this.  So is it really any wonder that "things" here go "their" way?  What should be our response?  Anger, aggravation?  How about turning to God's Word for the answer?

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Our leaders carry out wicked schemes.  Even Solomon in Ecclesiastes says that thinking it will improve is naive.  Another verse says "The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives."  The wicked are in this for them, and no one else.  Read through the psalm, it is clear that the wicked are given reign over here and now, they will indeed prosper, but only according to this world's standards, never to God's.  Am I to take comfort in this?  Well, no, I am to try to reach those who are lost, who are wicked.  At the same time, I am not to become soiled by them (James 1:27), but neither am I to be envious of them.    Again, it is naive to be amazingly and unexpectedly disgusted with the leadership of this country, or of any worldly governing authority.  And I would say it is sinful to react angrily to such displays of evil, as God repeatedly tells us not to fret over such matters (Psalm 37) or worry (Matthew 6).   What does the church say to these matters?  I'll tackle that one next time.

The Lord indeed loves justice (Psalm 37:28).  How big is God?  Can you sense His greatness an awe in this time of turmoil?  He would really like to speak to you.  Open His Word and listen.     Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

What Really Matters? Ecc. 7

I digress for a moment to delve into a passage in Ecclesiastes 7.  Our family is still in Acts, but with the recent storm, I've not been able to post anything new, and meanwhile, a study in Ecclesiastes has been taking place as well.  A few points of fresh reminder is what really stood out, worth of comment relevant to today.

An overall theme here, as well as in Proverbs, is that the fool simply will not heed good advice from the wise; in fact, the fool scoffs, mocks, and laughs at the very suggestion.  This really should not surprise us today, it has happened since long before us.

In light of that, it is just as foolish to get angry over the actions of fools, and we often tend to think that times used to be better than they are today, or we hearken back to the "good ole days".  Solomon here, under inspiration of God, says that the wise do not think in this manner.  There NEVER HAVE been those "good ole days". 

Backing up, verses 7-8 talk of oppression and bribes, with politics in mind and as the context.  We should never, ever be surprised at the corrupt activity of politicians.  This, too, is nothing new under the sun, and to be concerned about it is chasing after the wind, to borrow from this author.  To be angry about political corruptness is to be extremely naive.

Overall, what we see here is that it is good to consider one's mortality, to add some seriousness to life.  One's reputation still matters, or it should, and that cannot be solidified until death.  That is, we can still mess up a good reputation while we are alive.  Morbid thought perhaps, but very practically true.

The chapter closes with a great summary/theological statement.  God made men upright (righteous, sinless; up to chapter 7, Solomon has referred back to Adam at least three times).  Men chose to seek another way. 

If we can all remember that day in and day out, we deal with each other, and we are each still sinners, maybe we'll be a bit more bearing of one another.  Then again, we may simply be naive, and be indignant at each other's behavior, assuming that "it never used to be like this."  Believers never used to act like this.  Oh, yes they did.  God says to think otherwise is wrong, foolish, actually.

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

God Will Not Be Hindered - Acts 4

When we allow the Spirit to work, when we put ourselves in the best places for God to use us, miracles occur.  God's purposes for life here will be fulfilled, no matter what.  Peter and John, all the apostles, actually, got that.  They also got that they were a key part of that plan, took action, and there was no denying what was happening.  The world around them, in disbelief, could only try to ignore or discredit them.  God would have none of that.

In Acts 4, immediately following the miraculous healing of the lame beggar, Peter and John are arrested, simply for teaching the people and declaring Jesus as resurrected.  5000 had gotten saved by this teaching, and the religious elite were nervous and unsettled.  Peter and John had credited this resurrected Jesus for the miraculous healing, and here stands in the midst of the crowd the very same healed man!  Unsatisfied, they are asked by whose authority they performed such a feat.  Cue Peter, he's got another sermon to deliver.

He points to the healed man, and points he people to God, who raised Jesus Christ.  The end of this mini-sermon is completed by one of the most popular verses in sharing the Gospel, verse 12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."


The text describes Peter and John as having "confidence" while being "uneducated and untrained."  The religious leaders make it clear that they cannot deny the healing that took place.  Their answer to their "problem"?  Just don't preach Jesus anymore, and all will be OK.  Peter and John quickly retort that they will obey God in this matter, rather than man.  They simply cannot stop speaking about and teaching what they have seen and heard, what they know to be the truth about God and salvation.

When the religious leaders saw all those people simply praising and glorifying God, what else could they do but let them go?  Notice that the people were not disturbing the peace, causing riots, none of that.  They were simple glorifying God, inviting others to do the same.

Christians, we'll be faced today with opportunities to be bold, to speak of for God, and to most around us it will not be an "acceptable" message.  And if we truly believe this message about "no other name under Heaven...", then really, what else can we say but the truth?  Like the apostles, we should let the world judge what they think of us having a higher allegiance to God, as opposed to man.  What they think really does not matter.  I'm more concerned about what God thinks.  How about you?

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

Model Traits - Acts 3

I suppose it might seem too easy to describe a scene like that in Acts 3. A familiar account of Peter and John, a lame beggar, a miraculous healing, and another sermon by Peter. Just another day’s work for the apostle. As we are reading through this book at home, I am trying to pull out features and characteristics of the Christian walk, as on display to those to whom that message was brand new, and from the viewpoint of those who first brought that message to others.


I see at least four remarkable traits in Peter here, which we would be wise to own ourselves.

First, Peter (and John) had his priorities straight. It was time to pray, he prayed. Granted, he very likely did not just wait for the appointed times to pray, but we see him faithful to his relationship with the Lord. Do we regularly take such time, daily? Would our routine of prayer be disrupted by unforeseen events today?

Second, Peter is humble. Sure, he is bold and brash, but he wants nothing to do with the credit for the healing that takes place. He knows from where his strength comes. He gets the big picture and the small part he plays (though major by our standards, perhaps). How well do we judge our role in God’s plan? How eager are we to be used, seriously?

Third, we see Peter ready to make use of an opportunity. People were praising God, in sheer amazement. We might be content to praise God, too, and generally talk about how wonderful and awesome He is. That would be fine, and Peter takes it to a different level. He asks the people why they are amazed. They love the healings and the miraculous “shows”, and will even praise God for them. Yet they fail to connect the dots; this same God they are praising is the one whose Son, their messiah, they just killed. It is this same God who just raised that messiah from the dead! And Peter drives the point home with stating that it is that very same Messiah, Jesus, who strengthened the lame beggar and healed him. How equipped are we to take ANY conversation, ANY event, and turn it toward a conversation about Christ?

Finally, Peter remains focused on the right task. He rightly reminds people of the Scriptures they should already know. While it is a wonder of God that the events took place as they did, He already told them of these days and events they were witnessing. Peter, speaking on behalf of God, as an apostle, reminds them that God said long ago that He would raise up “another prophet”, to whom the people should listen and follow. That person was Jesus Christ, Peter says, and he offers them the challenge to repent and follow the Savior. Where is our focus today?

Pray with me today for clear opportunities to discuss Christ. Pray for our humility to point people to Him, as opposed to us. Pray for the desire to learn, to be ready to defend the faith we say is dear to us. I praise our Savior, and strive to please Him today.

Holding fast to the Name of our Creator

Stand and Deliver, Learn and Be Used - Acts 2

Peter took his stand, he raised his voice, and he pleaded with people to listen to him.


I like Peter. I like Peter a lot! He gets a bad rap, well-deserved, for his denial, for being impetuous, for being, well, himself. But that same “himself” was the leader Christ put in charge by declaring him the rock upon which He would build His church. This apostle, a lowly fisherman, made choices that allowed God to use Him in spite of his flaws and weaknesses. He and the others are so foundational to our faith, what great role models they are.

The Spirit had just descended to the upper room of believers, and the Gospel was being heard in different languages, each foreigner in town for Pentecost heard the message in his/her native tongue. To the onlooking naysayer, the apostles were accused of being drunk at 9:00 a.m. Peter sets them straight.

He quotes Scripture. QUOTES IT! He did not have a lesson prepared, he had no notes, no copy of Scripture in front of him actually. He did not say “everyone, please open your scroll to the writing of the prophet Joel.” He saw and experienced what happened, and recalled what he must have heard and read many, many times. And he nailed the message.

He quotes Joel. He quotes David, applying each writing perfectly. Granted, we read Scripture and know Luke was inspired to write it, and at this time, Peter was indwelled with the Holy Spirit. And throughout the Bible we find God using people’s talents, skills, and willingness to do great things for Him. God directed Peter’s speech, no doubt. And still God knew that Peter knew His Bible. I firmly believe Peter recited the prophecies so well because they were so much a part of him and his walk. God helped him recall the words, no doubt there either.

Peter took the initiative among his group, and the Lord used that to see thousands accept Christ. So what did it for Peter? His knowledge? Or his action? YES! Peter could not have done what he did without his knowledge of Scripture, and that necessarily meant he had to be willing to learn, continually, never stop growing through knowledge. He also needed to be willing to step up, take a stand, and act on what he knew. There would have been no message from him that day without that.

Knowledge puffs up, but only if no action accompanies it.

Zeal without knowledge is sin.

Basically, one without the other is just plain foolish. Not my words.

Christians today can typically fall prey to an imbalance in these two aspects. We must take a stand today for God’s truth, who else will? We must be willing to be the one who will challenge the false teacher, the godless bureaucrat, and defend our Savior. We must be the one who will learn and ever grow in knowledge, never shying away from something to be learned.

Knowledge with action makes for a servant of the Most High God. I am thankful to Peter for demonstrating both. Do I know my Bible well enough to quote it to people when the situation applies? Do I seek out those situations? Am I willing to learn more and more of what I don’t know, in order to be come a better “doer”? Are you?

Too Many Questions - Acts 1

We often ask the wrong questions, the answers to which don't always point to meaningful activity in the Christian life. OK, maybe that statement does not cover every inept attitude we have or wrong action we take.  Yet it's time to ask better ones, the right ones.

Our family just started reading through Acts again, as we wanted to revisit the evangelism and zeal of the very first church group. We often call them the early church, and when we look at what they accomplished with the power of the very same Holy Spirit we claim to have, we should find some great role models when God speaks to us through them.


Acts was written by Luke, who accompanied Paul and others on several of the journeys you’ll find here. He picks up where he left of in his gospel. I want to focus today on the questions asked or implied in this chapter. I’ll paraphrase for conversational tone:

First question: “Jesus, are you restoring the kingdom of Israel now?”

Jesus’ answer: “It’s not for you to know that now, I have other work for you to do besides worry about that.”

Second question, implied: “OK, so Jesus just went up, into the clouds. Hmmm, let’s stand here and look up for a while. What should we do now?” (Granted, this would have been an incredible sight)

The angels reply: “Why are you standing around here looking up? He’ll come back again the same way.”

The rest of the chapter is devoted then to the replacement of Judas, which was foretold in prophecy and had to be done, as wisely understood by Peter. A common fisherman, Peter knew his Bible (the Septuagint then). There’s lesson number one for us. We would do well to emulate him in that aspect, for sure.

But think of the questions we are asking at times. We continually want to know what is going to happen, and when, and why, and what will it look like when it does, and so on. I truly believe it is important, crucial, even, to properly understand the end times, what the “caught up together…in the clouds” means, why there will be a literal seven-year Tribulation and 1000-year literal reign on earth. Where we interpret the Gospel literally, understanding the supernatural resurrection, so too must we recognize a literal Creation, and literal book of Revelation, knowing it’s apocalyptic nature literally.

However, if we spend our time constantly delving into that conversation, waxing eloquent about the millennial kingdom, about which we know very, very little, we miss the point of what God has for us to do…NOW! I saw lost people being led to Christ yesterday, I saw saved people asking, begging to be discipled, not being spiritually fed where they are now. God’s glory was on full display, because people were focused on the here and now work! What a tremendous praise!

We talk and talk at times about Christ’s return, which is imminent and certain. Amen! But how often do we catch ourselves standing and looking for that time, and getting little or nothing done now? I’ll answer that, WAY TOO OFTEN!


Praying today for renewed and refreshed desire to pay attention to what God has for me to do to make a difference now. Praying for more and more lost people to seek the truth, and more and more saved people to desire to grow. It happened yesterday, and I was privileged to witness it. Pray with me that we can make and take many more opportunities to continue the efforts He desires, clearly seeing and pursuing the opportunities He places before us.

A Little Pick-Me-Up

When we get to the point where we really trust God, and we really trust that He speaks to us through His Word, I believe we tend to read Scripture a bit differently.  It has never changed, but yet it takes on a new form when you actively read, anticipating being spoken to, and then, the big part...accepting what it says.  Warfield was write when he said "what Scripture says, God says."

So today, I found myself in prayer for someone in need of a little encouragement, facing some unnerving uncertainty, perhaps a scary time.  Where would I steer such a person?  Trusting God is not surprised by the situation, I presumed He had answers already written down.  He is faithful that way!

Matthew 6, right in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, touches on worry.  Basically - DON'T.  It's in our human nature to worry, and yet in that same section He tells us to set our sights on His righteousness, He'll take care of the little stuff here, even when we think it is BIG stuff.

Hebrews 4:16 closes out a powerful chapter with the challenge to draw near to the throne of grace, God is very accessible.  Better yet, in that same verse He tells us to do so so that we may find mercy and grace to help in time of need.   It is because of the work of Jesus Christ that we can dare to approach God in prayer, that we can dare to expect Him to help when we are in a time of need.

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as being the ASSURANCE of things hoped for.  We Christians place our hope in the atoning work of Christ.  While others place their trust in earthly matters, we look to God for guidance and help, for security when we get anxious or doubtful.  2 Corinthians 5:7 says it clearly, "we walk by faith, not by sight."  Faith gets us through any trial we face here and now.  It is that same faith that linked us to God through or Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now, if I know someone who right now could use a little encouragement, a refresher on just how good God is, I'm sure you do, too.  Let's pray for those people today, and tomorrow, and keep going.  We also know many who do not possess this blessed hope, those who have never placed their faith and trust in Christ.  Let's challenge them today to examine God's truth.

So, you know who you are, we are praying for you, others are praying for you, and remember, God is so very good!

Be Forgiven

I meant a while back to complete a brief series on forgiveness, and while I have thought much on that, I never put pen to paper, so to speak.  Truth be told, a couple specific situations had arisen that challenged me on whether or not true forgiveness had really taken place.  In reality, if I had continued writing, I probably would have allowed some frustration to come out, and so it seemed best to let it rest for a bit.

Having said that, I will simply conclude this topic by a simple explanation of being forgiven.  It is one thing to forgive, and that in itself is not easy.  But then when you are forgiven, how does that change or shape your behavior?

If I am forgiven of some wrongdoing, guess what!  At some point I had to have admitted that I was wrong.  If you remember the Fonz, he could never quite get that word out of his mouth.  Funny, but we can be so similar.  But now imagine you do confess, and you do admit wrongdoing, and the offended party simply ignores the repentant attitude.  Have you been forgiven?  By that person, no.  However, since the sin is actually against God, while affecting another person, if you have asked God for forgiveness for that offense, He says YES! (1 John 1:9).  And being forgiven by God is what matters!

So, let's take that to salvation.  We must all admit being sinners, being wrong in God's eyes.  It can be hard to admit that.  In fact, it goes against our fleshly nature to admit that.  When we repent of being that sinner, and turn toward God for salvation, again, He says YES!

When I offend someone, and that person forgives me, I should be striving not to commit that same offense again.  It should humble me to have been forgiven, such that I live a more faithful life as a result.  Same goes with God and salvation.  I should be humbled that the God of the universe is willing to forgive me, to declare me "not guilty."  Realizing that He allowed His Son to pay the penalty for MY sin, my life should be changed, pointing to His glory.  I cannot in good conscience purposefully live a sinful live, if I have truly been forgiven.

While this is somewhat superficial, the main point is that repentance and forgiveness, true applications of both, is so essential in our lives, our relationships, and most of all, our salvation.  I trust that we can all point to areas of improvement we need, as well as rest in the assurance of that salvation we joyfully share!

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator!

And I Will Remember Their Sins No More

The longer I am a Christian, and as long as I strive to continue growing (2 Peter 3:18), I am convinced that the most major of all doctrines which is crucial to Christian living is that of forgiveness.  God is Holy, and His holiness governs all other attributes of Him.  Under that holiness "umbrella" then are cardinal doctrines by which we as Christians must live.  So allow me to take a few posts to discuss forgiveness.  I propose that this doctrine is talked about much, practiced little, and properly understood even less.  Hebrews 8:12 and other similar texts are so horribly misunderstood and misused.

Does God remember sin?  If the question is "Can He forget?", well, of course not.  Yet the word we think we know as 'remember', when used Biblically regarding forgiveness, actually means 'recall and hold against'.  When He says He will not remember a believer's sins, He is literally saying He will not bring it up again, assuming it is properly confessed.  The assumption of proper confession is inter-woven in my thinking here, because as we get into thinking of examples in daily life, forgiveness will Biblically follow repentance/confession, when both are managed in a God-glorifying manner.

I was a sinner, positionally separated from God, having never asked Christ to be my personal Savior.  Once I confessed to God that I was, indeed, that sinner He said I was, His promise was to then look to Christ when He looks at me, and see His righteousness, in which I have placed my trust.  When it comes time for my soul to be judged to Heaven or Hell, He will "not remember" my sin, but rather fulfill the promise of His forgiveness.  OK, that's the big, weighty, theology of forgiveness, and it covers all other aspects of all forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 says that IF we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive all our sins.  Now we are talking about those daily, regular sins we commit.  We are talking also about sin against our fellow Christians.  I can think of little else as damaging as sin against a brother or sister in Christ, which goes either un-confessed or unforgiven.  If I you sin against me, and then you confess that sin to me, the ball is in my court to forgive you.  I might be mad at you, or think I was right all along, and yet, when you say "I'm sorry", and truly mean it, my requirement (not optional!) is to forgive.  If I do not, then I cannot say that I am Christ-like.

Closing out this piece, that forgiveness that I give to you MUST, let me repeat that, MUST mirror the forgiveness God has given to me.  If I truly forgive, I then will do three things:
1) Never bring it up to you again.
2) Never bring it up to God again.
3) Never bring it up in my own mind again.

The third is probably the toughest, because we spend so much time with ourselves.  Yet this is exactly what God has done and continues to do in and through Christ for all who believe. 

Do you have someone to forgive today, do I?  Let's get it done, if we truly are walking in the Light.


Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...a conclusion from Proverbs 9

Proverbs chapters 1-9 take on the task of distinguishing between the wise and the un-wise, the wise vs. the foolish.  Here in chapter 9 the two choices make what we might call closing arguments.  Both call to the naive, to those looking to find their way, to those on a path to somewhere.  Wisdom has prepared the table and the feast; wisdom is pictured as a house built at the highest point of the city, visible to all.  Folly/foolishness, on the other hand, is also built on a high place, "by" the highest places of the city.  Both are depicted as enticing, for completely different reasons, with wisdom taking the place as the higher place of the two (compare verses 3 and 14).

In between the calling and invitation of those two, we find some closing instruction to the wise who would like to see others follow a wise path.  Once one has wisdom and understanding, he would naturally be inclined to guide others, which would involve reproof and correction, done properly.  Some are more open than others to such corrective actions.  Verses 7-10 explain the possibilities.  If you correct a person who is a scoffer (one who mocks what is good and right), you will be dishonored (shamed) by that person.  Worse, if you reprove (bring to judgment properly) one who is wicked, that person will insult you.  Not quite the reaction you might like.  Further, reproving that scoffer will result in hatred.  Look around, when you take a stand against the world and its evil system, the world hates you.

On the contrary, take these same corrective measures against a wise man, and he will love you.  This love is brotherly, as with a friend.  Giving instruction to a wise person makes that person even wiser.  Teach that man, who is said to be righteous, and he will learn even more.  Now you might think all this teaching and learning would make one puffed up, but not so with the wise, who knows how to utilize such knowledge.  To fear the Lord shows wisdom.  Wisdom begins with that proper fear of the Lord.  Following that, knowledge of God is understanding.  All throughout Scripture we are commanded to know God, to be wise, to get understanding.

Yes, we are told to study, to learn, to know God, Who CAN be known!  He has revealed Himself to us in His very Word.  And so the wise will read it, and listen, and hear, and learn.  Such knowledge will indeed lead to wisdom, which by definition, is "skillful learning".  All the learning and knowledge in the world will be meaningless if you do not put it into action!  Hear it, and do it!  You'd think we were reading James now, huh.

Here is my summation of this great "wisdom vs. folly" section of Proverbs, these nine chapters.  Wisdom will not come and drag you into her house, and neither will folly.  The man who fears God will want to enter wisdom's house.  We stand there, looking at both, weighing our options.  Both are easy to see, easy to find, neither is hidden from view.  And then...we make a choice, yes, we choose how we will live, reflective of our relationship with the Lord.  Let's choose wisely!

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator!

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 8)

A wise man...

...understands prudence
...listens to wisdom
...views wickedness as abomination
...does not speak in a crooked or perverted manner
...prefers wisdom to earthly riches/wealth
...hates evil
...is neither prideful or arrogant
...loves wisdom and its pursuit (to pursue wisdom is to pursue God, in essence)
...heeds instruction
...does not neglect instruction (these all sound very familiar, huh?)
...watches and waits for wise options, identifies wisdom
...does not hate wisdom, and does not love death (which arises from foolish/unwise choices)


Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 7)

A wise man...

...keeps the word (obeys)
...treasures commandments
...is intimate with wisdom, understanding, in order to keep from the adulteress
...does not lack sense
...does not follow temptation (1 Cor. 10:13 is huge)
...will listen
...will pay attention
...will not stray

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 6)

A wise man...

...humbles himself when wrong (RARE these days, from what I see)
...begs for forgiveness
...works hard, is not lazy
...does not have a perverse mouth
...does not plan evil
...does not spread strife
...does not have haughty (proud, arrogant) eyes
...does not lie
...does not shed innocent blood
...does not devise wicked plans
...does not run to evil
...observes the commands of parents
...meditates on the Word
...accepts reproofs as discipline
...is not captured by the adulteress (physically or internally)
...does not commit adultery
...is not improperly jealous

My note here, take notice of the attitudes that are prevalent in our society today, goodness, they are in our churches, too!  Men wo are wrong will not humble themselves and admit it, and ask forgiveness, forget it!  Much too proud for that.  It should truly be refreshing to accept reproof as discipline, based on the Word.  But the majority today would rather try and try and try to be right, all the time, and as a result, are not wise.

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 5)

A wise man...

...will observe discretion
...will not depart from wise teaching
...will keep from the "adulteress" and wicked temptation
...will not hate instruction
...will not live destructively
...is content
...is faithful priveately and publically, in his thought life, as well as his outer life
...will not die for lack of instruction
...will not foolishly go astray


Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 4)

A wise man...

...will hear instruction
...will gain understanding
...will acquire wisdom
...will not forget or turn away from understanding/wisdom
...will not forsake wisdom
...will love wisdom
...will prize wisdom
...will not let go of instruction
...will avoid evil
...will put away a deceitful mouth
...will keep his eyes straight ahead
...will watch the path of his feet

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man...(Proverbs 3)

A wise man...

...will not forget teaching
...will keep commandments
...will hold on to truth
...will place his trust completely in the Lord, not in his own understanding
...will acknowledge God in all ways
...will fear the Lord
...will turn away from evil
...will honor the Lord from wealth
...will not reject the discipline of the Lord
...will not hate His reproof
...will be blessed by finding wisdom and discretion
...will actively take hold of and hold fast to wisdom
...will keep sound wisdom and discretion
...will not be afraid, even when vulnerable
...will not fear the onslaught of the wicked
...will be generous
...will not envy good or bad people
...will inherit and display honor

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

A Wise Man... (Prov. 2)

A wise man...

...will receive words and commandments, and treasure them
...will incline his heart to understanding (literally, do everything possible to understand, as in bending down to hear a small child, that's the picture)
...will cry for discernment
...will eagerly seek wisdom
...will be shielded by God if he is wise and maintains integrity
...will discern righteousness, justice, equity
...is guarded by discretion
...is delivered from the perverse man
...is delivered from the strange woman (this is a picture of faithfulness)
...remembers his promise with God
...will keep to paths of righteousness


Holding Fast to the Name of Our Creator

A Wise Man... (Prov. 1)

My family is studying through the first nine chapters of Proverbs, and we are basically and simply listing the qualities of the wise, specifically men, as Scripture describes.  These nine chapters lay the solid groundwork comparing wisdom and foolishness.  Along the way, ask yourself this question.  If the Bible says to pursue wisdom, and we regularly partake in activities or behave in ways that are not wise, is that sin?  In short, is it sin to not be wise?  So often, I think of wisdom as a gradual process of making the best decisions with complex situations, getting it "right" finally.  Proverbs seems to make the case that complexity is not the issue, but rather obedience.  So with that, here is the first chapter.  Is there any of this we simply cannot do, if we'd only try?

A Wise Man...

...will hear and increase in learning
...will acquire wise counsel
...will not hate/despise wisdom and instruction
...will not consent to sinners' enticement
...will not walk in sinners' ways
...will not ambush his own life
...will repent
...will change direction based on reproof
...will pay attention
...will not neglect wise counsel (se above, assumption that wise counsel was sought)
...will love knowledge
...will CHOOSE the fear of the Lord (CAPS mine)
...will not be wayward
...will not be complacent
...will listen


Holding Fast to the Name of Our Creator

Hold Fast Without Wavering

It is so clear that God, at various times, uses things such as circumstances, preaching, and relationships to force one to squarely focus on His truth. And then He uses perfect timing to illuminate His Word, evoking that awe-inspiring, Spirit-filled joy that belongs to believers.

Let me back up a moment. I share this blog with some people via e-mail, a few others follow along in different ways, and from its beginning the intention was to simply share devotional thoughts as I read Scripture. At times I guess it gets “preachy”, but let me make this clear, I preach to me more than I ever mean to preach to anyone else. The danger for me is to put on like I have it “all together”, and what I really hope to convey is that we are all in this Christian life together, each of us with our struggles, and I am simply trying to encourage us all to be in His Word and honestly evaluate our walk.

When confronted with sin, there are two options. Ignore it, or correct it. When the Bible is used to point out sin, God’s goal is not to put down or destroy someone, but rather to challenge toward correction. When that correction is begun, we can then see the Bible’s take on forgiveness. Very few people, even Christians, truly understand forgiveness. When God forgives sin, He does not “forget it” but rather He “remembers it no longer”, literally speaking, He does not bring it up again. And so when we forgive, we are to follow likewise, we do not bring it up again to the other person, to ourselves, or to God. It is done with. Think about our salvation. God has forgiven us the penalty of our sin. When we leave this world, He will look on us, and then look on Christ, and “remember our sin no more! That is an unspeakable gift, to be sure. And speaking personally now, when I see and know that someone here on earth has forgiven me when I do not deserve it, it really drives home God’s forgiveness; that is, when we get a glimpse of true Christian behavior here, God’s glory is on display so clearly!

I came to Hebrews 10 today, and read this.

“Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin…and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;”

To say that God is faithful is a major understatement. He is faithful to us, even when we are not reciprocating of that to Him. The phrase that gave me pause, though, was “hold fast…without wavering.” The ‘hold fast’ is good lip service on its own, but the ‘without wavering’ is what shows how tightly we indeed cling to His Word. I have found myself wavering at times (the NIV says ‘swerving’), and God has used events and others in my life to help me. He has used His mighty Word to keep the path well-lit, and He has left it up to me to draw on His power to make decisions that honor Him and reflect His glory.

I hope you can say the same, and yet that is between you and the Lord.

Holding Fast to the Name of Our Creator

Know God...then what?

I'm kind of camping in 1 John these days, partly because of a Bible study, and partly because I never before realized just how John picked up where he left off in his Gospel.  The Gospel of John was complete all on its own, don't get me wrong, and it focuses heavily on Jesus' divinity, and captures our major teachings on being born again.  That is, understand that Jesus is God, trust in Him for salvation, and then follow Him, as He tells Peter at the close of John 21.

OK, good plan.  What does that "following" entail?  I last touched on the "do not love the world..." aspect of 1 John 2, and I need to step back a bit to really grasp what John is teaching.

1 John 2 makes a great transition from knowing God in the Gospel, and even in 1 John 1, where He defends Jesus again as God, since there were many then, as now, who denied Jesus for who He is.  9 times in the chapter John mentions the word "abide".  It is simply not enough to know God, we must abide in and with Him.

Simply put, we are to be saved and then draw that supernatural power which we have been given by way of the Holy Spirit, and then walk moment by moment in the Spirit's leading.  Sounds good, right?  Wish we knew just what that implies?  Well, John tries to help us out.

Someone abiding in Christ would be walking in the same manner as He did.  Yielding to the Father's will in life, having control over one's thought life, guarding our actions and testimonies, being properly angry without sinning, and the list goes on.

One abiding in Christ will love his fellow Christians, as John states that doing the opposite (hating) is indicative of walking in darkness, not light. 

Abiding means knowing that sins are forgiven for the asking, and for demonstrating repentance.  John reminds the readers that he writes these things because they know the Father.  They are or claim to be Christians.  He does not imply that they are to be satisfied with sinning, since they are forgiven, but rather to appreciate that forgiveness and use it as a motivation to fight against sin, to truly desire to live a life pleasing to God.

One who abides has as the primary object of his love the Father, not the world and its systems.  God Gave us the world, true, and He did not have John writing to show how evil the world is.  Rather, He wants to demonstrate that we tend to make anything good an idol, including Creation.  Romans 1, as mentioned before, shows that we have shifter our worship away from the Creator and toward what He created.

Finally, though not exhaustively, one who abides has a clear focus on the life yet to come.  Christ will return suddenly, and it could be at any moment.  We should not fear that return, but rather eagerly, yet patiently, wait for it.  Eagerly, meaning nothing else really matters.  Patiently, meaning we have work to do while He tarries.

So, do we know God?  If so, do we abide in Him?  For the Christian, the first question is settled.  The second, well, that is where our battle lies each and every day, actually, each and every moment.  Join me in praying today that we would stop to challenge ourselves on where it is we currently abide, and where it is we'd like to.  Let's pray that we make better choices today than we did yesterday, and thus grow closer to God.  It's what He expects.

Holding Fast to the Name of Our Creator

"I love________"

How would you or I complete that sentence?  "I love ______".  This is an inescapable thought when reading 1 John 2, or at least it should be.

John has taken great effort to reaffirm Jesus' deity, and then describes the light vs darkness aspect of the Christian walk.  We are in the Light, and as such, it should be evident, correct?  He says in 1 John 2:9 "The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now."  We say we walk in the Light, and yet we (yes, we all can do this) treat our fellow believers in a way that puts darkness on display.  So the point is made to maintain a testimony that is consistent with that Light.

And then John delves into a passage of Scripture that should be mounted on every mantle in every home, posted on billboards, shouted from the mountaintops.  "Do not love the world nor the things in the world." (v. 15)  My take on this passage is this:  we cannot avoid what this world has to offer, what we need from this world, and indeed, God gave us this world to enjoy and to use as a means to fellowship with and glorify Him.  Romans 1:25 is clear; mankind has traded the worship of our Creator for the worship of the creation, "...worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever."  In short, people love this world instead of loving God, and that is the point of John's command.

We have to live in this world, and we are to impact those around us by pointing them to an eternal future that is not of this world.  Indeed, we are simply passing through, and if you look at the end of that paragraph, John says "The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."  Why would we ever want to give our primary love to something that is passing away, things so temporary?

I cannot personally see using this verse merely as a command to identify worldly "things".  If it is here, on this planet, it is worldly.  Creation by definition is worldly, and it has a divine purpose.  We are to avoid evil (1 Thess. 5:22), and we are to NOT love this world or its things (1 John 2:15).   Skim through the Bible, and see how often God gives people a blessing of land, food, protection, etc. and they turn whatever is given to them into an object of worship.  So, let's see, I have a worldly vocation to allow me to obtain some worldly currency, I drive a worldly vehicle...you get the point.  If I love ANY of those things, I become an idolater.

The strong Christian will balance out life's tasks and properly order his/her priorities.  It takes great effort, and yet, when we devote our love to the proper Source of our very existence, and push all this world has to offer in a subservient position, we are not focused on what is passing away, but what is yet to come!

Holding fast to the Name of our Creator.

A Basic Battle - Looking at 1 John

One cannot deny the centrality of the deity of Christ in John's Gospel.  So I find it very encouraging to read through this apostle's epistles to watch him put his Christology into action.   In general, where the Gospels are foundational, the epistles are instructional, having accepted the Gospel message. 

I the first chapter of 1 John, John goes to great length to defend the pre-incarnate Christ.  When he says "we have seen with our own eyes", the point is made that they knew God existed, and that His Son would be divine, and therefore God.  They actually got to witness God take the form of human flesh for a short time.  He does not explain how, he simply states what he knows to be true. 

Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God..."
John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word..."
1 John 1:1, "What was from the beginning..."

In the second paragraph of this chapter, John describes fellowship, using light and darkness metaphors.  It would be very easy to mis-apply verse seven ("...if we walk in the Light...we have fellowship with one another...") to mean when we sin we fall out of fellowship with other believers.  This is not the case here, nor is it the point John is making.

John was dealing with people who wanted to call themselves Christians, but who were denying Christ's deity and sole source of salvation.  So while John was in fellowship with God, as a believer, others were not.  By accepting Christ, one would thus join in fellowship with "us", that being John, God, and other believers. 

The person who denies that Jesus, that man who is also God, who was incarnate in flesh, is God, is self-deceived.  Likewise, the person who says he has no sin is just as self-deceived.  Thus, if we do confess those sins, God is faithful and forgiving.

The point is this...It takes a complete denial of self to accept salvation.  There is absolutely no other way to the Father but by accepting Christ as Savior, Christ as God, and John touched on that too in John 14:6.  It also takes a complete denial of self to confess sin, to actually state what God states about that which He calls sin.  When someone believes in another way of salvation, he is a liar.  When someone says he has not sinned, he is just as equally a liar.

It is with this tone that John continues his epistles, and he'll begin to delve into love of God vs love of...

Holding Fast to the Name of the Creator

Spirituality Matters

JAMES 5 (been working through James on Fridays, posting here on chapter 5)
James returns his thoughts toward the unsaved wealthy. They have been living for this world, and this world has paid them according to that. Eventually, eternally, their work and results have zero value. They have mistreated and underpaid workers, and they will get what is coming to them, at God's hand, not ours!

Verse 6 actually speaks of literal killing in courts. The wealthy would both accuse and mete out sentence at once, with very little, if any resistance.
So we get a HUGE "Therefore" in verse 7, turning the epistle back toward believers. The call to them, and to us, is for self-restraint, longsuffering, my Bible uses the word "patient". Indeed, we are to be patient, strengthen our hearts (our spiritual lives), and endure. We are told to be stronger spiritually, it is not optional. Job is listed as an example, staying consistent with James' touching on the Old Testament as he has already done several times.
ABOVE ALL - BE HONEST (v. 12). How often do we ask a question and get the run-around? Simple questions, especially about faith and salvation, should be able to be answered likewise. The "yes be yes and no be no" refers to a basic, common decency-based honesty. Integrity and character like that can be hard to find.
Verses 13 and 14 see James answering believers who are in various places spiritually. Suffering? Then pray. Cheerful? Then sing praises. Sick (literally weak, feeble), see spiritual counseling of elders/pastors and have them pray for you. There is an application to this referring to physically sick people, to use prayer and medicine, and I would agree with that. But James is tying in spiritual weakness with this as well, and the goal is SPIRITUAL healing, not necessarily just physical healing. There is countless prayer, diligent prayer by true believers, going up daily for physically sick people who may never be healed physically. Since that is the case, then the healing James speaks of can;t be physical, or this passage would not be true. But spiritual healing is always available, and we could certainly use the help and prayer of others to be so strengthened.
Verse 16 is a strong call to make sure sin does not weaken believers. Confession of sin is crucial. True salvation begins with confession, and true clean Christian living must involve confession of sin. If I expect others to confidently share with me, then I must be ready and willing to reciprocate. Some people are very good at being "needed", that is, they want to help others, and yet will not accept help from others. Maybe they feel others are not able or qualified to help them, maybe it is a spiritual thing, I don't know hearts. Other people are very good at "needing", they won't really help anyone, but they will unload cares and concerns on others.
In short, when you take James, and the rest of Scripture, we are called to encourage others, who may not be "worthy" of it. We are called to receive encouragement, too. We are called to be strong spiritually, not weakened by sin. We are called to endure, accepting other's shortcomings, knowing we have our own. Most of all, in James we are called to live as if God was our first priority. If He is not, then make changes.

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator!

It All Fits

Have you ever, as an adult, recalled something you learned as a child, but the truth of which is much more meaningful now?  Or how about something you heard somebody else knew, and when they passed it along to you, you were thankful they shared knowledge with you?  I'll spare you my examples, and I hope you have some thoughts running around in your head now of some specifics of your own.

It was no surprise to me, as I was reading the Bible last week, that God is un-changing, that the same God of the Old Testament was and is God in the new.  Yet, as I was studying through James 4, thinking about the book of James being the "Proverbs of the New Testament", the realization of just how much continuity is in the Bible struck me as though the concept was fresh. 

I had also just finished reading through 1 and 2 Kings, and I could not miss how idolatrous Israel and Judah had allowed their nations to become.  Oh, they still claimed to be followers of God, but has replaced their worship of Him with so many other idols.

James seems to speak wisdom but with teeth, not poetic like Proverbs, but actually chiding with the Church, using metaphors you would find in the Old Testament narrative and poetry books.  He calls the Church, allowing quarrels and struggles to mount due to self-obsessed interests, "ADULTRESSES".  Realize that he uses the feminine form of the word.  And notice the connotation.  One in adultery is truly an unfaithful lover, trying to hold on to the right object of faithfulness, while actually living faithful to something or someone else.

In the Old Testament, God considered His covenanted people as married to Him, or at least He expected them to live faithfully, just as a wife does regarding a husband.  In the New Testament, God is now dealing with the Church, believers in Christ, who as a group comprise the bride of Christ.  So believers also find themselves in a marriage relationship to God, also expected to live faithfully.

By referring back to the Old Testament, James perfectly ties two completely different eras into one unifying concept: we are to be faithful to God.  We are to put Him first above all else. 

James nails the problem we see even today, or maybe I should say especially today.  There is an ever-growing stack of idols in the lives of believers, obscuring the view of God, eclipsing, as it were, what should be the true object of our faithfulness.

When people looked at Israel, no doubt they say the idols, the high places, the pagan symbols, just like in any nation.  The God-followers could no longer be distinguished from the pagans.

When people today look at the Church, when they look at the lives of believers, when they get to know you and me, they see...................

A Kingdom Falls

Reading through 2 Kings 15 and 16 this morning, I realize that I was not previously aware of the role Judah played in the demise of Israel.  Specifically, Ahaz, king of Judah, paid Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, for military help against Aram, and in the process, Assyria gained better access to siege Samaria, leading to Israel's downfall and elimination.  Granted, their habitual and blatant idolatry made Assyria a tool in God's hand.  Prophet after prophet, speaking for Him warned them, to no avail.

So here is Ahaz following Israel's lead; he greatly expands the idolatry in Judah, thinking he is safe from Assyria, and more importantly, assuming he is safe from God's eye.  His affront to God is frightening to read, as he recklessly fueled God's anger.

We talked last evening in church about the stable Christian life, and how leadership is a vital tool regarding that stability.  Ahaz is a great example of how poor leadership can upset the stability of a seemingly strong nation, Judah.  A couple good kings follow him, but by the time you get to Josiah, who was rather good in God's eyes, the damage is done, and God's mind to judgment is already made up.  Judah never did recover that stability they once enjoyed.

Our Christian lives can be easily filled with idolatry in our own ways.  We might not build altars and burn incense to false gods, but we will place many, many things ahead of God in priority.  We'd be fools to think that we don't.  Let's take time today to consider how we can be strong and stable Christians, the dads and husbands we should be, the wives and moms we should be, the neighbors we should be, the friends we should be, the Christians who stand up for God's truth, just like we should be doing!  Is there anything more important than devotedly following the Lord?

Ahaz thought so. 

All the way

While the books of 1 and 2 Kings deals primarily with Israel, the Northern Kingdom, occasionally one of Judah's kings makes an appearance, and in chapters 11-13 of 2 Kings, this is Joash.  Brief synopsis...Queen Athaliah (self-appointed queen after her son Ahaziah is killed) has all the related princes killed.  Joash's aunt hides him until he is seven, at which time he takes the throne of Judah.

By this time, Judah had also maintained several high places for their various worship, as opposed to solely using the temple.  Most of the kings we read about here follow in the ways of Jeroboam, doing evil in the sight of the Lord.  The text for Joash says he did RIGHT in the sight of the Lord.   Good, right?  Well, almost.  It also says "Only the high places were not taken away."  (2 Kings 12:2-3).  High places would have been on hill tops, "closer to God", but had become places vital to Baal worship, and certainly unnecessary with the temple to be the central location for such worship.
In fact, Joash was wise to follow the high priest's leading (Jehoiada), and Joash managed to be a decent leader while Jehoiada was alive.  His true colors showed, though, when the priest died, we later find out in Chronicles.  I suppose we can only guess why he did not take down those potentially idolatrous high places.  Laziness, complacency, indifference?  We do not know.  We have the luxury of reading ahead and knowing that Judah would be taken captive for their idolatrous ways, just like their relatives from Israel. 

Some would say Joash was "good enough", and certainly he was better than some, or even most, especially compared to the kings of the Northern Kingdom.  But God clearly does not ask us to compare ourselves to others around us (this comes up for us in 2 Corinthians 10:12, to another carnal group). 

God gave Israel, Judah, and us His standard by which to live.  Having no other gods before Him does not mean it is OK to keep those other gods around, or that we can leave other gods in place and have the strength to ignore them.  He commands us to get rid of them.  Get rid of the high places!  Stop focusing on other things as if they are more important than Him! 

I have to look at my own life, and be careful not to say "I am living pretty well for the Lord", as that implies there are areas to be fixed that are not being worked on.  Joash did right, but either not to the fullest possible extent, or for the wrong reasons.  God's Spirit will help me do right, when I let Him lead my life, completely!

Praying today for a full and complete Christian effort!

Follow the right King

It is quite easy to look around and see where others fail, where they fall short, and how if we were in charge of their lives, things would be different. That is even easier when we read in the Old Testament, and feel indignant toward those doing things obviously wrong.  I have been reading through 1 and 2 Kings, and the end of 1 Kings closes out with the death of Ahab, a very wicked king of the Northern Kingdom, and it is noteworthy to see the impact he and others happened to have on his son.


1 Kings 22:51-53 reads: “Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel... He did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. So he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.”

OK, so Ahaziah’s primary influences were his father, his mother (Jezebel) and Jeroboam, who set the tone by which all other kings of Israel would be compared. If they did evil, the comparison was made to Jeroboam. Not that I think Ahab really cared that his son was wicked like him.  Ahaziah, like so many others, followed the wrong king.  He needed to follow THE King!

Earlier, in 1 Kings 20, Ahab says what might be the only wise thing he ever did, in referring to Ben-Hadad (of Aram): “Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him (Ben-Hadad), ‘ Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’”
I would summarize that statement like 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” Ahab was proud, and he fell. The same would be said of all the Kings of Israel, until Assyria eliminated the nation.

First point is this. We can think we do everything right. It happens. The warning is to be careful, be very careful, because when we think we stand mighty and tall, pride can set in, and we can take our armor off when we need it on more than ever before.

Second point is to take stock in the influences we have on others, primarily our children, but even those who watch from a distance, or those who know of our reputation and tendencies. Jeroboam had an impact on generations and generations, based on his sin against the Lord. Not exactly the reputation he should have left behind.

Brothers and sisters, let’s pray today that we would honestly take heed at the influences we have even on us, and then turn to the next generation and leave to them the strongest Christian life we possibly can. “Good enough” does not work anymore. Actually, it never did.

It will truly take very strong Christians to carry the next generation.  Who will pass it to them?

Any takers?

Can We Talk?

Christians and good communication should go hand-in-hand, or so it would seem.  We spent some time yesterday evening in church discussing quenching the Spirit.  We are warned not to do so, in 1 Thess 5:19, so it would seem that we CAN do this.  Any honest Christian knows that we do this regularly, any time we sin.

The past month or so has brought numerous opportunities to communicate what could be unpleasant topics, opinions, or much-needed discussions.  Personally, I seem to be more and more frustrated with Christians who appear to duck a conversation as opposed to simply saying what needs to be said, speaking the truth in love, and moving on for the cause of Christ.  I'd love to say I have handled every conversation perfectly, and since I have already alluded to "honest Christians", I cannot claim that I have done so.  Yet I need to strive to do so, knowing that the Lord will cover and govern those conversations, if I will allow His Spirit to work in and through me.

OK, rather than rip on poor communicators, I studied through some good communicators, so that I might learn some valuable lessons from God's perfectly inspired Word.

Barnabas - besides being the encourager he was, he had to be a good communicator.  It was Barnabas who got the newly-converted Saul (Paul) introduced to the Jerusalem Christians.  Undoubtedly he said what needed to be said to both Paul and the churches involved.

Paul - you can't read through his epistles and not notice how he spoke truth wherever he went, offering his opinions, standing firm where he needed to.  He may have turned some off by his unwavering consistency, but that problem was theirs, not his.

Thomas - OK, I have to defend "the doubter" here.  He needed proof of Jesus' resurrection, and if you read the account again, notice how the other 10 disciples had already seen the same proof when Thomas was absent.  I give him great credit for speaking up and getting clarification when he needed it.  It was Thomas in John 14 who told Jesus they did not know where He was going, and for that matter, how to get there.  It was Thomas who made the exclamatory "My Lord and my God!" upon seeing the risen Christ.  He said what needed to be said, and spoke when others sat by silent, as I see Thomas.

Priscilla and Acquila - They took a great speaker in Apollos, and helped him become a great theologian to go with his speaking, so that he could be a usable tool for the Lord.  I credit both them and him for speaking, listening, and being will to communicate and grow.

John the Baptist - he lost his head for speaking the truth.  And, just prior to that, he was bold and courageous to send followers to Christ, asking if He indeed was the waited-upon Messiah.  Jesus could have been offended by the question, John could have cowered and kept silent.  Neither happened; this is how believers speak to one another.

Peter - Brash?  Sure.  Bold?  No doubt.  Afraid to speak his mind?  Never.   All you need to know about Peter is to read his sermons in Acts, which came on the heels of his denial of Christ.  He learned his lesson, and took every opportunity to speak when someone needed to stand up.  He was wrong when he would not eat with Gentiles, and he took correction well from Paul.  They communicated well, what needed to be said and heard.

Brothers and sisters, we could all do so much better communicating if we would simply let the Spirit work.  This person won't get together with that person, either at church, over a bible study, in a small group or some other church setting, and we need to get over our own reasons and speak to one another truthfully, to help each other grow, sharpen one another. 

Or perhaps we will put on the air of communicating by talking to others about the situations and struggles we face, while never including the parties that truly need to be involved.  We go to church having these communication issues unresolved, and I cannot believe it pleases the Lord to come to His house to worship when "we have ought against a brother." 

My prayer today is that we can ever more please the Lord by how we deal with one another, Christians to Christians.  We must speak truth, and do so IN LOVE.  If we can take love here, understanding it means selfless giving, then we WILL speak to each other properly, as we seek to put the interest of others before our own. 

If we can't do it right, then who can?

People of Prayer

The past two Sundays for us found us intent on two amazing messages from the Psalms, 29 and 32, to be exact.  Specifically, though, David's heart of repentance in Psalm 32 brought my mind to another amazing prayer by another hero of the faith, Daniel.

David, in Psalm 32, as in 51, knew he had sinned, and more importantly recognized that his sin was against God, as is all sin.

Daniel, in chapter 9 of his book, personalizes the sin of a nation, of a people, and we find some wonderful prayer elements in his conversation with God.

Daniel gives his attention to the Lord, to SEEK Him.
He confessed his sin - specifically - and properly compares men to God.  God owns righteousness, while we own shame when we are in sin.  Daniel recognized that God is faithful to His promises, even when that means carrying out judgment and justice on those He calls His own.

Daniel begs God to incline His ear, to please "stoop down and hear my plea", essentially.  He begs the Lord to hear, and then begs Him to forgive.

But why do we think we can pray to God like these men did?  OK, I realize God tells us to pray, and I agree, we most certainly should, yet why does God even care to listen?  I have read Daniel many times, and the second half of verse 18 in his prayer in chapter 9 speaks volumes of God.

Daniel says "...for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion." (NASB)

Another translation says, "...for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies." (NKJV)

We pray to God because He is merciful, He is compassionate!  How well we just saw Jeremiah pen the foundation for the hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness", when he wrote "Because His compassions fail not" in Lamentations 3.

There is not much to add theologically to all this.  Scripture speaks clearly as to how to pray, what to pray, and why we pray.  So today, I am simply praying for God to help mold us into the prayer warriors He desires us to be. 

Lament, but Hope

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!"

Thomas Chisholm, published 1923

I couldn't help but read Lamentations after finishing Jeremiah, as he records his lament over watching all that happened to Jerusalem and Judah at the hands of Babylon.  And maybe we all are pretty familiar with this above hymn, and maybe even realize that it comes from Lamentations 3.  However, check the context in which it is written.

First, Lamentations 2:14 again sums up a major part of Judah's problems.  Their false prophets have not exposed Judah's sin.  Old and New Testament texts alike are clear that man must humble himself, see his sin as God sees it, and repent.  Judah's prophets preached just the opposite.

Lamentations 3:11-18, then, captures Jeremiah's state of mind, giving him ample excuse to give up.  He is desolate, a laughingstock, rejected, forgotten happiness.  He has proverbially been kicked in the teeth.  And so now, watching Jerusalem succumb to God's wrath, he reminds himself of what we all know, and also often forget.

GOD IS FAITHFUL!

"Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.
The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD.  

Lamentations 3:20-26

Chisholm goes on to pen in verse three of his poem:

"Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth.
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide.
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. 
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside."
It takes a humble heart and a willing perseverance to live for the Lord.  Judah did not recognize and own up to its sin.  We can behave similarly, without much effort.  My prayer to day is to take seriously the challenge of Jeremiah in Lamentations. 3:39-40.

"Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins?
Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the LORD."

Indeed.

Holding fast to the Word of our Creator

Listen, Learn, Trust

My little one enjoys being told something will happen, and then seeing that happening unfold.  Recently, we put some seed in a bird feeder, and I told him that in a day or two, birds would find it, and start eating it, flying to the feeder and back to the tree, back and forth.  To his amazement, as we watched out the window, birds began doing just that, and he exclaimed, "You were telling me the whole truth!"  Well, of course I was, but it was important for him to know that.  I showed him that he could indeed trust me, and eventually, I pray he will do so without me having to prove it.

God is vastly more faithful that I am; obviously, that does not even need to be stated.

I finished Jeremiah today, and no verse in this book has stood out to me more than Jer. 50:6. 

"My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray..."

I've been taking the family through a study of Psalm 23 very slowly, and yesterday we had to define shepherd.  You find a humble servant, faithful, confidently leading, with the sheep at his disposal, trusting he is heading the right direction to keep them alive with food and water.  A protector, a comforter, simply asking to be trusted.  For the shepherd to not find green pastures or water would mean death to the herd.  What we have been so wonderfully reminded of is God's faithful provision for our flesh and soul, in so-called good times and bad. 

God often refers to leaders of His people, Old Testament and New, as shepherds, with the expressed intent of faithfully leading as He does in Psalm 23 and other places with such descriptions.  Jeremiah accurately relays God's Word to Judah when he condemns the spiritual shepherds then as having led God's people astray.  Over and over and over again God has demanded to be heard, pleaded with His people to listen to Him, and they repeatedly decide that they will not trust Him.  Perhaps they felt He was not actually telling them the whole truth, and now in exile, they must see how wrong they were.

It was a painful lesson to learn; it was painful for Jeremiah to observe.  Just as I implanted trust into my little one, God had tried to do the same.  Jeremiah hearkens to the prophets before him, rehearsing what God had done for His people down through history.  He could be trusted!

We today have the great privilege of being ministered to by shepherds in our churches.  They have the immense and awesome responsibility to not lead God's sheep astray.  Sadly, in far too many churches today, there exist many lost sheep.  The truth is not upheld, religion has taken the place of Biblical doctrine, and people want to feel good about church and life, with little or no attempt to live for the Lord.

My prayer today is for those faithful pastors, God's under-shepherd's in this world, who are taking a stand, refusing to compromise God's truth, and who selflessly give of the gifts they have been given, in order that someone like me, like you, might stay on the path that pleases the Creator.  I also pray for those in pastoral positions who might be astray themselves, with wrongly-faithful followers behind them.  May the Spirit work His truth in their lives.

When we see Him in glory, I pray that we are not surprised that, indeed, He was telling us the whole truth all along.  We need to know and accept that...NOW.

Love Ministry? Really?

Think life is tough trying to be a Christian?  Just how resolved are we to stay on that path set before us by the Lord?  How often do we complain when things just don't go our way?

I'm not sure how well I would handle the ministry laid out before Jeremiah.  Wrapping up this book this week, and today, reading through chapters 39-44, here is a quick snapshot of Jeremiah's life and ministry leading up to and just beyond Jerusalem's destruction.

He is thrown into a cistern when the leaders are tired of hearing him rebuke, warn, and teach.
Zedekiah brings him out and asks about his future and his family's future.  Jeremiah tells him the truth, that if he goes out to the officers of Babylon, he and they will live and be unharmed.  He swears Jeremiah to secrecy, and keeps him locked up in a guardhouse.  Naturally, Zedekiah ignores Jeremiah's words, and when Babylon breaches the walls, Zedekiah's sons are killed, his eyes taken, and he is bound, taken to Babylon.
Jeremiah is spared, on Nebuchadnezzar's orders, with the option of going to Babylon and being cared for, or remaining behind in Judah, or really, to go where he pleases.  He stays.
He warns those thinking about fleeing to Egypt not to do so.  Think about this, EVERYTHING he has prophesied up to this point has been accurate to a "T".  Again, he is ignored, people flee, and Jeremiah must go there and prophesy that they will die there, that Babylon will also take Egypt.

No wonder Jeremiah was not well liked!  But he was with the Lord, and he was right!  Take a moment and read some of Lamentations, Jeremiah's mournful dirge as he watches Jerusalem crumble, God's people justly punished.  Was Jeremiah effective?  Well, we don't see converts, but we see a faithful man and his obedience.

He was right, and he cared!  What a great combination for ministry.  What had God asked us to do in our own personal ministries?  Share Christ with others?  That's one, but let's focus on that one for a moment.   But it's hard, right?  We must speak the truth, and do so while caring for the plight of the lost.  Truth is great, being right is even better!  Caring for others means we actually understand God and His truth.  Truth without caring shows up as arrogance.  Caring without the truth shows up as foolishness.

Praying today for a Godly balance in our personal ministry.  Though we live in tough times, we have great examples before us, Jeremiah for one.

Reliable Trust

Most do not spend time in the Old Testament, or at least don't really read it to gain lessons or personal growth.  The stories are interesting, often fast-paced, and enjoyable.  But, beneficial for learning?  How do we find the "So What" in these passages?

Jeremiah 37 is a great example of an Old Testament account that is complete with accurate history, compelling drama, and a life lesson to never forget.

Jerusalem is under siege by Babylon.  Egypt, not wanting Babylon to advance that close to its borders, sends out an army to deal with Babylon, not really defending Judah, but perhaps a bit indirectly.  Egypt was all about Egypt, and Judah being Babylonian was not in Egypt's best interest.  Babylon, seeing Egypt respond, withdraws the siege.

So what is the response of the people of Judah?  They put their trust in Egypt, and strengthen their belief in the false prophets who had been saying that Babylon would not invade and destroy Judah.  It was much easier to believe them than to believe one of God's true prophets.  The message was easier to swallow.

Historians have documented Babylon's siege, Egypt's advances, we do not have to doubt the authenticity of Scripture.  If we didn't already know the end of the story, we might think at this point that Jeremiah was mistaken, that Judah did get a reprieve.  But we do know that Babylon only re-grouped, and came back stronger to re-siege Jerusalem and overthrow Judah.

God is all about one thing...HIS glory!  He displays time and time again that He CAN and IS TO BE trusted above anything and anyone else.  Judah trusted Egypt more than they trusted the Lord.  Who or what do WE trust similarly?  Just as God showed Judah, and Israel before that, and just as He has written it down for us, we are to trust in Him with all our heart, yet too often, we lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3).

Perhaps you are going through a tough time right now, and think the easy way out is the way to go.  You might be tempted to trust someone or something, some solution that makes sense to you but is contrary to God's Word.  Let me encourage you to heed His advice, or seek it from Him if you have not already asked.  The biggest challenge I face is listening to Him, following Him faithfully.

Doing the right thing, always, may not make life here easier, but God's glory is reflected in our obedience to Him.

Holding Fast to the Name of Our Creator

Be like the Rechabites

What?  Who are these people?  Jeremiah 35 makes mention of the group of people called Rechabites, and I could not resist but do a quick study on just who these people were.  After all, they are commended here by God through Jeremiah.

The Rechabites (descendants of Rechab), were actually distant relations of and descended from Jethro, whom you may recall was Moses' father-in-law.  I cannot say for sure they were God-fearers at the time of Jeremiah, but when they are brought into the temple and offered wine, they refuse, as they had been instructed from generation to generation to abstain, and to stay true to principles taught them.  That alone made this group of people stand out to Jeremiah.  By this time, the people of Judah were ignoring the legitimate prophets and God's Word, and would have imbibed at will for their own pleasure.  Not the Rechabites, and Jeremiah uses their example of living principled lives to further rebuke the people of Judah.

God says in verse 16 of chapter 35, "Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me."  It would appear that this group of people, the Rechabites, heeded the advice of their ancestors, who were indeed God-followers, and passed those principles on to their subsequent generations.  What a great teaching point for Judah, and for us.

What principles do we live by?  What are we teaching our children and future generations, not only on principle, but more importantly, about God, His Word, and His expectations for us?  His guidance is ever so trustworthy, and life lived for Him must be maintained and passed along.  It's what He demands.

God, Our Focus of Service

Did you ever give someone something he or she really wanted, even if you knew it was bad for him or her?  In the proper context, doing so can be used for great teaching.  I had a dog once that insisted on knowing what was in my coffee cup.  She was a real pest about it.  I finally decided to let her understand what coffee was (it was hot, but not burn-your-tongue hot), and I lowered the cup to let her see, smell, and even taste, she was never again curious about it!  She never forgot that, and from then on, I could have put anything in my cup, and she would have had no interest.  It was an amazingly-teachable moment.

Reading through Jeremiah 24-30 this morning, I came across a passage that demonstrated God's desire to teach, even through a painful experience.  Jeremiah 27:12 explains God's plan for those in Judah who wanted to live.  "I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live!"

Without rehearsing the first 26 chapters here, Judah had been found guilty by God of serving other gods.  God repeatedly urged them, begged them to worship and serve Him, but they refused, choosing rather to serve and worship imaginary, false gods.  Finally, after generations of this occurring, God seemingly decided to give them what they yearned for, a god to serve.  In Babylon, similar to Egypt's Pharaohs, the king could be considered deity.  Nebuchadnezzar certainly felt himself worthy to be worshiped, as can be ssen in the book of Daniel.  So God sent Judah into exile to serve Nebuchadnezzar, a "real" god, or at least a false god who was at least living. 

God makes it clear that He does not want His people destroyed, and He will even promise to judge Babylon for its treatment of God's chosen, but first, they needed to learn a painful lesson, one they would never forget.  The faithfulness God displayed is so very evident by His desire for His people to change, to fully devote themselves to Him. 

It is no different for us believers, and it's not a new theme.  God wants us to give Him our full devotion, too.  At times, I know we must wear His patience thin.  Any time we sin, His Spirit convicts us of the error, and we have to make a choice to be corrected or ignore Him.  Correction can be painful.  Ignoring Him is disastrous.  We must be teachable, ever growing, ever learning, ever serving the only true God.

God Restores

The theology in Jeremiah 23 is rich, to put it mildly.  The lessons being taught through this prophet are ones that were to be etched in the memories of those listening.  We, too, can benefit from this teaching, despite it residing in the Old Testament, delivered to Judah, about to be exiled to Babylon.

Jeremiah returns to the rebuke of Judah’s leaders, how they have not been faithful in “attending to” the flock.  Those leaders, he writes, will soon be gone, and one day new leaders will replace them, and they will do the tending that God desires of His shepherds.  Coinciding with that, God makes reference 19 times in this book of a “remnant”, that faithful group of God-fearers in Israel/Judah who will one day (70 years from the exile) re-inhabit the land.

When they do return to the land, people such as Nehemiah and Ezra do their best to fulfill faithful leadership roles.  We know this, the re-claimed Israel forsakes their idolatrous ways under new leadership.

Shifting gears then, Jeremiah makes reference to a future “righteous branch” to reign as king, given the name “the LORD (YHWH) our righteousness.  It is likely this was written at the time Zedekiah was king, as his name means “the Lord is righteous” or “the Lord my righteousness”.  By using a terms that meant OUR righteousness, he meant a coming time when all people would acknowledge the Lord as the source of righteousness.  The “righteous branch” is a phrase used to denote the legitimate heir to the throne.  We understand this branch to be none other than Jesus. 

We are long and far removed from the days of the Exile and Restoration.  Yet I continue to see faithful “Jeremiahs” today, speaking the truth of God’s Word to a culture who wants nothing to do with Him or it.  We can be frustrated, and while I am not saying that this remnant spoken of by Jeremiah refers to us, which it does not, we must likewise keep in mind what awaits us in Glory.  One day, perhaps very soon, every knee WILL bow and confess Jesus to be Lord, saved or not.  We are ultimately on the winning side!  Man, do I praise God for that! 

I also praise God for the faithful shepherds in our midst, providing a watchful care over us by proclaiming God’s truth and challenging us to live according to His Word. 

Jeremiah, in verse 36 of this chapter, says then what could be said today.  “For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord, because every man’s word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God...”

I pray this evening for us to follow God’s Word, not man’s word.  Though the world will challenge desperately for our attention, we must remember we have a God who is near, He is nor far off.  We cannot hide from Him, as He fills the heavens and the earth.  He speaks to us if we will only listen.  I pray for us to allow Him to win the battle for the affection of our hearts, as we head into this Passion Week, our Savior’s sacrifice front and center.

Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

Complete Devotion

Chapter 19 of Jeremiah concludes a section of Jeremiah spelling out what is in store for Judah as the result of their idolatry and failure to change and forsake their idolatrous ways.  He will continue to prophesy, and up to now his focus has primarily been on the people and leaders together.

The description turns graphic, describing cannibalism that will occur, along with all the horror of the imminent Babylonian siege.  Verse 8, though, in my view brings about the worst consequence of their sin.  "I will also make this city a desolation and an object of hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its disasters."

Israel and Judah, even before the kingdoms were split, were to be a light to those outside of their faith.  Simeon called Jesus a light to lighten the Gentiles, and God's people have always been expected to be a positive influence to the people and nations around them.  Now, as a result of generations of following idols and other objects of their affection, Judah would be seen by travelers, not as a region of hope, but as one of disaster and destruction.

Just like the clay pot that Jeremiah smashes, God could no longer use Judah; they had become worthless, just as the pot that cannot be repaired after being smashed.  The imagery was crystal clear to those who saw and heard Jeremiah.

I read these types of passages and pray for the church.  We are to be the light of hope to this horrific and dark world.  I wonder what "passers-by" think of when they see the church today.  Do they recognize the church?  Do we present the proper image of God to them?  Do we reverently fear Him, and does our reverence and honor show in our lives?

Pray with me this week as we enter "Passion Week", when we should see great opportunities to share the light we know to be Jesus Christ.

Under Attack

Up to now, we get the feeling that Jeremiah's message is falling on deaf ears.  People are choosing to listen to their leaders, who are assuring them all is well, God will be fine with their sin, no worries.

What happens, then, when a man stands up for the truth, leaders hear, and then have to make a decision?  Well, in Jeremiah's case, chapter 18 shows what happened to him.  "Then they said, 'Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words.'" (verse 18)

Seems like an answer someone might get even today.  "Let's plot against him, lie about him, and then ignore him."  They wrote him off as a lunatic, someone crazy enough to believe God.

Friends and family, that is where we are today, in my humble opinion.  I do not expect a nation like ours to turn to God and create some Old Testament Israel version of a country.  That does not seem to be God's plan.  However, I do tend to take it personally when God is mocked, when sin is excused, as if it does not matter. 

I wonder when God will say "enough" to how the church treats Him at times, or how we as individual Christians treat Him.  He understands that the lost does not know how to live a righteous life for Him.  It does not excuse them, however.  Moreso then, I have the responsibility to follow Him, listen to, believe, and obey His word. 

There are those among us boldly taking a stand for His truth.  I pray that "those" include us, wherever it is that God has us living, and whomever He has us living around.  Jeremiah's day called for a strong proclaimer of the truth.  Tell me how today is any different.



Holding Fast to the Name of our Creator

False Hope

Jeremiah 14-16 today.

"It's not as bad as you think."
"People are still generally very good."
"God is love; just be the best person you can be, and He will bless you, and you'll be fine."

The theme of Jeremiah continues, God is explaining His justice, painful as it is and will be.  And Jeremiah adds a new retort of the people.  "...the prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword nor see famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.'"  The so-called prophets were trying to ease the concerns of the people, and pretending all was just fine.

They were not telling the people the truth, but rather were trying to make them feel better.    Being that they were trusted among this people, as prophets, why would they NOT listen to them?  I mean, come on, Jeremiah had no good news, he only challenged people to change their ways and follow God, on His terms!

Why were they supposed to listen to Jeremiah instead of them? Tough call, put yourself in their place, how would you decide what is truth?

I believe the major reason they wanted to listen to the prophets was because they did not know God's Word.  Granted, they did not have their own scrolls to refer back to what was said to David, or Solomon, or Abraham, etc.  But they had priests they could have asked.  They could have asked leaders to read that Word, and tell them what was true.  It was much easier to listen to people who had nice things to say.  Otherwise, they would have had to own up to their sin, repent, and change their lifestyles?

Now who wants to do all that? 

I pray Christians, faced today with the same choices, would do so.

And I pray people will listen to those who tell the truth of the Word, all of it.

Lastly, I pray for more leaders to be the tellers of that truth.  God's Word is under attack, and honestly, the worst attacks are coming from WITHIN the church!  I pray God will reveal the false prophets; there are so many people following them, it's the easier thing to do today.

I Hear You, But...

Jeremiah took it upon himself to get Judah right with the Lord.   This might be kind of like, on a smaller scale in numbers, one of us trying to turn our country to God.  Granted, God did not make the conditional promises to the USA that he did to Israel and Judah.  Side note, 2 Chron. 7:14 is not directly tied to our land.

God told them then, "if...My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Here's the problem, they did not humble themselves; they did not pray and seek God and turn from their wicked ways of idolatry.  Jeremiah makes the case very clear so far in the first ten chapters of his book. 

And then in chapter 11, the hammer falls, "though they will cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them."  I seriously do cringe and shutter at the thought of God not hearing cries for help.  But keep in in the right context.  He knew what they wanted, and longed for, but it was too late.  They had been warned over and over again.

God is so very true to His Word.  He justly punishes His people, and just like a child who is punished and cries out in the midst of the punishment, so it was with Judah.  They got pretty serious about forsaking their idolatry when they realized God was indeed serious.  After Bablyon, that is no longer a problem for them.  But for Jeremiah, to have to bring this news to God's people, well, it pretty much fell on deaf ears. 

When we take a stand for the Lord, and trust me, we are no "Jeremiahs", it might seem like nobody cares.  Sure, we have our fellow Christians, but really, who else cares?  Doesn't matter.  Timothy is told by Paul in 2 Tim. 4, preach the Word, in and out of season.  Whether we feel like it or not, and whether our audience is receptive or not, speak the truth, in genuine love and caring, of course, but remember Who is in charge, and He's got our back.

We Need Leaders

It can be easy to give people a break when they make a mistake, if you think they simply do not know any better.  Maybe they have never been in a position to learn the right way to do something.  Or maybe they have not been paying attention to superiors who have been teaching them.

In Jeremiah 5, I see God trying to give His people the benefit of the doubt.  He says in verse 4, "They are only the poor, they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the Lord or the ordinance of their God."

So, God in verse 5 says He will go the "great" (the spiritual leaders), as He wants to confirm that they know this "way of the Lord.  It is kind of rhetorical, as we know what He finds..."But they too, with one accord (pretty much unanimous!) have broken the yoke, burst the bonds." 

The leaders are the ones who have forsaken God, forgotten His ways, and have turned to themselves for guidance and sustenance.  No wonder the people were so far gone, they had followed leaders who were not looking out for them, leaders who had made excuses before God as to why they were like they were.

It is easy for us to look at this whole situation and feel indignant.  We could even feel some similarity with these people, as many so-called Christian leaders have long since led flocks astray, there are huge church groups and denominations that are more concerned with their own well-being, and theology has been forsaken along the way.

Yet we as sons and daughters of the King have God's Word.  Sure, we need leaders to step up, "to stand in the gap" as it were, and lead the way.  And when it comes to personal devotion to God, we as believers have all we need in God's Word.  It is all-sufficient for life and Godly practice, including our church, our families, how we deal with government, and so on. 

God did not pardon His people because they had wicked leaders.  Neither will He excuse my sinful choices.  I pray today for real maturity to recognize faults, for true daily confession of sin to Him, no excuses, just laying it out there for Him to deal with.  And then I pray for our own spiritual leaders in the church, and for dads to be those leaders in the home.  We desperately need more of each.

Holding Fast to the Name of the Creator