A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Isaiah 61:1-3
New International Version

The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.


As 2010 approaches, it’s a great time for an attitude check. With the economy in the ditch, with world peace very shaky, with relationships among people strained, it would be a good time to reread Isaiah’s words and take on a personal attitude adjustment. A positive outlook depends on our personal attitude. I … “proclaim the year of the LORDS’s favor…”

O COME, O COME

Luke 2:8-12
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Shepherds and Angels

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”


All of Israel was looking for the coming Messiah. When the angels brought the good news that He had been born in Bethlehem, the shepherds left their post … they left their flocks … and went to see the babe lying in a manger.

Are you focused on CHRIST this Christmas? There is still good news … great joy to all people. CHRIST is still the center of the Christmas story!

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

WINGS AS EAGLES

Isaiah 40:31
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

31 But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.


God gave me this verse years ago. There are eagles all around me … pictures … plaques … statues … bookmarks … all with my attachment to this verse as a basis. This is my life scripture.

One month ago today, I had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. The surgery was very successful and yet I was left with severe weakness in both my legs. After a week in the hospital recovering from the surgery I spent three weeks in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. I came home yesterday.

No, I’m not running yet but I am walking (with a walker) and not getting weary nor fainting nor falling. I have come from no movement in my right leg to walking where I need to walk. I say all that to say God is not finished with me and this verse … new strength … soaring high … walking … and yes some running too.

This is the verse God knew a long time ago that I would need for just such a time as these.

SERIOUS ABOUT SIN

1 Peter 2:24
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Suffering with Christ

24 He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.


It was easy to wrap my head … my heart … my faith around the end of this verse going into surgery. The Lord woke me more focused on the beginning. Have I been living "…dead to sin…"? No! Is that why I had to suffer another surgery? Truly, I don’t know. There is the question in scripture about whether a sickness is due to personal sin … generational sin … or whether it is for God’s glory.

There are consequences to the sins we commit. If I am not living …dead to sin…, I best be ready for the wages of sin.

God is due the glory for ALL that has been accomplished in my life over the years I have lived with this tumor. He continues to receive the glory today!

Let me live only for what is right.

REMEMBER

Romans 15:25-27
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Paul’s Travel Plans

25 But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.


There is a phrase I remember hearing as I grew up in my family. Remember those who brought you over. It is used in the context of honor given to your parents, elders or ancestors. We should never forget the sacrifices made by them on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul was participating in this practice as he returned to Jerusalem with a gift for the believers there.

Who was responsible for bringing you the Good News? What have you done to say thank you to them? Remember those who brought you over.

TRUST GOD

Isaiah 30:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Judah’s Worthless Treaty with Egypt

1 “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the LORD.
“You make plans that are contrary to mine.
You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,
thus piling up your sins.
2 For without consulting me,
you have gone down to Egypt for help.
You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection.
You have tried to hide in his shade.
3 But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated,
and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.

Living, planning, setting goals without consulting God is a strategy doomed to failure. God must be the foundation upon which you build your plans and the first consideration in the development of your life purpose.

The wisdom writer put it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

PLANNING FOR ETERNITY

Proverbs 6:6-8
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Lessons for Daily Life

6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
Learn from their ways and become wise!
7 Though they have no prince
or governor or ruler to make them work,
8 they labor hard all summer,
gathering food for the winter.


The wisdom writer and other Bible passages show us examples from the animal kingdom which would be good for we humans to follow. In daily living, it is good to be prepared for a rainy day. They will surely come.

It is even more important that we plan and act now in preparation for the days we will spend in eternity. Unlike daily living where we may have a tomorrow to adjust our plan, catch up on our rainy day preparation, we won’t have another chance when we face eternity. Do it now!

THE PLAN OF GOD

Isaiah 37:26
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Isaiah Predicts Judah’s Deliverance

26 “But have you not heard?
I decided this long ago.
Long ago I planned it,
and now I am making it happen.
I planned for you to crush fortified cities
into heaps of rubble.


Although the people of Israel often looked at their circumstances and questioned whether the Lord knew what He was doing, God affirmed through His prophets that He knew exactly what He was doing. God’s involvement in our lives is not reactive but purposeful and deliberate. His timing is perfect and His purpose cannot be thwarted. God’s sovereign intentions exceed the boundaries of time and are consistent with the perfection of His character.

The Father’s plan is best!

GOD KNOWS OUR FUTURE

Genesis 3:15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Man and Woman Sin

15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”

From the garden, God knew the end. He knew that there would be hostility, a continuing struggle between the serpent (Satan) and Eve’s offspring (Christ). God knew that Satan would inflict a blow on Christ’s head (the Cross) but Christ would rise and strike the final blow, striking Satan’s heel in the final judgment. God knew.

God also knows everything you and I will face. He knows each trial and he knows each joy. All we need to do is trust God with our outcome just as we trust Him with the eternal outcome.

THE PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW

2 Chronicles 34:29-32
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Josiah’s Religious Reforms

29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to the Temple of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the LORD’s Temple. 31 The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the LORD’s presence. He pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll. 32 And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.

There is a line in the football movie, “Remember the Titans.” It says something like ‘followship reflects leadership’. As a leader, King Josiah led all the priests, civil leaders and people in pledging to obey the Lord. They followed.

The nation will follow a leader who follows after God! Let’s pray that we will have leaders like King Josiah (2nd Chronicles 34-35).

THE LEARNING-GROWTH PROCESS

Colossians 1:9-10
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.


The Apostle Paul indicates in these verses that learning God’s will and growing in His grace is a process rather than an instantaneous act. He is speaking to the Church at Colossi, believers, yet he says “… give you complete knowledge … give you spiritual wisdom and understanding … you will grow as you learn…”.

We are not finished products. God is still working on us. Let us purpose in our hearts to study more so we might grow faster … in His time.

LEARN FROM PAST FAILURES

Zechariah 1:2-6
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call to Return to the LORD

2 “I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ 4 Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’

5 “Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. 6 But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”


Having lived through the 60’s and the civil rights struggles of our nation, one of the concerns was always if we push too hard for what is right, the responses would be over reaction and greater repression. Thankfully that concern did not become reality. Now, almost 50 years later, we are seeing separationist thought resurface. We see it in politics, race and in a place where it never went away … worship. Take a look around your place of worship this week. With a few exceptions and a few tokens, we are acting and looking separated.

When we do unify as the Body of Christ, we see how wonderful things are when we come together. The Kairos Prison Ministry team we had this past weekend is a wonderful reminder from the Lord of how He wants us to love each other and serve together.

Like Israel, I’m afraid we are in danger of failing to learn lessons from past failures. “Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”

YET TO COME

1 Peter 1:10-12
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Hope of Eternal Life

10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Just as with the Old Testament prophets, we want to know more about things which were spoken of but have not yet come to pass. We are curious about the last days, the judgment seat, the final battle … eternity. God gave the prophets the what they were to say in their day. He gave John the Revelator the words he was to write. Then God closed the Book and tells us to watch and wait. We are to observe the signs and always be ready.

Much is yet to come!

TO THIS DAY

Judges 2:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The LORD’s Messenger Comes to Bokim

1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. 2 For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? 3 So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

Israel’s enemies remain a thorn in their side to this day. The failure to obey, several thousand years before, is still causing them trouble. There are consequences to sin. Peace in the Middle East has not been attained. “Their gods…”, the Islamic nations are and will continue to be troublesome for these people who failed to obey the Lord’s command.

Should we expect any less when we fail to obey God? Israel is God’s chosen nation … the nation through which He sent the Savior Jesus Christ. If they are subject to years of punishment for disobedience, should we, a Christian nation expect any less when we fail to faithfully follow God’s Word? Solutions will never come through government. God calls for His people to turn from their wicked ways and humbly seek His face. Only then will God heal this land.

GOD”S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Genesis 37:12-13; 18-19; 26-27
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Joseph Sold into Slavery

12 Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.”

“I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied. …

18 When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”…

26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? His blood would just give us a guilty conscience. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed.


Read Genesis 37 for the full context.

Joseph said he was ready to go but God had more development in store for Joseph. When you face trials and tribulations, count it as development for what God is preparing you to do for Kingdom building.

REJECTING THE MESSAGE

Luke 10:8-12; 16
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust

Jesus Sends Out His Disciples

8 “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ 12 I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day. …

16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

When the message of Good News which Jesus sent is rejected, the consequences are tragic. Reject the message … reject the messenger … reject Jesus … reject the Father.

Whoa be to the one who rejects the Good News of Jesus Christ!

WELFARE TRAP

Nehemiah 5:9-11
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed

9 Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations? 10 I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest. 11 You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes to them this very day. And repay the interest you charged when you lent them money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.”


John Perkins, in his book With Justice For All, writes “The poor need something more than handouts. They need the means to build a better life for themselves … basic education … vocational and management skills … community-based economic enterprises.”

Both Nehemiah and Perkins called for a redistribution of resources as called for in the Law (Leviticus 25). Neither advocated charity or handouts. Justice is not served by perpetuating dependency but by equipping the dependent to take care of their own needs, under God’s good hand.

FAIRNESS

Micah 6:8
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Lord’s Case against Israel

8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.


If you have been around very long, on the playground, in the workplace, maybe even in the home, the complaint “But it just isn’t fair.” The refs call in a football game, a promotion decision, a spouse’s transfer. Life isn’t fair.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, we are called … “he requires you”… to be fair in our dealings with each other. Tape this to your bathroom mirror:

Today … do what is right … love mercy … walk humbly with your God.

JUST MAYBE

Zechariah 7:8-13
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call to Justice and Mercy

8 Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: 9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
11 “Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. 12 They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.
13 “Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.


‘Just maybe’ our nation is struggling because we too have refused to listen to the LORD. He still says, “Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.”

Just maybe….

GOD’S CHARACTER

Isaiah 30:18
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Blessings for the Lord’s People

18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.


From a biblical standpoint, God’s character is the absolute standard for justice and our awareness of this moral standard is part of our having been created in His image. When God shows compassion and justice, He is just being Himself.

Read what the poets and prophets say: Psalm 33:5; Psalm 89:14; Psalm 111:7; Proverbs 29:26; Isaiah 61:8; Amos 5:24.

Justice was also a prominent concern of Jesus, conspicuous in the manner in which He transcended social, racial and economic barriers in His ministry.

CHECK YOUR LIVING

Amos 5:14-15; 24
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call to Repentance

14 Do what is good and run from evil
so that you may live!
Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper,
just as you have claimed.
15 Hate evil and love what is good;
turn your courts into true halls of justice.
Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies
will have mercy on the remnant of his people.

24 … I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living.


In Amos’s time, the people were prosperous. They were familiar with biblical truths, however, they failed to live by them. Amos’s contemporaries crossed the line.

The same is true today. People thrive in a setting in which fairness and justice are practiced. How do you treat people? Are you biased or do you play fair? Are you fair and just?

Human life flourishes where there is fairness and justice. That's what God wants.

THE ADVOCATE

John 16:5-11
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

5 “But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

The disciples were upset when Jesus told them he would soon be leaving them. They had spent the last three years in the presence of the Son of God. It is no wonder that this news was distressing. No more teaching, no miracles to see, no examples to observe.

Jesus knew something better was ahead for them. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, was coming to give them the power they would need to change the world. Yes, Christianity has and still is changing the world in which we live. As you witness, empowered by the Holy Spirit, one conversion at a time, change is taking place.

ON HIS AUTHORITY

Matthew 28:18-20
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Great Commission

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”


When you and I … the church … shares our faith, it is on the authority of the Son that we speak. Jesus Himself declared that “…all authority in heaven and on earth…” had been given to Him. So when you speak out … speak up … it is more than on the authority given by a parent, teacher, friend or pastor. You have the command … the authority of the Master standing behind you.

With that authority, can you grasp the importance of speaking Truth!

ELDER AND TEACHER

Titus 2:15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Promote Right Teaching

15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.


To Titus, the Apostle Paul was both a teacher and the one who laid hands on him, giving Titus the position of authority as an elder.

How do you regard your pastor, elder, bishop, teacher? Do you listen to the lessons they give you or do those lessons flow in one ear and out the other? You go to church but what you were taught has no impact on your day-to-day living.

Is your pastor, elder, bishop, teacher an authority figure in your life or just an authority figure in your church? They can run the church but that has nothing to do with you personally.

Let today be an honest, check yourself day.

POWER

Romans 8:1-4
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Life in the Spirit

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.


God has empowered us, not by a set of rules and regulation, but by His Holy Spirit, to live lives which are pleasing to Him. He has set us free from the power of sin. He has set us free by giving us the gift of His Son Jesus.. We no longer have to follow the sinful nature that we are all born with. We are set free to choose to do the right thing.

EMPOWERED TO WITNESS

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”


After three years with Jesus, the apostles were still looking for political answers. We will not find our answers in the politics of the world. The answer to what we need is only found in Jesus Christ.

We (the church) have been empowered to witness to Him. He is the foundation. When we have built effectively on His foundation through sharing Him with the world, everything (including politics) will fall into line. Only when we have shared Him with the world will Jesus return and set up His Kingdom. In His Time!

WASTING YOUR BREATH

Proverbs 9:7-9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
8 So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.

I was asked this week about continued evangelizing to someone who rejects God’s invitation and refuses to accept the authenticity of God’s Word. It seemed that this person was someone who enjoyed the debate … just for the sake of the debate … in other words, a ‘mocker’. A person who is truly seeking truth, the right answer … God … is wise and our efforts on their behalf will bear fruit.

The wisdom writer seems to tells us that it is a waste of breath to engage the mocker.

OBEDIENCE

1 Samuel 15:22-23; 35b
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Lord Rejects Saul

22 But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

… And the Lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.


How tragic it would be if when the Lamb’s Book of Life is opened, you find an entry saying the Lord was sorry He ever selected you. It was Saul’s disobedience (sin) which drew this response from the Lord. Genuine confession and repentance (which Saul lacked) is the response the Lord requires.

WHO AM I?

Isaiah 55:8-9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.


God has given us each talents which enable us to function effectively in our little worlds. Executives … lawyers … doctors … teachers … pastors … fathers … mothers … students. It is an unending list.

Who am I? Whoever I am, it is because God blessed me to be.

And whoever I am, I am so much less than the creator.

And whoever I am, I am no better than my friend … my neighbor … my co-worker … since we are all only what God has blessed us to be.

NOT FINISHED

John 21:15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.


This exchange between Jesus and Simon Peter followed a miserable personal failure in Peter’s life. Peter had abandoned his friend when Jesus needed his friendship the most.

Have you ever had the experience of a personal failure? I suspect most of us can answer that question in the affirmative.

What do we learn from this scripture? Despite our failures, recovery is available. Jesus was not finished with Peter and He is not finished with you just because you fell. Jesus seeks continuation of a love relationship with you and continuation of the work He calls you to … “feed my sheep.”

THE LORD’S WILL

Joshua 9:12-15; James 4:15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Gibeonites Deceive Israel

12 “This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”

14 So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath….

15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”


The phrase “If it’s the Lord’s will,” ought to infect our vocabulary. He has given us the freedom to make decisions but we are never free from God. We should seek Him in all the decisions of our life.

Yes, things worked out for Joshua and the Israelites. He made the best of a bad situation but missed the optimal – complete occupation of Canaan.

INFORMATION VS. WISDOM

Proverbs 1:1-7
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Purpose of Proverbs

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.


We live in the age of computer technology, which can provide us volumes of information at the stroke of a key on a keyboard. What we do with all that information depends on the wisdom we have gained. Solomon advises that we gain wisdom, the source of which is the Lord.

It would be a good practice to read a Proverb a day. Start this practice today, the 1st of the month and you will have completed them all by the end of the month. On the 1st, read Proverbs 1 … on the 2nd read Proverbs 2 … and so on. You already have a jump start on Proverbs 1.

Each day, you will gain godly wisdom, what you need to handle the information which bombards you from every side.

DECISION MAKING

1 Chronicles 12:32
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Warriors Join David’s Army

32 From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.


There are two essential components of effective decision making: awareness and decisiveness. The men from Issachar knew what was going on and they knew what needed to be done.

Proverbs teaches the value of wise counsel (12:15, 13:10, 15:22, 19:20, 24:6). It also teaches us that wise counsel is not the bottom line. It is critical that we submit our plans and desires to the Lord (16:1, 16:3, 16:9, 19:21).

Spend some time reading these Proverbs and ponder what degree you seek wise counsel from others and what degree you seek the wise counsel of the Lord.

PRAYING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Genesis 18:20-22; 32-33
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

20 So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21 I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

22 The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. …

32 Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33 When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.


The full context of this passage is Genesis 18:16-33.

Do you ever wonder if your prayers change anything? Is your prayer time just an exercise or in heaven, does it really make a difference? This exchange between the Lord and Abraham tells me that our prayers can impact the plan of God. Yes, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, as the Lord planned, but Abraham’s prayer and ten righteous people would have resulted in a very different outcome.

Where do you need God to change things in your life? Pray about it!

BROKENNESS

Nehemiah 1:3-4
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Nehemiah’s Concern for Jerusalem

3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.


When you are confronted with brokenness in the lives of those around you, what is your response? When you see the homeless, do you turn away? When you see the hungry or thirsty, do you ignore their situation? When you encounter the sick (physical or spiritual), do you cross to the other side of the street (move to the other side of town) to avoid contact?

That wasn’t Nehemiah’s response. He wept … he mourned … he fasted … he sought direction from the God of heaven.

What would the God of heaven have you to do? What would he say about your response?

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Matthew 5:43-45
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Teaching about Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

In a sermon preached in 1957 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., based on this passage and the subject ‘Loving Your Enemy’, he suggested three ways we might resolve conflicts. 1.) Forgive. 2.) Everyone has good and bad qualities. Any wrong they have done does not represent the total person. Find the good and focus on it. 3.) Seek to win a friend, not to humiliate an opponent.

Proverbs 19:20 say, “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” This sounds like wise counsel to me.

CONTEXT AND OUTCOME

Ephesians 4:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Unity in the Body

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.


Are you in the midst of some kind of conflict? Apply Paul’s teaching to your situation.

Let humility, gentleness and patience (verse 2) be the context in which you work on the conflict. Let honesty, unity and peace (verse 3) dictate the desired outcome.

Now, within this context and outcome, conflict becomes a positive instead of a negative.

RECONCILIATION

2 Samuel 14:13-14
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Joab Arranges for Absalom’s Return

13 She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. 14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.


Avoiding a confrontation doesn’t bring reconciliation. In fact, the story of David, Absalom, and Joab shows us that avoidance brings the opposite result … escalation of the issue (2nd Samuel 14-15).

In the midst of this story we find this wonderful reminder that God is always working to reconcile us to Him. His greatest work of reconciliation was the death of His Son on the Cross for our sins. Sin separates us from God. Do you view the consequences of your sin as God devising “ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him”?

Thank you Father for the consequences!

HE WINS

Revelation 19:11, 16, 19-21
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Rider on the White Horse

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war … 16On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords…

19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast … Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse…


Read Rev. 19:11-21 for the full and complete context.

I have often heard it said, “Read the end of the Book. We win in the end.” While I understand the suggestion of this statement, in the great cosmic spiritual war that will take place in the last days, the winner is the One who rides the white horse … the One who is “King of kings and Lord of lords”. He wins the final battle and we win because He is our Champion.

QUICKLY RESOLVE CONFLICTS

Matthew 5:23-24
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.


Jesus counsels us to quickly resolve conflicts. We are not only not to let the sun go down on our anger, we are not to let a disagreement with a brother or sister interfere with our worship.

Not weeks … not days … but hours. Assuming that our worship is a daily practice, our reconciliation should come within hours of the conflict. That is peace that sets you free to worship unrestrained.

GO TO BETHEL

Genesis 35:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jacob’s Return to Bethel

1 Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.”

2 So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. 3 We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”


Last night we closed out revival at Nazareth. The evangelist preached from this Old Testament passage and it came alive for us as he preached. Bethel was where Jacob first met the Lord. Part of his message was that we can’t go back to Bethel … experience the presence of the Lord in our lives … with stuff that displeases God.

How does this speak to our current days?

We must get rid of our idols … the idols of superiority or inferiority complexes. We must clean ourselves from our bigotry, racism, and denominational hatred. We must take off the filthy rags we call heritage and put on clean garments of reconciliation. Only then will we be ready to go to Bethel and experience the joy of our salvation.

THE RESULT

2 Samuel 12:13
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

David Confesses His Guilt

13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.


I wish I had the communication skills of a leader like Nathan. His conversation with David (2nd Samuel 12:1-13) resulted in the desired result … confession and restoration.

We are not dealing with murder. We are not dealing with adultery. Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a struggle about race. Denying the sin does not make it go away. Covering it with rhetorical concern for the nation … political persuasion … even our ‘religiosity’ … does not make it go away. The current climate in this country exposes our sin (Galatians 3:26-29, 5:13-15). Like David, it’s time to confess … it’s time to repent … it’s time to turn (all of us … white, black, brown or yellow) from our wicked ways.

IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY

Joel 1:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

1 The Lord gave this message to Joel son of Pethuel.

2 Hear this, you leaders of the people.
Listen, all who live in the land.
In all your history,
has anything like this happened before?
3 Tell your children about it in the years to come,
and let your children tell their children.
Pass the story down from generation to generation.

God told Joel to instruct the leaders of the people to pay attention to their history and pass it on to their children. I was a history buff in school. I’m glad God endorses the practice of teaching history.

We learn from our history and that can help us avoid making the same mistakes over and over. History can also help us set direction for the future. It is said you won’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been. What does history and faith have to do with each other? Let me answer that with the words from an old Negro spiritual.

Gim-me dat ole time religion, Gim-me dat ole time religion,
Gim-me dat ole time religion, it’s good enough for me.

Makes me love ev’rybody, Makes me love ev’rybody,
Makes me love ev’rybody, it’s good enough for me.

‘Nuff said!

THE ART OF COMMUNICATION

James 1:19
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Listening and Doing

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

In the communication process, James places an urgency on listening. He says, “Be slow about speaking. Be slow about becoming angry. Being understood is not an urgent matter. Take your time. But listening? Now that’s another matter. Be quick about that.” For James, there is urgency about this crucial skill.

Hearing comes naturally. Hearing is something we have to work hard not to do. In a noisy room we have to ‘tune out’ the shatter. Hearing deals with noise; listening deals with meaning. We have to want to listen.

First listen – then speak.

ONE-WAY STREET

Proverbs 18:2; 13
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

2 Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.


The wisdom writer says the one-way communicator is not an effective communicator. He just comes off looking foolish.

Would your communication skills be labeled a one-way street?

COMMUNICATION

Isaiah 6:9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call

9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people,
‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.
Watch closely, but learn nothing.’

I have shared with you over the last couple days two aspects of effective communication … speaking and listening. When God called Isaiah, He mentions both of these and adds a third. There must also be understanding.

You can speak and no understanding take place. “I spoke my mind.” You can listen without grasping what is being said. “I heard him out.”

No effort has been made to understand. No effective communication has taken place. Let’s try harder to speak, listen AND understand each other.

CONTROLLING THE TONGUE

James 3:7-10; 13; 17
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Controlling the Tongue

7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.


The social skills of listening and speaking appropriately are essential in the life of the growing believer. While none of us are perfect, the wiser we become … the more we apply wisdom to our hearts … the more that which flows from our tongue will reflect the godly image in which we were created.

CREATION AND SCRIPTURE

CREATION AND SCRIPTURE

Psalm 19:1-2, 7-8
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.

No one has an excuse. God has revealed Himself to all His creatures through His creation. The existence of the creator is obvious to all who have eyes to see, ears to hear, any of the senses to experience what God has done in creation.

God goes further to communicate Himself to us through His breathed Word. What we have in the scriptures is what God gave to godly men. His Word speaks His truth … His love.

And yet still … Gods greatest communication to us … greater than nature … greater than scripture … is His living Word … His Son, Jesus Christ!

LISTENING

Proverbs 18:13; 2
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.

2 Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.

St. Francis of Assisi prayed to God for help. Listening did not come naturally. He wanted to, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

Listening is a skill we must develop. Practice this week.

SEE AND HEAR

Exodus 3:7-8
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Moses and the Burning Bush

7 Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.


Before God goes into action (…I have come down…), He first sees (…I have seen…) and hears (…I have heard…) there troubles.

How are we to respond to the lost, the hungry, the down trodden, if we separate … isolate ourselves from them? The Great Commission calls us into action. We have to see and hear the trouble before we can properly respond. To be a Matthew 25:34-36 saint, you must be willing to go see and hear.

THE PROMISE

Micah 4:3-5
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Lord’s Future Reign

3 The Lord will mediate between peoples
and will settle disputes between strong nations far away.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
nor train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will live in peace and prosperity,
enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
for there will be nothing to fear.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies
has made this promise!
5 Though the nations around us follow their idols,
we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.


In His Time … in His Time
He makes all things beautiful … in His time.

What a wonderful day it will be when our world has made this transition. I don’t know about you, but a LORD who makes promises like this is easy to love and follow!

THE SEPARATION

Matthew 13:37-43
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained

37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!


Read Matthew 13:24-52 for the full context of this lesson.

There will be a separation of the wheat from the tares … sheep and goats … good and evil … in the last days. When Jesus Christ returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom, evil and its agents will be removed and the righteous will remain. The time to prepare is now. In that day (no one knows when that will be), it will be too late to change sides.

Choose today to be among the righteous. Make Jesus your choice. “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”

GO DEEPER

Luke 5:3-4
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The First Disciples

3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”


Simon Peter was a professional fisherman. Yet on this night he had caught no fish.

Jesus told Peter … you must go deeper. To be a disciple … a follower of Jesus Christ, we must be ready and willing to go deeper.

Deeper study … deeper sacrifice … deeper service. The follower of Jesus Christ will submit to the authority of the LORD, humble themselves and go deeper.

NO ONE TO PLAY WITH

Deuteronomy 6:13-17
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call for Wholehearted Commitment

13 You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.

14 “You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, 15 for the Lord your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth. 16 You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah. 17 You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you.


When the nation of Israel was preparing to enter the promised land, Moses reminded them of the One who was making their journey and ultimate victory possible. He warned them not to forget the God of Israel … not to abandon the One True God.

Our society honors diversity and toleration of a variety of spiritual practices. We must however, remember Moses warning. There is One God we fear and serve. His name is above every name and He is jealous. “He will wipe you from the face of the earth…” if you fail to heed His Word and follow it diligently.

Christians beware! Don’t play with your future! Don’t play with your eternity!

HOME TRAINING

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call for Wholehearted Commitment

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


The phrase ‘home training’ generically refers to the lessons children learn at home, from their parents, about life and proper behavior. As we look at God’s instructions about ‘home training’, it begins first with the parents. They must be wholeheartedly committed to God and His commandments. That will enable them to teach these guideline … instructions … commandments … to their children. You can’t instill in your children’s hearts what you haven’t first embraced wholeheartedly in your own heart.

Children are sharp and very observant. They pick up on what is authentic in your life. They also recognize what is phony. Actions do speak louder than words!

How are you responding to God’s call for wholehearted commitment … with authenticity or phoniness? Your children are answering this for you.

RESISTING THE VISION … GOD’S ANSWER

Exodus 3:11-12
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Moses and the Burning Bush

11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”


Moses was one of the greatest leaders of world history. When God directed him to lead in a difficult situation, he hesitated before he obeyed … but he did obey. God showed Moses genuine understanding of his fears about the overwhelming vision. God validated each of Moses’ statements and addressed them. As Moses’ concerns went away, so did his resistance to the vision. Like Moses, we will occasionally face seemingly impossible situations and will need to follow Moses’ lead: Assess the situation, take our fears to God, listen for His response and then obey.

God said, “I will be with you…” That’s enough for me!

BRING IN THE HARVEST

John 4:35
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.


Paul told the Church at Corinth that he planted, someone else watered the seed but God made that seed grow. (1 Cor. 3:6). Jesus says we don’t have to look far … look around … the growing is taking place and we, the followers of Christ, need to be busy … wake up … and bring in the harvest.

I believe we can see in this that in the church there are those who have been introduced to Christ (the seed planted), even been taught some Word (watered) but have yet to be brought into the fold (harvested). They are still clinging to their old selves … the old nature. They have yet to put on the new creation. Pride … selfishness … lust … the ways of the world are still seen in their behavior.

Just as Jesus told those first disciples, today’s followers of Christ need to be busy in the fields … loving … nurturing … making disciples … bringing in the harvest.

KEY TO GOD’S BLESSING

1 Chronicles 28:5-7
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

David’s Instructions to Solomon

5 And from among my sons—for the Lord has given me many—he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom. 6 He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. 7 And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’


God has communicated to King David, His plan for the future of Israel. As the king passes the vision to the leaders, he shares with them the key to staying in God’s favor. “… obey my commands…”

If we want God to bless our efforts in life … in work … in family … in church … we must follow God’s instructions. The key to God’s blessing is obedience to God’s Word. We shouldn’t expect God’s favor to remain with us if we fail to live according to His instructions.

A FOUNDATION FOR CHANGE

Genesis 12:1-3
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Call of Abram

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”


Abram experienced immense change through his encounters with God. God asked for a complete overhaul of Abram’s career, dreams, destiny. God even changed his name from Abram to Abraham to signify the depth of this change.

How could Abram deal with all this change? Very simply, he believed the Lord. Abraham believed in the Lord and that security allowed him to pursue revolutionary change. The Christian life is an ongoing process of change … taking off the old man … becoming a new creation … becoming Christlike.

Change is doable when you have a Solid Rock for a foundation!

STATUS QUO

Revelation 21:5
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”


We serve a God who says He is making everything new. He is not interested in preserving the status quo … no matter how much we resist change.

CHANGE THAT COUNTS

Mark 2:18-22
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Discussion about Change

18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”

19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”


Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of His day, making it clear to them, that He had not come to put a Band-Aid on the old system (Judaism). A new patch on the old system would cause harm. Likewise old wineskins cannot handle the new wine.

Jesus was a change agent … a change maker … an innovator. It was a new day … there was a new covenant. Grace was more than a patch for the Law. Grace was a brand new way that God chose to love humankind. The old form of Judaism could not handle the brand new message that Jesus brought.

ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HARVEST

Galatians 6:7
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

We Harvest What We Plant

7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.


If we want to reap a life of personal integrity and purpose, we must cultivate relationships that will keep us on track. Every believer needs to develop a few close friendships with people who will lovingly hold him or her accountable for keeping life focused and balanced.

CHECK AND BE CHECKED

1 Peter 5:1-4
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Advice for Elders and Young Men

1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

In this passage, Peter is speaking specifically to elders of the church, yet I believe there is universal application. We all need to check our own behavior and be accountable for that behavior among our peers.

Peter gave these leaders some necessary counsel. “as a shepherd of God’s flock, you too have a Shepherd.” The Bible urges accountability. Each person needs other good people with whom they can be honest and accountable.

At one accountability group meeting, the members respond to three questions each month:

1. What good have you done?
   
2. Have you done anything or are you struggling with doing anything that would displease God?
3. Have you told us the truth today?
   

We all need face-to-face accountability with a few close confidants!

FAILURE TO ‘FESS UP

2 Kings 5:25
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Greed of Gehazi

25 When he went in to his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“I haven’t been anywhere,” he replied.


Read 2nd Kings 5:20-27 for the full context of the story.

God had revealed to Elisha, in the Spirit, the deceit of Gehazi. Gehazi, when confronted, failed to be accountable for his actions.

There is wisdom in some of the statements of parents and grandparents like … “What’s done in the dark will come to light” and “Your sin will find you out.” I often wondered how mother knew what she knew. Maybe it was as it was with Elisha … God revealed it to her in the Spirit. One thing for sure. You can’t hide your sin from God. That brings to mind another things grandparents say … “Confession is good for the soul!”

ULTIMATE AUTHORITY

Romans 11:33-36
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Glory to God

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?

36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.


The mind and ways of God are beyond our ability to comprehend. God’s judgments are unsearchable and His paths beyond our grasp. He does not need to consult with us or explain His ways to us. Instead, it is our responsibility to trust Him and submit to His purposes for our lives even when we haven’t a clue to where He may be leading us.

The next time you start thinking you ‘know it all’, remind yourself that God’s Word declares that it is impossible “…for us to understand…” all of God.

CROSSED THE LINE

2 Samuel 11:2-5
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

David and Bathsheba

2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”


David’s problem was not the midday rest … the walk on the roof … the view of the city. His problem was not even noticing the beautiful woman. Where David’s trouble comes was going beyond the noticing to putting a plan in place to sin. He should have turned his eyes away, practicing self control. Instead David crossed the line. The result of his lack of self control … adultery … pregnancy … murder … displeasing the LORD.

God has given us the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is self control (Galatians 5:22-23). Woe if we don’t practice it.

DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST

Genesis 19: 16-17; 23-26
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed

… the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful. 17 When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

23 Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. 24 Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. 25 He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.


When you have met the Savior and received Him into your heart … when you have purposed in your heart to live for Him … when you have turned from the wicked ways of your past, “… don’t look back…”.

AWESOME POWER

Ephesians 1:19-22
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.


Did you catch that? The power that raised Christ from the dead has been made available to us. The power of God is at work in the church and it is at work in the life of the believer. The same power that raised Jesus, has all authority in you and I. It has snatched every believer in Christ from the grip of death … “the wages of sin is death … the gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:23).

That ought to make you shout with joy!

GOD HAS

Ephesians 1:3-8
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Spiritual Blessings

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.


There is no spiritual blessing which God has not already provided. The only qualification required for you and I to walk in these blessings is to be, “… united with Christ.”

If you feel that you are missing out on some spiritual blessing, consider how these words apply to you: united… belong … follower … obedient

Am I united with Christ? Do I belong to Christ? Do I follow Christ in my daily walk? Am I obedient to God’s Word?

READY TO GO AGAIN

2 Corinthians 4:13-18
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.


I have had a great summer but it is rapidly coming to an end. I know this because these big yellow vehicles are again parked in my driveway. School starts this Monday (way too soon!).

God has been blessing me with a time of renewal this summer. I needed it! I took a break from the daily ‘Pearls’. I hate to say this but they were becoming a routine. As I have been refreshed, I pray the ‘Pearls' will be as well.

Thank you Lord for “…our spirits being renewed every day.”

GOD SEES AND KNOWS

2 Samuel 11:1-5, 27
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

David and Bathsheba

1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.


It would seem that David did not care who knew about his sin of adultery and murder. He used palace messengers to get Bathsheba. He involved his military leader, Joab, in his murder plot. He moved the soldier’s pregnant widow into the palace.

While it appears that David was not accountable for his actions to those around him, he was accountable to God. And the Word says, “…the Lord was displeased with what David had done.”

Accountability will harness sin. Do you have someone to whom you are accountable for your private and professional life?

SWEETS FOR YOUR DIET

Proverbs 24:13-14
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, you will have a bright future,
and your hopes will not be cut short.


We have been feasting on a scriptural diet of wisdom this week. I pray it has been sweet to your palette.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.­ – Proverbs 19:9b-10

Check out this link. I think you’ll enjoy. Click here: Jesus Is Sweeter (Turn on your speakers.)

LISTEN FOR THIS VOICE

Proverbs 1:20-21, 24-25, 28-33
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:

24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.

28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
30 They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”

Here is a critical principle of wisdom: The person who refuses to act on what he or she knows, who refuses wise counsel, who ignores sage advice, will get in trouble. In the resulting despair that good information will haunt that person; the fact that he or she knew what wisdom advised will become a cruel joke. While the passage says wisdom will laugh and taunt (Proverbs 1:20-33), all the noise will come from inside this person’s own head. When he or she searches for some intelligent way out of the pit he or she has so foolishly dug, there will be no wisdom left.

The long-range view is a basic tenet of wisdom. The fool lives in the present moment while the sage considers the longer-term consequences of present action. Next time you hear someone saying, “I knew better,” or “Why didn’t I listen?” or “How could I have been so stupid?”, you will recognize the call of wisdom-after-the-fact.