June 12, 2011 … True Integrity Worships THE God

Passage of the Day: Daniel 3: 1 – 3 … 1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

My Journal for Today: Moving to Chapter 3 of the book of Daniel in my study of Christian integrity, we can see that Nebuchadnezzar certainly fits, in the context of today’s text, the “double-minded man” referred to by the Apostle James in James 1: 7 – 8 …

SCRIPTURE: James 1: 7 – 8 ... 7 That man [who prays to God asking for and expecting wisdom] should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel, Chapter Two, had just described Daniel’s God as the “Lord of Kings” (see Daniel 2: 47); and yet, in today’s passage Nebuchadnezzar has a 90+ foot statue built to test the devotion of his people to himself. Now, as mature Christians, we would probably judge the king and say, “How foolish!” And we would likely label this as blatant idolatry. But before we do, we need to look in God’s mirror of truth to see if we have built idols into our lives which can (or could) potentially separate us from our worship of the one, true, and only God. Therefore, before we point our fingers of blame at Nebuchadnezzar, let us look deeply and honestly at our own lives to see if there are any cultural magnets, personal habits, or worldly “stuff,” which are prioritized in our lives to draw our allegiance away from God or to dampen the intensity of our covenant relationship with our Lord. If so, we have a “statue” which we need to bring down which stands between us and God. We have an idol in our lives which diminishes our Christian integrity.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in Col. 3: 5, we need to be vigilant to bring down any or all things which draw us into self/sin and away from our Savior. And the beloved Apostle John said that any lust of the flesh, of the eyes, or of pridefulness could keep us from showing our love of God [see and MEMORIZE 1st John 2: 15 – 16].

As I write this, I’m taking stock of my life to see if any “statues” are building in my life to take my eyes off of God and thereby diminish my integrity or life worship as a Christian. Perhaps it would be wise for you, my fellow worshipper of the one, true God, to do the same.

My Prayer Today: I love YOU, Lord; and I pray that my life has no idols to distract me. If so, reveal them clearly so that I can set them aside as I attempt to worship you with the way I live. Amen

June 1, 2011 … Integrity Means No Compromise!

Blogger’s Note: Okay; those of you who humble me by following along with my journal entries daily or maybe regularly, I give you FAIR WARNING. This month, again with the help of John MacArthur, I’m going to be delving into the subject of Christian integrity by looking at the life of Daniel in the OT. I give you warning, because if you don’t want to grow in Christlikeness, just avoid this month and come back in July for a less convicting study. ;>)

Passage of the Day: Psalm 15: 1 - 2 … [NIV] 1 LORD, who may dwell in Your tent? Who may live on Your holy mountain? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart …

Psalm 15: 1-2 [God’s Word Translation] … 1 O LORD, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.

My Journal for today: This month, once again with the help of John MacArthur’s Strength for Today devotional, the focus topic for this month of June will be that of CHRISTIAN INTEGRITY. From today’s passage that would be defined as one who “does what is righteous [and] speaks the truth from within his heart” [i.e., from the spiritual center of one’s being].

Primarily during this study MacArthur will be using passages from the Old Testament book of Daniel, who truly was a living example of the man of integrity spoken of by David in Psalm 15 [please and go read the entire Psalm]. In the New Testament, the Apostle John describes the essence of a truly mature Christian as being one who walks in Christlikeness … see 1st John 2: 3 – 6 …

SCRIPTURE: 1st John 2: 3 - 6 … 3 We know that we have come to know Him [i.e., Christ] if we obey His commands. 4 The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.

Does that intimidate you? It sure does me. But, … in our study this month, as we will see, Daniel from the Old Testament, even in anticipation of his Messiah, was just such a man, … living in Christlikeness, not having the advantages which were afforded the Apostle John, who was so personally close to His Messiah, The Christ. Daniel was a man who fit the mold of Christlikeness even before Christ walked the earth. He was one who would not bend to peer or power pressure as the world attempted to mold his faith to fit him into the culture; or he was not one who broke under dire circumstances. He held on to his principles and Godly precepts, even in the threat of death to more than one king. Daniel truly was a man of integrity.

So, as today’s passage teaches, in order for us to have God abiding in our “sanctuary” or “tent” (i.e., our heart), which, of course, signifies our very being, we must walk with uncompromising integrity, … which, for the Christian, translates into Christlikeness and obedience to God’s word.

My Prayer Today: O, Lord, help me be a man of integrity. Amen

2010 – June 11 – Masking the Real You

Study from God’s Word… 2 Kgs 8: 23-24 [2 Chron. 22: 1-2]; 2 Kgs 8: 27 [2 Chron. 23: 3-4]; 2 Kgs 8: 7-15; 2 Kgs 8: 28 [2 Chron 22: 5]; 2 Kgs 8: 29, 9: 14-15 [2 Chron 22: 6]; 2 Kgs 9: 1-26; 2 Kgs 9: 27 [2 Chron 22: 7]; 2 Kgs 9: 30-37; 2 Kgs 10: 1-11; 2 Kgs 19: 12-14 [2 Chron 22: 8]; 2 Kgs 9: 28 [2 Chron 22: 9]; 2 Kgs 10: 15-17 … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Kings 9: 30 … NIV Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair, and looked out of the window.

My Journal for Today: “Jezebel!” That name to this day has the meaning of a dangerous, deceptive woman. No one would ever name his daughter after the temptress who was the wife of Ahab in Scripture. And even in her darkest, most chaotic days, as Jehu was closing in to kill her, what do we find her doing [in today’s text]. Yes, here she was, trying to hide her real self by putting on cosmetics to paint herself into the light of a temptress, perhaps trying to lure Jehu into bed with her, or trying to trick him in some way to let her live. As we read on in 2nd Kings, it didn’t work; and she died an ignominious death.

But even when we find ourselves threatened by chaos and danger, we often find ourselves putting on airs or trying to hide our real selves with “masks,” as Jezebel used cosmetics. I found it interesting, as Dr. Smith in his devotional this morning revealed, that the word “cosmetics” in our language is derived from the Greek word “cosmos,” … the root of which means to bring order out of chaos. And isn’t that what cosmetics do. They try to mask the chaos of our true identity or looks with a painted “mask,” if you will.

Years ago, when I was covering over myself with a Dr. Jekyll – Mr. Hyde double life of sin, I became fascinated by the “red light” district in Amsterdam, where women of the night painted themselves up and “advertised” themselves in windows on the street lit with red lights (hence the origin of the name of the district). And my wife’s uncle who took me on a tour of this infamous area, relating to me that the women may look good in the windows; but when one gets close to these women (and you can imagine how that would happen), they would look much different in real life (and real light). I thought at the time, “How would he know that?”; but I never asked him how he had that knowledge.

But it is said in jest that a woman, even in an earthquake, would want to put her face on (i.e., put on her cosmetics). Well, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole; but we all, as humans, would rather wear masks of unreality to cover over and hide who we are in reality. Dr. Smith, as he often does at the end of his devotions, ask a self-probing question, … even today writing, ”Is the superficial mask I wear for others fooling even myself?” And I’ll leave that one for you to answer about yourself.

Personally, however, I’ve come to realize that I cannot become the person God intends for me to become in Christ unless I exercise real vulnerability, letting down my masks and letting others see the REAL Bill Berry. I hid that guy from the world – and I was good at it – for over 22 years of my life; and it finally drained my mental energies. Finally, I just took off all the masks; and let my wife and others see who I really was. And as you might imagine, it was humiliating and painful for quite some time; but it was also like taking a 100-pound weight off my back.

It took years of discipleship; but God, the Holy Spirit, through my church and a very special mentor, taught me how to develop the Christlike qualities of humility and meekness (see Matt. 11: 29), primarily by taking off all the masks and developing a disciple-like vulnerability through accountability. And those are two Christ-like character abilities which cannot be developed unless we take off all the masks and just let the world see us for whom we really are. Yes, … warts and all; and yes, even becoming emotionally and spiritually naked for all to see if the king is wearing no clothes.

How about you? Are there any masks you need to shed so that God can use the reality of Himself shining forth through the real you?

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that we all can just be the person You created us to be. Amen

2010 – April 18 – Invasion of Privacy

Study from God’s Word… 1st Chronicles 26: 12 – 32; 1st Chron. 27: 1 – 34; 1st Chron. 28: 1 – 21; 1st Chron. 29: 1 – 22 … Passage for Reflection: 1st Chronicles 28: 9… NIV 9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

My Journal for Today: The age of “Big Brother” is upon us; and we feel like we need to fight for our rights to privacy; don’t we? But in reality, as believers in the One and only omniscient God, our privacy in the world – or lack thereof – is the least of our mental worries. As F. LaGard Smith, in my devotional book for today, quotes: ”If I am too embarrassed to tell even my closest family and friends what I’m thinking about, dare I allow [those thoughts] to enter my mind for an observing God to see?”

OUCH!!! That personal assertion really gets to the heart of our faith and understanding of the God we know, love, obey, serve, and glorify, doesn’t it? If we believe in the same God King David came to know and love (and, of course, we do!), we’ve got to do all we can to live by the truth that our God knows EVERYTHING we’re thinking – and why we’re thinking it – before we even think it. My friend, we have no private thoughts as Christians; and we have no right to privacy in God’s world as well.

And with this in mind, what I am thinking right now, if it does not glorify God is a breech in the relationship I have with my LORD; and that, I expect, is why the Apostle Paul wrote what he did, inspired by God’s Spirit, in Philippians 4: 8, where we, as believers in Christ, are charged to – and given God’s enabling grace to – think on only things which honor our LORD. So, as a Christian, who also knows the truth of God’s word, through Solomon, in Prov. 23: 7, which states [in the NKJV], As a man thinks in his heart, so is he …, I must realize that I will never have any real privacy in my life. And so, I need to live as an open book, realizing that all I think, say, and do is out there for God to know even before I think it, say it, or do it. And when I live like that and live for my LORD in what I think and become, I will live to honor Him in this life and into the next.

My Prayer for Today: LORD, my thoughts are always known to You. I pray they will become Yours. Amen

2009 – Day 362.Dec 29 – Rationalization

Blogger’s Note: Today’s entry is the last one in Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s book, Great Days with the Great Lives. I cannot explain why there does not appear to be 365 days of devotionals in the book. However, because of this publishing glitch, I’m going to have to let God lead me to two more devotional subjects to close out 2009 because I don’t want to begin my 2010 devotional project (about which I’ll explain in January) until the first day in January. However, today’s entry is one with which I believe we can all identify and from which we can relearn, repent, and be renewed.

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Passage for Study: 1st Samuel 15 … 1st Samuel 15 linked for study …

My Journal for Today: If you’re following me here, BE SURE to go back and read through the entire true story in 1st Samuel 15 BEFORE you read the remainder of what I’m about to write in my journal entry for today; and see if you aren’t personally convicted by Saul’s sin and his RATIONALIZATION of the sinful choices he made.

So, … I’m assuming that you’ve followed my instructions and have read the entire chapter in question BEFORE reading this. If you did not, though I’m certainly not God, Who commanded Saul in very specific language what to do after God allowed him to defeat the Amalekites, I wonder how you’re rationalizing the shortcut you have made in reading on without following through with my humble request to read the entire chapter BEFORE reading on to this point. If you did go back and read the entire chapter, as I instructed, “Way to go!” And I thank you for respecting my wishes.

But I am Bill Berry, not God! And if you rationalized your choice to read on, ignoring my request to go back and read ALL of Chapter 15, … well, you’re not going to have to deal with God in this matter – that is, unless God also was leading you to follow my instructions and you had the temerity to ignore God’s will as well as mine. But we all have likely done what Saul did in this story, haven’t we? A lot of the time in life, we clearly know what is right and wrong; and we go ahead anyway and make wrong choices, don’t we? And then we rationalize those is some selfish way, trying to convince ourselves that what we did is somehow okay in God’s eyes. And I believe this pattern of “situational ethics,” which leads to rationalization, is becoming an epidemic in the world today.

I’ve heard it said, “To RATIONALIZE is to perpetuate “RATIONAL LIES.” And that’s exactly what Saul tried to do, … did he not? But Samuel wouldn’t let Saul get away with those pathetic and selfish attempts to hold out on God. And I hope you noticed that God reached an end to His patience and mercy with regard to Saul’s sin and his rationalization. And even though Saul weakly tried to ask for God’s forgiveness, God was so grieved over this egregious act and cover-up that the Lord moved to replace him with David as King.

My friend, it is true that God is a God of second, third, or fourth chances; and His mercy is new everyday [see Lam. 3: 22, 23]; but apparently God did not see true repentance in the attempts at forgiveness Saul tried to make before God; because the Lord turned away from Saul. We Christians, now that Christ has died for our sins and has become our Redeemer, have the promise that God will never forsake a true believer [see Heb. 13: 5] and that true repentance will always lead to cleansing from sin [see 1st John 1: 9]. That’s why I believe that being omniscient, God saw through Saul’s anemic attempt at rationalized forgiveness, knowing that Saul was incapable of true repentance.

My dear one, I don’t know just what God sees in my heart; but I do know that He will turn away from my rationalized attempts to be forgiven if my heart is not truly repentant. Repentance requires action decisions to turn away and walk away from sin and to seek and pursue righteousness. Only when we are straight up with God and we reject the RATIONAL LIES, which our sin-ridden heart (see Jer. 17: 9) will want to perpetuate, can we truly and humbly repent and receive the cleansing and enabling grace which is promised by 2nd Cor. 12: 9. Only then will we, with vulnerability and honesty, turn to God and away from our sin nature.

I pray for us in that regard …

My Prayer for Today: Lord, help us – HELP ME – to reject rationalization and to humbly seek to be real and honest before Your throne of grace, knowing that obedience and humility are the keys to Your enabling grace which allows us to overcome our sinfulness in Your Name and for Your glory. Amen

2009 – Day 328.Nov 25 – His Only Priority

Passage for Study: Acts 17: 1 - 9 … Acts 17 linked for study …

2nd Passage for Study: 1st Thes. 2: 1 - 6 … 1st Thes. 2 linked for study …

My Journal for Today: Over the years I’ve learned that there are several critical abilities to this business of Christian discipleship. The are availABILITY, vulnerABILITY, accountABILITY, and stickABILITY. Certainly, the Apostle Paul had all of these; but today Chuck Swindoll focuses on the second of these, ... VULNERABILITY.
Today’s passage illustrates that the Apostle Paul was the “real deal” to all, wherever he went, ... wherever he preached, ... and wherever he ministered. Paul, and anyone who traveled with him, had one - and only one - priority ... that the gospel and Christ would be preached to whomever would listen. So, anyone who came into contact with this road warrior for Christ would hear Paul’s testimony and would experience witness for The Messiah.

Swindoll points out realistically that we should beware of Christian preachers or teachers who are inaccessible or aloof, seemingly hiding behind masks. He quotes the powerful Chrsitian teacher/writer, John Stott, who wrote, ...

”Happy are those Christian leaders today, who hate hypocrisy and love integrity, ... who have nothing to conceal or be ashamed of, ... who are well known for who and what they are, ... and who are able to appeal without fear to God and to the public as their witness. We need more transparency and openness of this kind (comparing to the Apostle Paul) today.”

My friends, Stott’s claim is all too true. But if I may, right now at this time in my life, I am blessed to come under the Shepherd’s authority and teaching of a Pastor (in my local church) who is like Paul, who declared openly to his followers, (see 1st Cor. 11: 1), ”Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” And that is the way of my Pastor, Dr. Ernie Frey; and he is an open and ever vulnerable witness for Christ, one who is the real deal just like the Apostle Paul.

Ernie is a living mirror of vulnerability; and he often makes some uncomfortable with his honesty and realness. The Apostle Paul was certainly not perfect; and neither is my Pastor. What you see in Ernie Frey is what you get! And because of this Pastor’s realness and openness, a culture of vulnerability and integrity is growing at Central Church, following years where this was not the case.

My friends, I hope you follow Christian leaders who, like the Apostle Paul [or my Pastor], are open and accessible, ... who model vulnerability , ... and who are not afraid of accountability, living what they preach or teach. These are leaders who are growing in Christlikeness and inviting others to follow them as they become more like Jesus. Yes, leaders like Ernie Frey can be uncomfortable at times; because they are mirrors, showing openly the strong calling of The Lord, as I so often quote here from Luke 9: 23 ... for us to deny self, take up the crosses of life daily, and to follow the Lord. When you are led by one who closely follows Jesus and leads the way to become more like our Lord, it’s challenging, to say the least. But it’s in becoming vulnerable and open, as was the Apostle Paul, that we can become humble enough to surrender to God’s Spirit, the shaper of our souls.

I hope you have a leader like my Pastor and Shepherd, who takes his flock to places where we must grow to be like Jesus. We need more Christian leaders like the Apostle Paul and my Pastor today, don’t we?

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I thank you for My Pastor, who leads me by his availability and vulnerability and honesty, to become more like You. Amen