Study from God’s Word… Psalms from the Remnant of Israel: Psalms 44, 74, 79, 80, 85, 89 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 44: 20 – 22 … NIV 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God have discovered it, since He knows the secrets of the heart? 22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
My Journal for Today: As Dr. LaGard Smith contends in his devotional for today from The Daily Bible Devotional, the question of why God allows bad things to happen to GOOD people is an age-old dilemma. And the Psalms I was led to read today from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order reflect the frustration and confusion of those in Israel, taken captive by Babylon, who perceived themselves as loyal believers of the one, true God, and were praying, in worship, to their God, in Whom they never lost faith.
Here were people who had remained true to the Old Covenant; and yet alongside their Hebrew brothers and sisters who had been disobedient and worshipped idols, they too had been swept up by the Babylonians and punished right along with the idolatrous and disobedient Hebrews whom God was allowing the Babylonians to act as His agent of punishment for their disobedience. So, what gives with that? If today, I live faithfully to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and my neighbor is a whore-mongering fool, why would I be allowed to have terminal cancer at a young age and he would live a healthy long life?
And that dilemma is one which believers in God and Christ will always have trouble answering for atheists who use such an argument against a belief in God. And Dr. Smith comes at the answer from one angle we should not forget; and his reasoning centers on our definition or perspective on the concept of “GOOD,” which I capitalized for emphasis in the focus question above.
When we think that we, the GOOD ones, are being punished unjustly, along side the BAD ones, are we really sure that we deserve the title “GOOD?” What about the contention of Isaiah in his pronouncement in Isaiah 53, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Or the Apostle Paul, who wrote, in Romans 3: 23, “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, really; are we as “GOOD” as we think ourselves to be when we claim that somehow we’re better than our mocking, disobedient, and godless neighbors, whom we perceive getting away with their sins.
My friends, we need to remember that the ultimate rectification and redemption for our all encompassing sin has been taken care of on Calvary; and for the remnant in Israel at the time of the Babylonian captivity, it was faith in the promise of their Messiah which would be their salvation as they, as faithful believers, being punished along side their disobedient fellow Jews. And for those of us sinners in these “PC” days (and I don’t mean “politically correct,” I mean “Post Christ”), it is our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross which allows us to be redeemed and saved along side the faithful believers in the days of the Babylonian captivity.
So, when we read Isaiah pronouncing his truth about all of God’s sheep going astray in Isaiah 53: 6, we need to read on to the end of that passage, which reads, “… and the Lord has laid on Him (i.e., the Messiah) the iniquity of us all.” And we New Covenant believers, who see injustice in this world, should take heart – in our faith – in the truth of the classic passage of John 3: 16-17 [which I hope you know by heart, not needing for me to link you here].
Being “good” does not take away my “bad,” it only allows me to hide – in my faith – behind the One Who died so that my “bad” can become His “GOOD.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, YOU are the answer for my “bad!” My faith in You allows me to pursue Your GOOD to the glory of The Father. Amen
Showing posts with label justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justice. Show all posts
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
2010 – August 25 – With A Vengeance
Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel 25: 1 – 17; 29: 1 – 16; 30: 1 – 26; and chapter 31: 1 - 18 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 25: 15 – 17 … NIV 15 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. 17 I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I take vengeance on them.' "
My Journal for Today: Today’s Bible reading and Dr. Smith’s devotional entry focuses on the nature of vengeance; and we note man’s tendency to want “justice” when he feels hurt or wronged in some way. Of course, the reality is that most of the time we humans are really out for revenge rather than God’s justice.
Dr. Smith rightly attributes the desire for vengeance in our hearts to the degree of maturity of our faith. If we, born-again Christians, are deeply steeped in God’s truth (i.e., the Bible) then we know that vengeance is God’s business, not ours. And so, to the degree we have a deep and abiding relationship with God, in Christ, we’ll leave the business of vengeance to our God; because only HE can see all of the truth and all of the circumstances; and only HE knows exactly what should be done in any circumstance to “make it right.”
But somehow, deep in our humanity, vengeance is our reaction to being wronged, isn’t it? Admit it, you’re probably like me when you go to a movie and you see Wyatt Earp, the protagonist hero, make it right with Doc Holliday and his brothers, gunning down the antagonists, the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. It just feels good; doesn’t it? And that’s our measurement of immaturity in our relationship with Christ, … that our faith is not developed enough to let go and let God.
Dr. Smith challenges his readers today, writing, ”If I have somehow managed not to throttle people who deserve throttling, can I move to the next step of not even WANTING to throttle them?” And I must admit that I’m not quite mature enough to follow the call Jesus had for those of us who follow Him (see Matt. 5: 39, and Luke 6: 29). Wow! Jesus’ charge of discipleship in Luke 9: 23 can be a real stitch at times, can’t it?
My friends, I’m afraid I’m not there yet; but God’s conviction has me praying that I will be one day.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to leave the vengeance business of life in Your hands. You know what’s best. I don’t !! Amen
My Journal for Today: Today’s Bible reading and Dr. Smith’s devotional entry focuses on the nature of vengeance; and we note man’s tendency to want “justice” when he feels hurt or wronged in some way. Of course, the reality is that most of the time we humans are really out for revenge rather than God’s justice.
Dr. Smith rightly attributes the desire for vengeance in our hearts to the degree of maturity of our faith. If we, born-again Christians, are deeply steeped in God’s truth (i.e., the Bible) then we know that vengeance is God’s business, not ours. And so, to the degree we have a deep and abiding relationship with God, in Christ, we’ll leave the business of vengeance to our God; because only HE can see all of the truth and all of the circumstances; and only HE knows exactly what should be done in any circumstance to “make it right.”
But somehow, deep in our humanity, vengeance is our reaction to being wronged, isn’t it? Admit it, you’re probably like me when you go to a movie and you see Wyatt Earp, the protagonist hero, make it right with Doc Holliday and his brothers, gunning down the antagonists, the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. It just feels good; doesn’t it? And that’s our measurement of immaturity in our relationship with Christ, … that our faith is not developed enough to let go and let God.
Dr. Smith challenges his readers today, writing, ”If I have somehow managed not to throttle people who deserve throttling, can I move to the next step of not even WANTING to throttle them?” And I must admit that I’m not quite mature enough to follow the call Jesus had for those of us who follow Him (see Matt. 5: 39, and Luke 6: 29). Wow! Jesus’ charge of discipleship in Luke 9: 23 can be a real stitch at times, can’t it?
My friends, I’m afraid I’m not there yet; but God’s conviction has me praying that I will be one day.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to leave the vengeance business of life in Your hands. You know what’s best. I don’t !! Amen
Saturday, June 19, 2010
2010 – June 19 – Good Cop, Bad Cop
Study from God’s Word… Hosea, Chapters 10 – 14; 2 Kgs 14: 17 [2Chron 25: 25]; 2Kgs 14: 18-20 [2Chron 25: 26-28]; 2Kgs 14: 21; 15: 1-2 [2Chron 16: 1, 3]; 2Kgs 15: 3 [2Chron 26: 4,5]; 2Kgs 15: 4; 2 Kgs 14: 22 [2Chron 26: 2]; 2Chron 26: 6-10, 15; 2Chron 26: 11-14 … Passage for Reflection: Hosea 11: 8 – 9 … NIV 8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man — the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
My Journal for Today: Balance is one of the hallmarks of God’s character, which is evidenced by his infinite love balanced with His eternal wrath. God is the ultimate “Good Cop and Bad Cop,” which we’ve seen played out many times, haven’t we, in the cop dramas on TV? And as Christians we often have trouble achieving balance between such Godly characteristics as grace and law. Left to our own, we’d distort both ends of this Godly continuum; but the Lord has infinite balance even if we so often see as extremes.
And as I read through the remainder of the Book of Hosea and some other passages today from my Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I was struck by how often God had to be both “Good Cop” and “Bad Cop” with His chosen people in the Old Testament. Israel just couldn’t seem to get the concept that they had an all-powerful “Good Cop” on their side, … a God Who would treat them with incredible compassion and mercy; but their fleshly disobedience so often brought on God’s “Bad Cop” side, which had to be invoked – even though it was out of God’s love – to draw those recalcitrant Hebrews back into the Good Shepherd’s flock. God’s “Bad Cop” is always exercised by Him in love just as a parent will often have to lay a hand to a child’s backside to save him/her from destructive behavior. If you’re a parent or a grandparent, you hate at times being forced into the “bad cop” role; but you know you must be there in that role at times to save your kids from going places or doing things that could one day kill them or hurt them permanently.
And that was God being the “Bad Cop” at times with Israel; but as we read today, there were times when the “Good Cop” was very apparent; and God, the Eternal Father of His people, came shining through, … yes, even at times when we would see that God’s love and grace was tested to the limits … right to the edges of God, the “Good Cop.” It distresses me greatly to see men in the ministry where I am a Pastor, … men who just seem to be like one of my little grandkids, who, knowing where the limits/boundaries are will test out the reality of my love by just stepping over the edge of the boundaries, testing my “Bad Cop” side to see if I will do what I’ve said would be the consequences of disobedience.
And for those in Battle Plan Ministries, knowing that repeated sexual sin, especially in certain dangerous areas of behavior, can bring on death, some of the men in our ministry seem to be compulsively drawn to test out God, the “Good Cop,” to see if God, “the Bad Cop” will be consistent with the consequences of their disobedience. Unfortunately, as it is with our little granddaughter, granddad, the “Bad Cop,” sometimes has to get tough with his love; and God, in this role can be very tough as well with the consequences of our disobedience. And we’ve seen some that we know in prominent roles of ministry, like Ted Haggard, who have been laid low, testing the boundaries of God, the “Good Cop,” finding out that God, the “Bad Cop” is really there and His love can be very tough when disobedience becomes chronic, evident, and dangerous.
I hope that we all come to realize that courting the love and grace from God, the “Good Cop” is a much better strategy in life than testing out and trying to bring out God, the “Bad Cop.” Because ultimately there will be a time when God, the “Good Cop” will become God, the “Bad Cop;” and it is not a good deal to be there when that becomes reality for our lives.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I’ve experienced Your stick and Your hugs; and I’ve learned that the latter is what I seek. Amen
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man — the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
My Journal for Today: Balance is one of the hallmarks of God’s character, which is evidenced by his infinite love balanced with His eternal wrath. God is the ultimate “Good Cop and Bad Cop,” which we’ve seen played out many times, haven’t we, in the cop dramas on TV? And as Christians we often have trouble achieving balance between such Godly characteristics as grace and law. Left to our own, we’d distort both ends of this Godly continuum; but the Lord has infinite balance even if we so often see as extremes.
And as I read through the remainder of the Book of Hosea and some other passages today from my Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I was struck by how often God had to be both “Good Cop” and “Bad Cop” with His chosen people in the Old Testament. Israel just couldn’t seem to get the concept that they had an all-powerful “Good Cop” on their side, … a God Who would treat them with incredible compassion and mercy; but their fleshly disobedience so often brought on God’s “Bad Cop” side, which had to be invoked – even though it was out of God’s love – to draw those recalcitrant Hebrews back into the Good Shepherd’s flock. God’s “Bad Cop” is always exercised by Him in love just as a parent will often have to lay a hand to a child’s backside to save him/her from destructive behavior. If you’re a parent or a grandparent, you hate at times being forced into the “bad cop” role; but you know you must be there in that role at times to save your kids from going places or doing things that could one day kill them or hurt them permanently.
And that was God being the “Bad Cop” at times with Israel; but as we read today, there were times when the “Good Cop” was very apparent; and God, the Eternal Father of His people, came shining through, … yes, even at times when we would see that God’s love and grace was tested to the limits … right to the edges of God, the “Good Cop.” It distresses me greatly to see men in the ministry where I am a Pastor, … men who just seem to be like one of my little grandkids, who, knowing where the limits/boundaries are will test out the reality of my love by just stepping over the edge of the boundaries, testing my “Bad Cop” side to see if I will do what I’ve said would be the consequences of disobedience.
And for those in Battle Plan Ministries, knowing that repeated sexual sin, especially in certain dangerous areas of behavior, can bring on death, some of the men in our ministry seem to be compulsively drawn to test out God, the “Good Cop,” to see if God, “the Bad Cop” will be consistent with the consequences of their disobedience. Unfortunately, as it is with our little granddaughter, granddad, the “Bad Cop,” sometimes has to get tough with his love; and God, in this role can be very tough as well with the consequences of our disobedience. And we’ve seen some that we know in prominent roles of ministry, like Ted Haggard, who have been laid low, testing the boundaries of God, the “Good Cop,” finding out that God, the “Bad Cop” is really there and His love can be very tough when disobedience becomes chronic, evident, and dangerous.
I hope that we all come to realize that courting the love and grace from God, the “Good Cop” is a much better strategy in life than testing out and trying to bring out God, the “Bad Cop.” Because ultimately there will be a time when God, the “Good Cop” will become God, the “Bad Cop;” and it is not a good deal to be there when that becomes reality for our lives.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I’ve experienced Your stick and Your hugs; and I’ve learned that the latter is what I seek. Amen
Monday, April 26, 2010
2010 – April 26 – Getting a Perspective on Evil
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 1, 14, 15, 36, 37, and 39 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 37: 1 – 2 … NIV Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
My Journal for Today: All the Psalms of David which I was led to read this day in my devotionals are songs expressing the theme of righteousness versus evil and all the feelings and ramifications dealt with by mankind in this ever present spiritual battle which works its way out in our lives. And I know that we’re all no different than King David expressed in his songs of lament and frustration where evil sometimes seems to prevail over righteousness; and the good seem to be the handmaidens of evildoers who perpetuate their wrongdoings, seemingly mocking God in their schemes and actions.
We’ve all been there, crying out, like David, “WHY, LORD!!!” Haven’t you felt, as have I, how long God could allow evildoers to perpetuate their ploys, which, at times, seem to be on the winning side? But in the midst of such injustice and when the scales seem to be weighted in favor of evil, long ago I learned to go back to some of these Psalms shared by Dr. Smith today, especially PSALM 37; and I learned to meditate on what I know – at least in my mind if not my heart – on the truth God expresses in His word. And today, I implore and exhort you to go back and read at least Psalm 37, meditating on the power of God’s truth in this matter. Let the power of God’s Spirit, through His written word, penned by David so many years ago, lift you today or whenever you feel oppressed by our spiritual enemies.
My friend, we have Jesus, Who is the fulfillment of everything God promised to David when the King of Israel was feeling and writing Psalm 37; and God strongly tells us that HE, not our evil enemies, will prevail and protect His children in the face of evildoers. Everyday in the news – and maybe in your life struggles – we see evil being perpetuated and sometimes it appears to be on the winning side. But then in Psalm 37 (from today’s verses) and verses 3-4 and 7, we read …
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart. ...
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Dear one, that is truth … GOD’S TRUTH!! The question now becomes, … do we believe, trust, and cling to this truth? Do we make choices based upon this truth? Do we let our faith in these truths guide our steps; and do we walk with our God in obedience; or do we fall prey to the evildoers who want us to worship Satan, the world, and to bring our flesh into their evil schemes?
I pray for us all today.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, my dear LORD, give this weakened soul, and all who might read this, Your strength to cover our weakness. Pour the empowerment of Your grace into us so as to overwhelm our enemies who seek to mock You. You are the LORD; … You are our victory! Amen
My Journal for Today: All the Psalms of David which I was led to read this day in my devotionals are songs expressing the theme of righteousness versus evil and all the feelings and ramifications dealt with by mankind in this ever present spiritual battle which works its way out in our lives. And I know that we’re all no different than King David expressed in his songs of lament and frustration where evil sometimes seems to prevail over righteousness; and the good seem to be the handmaidens of evildoers who perpetuate their wrongdoings, seemingly mocking God in their schemes and actions.
We’ve all been there, crying out, like David, “WHY, LORD!!!” Haven’t you felt, as have I, how long God could allow evildoers to perpetuate their ploys, which, at times, seem to be on the winning side? But in the midst of such injustice and when the scales seem to be weighted in favor of evil, long ago I learned to go back to some of these Psalms shared by Dr. Smith today, especially PSALM 37; and I learned to meditate on what I know – at least in my mind if not my heart – on the truth God expresses in His word. And today, I implore and exhort you to go back and read at least Psalm 37, meditating on the power of God’s truth in this matter. Let the power of God’s Spirit, through His written word, penned by David so many years ago, lift you today or whenever you feel oppressed by our spiritual enemies.
My friend, we have Jesus, Who is the fulfillment of everything God promised to David when the King of Israel was feeling and writing Psalm 37; and God strongly tells us that HE, not our evil enemies, will prevail and protect His children in the face of evildoers. Everyday in the news – and maybe in your life struggles – we see evil being perpetuated and sometimes it appears to be on the winning side. But then in Psalm 37 (from today’s verses) and verses 3-4 and 7, we read …
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart. ...
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Dear one, that is truth … GOD’S TRUTH!! The question now becomes, … do we believe, trust, and cling to this truth? Do we make choices based upon this truth? Do we let our faith in these truths guide our steps; and do we walk with our God in obedience; or do we fall prey to the evildoers who want us to worship Satan, the world, and to bring our flesh into their evil schemes?
I pray for us all today.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, my dear LORD, give this weakened soul, and all who might read this, Your strength to cover our weakness. Pour the empowerment of Your grace into us so as to overwhelm our enemies who seek to mock You. You are the LORD; … You are our victory! Amen
Sunday, February 28, 2010
2010 – Feb. 28 – Mixed Signals from the Law
Study from God’s Word… Deut. 5: 17; Exod. 21: 12-14; Lev. 24: 17, 24b; Num. 35: 20-21, 16-19, 29-34; Exod. 22: 2-3; Num. 35: 22-25; Deut. 19: 4-6; Num. 35: 9-15; Deut. 19: 1-3, 7-10; Num. 35: 26-28; Deut. 19: 11-13; Num. 35: 32; Exod. 21: 25; Exod. 21: 16; Deut. 24: 7; Lev. 24: 19-20; Exod. 21: 26-27; Deut. 22: 25-29; Exod. 21: 15-21; Deut. 25: 11-12; Deut. 5: 19; Exod. 22: 1-4; Deut. 19: 14; … Passage for Reflection: Exodus 21: 20-21 … NIV 20 "If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, 21 but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.
My Journal for Today: Today’s highlighted passage (oh, I wish Dr. Smith had not chosen this one) is a case where my human comprehension cries out for explanation from God; but from our so-called “modern day” concept of justice; God’s word, in this regard, is nothing but confusing to me.
For centuries, and even into the 19th century in this county, I can imagine that this passage was used to justify the horrible enslavement of other humans, especially the stench on our country which was our enslavement of our African-American brothers/sisters. I know that there were those, even into the 20th century, wearing KKK robes and calling themselves “christian,” who spouted out this very passage as justification for their beatings of our darker-skinned brothers/sisters in Christ, whom they felt should have been retained as their “property.”
So, how do we explain many of the laws and rules of justice which I have studied today as the precursors for the system of law we have today? I’m afraid my heart, and especially my mind, is not astute enough to be able to do so with any great clarity. Dr. Smith feels that it may have been God moving His children through a cultural milieu which was much more cruel and punitive with regard to justice than those laws about which I was reading today which He imparted through Moses to His people. The pagan cultures surrounding the Israelites in Moses’ time were much harsher than would God’s Law be for the Hebrews as they were being prepared to go into the Promised Land. So, … maybe God had to give them laws which they could accept and use in their culture and their times; but by today’s standards, these laws, at times, seem bizarre at best and unusually vindictive at times.
Hence, here’s where I am forced, by my very limited ability to grasp these concepts of justice, to trust that God knew EXACTLY what He was giving His children for their just needs and cultural limitations in those days. I have to trust that God was moving His people toward the realization of justice which would come in the Person of The Messiah, Who would become the fulfillment of THE LAW. So, I’ll not try to speculate with “perhaps this” or “perhaps that” when it comes to understanding why God set His law in motion through Moses with laws like the one quoted as a study passage today.
As Dr. Smith closes, he asks a provocative question, ”If I am ever tempted to give up on God when I don’t understand how He acts (i.e., through His word and truth), what would be my alternative?” And to that I say, “Right on, brother!” When I don’t understand God’s word, I know that I’m being challenged to dig deeper into God’s full counsel (i.e., His entire Word) to get to know Him more deeply and intimately and to find His wisdom; and I know that every time I do that, I come out loving Him more, wanting to obey Him more diligently, and desiring to serve Him with more fervor. And that I know is a good and Godly pursuit, drawing me ever closer to my Savior.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to understand; but even more, help me to trust You when I don’t. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today’s highlighted passage (oh, I wish Dr. Smith had not chosen this one) is a case where my human comprehension cries out for explanation from God; but from our so-called “modern day” concept of justice; God’s word, in this regard, is nothing but confusing to me.
For centuries, and even into the 19th century in this county, I can imagine that this passage was used to justify the horrible enslavement of other humans, especially the stench on our country which was our enslavement of our African-American brothers/sisters. I know that there were those, even into the 20th century, wearing KKK robes and calling themselves “christian,” who spouted out this very passage as justification for their beatings of our darker-skinned brothers/sisters in Christ, whom they felt should have been retained as their “property.”
So, how do we explain many of the laws and rules of justice which I have studied today as the precursors for the system of law we have today? I’m afraid my heart, and especially my mind, is not astute enough to be able to do so with any great clarity. Dr. Smith feels that it may have been God moving His children through a cultural milieu which was much more cruel and punitive with regard to justice than those laws about which I was reading today which He imparted through Moses to His people. The pagan cultures surrounding the Israelites in Moses’ time were much harsher than would God’s Law be for the Hebrews as they were being prepared to go into the Promised Land. So, … maybe God had to give them laws which they could accept and use in their culture and their times; but by today’s standards, these laws, at times, seem bizarre at best and unusually vindictive at times.
Hence, here’s where I am forced, by my very limited ability to grasp these concepts of justice, to trust that God knew EXACTLY what He was giving His children for their just needs and cultural limitations in those days. I have to trust that God was moving His people toward the realization of justice which would come in the Person of The Messiah, Who would become the fulfillment of THE LAW. So, I’ll not try to speculate with “perhaps this” or “perhaps that” when it comes to understanding why God set His law in motion through Moses with laws like the one quoted as a study passage today.
As Dr. Smith closes, he asks a provocative question, ”If I am ever tempted to give up on God when I don’t understand how He acts (i.e., through His word and truth), what would be my alternative?” And to that I say, “Right on, brother!” When I don’t understand God’s word, I know that I’m being challenged to dig deeper into God’s full counsel (i.e., His entire Word) to get to know Him more deeply and intimately and to find His wisdom; and I know that every time I do that, I come out loving Him more, wanting to obey Him more diligently, and desiring to serve Him with more fervor. And that I know is a good and Godly pursuit, drawing me ever closer to my Savior.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to understand; but even more, help me to trust You when I don’t. Amen
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
2009 – Day 272.Sept 30 – God’s Justice
Passage of the Day: Job 42 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: I’m coming down the stretch in my study of the Book of Job along with Chuck Swindoll; and it has been another growth experience to do these devotionals. And being here in Chapter 42 at the end of Job’s book, Swindoll points out two salient points that we should take away as truths which can alter our world view and the values which influence the decisions we make in life.
And the first of these two is, according to Swindoll, that "… forgiveness is worth waiting for.” Somehow, he posits, we’ve got to internalize the truth that in God’s time and in His way our Lord is going to bring the scales of justice into balance. And right here in this last chapter of Job’s story we read of the results of Job’s willingness to forgive and pray for His friends as well as his confession to God for his weaknesses. And look at the result as Satan was proven wrong, his three friends were brought to their knees, and Job is duly rewarded with complete restoration and rewards twice over.
And secondly, in a related vein, Swindoll writes this, “… God’s justice is worth waiting for.” We certainly have seen that much went on in Job’s life which he couldn’t see, nor perceive; and some of it seemed unwarranted and most of it certainly unwanted. God’s “deal” with Satan behind the scenes in Job’s life would seem to be like something coming into our lives which happened and we didn’t ask for it, nor did we deserve it. But “WHAMO!” It did happen; and we, like Job, had to deal with the circumstances, not knowing why God allowed these things to happen. But looking to Job, we see how he dealt with it.
First, Job trusted God in the face of horrible personal loss and physical oppression. And yes, he mistakenly listened to the reasoning of the world, personified by his friends, who had all kinds of skewed worldly advice. But when he felt confused, Job took his inquiries directly to God, not to those friends; and in the end, as we read in this last chapter of his life, Job was rewarded and the mistaken friends were brought to their knees, worshipping God and asking Job for forgiveness. It took quite a long time; but God made things right; and Job finally saw that God’s justice was well worth waiting for.
My friends, my writing at this point in your life may find you experiencing some horrible set of unwanted and unwarranted circumstances. Just a couple of weeks ago a dear sister in Christ in our church, who has three teenage kids, learned that she had cancer; and in less than ten days she was taken home to eternity leaving her husband and kids behind. “Why, Lord?!” we are tempted to ask. But right now while we’re healthy and can reason, we need to go back and meditate on and recognize the truth of those verses we’ve brought up in this study of Job.
So, as I sit here and write this morning, I’m mulling over the truths of Isaiah 55: 8 – 9 and Romans 8: 28, which remind me that God’s ways are way above my understanding and when He allows things – even really bad things - into my life, they are ALWAYS for my good. Oh, how I pray that we all can get those truths into our consciousness so that we can draw on the power of truth when we need that power.
And I pray that we all can take these truths to heart from our study of our restored hero, Job.
My Prayer for Today: My God, I’ve read the end of Your story; and in the end You make all things right; and this story of redemption has taken thousands of years to unfold. So, give me patience, Lord, to wait for Your perfect justice and restoration in this wisp of time which is my life. Amen
My Journal for Today: I’m coming down the stretch in my study of the Book of Job along with Chuck Swindoll; and it has been another growth experience to do these devotionals. And being here in Chapter 42 at the end of Job’s book, Swindoll points out two salient points that we should take away as truths which can alter our world view and the values which influence the decisions we make in life.
And the first of these two is, according to Swindoll, that "… forgiveness is worth waiting for.” Somehow, he posits, we’ve got to internalize the truth that in God’s time and in His way our Lord is going to bring the scales of justice into balance. And right here in this last chapter of Job’s story we read of the results of Job’s willingness to forgive and pray for His friends as well as his confession to God for his weaknesses. And look at the result as Satan was proven wrong, his three friends were brought to their knees, and Job is duly rewarded with complete restoration and rewards twice over.
And secondly, in a related vein, Swindoll writes this, “… God’s justice is worth waiting for.” We certainly have seen that much went on in Job’s life which he couldn’t see, nor perceive; and some of it seemed unwarranted and most of it certainly unwanted. God’s “deal” with Satan behind the scenes in Job’s life would seem to be like something coming into our lives which happened and we didn’t ask for it, nor did we deserve it. But “WHAMO!” It did happen; and we, like Job, had to deal with the circumstances, not knowing why God allowed these things to happen. But looking to Job, we see how he dealt with it.
First, Job trusted God in the face of horrible personal loss and physical oppression. And yes, he mistakenly listened to the reasoning of the world, personified by his friends, who had all kinds of skewed worldly advice. But when he felt confused, Job took his inquiries directly to God, not to those friends; and in the end, as we read in this last chapter of his life, Job was rewarded and the mistaken friends were brought to their knees, worshipping God and asking Job for forgiveness. It took quite a long time; but God made things right; and Job finally saw that God’s justice was well worth waiting for.
My friends, my writing at this point in your life may find you experiencing some horrible set of unwanted and unwarranted circumstances. Just a couple of weeks ago a dear sister in Christ in our church, who has three teenage kids, learned that she had cancer; and in less than ten days she was taken home to eternity leaving her husband and kids behind. “Why, Lord?!” we are tempted to ask. But right now while we’re healthy and can reason, we need to go back and meditate on and recognize the truth of those verses we’ve brought up in this study of Job.
So, as I sit here and write this morning, I’m mulling over the truths of Isaiah 55: 8 – 9 and Romans 8: 28, which remind me that God’s ways are way above my understanding and when He allows things – even really bad things - into my life, they are ALWAYS for my good. Oh, how I pray that we all can get those truths into our consciousness so that we can draw on the power of truth when we need that power.
And I pray that we all can take these truths to heart from our study of our restored hero, Job.
My Prayer for Today: My God, I’ve read the end of Your story; and in the end You make all things right; and this story of redemption has taken thousands of years to unfold. So, give me patience, Lord, to wait for Your perfect justice and restoration in this wisp of time which is my life. Amen
Saturday, September 26, 2009
2009 – Day 268.Sept 26 – Set Free
Passage of the Day: Job 42 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: I agree with my devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll in his book, Great Days with the Great Lives, that Chapter 42 of Job, especially the first eleven verses is a wonderful representation of what happens at the cross. And you know, the times I had read this victorious chapter earlier, I had never really seen it that way.
Oh, I saw Job being restored after his prayer for the three “friends” who had done him wrong [see this memorable passage of restoration in Job 42: 10]. And I had seen God’s justice coming into balance after it had seemingly been out of balance for so long with Job getting the short end of Satan’s stick. And I saw Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar having to humble themselves before God and Job. But until Pastor Swindoll helped me see it, I had never seen how God – as He did at the cross – released His justice and mercy so that the power of His grace could be worked out in one final efficacious act of love. I had never seen Job as a personification of what our Lord did for us on the cross.
Yes, that’s what is happening in Job 42; and it’s what happened at the cross. Job prayed for the three men here; and on the cross Jesus prayed, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” And in Job’s act, as well as that of the Lamb of God, sinners were set free – forever. And Job was then fully restored into his former glory, just as God, the Father, did for Jesus when The Father’s Son ascended back into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the Father, re-established into the glory which He had so ignominiously set aside to walk in agony as a servant of mankind (see Phil. 2: 5 – 11 - link provided).
Oh, my friends, isn’t the balance of God’s justice and His grace so, so perfect? And here, in this story of Job’s serving God, we see a picture of the suffering Servant, Jesus; and we must stand in awe of what our Savior went through to serve His Father and what He did in His earthly walk to suffer for my sins (and yours). Job becomes another of the arch types of The Christ that we study to realize whom we must become as God’s Spirit reshapes us into His image for eternity.
So, we must ask ourselves, are there any in our lives for whom we need to pray, “Forgive them, Father, for they really didn’t know what they were doing when they wronged me”? Do we need to repent our confused and selfish heart, as did Job, when we experience tribulations in this life and we’re tempted to ask, “Why, me, Lord?” Do we need to be more patient – as was Job in his account – realizing God truly does work out ALL things for my good and His glory [see, of course, Romans 8: 28]? This has been a good review for me to do the self inventory which Paul spoke of in 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked] to see if, indeed, my faith sees Christ is in me and I trust His Spirit for all that is going on in my life.
Perhaps we all need to take that test and see if we have the patience of Job [and Jesus] in our hearts.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know I need to do more to see Your fruit of patience mature in my heart. Amen
My Journal for Today: I agree with my devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll in his book, Great Days with the Great Lives, that Chapter 42 of Job, especially the first eleven verses is a wonderful representation of what happens at the cross. And you know, the times I had read this victorious chapter earlier, I had never really seen it that way.
Oh, I saw Job being restored after his prayer for the three “friends” who had done him wrong [see this memorable passage of restoration in Job 42: 10]. And I had seen God’s justice coming into balance after it had seemingly been out of balance for so long with Job getting the short end of Satan’s stick. And I saw Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar having to humble themselves before God and Job. But until Pastor Swindoll helped me see it, I had never seen how God – as He did at the cross – released His justice and mercy so that the power of His grace could be worked out in one final efficacious act of love. I had never seen Job as a personification of what our Lord did for us on the cross.
Yes, that’s what is happening in Job 42; and it’s what happened at the cross. Job prayed for the three men here; and on the cross Jesus prayed, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” And in Job’s act, as well as that of the Lamb of God, sinners were set free – forever. And Job was then fully restored into his former glory, just as God, the Father, did for Jesus when The Father’s Son ascended back into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the Father, re-established into the glory which He had so ignominiously set aside to walk in agony as a servant of mankind (see Phil. 2: 5 – 11 - link provided).
Oh, my friends, isn’t the balance of God’s justice and His grace so, so perfect? And here, in this story of Job’s serving God, we see a picture of the suffering Servant, Jesus; and we must stand in awe of what our Savior went through to serve His Father and what He did in His earthly walk to suffer for my sins (and yours). Job becomes another of the arch types of The Christ that we study to realize whom we must become as God’s Spirit reshapes us into His image for eternity.
So, we must ask ourselves, are there any in our lives for whom we need to pray, “Forgive them, Father, for they really didn’t know what they were doing when they wronged me”? Do we need to repent our confused and selfish heart, as did Job, when we experience tribulations in this life and we’re tempted to ask, “Why, me, Lord?” Do we need to be more patient – as was Job in his account – realizing God truly does work out ALL things for my good and His glory [see, of course, Romans 8: 28]? This has been a good review for me to do the self inventory which Paul spoke of in 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked] to see if, indeed, my faith sees Christ is in me and I trust His Spirit for all that is going on in my life.
Perhaps we all need to take that test and see if we have the patience of Job [and Jesus] in our hearts.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know I need to do more to see Your fruit of patience mature in my heart. Amen
Sunday, August 02, 2009
2009 – Day 213.Aug 02 – He’s In Charge
Passage of the Day: Esther 8: 9 – 14 … Linked here for study …
My Journal for Today: Are you in the midst of a set of circumstances which seems indomitable or irrevocable? Maybe there’s a lawsuit pending against you or your business. Perhaps there is a law which stands against you. Whatever it is, it seems intimidating and the circumstances may seem totally out of your control. Well, that’s where Mordecai and the Jews found themselves; … until God intervened and His justice prevailed for the Jews.
The law of the King for the Medes/Persians could not be revoked. So, the previous edict that the Jews were to be eradicated had to stay on the books. BUT – notice how God turned the books around to nullify the previous law of the land. The decree, under the signet ring of the King, allowed the Jews to avenge anyone who came against them. In other words they could defend themselves; and if they prevailed, they could take the spoils of battle for themselves. And they also had the advantage that Mordecai was now placed in charge as the defacto prime minister of the land. The effect of this was the God’s remnant were protected and allowed to flourish in Persia.
So, what do we gain from this story? Well, if one set of circumstance is pressing against us, there is nothing that cannot be undone or turned around by our God. I’ve said it before; and I’ll repeat it here. God is God; and mankind stands at the behest of His grace and control. And as I write this, God’s word, from the pen of Paul in Romans 8: 31, bubbles into my mind where God says to us, "If God be for us, who can be (or stand) against us.”
So, my friend, even when things seem irrevocable; and the events of your life seem to be crumbling; we must wait on God and do all we can to seek His way and His will. And if it is God’s will to turn things around, He will. If not, He won’t; and in both instances God’s justice will prevail and He will be glorified.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are my God; and I yield to You in all things. Amen
My Journal for Today: Are you in the midst of a set of circumstances which seems indomitable or irrevocable? Maybe there’s a lawsuit pending against you or your business. Perhaps there is a law which stands against you. Whatever it is, it seems intimidating and the circumstances may seem totally out of your control. Well, that’s where Mordecai and the Jews found themselves; … until God intervened and His justice prevailed for the Jews.
The law of the King for the Medes/Persians could not be revoked. So, the previous edict that the Jews were to be eradicated had to stay on the books. BUT – notice how God turned the books around to nullify the previous law of the land. The decree, under the signet ring of the King, allowed the Jews to avenge anyone who came against them. In other words they could defend themselves; and if they prevailed, they could take the spoils of battle for themselves. And they also had the advantage that Mordecai was now placed in charge as the defacto prime minister of the land. The effect of this was the God’s remnant were protected and allowed to flourish in Persia.
So, what do we gain from this story? Well, if one set of circumstance is pressing against us, there is nothing that cannot be undone or turned around by our God. I’ve said it before; and I’ll repeat it here. God is God; and mankind stands at the behest of His grace and control. And as I write this, God’s word, from the pen of Paul in Romans 8: 31, bubbles into my mind where God says to us, "If God be for us, who can be (or stand) against us.”
So, my friend, even when things seem irrevocable; and the events of your life seem to be crumbling; we must wait on God and do all we can to seek His way and His will. And if it is God’s will to turn things around, He will. If not, He won’t; and in both instances God’s justice will prevail and He will be glorified.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are my God; and I yield to You in all things. Amen
Saturday, June 27, 2009
2009 – Day 177.June 27 – Two Solemn Reminders
2009 – Day 177.June 27 – Two Solemn Reminders
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 21 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: From the highlighted passage today, Swindoll, in his devotional for this day, reminds his readers (me) of two awesome reminders.
#1 … THERE IS AN END TO GOD’S PATIENCE! And the truth of Isaiah 55: 8-9 applies here [check it out here!]. Sometimes we see injustice going on in the world; and we can’t figure out why God would allow mankind, especially leaders like Ahab and Jezebel, to do what they do, which is so obviously in opposition to God’s righteousness. Maybe you even feel like that right now when you see the world’s evil growing as it is. I do!
But God’s word is clear; and it says [Gal. 6: 7] “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And as we see in today’s passage, that is exactly what happened to Ahab and Jezebel; but as is usually God’s way, it took a long time for the rope on God’s presence to come to an end because of God’s character of long-suffering. But it did come, even though the calamity of God’s judgment did not occur in his days but in the days of the next generation.
And right now, as I ponder God’s word in my devotional time, I’m thinking of how the Prophet Habakkuk could not understand why God was so slow in his estimation to bring judgment down upon God’s people for their ungodliness (see Habakkuk 1 - linked here). But God in His time and in His way brought down His wrath upon God’s people who had mocked the Lord for so long with their evil ways; and Habakkuk was given a front row seat to learn a lesson in patience and faith. And we should learn the same lesson by reading and internalizing Habakkuk 3: 17-18 - also linked. But remember – God’s patience and His mercy have limits – His limits – and He will not be mocked!
#2 … GOD KEEPS HIS WORD! And no political leader, no idolized entertainer or athlete, or no religious leader, who is put up on a pedestal, can escape this reality. Again I repeat the truth of Galatians 6: 7. What goes around, comes around! It is God’s law of just proportionality. We reap what we sow; and no one can rise above that truth. Ahab and Jezebel may have thought they could; but as we read, the hammer finally fell; and as you read, it even hurt the next generation even more than it did theirs. And God’s wrath can be a very ugly scene as God’s word documents for others when His wrath came upon those who were locked out of the ark when the floods came, or those who lived and did evil in Sodom and Gomorrah, or on anyone who mocks God by not receiving his long-suffering grace after the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead after dying for the sins of mankind.
Please, my dear one, don’t think you mock God by rejecting His saving grace or even, as a born-again Christian, you feel you can sin chronically and repetitively with no consequences. God’s wrath may be long in coming as we see evil being perpetuated in our day; but God will not be mocked; and WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW; and so, may God have mercy on His remnant, those of us who cry out to God for His grace, … the remnant who sees the evil but cannot do other than to walk in righteousness or to pray in the truth of 2nd Chron. 7: 14 - [read it here], and to wait on God’s judgment. We may not know when or how; but our culture and our world will reap what they sow; and again … may God have mercy on all as the rain will fall on the just as well as the unjust.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, have mercy on us! Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 21 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: From the highlighted passage today, Swindoll, in his devotional for this day, reminds his readers (me) of two awesome reminders.
#1 … THERE IS AN END TO GOD’S PATIENCE! And the truth of Isaiah 55: 8-9 applies here [check it out here!]. Sometimes we see injustice going on in the world; and we can’t figure out why God would allow mankind, especially leaders like Ahab and Jezebel, to do what they do, which is so obviously in opposition to God’s righteousness. Maybe you even feel like that right now when you see the world’s evil growing as it is. I do!
But God’s word is clear; and it says [Gal. 6: 7] “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And as we see in today’s passage, that is exactly what happened to Ahab and Jezebel; but as is usually God’s way, it took a long time for the rope on God’s presence to come to an end because of God’s character of long-suffering. But it did come, even though the calamity of God’s judgment did not occur in his days but in the days of the next generation.
And right now, as I ponder God’s word in my devotional time, I’m thinking of how the Prophet Habakkuk could not understand why God was so slow in his estimation to bring judgment down upon God’s people for their ungodliness (see Habakkuk 1 - linked here). But God in His time and in His way brought down His wrath upon God’s people who had mocked the Lord for so long with their evil ways; and Habakkuk was given a front row seat to learn a lesson in patience and faith. And we should learn the same lesson by reading and internalizing Habakkuk 3: 17-18 - also linked. But remember – God’s patience and His mercy have limits – His limits – and He will not be mocked!
#2 … GOD KEEPS HIS WORD! And no political leader, no idolized entertainer or athlete, or no religious leader, who is put up on a pedestal, can escape this reality. Again I repeat the truth of Galatians 6: 7. What goes around, comes around! It is God’s law of just proportionality. We reap what we sow; and no one can rise above that truth. Ahab and Jezebel may have thought they could; but as we read, the hammer finally fell; and as you read, it even hurt the next generation even more than it did theirs. And God’s wrath can be a very ugly scene as God’s word documents for others when His wrath came upon those who were locked out of the ark when the floods came, or those who lived and did evil in Sodom and Gomorrah, or on anyone who mocks God by not receiving his long-suffering grace after the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead after dying for the sins of mankind.
Please, my dear one, don’t think you mock God by rejecting His saving grace or even, as a born-again Christian, you feel you can sin chronically and repetitively with no consequences. God’s wrath may be long in coming as we see evil being perpetuated in our day; but God will not be mocked; and WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW; and so, may God have mercy on His remnant, those of us who cry out to God for His grace, … the remnant who sees the evil but cannot do other than to walk in righteousness or to pray in the truth of 2nd Chron. 7: 14 - [read it here], and to wait on God’s judgment. We may not know when or how; but our culture and our world will reap what they sow; and again … may God have mercy on all as the rain will fall on the just as well as the unjust.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, have mercy on us! Amen
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