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Day 247: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 — God’s secret wisdom

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

1:25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength…2:14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There are a lot of things I don’t understand about God and the way He works. I don’t understand how God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart1” (Exodus 7:3-13, and others). I don’t understand how God “sends a powerful delusion” to “those who are perishing” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). We pray for God to be with us when we travel, and to grant us a safe trip. I believe He answers those prayers, but I don’t understand how He does it. Right now, many of us are praying that God will send us a minister to work with our congregation and help us grow, to His glory, and we are praying the He send a Christian couple to work at a nearby Christian children’s home as relief house parents. I have faith that God will honor those requests, but I don’t have a clue how He’ll do it.

You know what else I don’t understand? I don’t understand the kind of love that redeemed me from the pit and offered me the hope of eternal salvation — but I believe it. That’s all we’re asked to do. That’s all God has ever required from His people — a living, active, obedient faith that trusts in His grace to provide.

Do you have that kind of faith?

  1. For a nicely-written, documented-by-scripture article on this subject, see Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart?, by Kyle Butt and Dave Miller.

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Day 244: Psalm 79 — Always Leaning On Him

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

What a journey life is. It is full of emotions both good and bad. One day we can be riding the crest of the wave and the next be in the depth of despair. Is it purely externals that determine where we are emotionally? Do we have an active part in our lot in life?

I believe we do. Often we go about our daily life with no thought of God. It is not until something goes wrong that we think of Him. This is the problem of the ages. How many times did Israel abandon God’s ways only to suffer for their actions? Then to plead with God for forgiveness (Psa 79). Warren Wiersbe in his book “Be Worshipful” writes the following:

As the kingdom of Judah declined, their kings and leaders became less and less devoted to the Lord. There were a few godly kings, such as Asa, Josiah, Joash, and Hezekiah, but foreign alliances, idolatry, and unbelief combined to weaken the kingdom and ripen it for judgment. The sins of the fathers accumulated until God could hold back His wrath no longer (Gen. 15:16; Matt. 23:32-33; 1 Thess. 2:13-16). We are guilty before God for only our own sins (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18), but we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors (Ex. 20:5; Ex. 34:7; 2 Kings 17:7ff; 2 Kings 23:26-27; 2 Kings 24:3-4; Lam. 5:7; Dan. 9:4-14).

“But we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors.” We live in a country that is quickly amassing sins before almighty God. Our response is “I didn’t have anything to do with those decisions.” But as a nation we will all have to bear the ultimate consequence of those sins in this life. So there is a reason to cry out, there is a reason to take a stand for God. There is a reason to pray that God will turn us back before we lie in ruins before the world as Israel did.

I can start with myself. I can place God in the forefront of my life. Maybe my wife and children will see, accept, and take this example and share it with others. Then one by one this nation will turn back to God.

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Day 226: Psalm 14 — On being a fool

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1

David’s intent isn’t to provide a definition of who is a fool, but a thousand years later, give or take, the apostle Paul does tend to agree (Romans 1:18-23). Wait, I know I saw a few stones around her somewhere — oh, there they are!

All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Psalm 14:3

Now that doesn’t sound good. There’s just something about that word all that really doesn’t leave room for exclusion. Even so, the goal here is not to show that all on earth are fools, nor to imply that there isn’t an ounce of good in anyone. Taken as a whole, the Psalm is simply a characterization of the wicked. Instead of looking at verse 3 as blanket condemnation on everyone as corrupt and vile and foolish, a better conclusion is that of Paul. Paul quoted this Psalm in Romans chapter 3, and concluded simply that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Often we stop there in Romans chapter 3, but the next verse explains that we are justified freely by the grace of God (Romans 3:24).

So just as Psalm 14 is a characterization of the wicked, Psalm 15 is a characterization of the righteous. Just as someone who has found no need in his heart for God is a fool, those who have made room in their heart for God are the righteous. Not through our own righteous deeds, but through the sacrificial atonement of Christ (Isaiah 64:4-9, Titus 3:3-7). In many ways, these 2 Psalms fit very nicely with Romans chapter 3.

Thank you Jesus, for not leaving me to be the fool, but by redeeming me with Your blood, you have cleansed me and made me righteous — not through my own goodness, but through your own perfect sacrifice. May I live each day to glorify Your name and the name of the One Who sent You.

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Day 205: Nehemiah 13:1-31 — Blessing or curse?

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

[the Moabites] had hired Balaam to call a curse down on [the Israelites]. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) Nehemiah 13:2

There are so many lessons in the book of Nehemiah, and the closing chapter is loaded with them. You’re no doubt familiar with the story of Balaam; if you need to jog your memory, it’s in Numbers 22-24. The king of Moab, feeling threatened by the Israelites, hired Balaam to call down a curse on his “enemy”. Instead, Balaam followed God’s instructions and blessed His people instead (Numbers 23:11-12).

In this simple verse, Nehemiah reminds us that sometimes what is intended by others to work against us, God, who is all-powerful, can work for us. Isn’t that what the Apostle Paul reminds us of? This is a verse we all know by heart and quote often:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

The way many of us learned that verse was that “all things work together for good” (KJV), as if magically “all things” just happen to “work together for good”, rather than the active “God works for the good”. I believe that’s exactly what Nehemiah is reminding us of — that God is active in the lives of His people. Whatever circumstances you’re dealt by your job, your friends, your health, whatever — God can turn bad into good, cursing into blessing.

What’s your “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)? Is God’s grace sufficient? When you look at “life’s lemons”, do you see curses thrown at you by circumstances, or do you see opportunity for God to work blessings through you?

Holy Father, forgive us for the times when in our selfish stubbornness, we fail to surrender our lives to You to allow You to work through us. May today be Your day; may our lives be instruments of Your blessing to others we meet. We offer our lives to You, so that You can turn curse into blessing, in the name of our precious Savior Jesus.

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Day 184: Acts 3:12-4:4 — Many who heard the message believed

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. Acts 4:4

It’s not about you.

Have you ever made the most eloquent argument, based on Scripture, driving home all the finer points only to have your “mark” shrug and walk away? “I planted the seed.”

How about just striking up what started out to be a normal, casual conversation but quickly turned to matters of faith — and you don’t remember how it got there? “Apollos watered it.”

It’s about God.

Or have you seen someone study with a friend, then study with a different friend, then days later — perhaps weeks or months or even years — you find out from a brother in another city that this person has given her life to Christ, being baptized in His name, and is now living for Him? “But God made it grow.”

So neither he who plants is nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.1 Corinthians 3:6-7

In Acts chapter 3, Peter got the chance to heal a man who had been crippled from birth (Acts 3:1-10), and beginning with verse 11, the Rock gets a chance to address the crowd with the Gospel message. This is the man who just days ago was speaking in languages unknown to him, and 3,000 were baptized — the same guy who Jesus said He would use to build His church. So if there’s any man on earth short of Jesus Christ Himself who could deliver a message powerful enough to persuade everyone within earshot, certainly it would be Simon Peter.

But not all believed. We’re told “many” believed; we’re not told “all” believed. Indeed, the Word of God is living and active; it is sharper than any double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), but we’re called merely to plant and water the seed, which is what Peter did the day he healed the crippled beggar at the temple gate called Beautiful. Not even Peter was called to make the seed grow and produce fruit of the Spirit. Only God can do that.

That’s all we’re called to do — be the best light we can be (Matthew 5:16), produce fruit in keeping with the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So the next time you don’t see immediate growth from a seed you just watered, remember — it’s not about you. And be thankful to the One it is about. Be patient and wait upon the Lord. (Isaiah 40:31)

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Day 172: 1 Chronicles 9:1-11:3; John 15:18-16:15 — “…to keep you from falling away.”

Monday, June 21st, 2010

The opening lines of 1 Chron. 9:1 and the end of chapter 10 remind the Jews returning from exile that unfaithfulness, breach of faith–treachery against God and the covenant–resulted in the exile of Judah to Babylon, and was the end of Saul’s one king dynasty. After all of the time and effort to list the people of God, to keep track and lose none of them, the writer reveals an irony of the relationship of God and man: He is always finding us to bless and preserve us. We are always fighting His wisdom and blessing, running away to descend to a pit of despair from which we cry out to Him, and it all starts again. The bright spot for the chronicler is David, the son of Jesse. He begins the eternal dynasty. What a wonderful encouragement to those reading and listening. They fell, but do not have to stay down. They left God but He never left them. He brought them back for a greater, wonderful purpose. Now comes their time to choose. What will they do? Will they be faithful? Will they endure? They try to do it on their own, eventually leaving God in a way less obvious but just as destructive. They will not consult the witches as Saul, yet neither will they consult their God, rather they will murder Him.

Jesus, son of David, encourages His small band that even though He must leave and the world will hate them, they will not be left alone. Another irony ensues here. This time it seems that God is leaving, an apparent abandonment. Worse yet, He says that they will be hated, even pursued. Yet Jesus must leave so that the great, pervasive, and perhaps even closer presence of God in His Spirit will come to them. What will they do? Will they be faithful? Will they endure? They do.

Paul reminds us that the things which were written in the past were written for our learning, to help us stay strong, to help us endure, Rom. 15:4. The chronicler tells the returning exiles, and tells us, we have a great and magnificent heritage as the people of God. John tells his readers, during a time of spiritual warfare, that they are not alone–although it may seem that way. They have part in the great plan and work of God to redeem the world of men, to enter a Promised Land greater than all. Today we will choose. What will we do? Will we be faithful? Will we endure?

Prayer: Holy, Righteous Father, in Jesus’ name we kneel to You. In this day we choose faith and trust in You. Help us by Your Spirit to live with confidence in Your great plan, and promises, to know Your presence, and to do Your will.

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Day 167: John 12:37-50 — Speaking or Cowering

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

John 12:42 gives me cause to wonder. Do we still have this problem today? Do we still hesitate to confess our belief in Jesus because of the multitude of Pharisees in our world today? Some would say there is no problem of believing in Jesus today — at least not in this country.

The following is a quote from Strong exhaustive concordance of the Bible “They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works.”

We live in a world where lip service is given to God by so many leaders of society and they carefully define the limits of what service to God should be. We find ourselves disagreeing with their limits, yet fail to speak up because of fear — fear we will be marked as a religious fanatic. We justify our silence by thinking “if I speak up then I’ll lose all chance to influence them”.

Brethren, influence is brought to bear only by people who have the courage to state that conviction in a way that others can see. Will you be a Pharisee or a disciple?

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Day 166: 1 Chronicles 1:1-54; John 12:12-36 — His Care

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Last month I had the chance to return to my home area and visit with old friends and relatives. While talking with my nephew I pointed to his two boys, one four and the other less than a year, and told him to make sure he taught them about their great-grandfather. Dad was one of my heroes. I would hope that the world would never forget him.

From time to time someone in the family will work on our family tree and uncover a new bit of information here or there. 1 Chronicles 1 is a researcher’s dream. It doesn’t give a lot of personal information about each person, but it quickly lays out the family history.

To contrast 1 Chronicles with John 12 might not make sense at first, but there is a connection. In John 12:21 (NAS) — These then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Did you catch it? “We wish to see Jesus.” That same request is made daily by the world of His followers today. In us they wish to see Jesus.

How can they see Jesus in us unless we have learned of Him to the point that we emulate Him in our everyday life? When the world sees Jesus in us, it’s not a performance—it is an automatic reflection of who we have become under His care.

Study of our ancestors will only satisfy our selfish curiosity. Study of the one who saved us and keeps us in God’s grace can lead us and others to an eternity with the Father. Now that is real satisfaction.

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Day 160: 2 Kings 12:4-14:22; John 9:8-34 — Going Home

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Theologians love to argue about theology. They set up straw men then knock them down. Many times in the process they fail to see and consider the simplest of facts that are before them. The reason is easy to discern — those simple facts will not help them make their case. In truth, many times, they will disprove their position.

The older I get the more I fall in love with words. I can remember a time when I would be reading something and come across an unfamiliar word. If I thought I understood the sentence without the knowing the word I just ignored it and went on. Now my best friend is my dictionary. I want to know what words mean because one or two words can change the entire meaning of something. Each word is like a fact. If we are allowed to pick only the words we want, we have no real understanding.

John 9:8-34

In this passage there are a lot of words but little or no communication because the leaders of the Jews simply do not want to know the facts. They are seeking evidence that will prove what they have already decided. The man born blind is no scholar and has no credentials but he has evidence. “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Theologians love the smallest of details but what we need is basic understanding. “Once I was lost but now I’m on my way home.”

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Day 156: 2 Kings 5:1-14 — You big crybaby!

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Elisha.

What a lot of great stories in this prophet’s CV, huh? We read about the widow’s oil, the Shunammite’s dead son raised, and the “death in the pot” incident in chapter 4. We’ll read about the floating axehead in tomorrow’s reading, and don’t forget the bears who came out of nowhere to do in the forty-two punks making fun of God’s man (2 Kings 2:23-25).

Now here we are in Chapter 5, where Elisha is introduced to an Aramean Army commander named Naaman, who really knew how to throw a temper fit. You know the story:

  • Naaman had leprosy.
  • His wife’s Israelite servant girl told him about a prophet who would cure him.
  • Naaman didn’t go where the servant girl told him he would be healed; he went to the king of Israel instead.
  • This made the king mad, and he tore his robes.
  • Elisha heard the king had torn his robes (you ever wonder how Elisha heard?), and told the king to have Naaman come to him.
  • Naaman went to see the prophet.
  • Elisha wouldn’t even come out to meet this powerful Army commander; he sent a messenger out to tell Naaman to wash 7 times in the dirty Jordan River.
  • Naaman went off in a huff.

The rest of the story isn’t until tomorrow’s reading, but you know how it ends and we have enough for today anyway.

Two points:

  1. You need healing? You go where the healing is! How difficult is that? We’re all sick with sin that separates us from the Father (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2), and there is only One healer who can eliminate that separation — Jesus, the Christ (John 14:6).
  2. The instructions given to Naaman were intended to show that healing would only come from God, and only on His terms, not on terms of Naaman’s own choosing. It may not make sense to us that we contact the saving blood of Jesus through the waters of baptism, yet this is how God told us it happens (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16). Many people today who seek salvation are told falsely that salvation is effected through prayer, during which you ask Jesus into your heart and accept Him as your personal Savior. That theology does beg the question though — if Saul of Tarsus wasn’t saved after 3 days of prayer and fasting (Acts 9:8-12, 22:16), why would we believe we can access the saving blood of Jesus through prayer?

Question: To whom do you look for eternal healing? Whose instructions do you follow?

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