Halitosis

My breath is offensive to my wife;

Job 19:17a (NIV)

Job, in his distress and complaining, in his struggling with God, became offensive to his wife. Yes, she was the one who told him to "curse God and die." In all of his struggle, he had changed and become a stranger to his wife and she didn't want to be around him. What happened to the man I married? She might have thought she would have been better off if he had died. Then her kinsmen-redeemer would take care of her instead of this burned out, broken down shell of a man. Redemption - that's what she wants - not having to listen to Job cry out to God what have I done?. She repeats to herself I can't take it anymore over and over again. Job's alienation from God and his subsequent alienation from his wife illustrate our need to have somebody draw us closer to God and to each other. Job goes on in verse 25 to say "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth." (Job 19:25) Job recognizes his need for redemption. I know that my redeemer has walked this earth and died on the cross for my sins and will one day rule and reign on this earth. I cannot be more glad that I too can say "my redeemer lives!"

You've Got A Friend In Me

²⁶ When he [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Acts 9:26-27 (NIV)

You really can't blame the disciples. If the story took place today, they would have been watching CNN and seeing how this Saul fellow was going around and locking up their fellow believers. Let him come in and meet us? I don't think so! It's a trap, I know it, it's a trap! But Barnabas believed in the work God was doing through Saul. He supported Saul and brought him to the apostles. Because they knew Barnabas to be a man of good character, they were willing to trust him. I wonder if there's anyone I need to be Barnabas to. Is there anyone I know who might not be welcome into the local fellowship that I've seen what God is doing in their lives? Is there anyone that I can support and help them establish their foundation in a family of faith? I need to be on the lookout for a Saul I can be Barnabas to.

But God, I really don't want to...

¹³"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.

Acts 9:13-15 (NIV)

Ananias was sent to Saul to heal him. He didn't particularly want to go. Saul had a bad reputation with those following Christ. Of course, God had other plans. How many times have I protested to God? How many times have I said "God I don't want to." Far too many. Ananais obeyed, the Church grew and the world was blessed. I should obey too...

Deep and Wide

⁷"Can you find out the deep things of God?
    Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
⁸It is higher than heaven—what can you do?
    Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
⁹Its measure is longer than the earth
    and broader than the sea.

Job 11:7-9 (ESV)

As Job is listening to his three friends, he gets some good advice and he gets some not-so-good advice. His friend Zophar is helpful here in reminding Job of the ifiniteness of God. I hate to say it, but this is something that I need to be reminded of. How often do I try and put God in a box? How often does my doubt and unbelief limit what I think God can do in my life? I need to be reminded of His depth. I need to be reminded that He has no limit. There is nothing I can do to limit God. It is good that God is beyond limit. It is good for me to remember that!

That's A Good Question

"Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can a mortal be righteous before God?

Job 9:2(NIV)

Job, even though he thought himself to be without sin, poses a good question in his second defense. He realizes God's righteousness and man's sinfulness. He goes on later to wish their was an arbiter, recognizing his need for a savior. I am thankful that I have come to that same conclusion. I am a sinner and cannot on my own be righteous before God. But God sent His Son to die on the cross for my sin and to be that arbiter between God and me. I am thankful that Jesus' righteousness has been imputed to me. I am thankful for my need for a savior and that need has already been met in Jesus!

Show Me Where I Have Been Wrong

"Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.

Job 6:24 (NIV)

Job's friends had come to him to help him figure out what he had done wrong to deserve all of the adversity that had come upon him. In his first response, Job is kind of upset. He thinks he's been punished to excess. Yet, in all of his complaining, he does stumble upon a little humility. He does want to be shown what he has done wrong. He doesn't really expect his friends to be able to do so, but if they will, he will be quiet and listen. This is a good attitude to happen. Do I ever want to be shown where I'm wrong? Not really. Yet, reality is I'm a sinner. I do wrong far more than I should. Do I want to listen if someone tells me that I've done wrong? No. However, I should accept God's grace and be humble and listen quietly when someone cares enough to show me where I've done wrong.

Blessings and Curses

and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

Job 1:21 (NIV)

His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Job 2:9 (NIV)

ברך barak is an interesting word. I'm not saying so because etomologicly it is probably derived from the same root as the first name of the President. I am saying so because it appears in both verses that I've cited here. In the first verse, it is translated "blessed" (KJV) or "praised" (NIV) and in the second it is translated "curse." Suppose the two meanings were flipped. OK, I doubt Matt Redman would have had quite such a big hit with "Cursed be the name of the Lord," although I can imagine that more than a few people would be singing along silently in their minds. But what about Job's wife. "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Bless God and die!" That kind of makes me think You've fought the good fight. Well done! Now enjoy your eternal reward! Of course context is what brings about the translations we have here. Job 1:22 says Job did not sin and thus blessed seems to be the proper translation. Job 2:10 tells us how Job thought his wife was foolish and thus curse seems appropriate. What we say and how we say it is important. Sometimes what we say can be taken in a way completely different that what we intend. Examine your heart and your words before you speak. How are you going to barak somebody today?

Much to learn

For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"

Esther 8:6 (NIV)

Haman the Agagite was defeated, but the plan he set in place for the destruction of the Jews was still in place. Esther was distraught. She approached the king once again. He extended his sceptre to her once again. She pleaded for her people.

There are times that I think I should be more like Esther. She was bold in approaching the king over and over again. She had true compassion and love for her people and did not want to see evil befall them. Do I find myself being bold like Esther? Does my heart truly break over the suffering of those around me? I can only answer these questions by hesitating and mumbling "sometimes." There is a lot of Christ's character seen here in Esther. There is much for this forty-something man to learn from this young queen.

Pride

When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?"

Esther 6:6 (NIV)

Thanks to the movie One Night With The King, every time I read Esther and passages about Haman, I see Gaius Baltar from Sci-Fi Channel's Battlestar Galactica. James Callis played both roles splendidly. Because I recognized him from one of my favorite TV shows, it made the part of Haman even more memorable to me.

Haman was an enemy of the Jewish people. He had risen to the top of the heap of advisers to King Xerxes. He was quite proud of himself. When the king sought to honor someone, he turned to Haman. Haman, of course, thought the king wanted to honor HIM and thus recommended the honor that he wanted. Haman was crushed when he found out it was his enemy Mordecai who the king wanted to honor and was humiliated as he had to honor Mordecai.

Imagine if you were up for an Academy Award. Not only were you up for the award, but all of the press are saying that you are a shoe-in for the award. Your bitter rival is up for the same award, but nobody saw that movie and the few who saw it hated it. You actually saw that movie, too, and definitely thought there was no way your rival would win the award. You have your acceptance speech all planned. You call the Academy and ask that since it's such a prestigious award you would like to present it. They agree. You're up on stage beaming with pride and in your best Shakespearan drama voice you say "The Award goes to..." You open the envelope... You see your rival's name. In front of a worldwide TV audience of 99 million you're supposed give the award to your rival, but you don't move because you're in shock. That's probably a little like how Haman felt. He was devestated.

⁸Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:8-10 (NIV)

Do You Know It All?

Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times

Esther 1:13 (NIV)

King Xerxes was one of the most powerful kings of his day. He's been in the background as I've read through Ezra and Nehemiah. He moves to the foreground here in Esther. He's one of the most powerful men in the world and his queen doesn't respect him. I'm sure the 24-hour news channels and gossip websites of his day were all over this story. Scandal in the first degree! He knew exactly what to do... talk to his counselors and seek their advice.

Sometimes I think I know exactly what I should do. I think I may understand a situation perfectly and the right course of action is obvious. Sometimes I think it may be obvious that the Bible says... and I should take a specific course of action. But sometimes I don't see the whole picture. Sometimes I don't see how other situations that I may not be aware of are influencing the situation I'm looking at. Sometimes, I may forget that there are other passages in the Bible that speak to the situation I may be in - not just the one that I interpret to mean what I like. I am thankful to God that there are others in my life who can speak into my life without my feeling threatened: my wife - who sees the big picture differently than I do; other men in my church who have walked with the Lord longer than I have and have seen God work in ways that I haven't; even men who have walked with the Lord less time than I have but God has still blessed them with experiences, knowledge, and wisdom that I don't posess. Seeking wise counsel is a good thing. I trust that God will guide me to the right counsel when I need it.

The Wages of Sin

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Acts 5:5 (NIV)

We don't usually get to see death as a direct result of sin, but it does happen. Death first entered the world because of original sin. Scripture has many examples of immediate death as a result of sin. Ananias and Sapphira is one such example. Ananias realized he had been caught in his sin and fell down and died. Scripture doesn't mention what was going through his head in between when he gave the money and when Peter called him his misrepresentation of how much he was giving. Was he smug in thinking that he got away with it? When Peter started to speak was Ananias thinking "Oh rats, he figured it out"? Was he cocky? Was he fearful? Did he even realize that he had been found out before he dropped dead?

The weight of carrying sin around can be heavy. The fear of being found out can be paralyzing. Rather than fearing being found out, it is far better to remember 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Putting It In Writing

"In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it."

Nehemiah 9:38

The wall was rebuilt and the Israelites were recounting God's faithfulness in all that He had done for them. They declared publicly that they were commiting to God. Then, they put it in writing and making it official. By putting it on paper, affixing their seal to it, they were attempting to show how serious they were about their commitment. If they faltered, someone could pull out the paper and remind them of their commitment. If they wanted to break their commitment, you could look at the seal on the document and realize that it cannot be broken. They could be held accountable to their commitment. There's no seal on my blog. No physical signature on it either. Back on May 4, 2010 I committed to blogging on my daily Bible reading as a means to engaging more deeply with what I have been reading. I am amazed at how God has blessed me and how much more I have gleaned from what I was reading. I've been convicted in areas I'm falling short. I've been edified and encouraged to grow in some areas. I feel like I've gotten to know some of the Old Testament saints better and been encouraged as I've read of their repentence. Most importantly, I've gotten to know God better. That has been my ultimate goal and it remains so. So, don't look for my signature or my seal, but here in writing for all to see is my commitment.

Reading the Law

³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁶ Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:3,6 (NIV)

Nehemiah and his crew had finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. To celebrate, they had Ezra the priest bring out the book of the Law and read it to the people. It wasn't a boring speech or a sermon that no one was paying attention to. The people listened attentively and when Ezra was finished they praised, they lifted their hands and they shouted "Amen!" and they worshipped!

This isn't always how I respond to hearing the Word of God. Haven't I seen God's faithfulness? Haven't I seen God do great things? Don't I know how true His Word is? Aren't I moved by His Word? Why shouldn't I respond to hearing or reading His Word by worshipping? I may refrain from shouting "Amen" only in the interest of not waking my wife and kids but I shouldn't refrain from responding to His Word in worship.

Praying In Adversity

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."

But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah 6:9 (NIV)

When times got tough while rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah prayed. When his enemies taunted him, Nehemiah prayed. When the enemies taunted and tried to get under his skin and make him think he and his workers would get weak, Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hands. It all seems so simple. When times get tough: pray. When you don't have the strength to carry on: pray that God wil strengthen you. It's all so straightforward. All I have to do is remember... OK, that part is sometimes hard...

Remembering Who We Pray To

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

"O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

Nehemiah 1:4-7 (NIV)

Nehemiah prayed earnestly to God. In doing so, he demonstrates a few things about God that we need to keep in mind when we're praying to God.

• He humbles himself. Before even opening up his mouth, Nehemiah humbles himself through mourning and fasting. I don't want to prescribe specific methods here, but humbling yourself before God before you open your mouth - good idea!
• He remembers God's majesty. He recognizes God lives in heaven. He recognizes God is awesome.
• He remembers God's faithfulness. God keeps His covenants. He is faithful.
• He remembers God's attentiveness. He knows God hears him. He knows God sees what's going on.
• He remembers God's forgiveness. He confesses his sin and the sins of the people to God. Would he do so if he didn't trust in God's forgiveness.

Too often, my prayers are simply Dear God, thank You for what You've done for me. Here's my prayer list. Grant me Your blessing. I love You, God. Amen. If I take time to humble myself and to remember the God to whom I am praying, how much richer would my prayers be? How much easier would it be for me to hear His voice? Nehemiah has reminded me. Now I need to remember.

Less Than We Deserve

¹³ "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? ¹⁵ O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence."

Ezra 9:13-15 (NIV)

Doesn't that just capture the essence of grace? God has "punished us less than our sins have deserved." That's something I need to remember every day. I may sin in ways that are completely acceptable to the world around me and it is still sin in the eyes of God. Certainly Ezra understands here what Paul says in Romans 6:1 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" "No" is Paul's emphatic answer. "No" is Ezra's answer. Ezra knew it was by the grace of God that he could stand before God in repentence. Paul knew that it was through the grace of God as manifested in the death of Christ on the cross and being united with Christ that he could stand before God in repentence. It is that same grace that allows me to write here that I have been punished less than I deserve. Should I go on sinning to experience more of God's grace? No, the grace He has given me is sufficient that I should be amazed by it and treasure it the rest of my life!

Study, Do, Teach

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Ezra 7:10 (ESV)

Ezra was a priest, scribe, and prophet. I appreciate how this verse describes his heart. He was diligent at studying Scripture. Awesome. But that was not enough. He did what God's Law said to do. Great! But even that was not enough. He taught others. Because of his faith in God, he diligently sought the heart of God as revealed in His Law. He sought to please God by obeying His Law and by teaching it to others. May God be glorified as I too study His Word, obey His Word, and teach it to others!

Do You Love Me?

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

John 21:15-17

Three times, Jesus asks Peter "do you love me?" All three times the question is phrased slightly different. Three times, Peter responds "yes Lord." Three times Jesus responds - each time slightly different in it's own right. Do you love me more than these? Do you love me? Do you have affection for me? With each question, the intensity of the love seems to lessen and Peter seems to become discouraged. When contrasted with Jesus' instructions back, there is no need to be discouraged. Do you have affection for me? Feed my sheep. Nourish your brothers. Care for the spiritual wellbeing of my people. Do you love me? Tend my sheep. Shepherd my people. Oversee my people. Take care of all of their needs. Do you love me more than these? Feed my lambs. Nourish the young believers. Nourish the children.

All of us who call ourselves Christians have a responsibility to take care of God's people regardless of how committed we are. As our love for Jesus grows, our commitment to serving Him and serving His people should deepen. Feed, tend, nourish. Not starve, hurt, cut off. Love. Feed. Love. Tend. Love. Feed. Do it today. Do it tomorrow. Do it every day.

My Lord and My God!

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

John 20:28 (NIV)

Thomas wasn't there when the other disciples first saw Jesus after His resurrection. They told him about it it and he was skeptical. And then boom, Jesus appeared again and Thomas believed. Actually, it was a week later. A week later. Just one more time for emphasis. A week later. Can you imagine what Thomas must have been feeling during that week. All of these other folks that Thomas had been close to for the years of Jesus' ministry had seen Jesus in the flesh after the resurrection. He hadn't. Whatever it was the Thomas had been doing that day when he wasn't there with the other disciples must not have seen as important now. The other disciples had seen Jesus alive and he hadn't. If I had been in his position my skepticism at first would have turned into doubt which after a week probably would have turned into utter despair. Thomas may have felt confident with his skepticism at first, but a week later he may have felt like Charlie Brown on the ground after Lucy pulled the football away from him. AUGH! Perhaps he was thinking "Why has everyone else had this blessing and I have not? What's wrong with me?" So, he stuck close to the other disciples. If Jesus appeared again, he wasn't going to miss it. They were togehter in the room. The doors were locked. Jesus appeared. Jesus looked at Thomas and spoke to him. He knew the skepticism and doubt. Come on, stick your finger in there. It's really me! After a week of hungering to see Jesus again, the doubt had vanished. After a week of longing to see Jesus again, there He was. After a week of doubt and despair, Thomas' hope was realized. I can imagine that Thomas didn't just say those words once. I can imagine that he bowed before Jesus repeating over and over "My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God." I can imagine that Thomas was weeping tears of joy as He did so. "My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God."

I find it easy to put myself in Thomas' shoes. Why has everyone else around me gotten this blessing and I haven't? I can feel the skepticism, doubt, and despair. I can feel the longing to really see Jesus. I can feel the fear. I can feel the pain. But there Jesus is. I can feel the peace. I too bow and worship. My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God.

Threatening Words

¹⁹Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." ²⁰Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. ²¹So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" ²²Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

John 19:19-22 (ESV)

The Jewish leaders came to Pilate to have Jesus killed telling him that by calling Himself King of the Jews, Jesus was an enemy to Ceasar. After speaking with Jesus, Pilate called Him the King of the Jews. The Jewish leaders didn't want to hear this since it threatened their roles as leaders of the people. They certainly didn't want to admit that they were wrong about Who Jesus was. These very words threatened the core of their existence. Yet, Pilate stuck to them. In my mind I can see Pilate played by Jack Nicholson with the expression on his face the same as in A Few Good Men when he delivered the line "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth." Pilate, not counting himself as a believer, is saying "I wrote what I wrote. I don't care if you're threatened by it. Deal with it!"

Truth be told, even today, there are proclamations about Jesus that are threatening. Savior we can sometimes handle, but Lord? You mean I'm giving up control of my life? That's sometimes a tough one. A good teacher. Yes, of course He was a good teacher. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (John 3:36) That's a little tougher. If there are words about Jesus or from Jesus that we feel threatened by, we need to ask what is it that threatens us? Then we need to deal with it. As you read what God has written about His Son, picture Him saying "What I have written I have written." Why, because HE DID!

Who can be against me?

And his servants said still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32:16 (ESV)

Sennacherib king of Assyria had come against Hezekiah king of Judah. He had laid seige against Jerusalem. He was not mereley coming against Hezekiah, he was coming against God. Sennacherib accused Hezekiah of lieing to his people. Hezekiah didn't believe Sennacherib's lies. He trusted in God to deliver his people. God did. In 2 Chronicles 32:8, Hezekiah reminded his people, "With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." Perhaps Hezekiah had taken a peek into the future and read Romans 8:31 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Perhaps Hezekiah just knew who God was and that He doesn't change. Either way, I know and when I see people coming against God and my beliefs, I can trust in this like Hezekiah did!

I Saw You With Him

²⁵As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?"

He denied it, saying, "I am not."

²⁶One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" ²⁷Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

John 18:25-27 (NIV)

They pressed Peter again and he denied Jesus again. Then an eyewitness stepped forward and IDed Peter. He denied Jesus a third time. Jesus had been right that Peter would deny Him three times. The cock crowed. Peter was busted. Maybe Peter feared that he too would be crucified with Jesus. Maybe Peter feared that this last guy was going to try an-ear-for-an-ear on him. Nevertheless, Peter feared. Things were spinning out of control even though Jesus told him this would all happen - and that it had to happen.

When things start to spin out of control am I apt to do the same thing as Peter and deny Jesus? Maybe not verbally, I'm probably more apt to do it in my actions. But if I truly believe God is sovereign and in control, why should I fear? Why should I fall short in my belief? Why should I deny? When I believe that God is sovereign, I can be confident in Him and I shouldn't deny Him. When I deny Him, it shows my unbelief. I believe! Help my unbelief!

That Was Easy

"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not."

John 18:17 (NIV)

Peter told Jesus he would not deny Him. Peter defended Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene. Peter followed Jesus as He was taken to the high priest's house. He gets there and finds a crowd. You're His discple she says to him. He emphatically says "NO!" Now, I'm not a Greek scholar, but from what I've read of the Greek definitiions of the words in question, it's pretty clear that Peter was pretty clear about saying no. He didn't mumble "nah." He didn't avoid the question. He answered and his reply was clear: "NO!"

How quick am I to deny Jesus? If I were in a hostile environment and questioned if I knew Jesus, I don't think that I'd be like Peter with a quick emphatic answer. I'd probably mumble and equivocate a little and then perhaps pretend I didn't hear the question. How would I feel about it after the fact? I'll be pondering that today...

Slippery Slopes

And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.

2 Chronicles 25:2 (ESV)

Amaziah, king of Judah, lived on a slippery slope. As we follow his kingship through 2 Chronicles 25, we can see how it deteriorates as he becomes less and less obedient to God. At the beginning of the chapter, he is doing well. He cleans house and seems raring to go. In verses 5-10, Amaziah amasses an army - an army that's too big. A prophet comes and rebukes him and Amaziah repents. He's gone now from doing right to being corrected and doing right. All is not so bad. Then Amaziah strikes down the Edomites and starts worshipping their gods. God gets angry at Amaziah and sends a prophet to rebuke him. This time, Amaziah refuses to listen. The story continues and Amaziah is defeated, captured, and his kingdome is plundered.

I need to be constantly on guard so that my life does not wind up like Amaziah's. I can be pretty good about starting out well. But with every sin, it seems to become harder and harder to repent. With every sin, it seems that my way seems better to me than God's way. With every sin, it seems that the world's way seems better than God's way. I know God's way is best. I know He wants what's best for me. When I am on the slippery slope descending into muck and mire, may I cry out to the Lord rather than enjoying the mud bath. May I cry out and know that He will lift me out of the pit, set my feet on a rock, and give me a firm place to stand.

To Keep You From Falling Away

"I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

John 16:1

Jesus continues preparing His disciples for their ministry after His death. He is telling them this so that they will not fall away. The Greek word translated fall away here is skandalizō (σκανδαλίζω) from which our English work scandalize is derived. Jesus doesn't want the disciples to be scandalized, to be entrapped, to be tripped up, to be enticed to sin or apostasy. He wants them to remain faithful. If we want to remain faithful, we should pay careful attention to Jesus words. We should read His word daily, since we may daily encouter things that may tempt us to fall away. We should memorize and meditate and cherish His word in our heart so that we may always draw upon His word when we need it.

A Harsh Epitaph

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 (ESV)

"And he departed with no one's regret." How would you like to see that on your tombstone? That was Jehoram - son of Jehoshaphat. Do suppose there was cheering at his funeral - not because he had lived a great life, but because he was finally dead? Jehoram did some pretty evil things while he was king. He died an agonizing death. That's not what I want. When I die, I want people to say I was a man after God's own heart. I want people to miss me when I'm gone. I want to get to heaven and hear "well done my good and faithful servant." I fear that on my own efforts my departure will be closer to Jehoram's than I would care to admit. With God's help and for His glory, may I live a life better than that.

Comforting Words

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

John 14:1 (ESV)

As Jesus approached the end of His earthly ministry, He began to focus more on preparing His disciples for their continuing ministry. They were beginning to sense impending doom as Jesus had warned them in John 13 of His betrayal and Peter's denial. Here in John 14, He gets them to focus. He doesn't want them to be troubled or agitated or restless (ταράσσω). He tells them to believe (πιστεύω) in God and believe in Him. They need to be confident in Him, to trust in Him, to have saving faith in Him. Instead of being troubled they can be confident in Him. He goes on to reassure them that He is the way to the Father and that the Holy Spirit will come to them. He reassures them of who He is, who God is, and who the Holy Spirit is. They need not be restless, they can trust in Him. In the midst of the busy-ness of my life, I too should not be troubled. I can trust in Him. So be it!

He is still faithful

⁷ At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. ⁸ Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. ⁹ For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."

2 Chronicles 16:7-9 (NIV)

In 2 Chronicles 14, Asa, king of Judah, and his army face an enemy three times larger than themselves. They depend on God and the enemy is defeated. Here in 2 Chronicles 16, Asa finds himself at war with Israel. Instead of turning to the Lord for help, he turns Ben-Hadad king of Aram. Victory follows. However, God is not happy. Asa is busted for not turning to God for help. Ouch.

I have many times seen great victory in my life when trusting in God. Yet, like Asa, I find myself apt to place my trust elsewhere. How easily I forget what God has done for me. I need to remind myself of God's faithfulness. I need to rehearse the testimonies of what God has done for me in my life. I need to preach the Gospel to myself each and every day. When the next battle comes, I need to turn first to God and not to my own understanding or to other men.

Jesus Washed Judas' Feet, Too

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

John 13:10 (NIV)

I've always been touched by the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet giving them an example of humble servanthood. This act of servanthood to the men who have stuck with him throughout His ministry even though Jesus knows His death on the cross is imminent is simply beautiful... even if I don't fully understand everything about it. Reading some commentaries have helped. I hadn't fully appreciated the two Greek verbs at use here. One meaning take a bath. One for washing hands and feet. Taking a bath signifying salvation. Through the disciples' faith in Christ, they have been made clean. Except for Judas. Nowhere does it say that Jesus didn't wash Judas' feet. He knew Judas would betray Him. He knew Judas did not have faith in Him. Yet, He still washed Judas' feet. It's one thing to love and serve those who love you. It's amazing to me to contemplate that Jesus extended the same service and love to the one who would betray Him. The text does not mention Judas' reaction. It also doesn't say whether the disciples knew who Jesus was talking about here (at least at that time). The text in no way implies that Jesus didn't was Judas' feet, so we must believe that He did so. Then He told His disciples to do likewise (v 14) and they would be blessed by it (v 17). If you knew that someone was going to betray you, would you still be a servant to them? I think that I just might struggle with that. May my heart be changed by Jesus' example and may I be willing to do as He did.

Praise From Men

⁴²Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

John 12:42-43 (NIV)

They would not confess their faith. They knew Jesus. They actually saw Him do His miracles. They walked with Him. They may have even talked with Him. They believed in Him. But, they would not confess their faith in Him. Wow. They feared what the Pharisees might say. They feared what their neighbors might say. They wanted to please people more than they wanted to please God. What about me? I confess my faith before other believers. Others around me at work and at home know of my faith. But do I really confess my faith before all those around me? How would my life look different if I truly was not afraid of what others would think? I pray that my faith would be seen in my life and God would be glorified in it.