Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Slippery Slope Of Compromise

Men of the Bible Series - Watch out, Balaam's compromise is contagious.


Numbers 22-24

Deuteronomy 23:5  But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the Lord your God loves you.

Numbers 31:7  They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men. 8 All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Revelation 2:12  “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.

14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel.

The Israelites are making a lot of progress in over taking the countries that occupied the Promised Land and Balak, king of Moab (Numbers 22:2), consequently becomes alarmed, and sends his messengers (Numbers 22:4-5), to Balaam to tempt him to come and curse God's chosen people.

Compromise, first victim - Balaam. In this twisted story of obedience and compromise Balaam begins by sending back word that he can only do what God and that God has told him not to go. Balak is persistent and sends higher ranking priests and offers Balaam honors. Balaam, in his covetousness, really wants to go and continues to press God, and God finally allows him to go with instructions to say only what he commands.

Compromise, second victim - Israelite men. In this story of children of Israel should be attaching Balak and his country but instead they compromise and some of the men begin having sexual relations with the Moabite women which leads to idolatry (Numbers 25:1-3).

Psalms 17: 3-5  You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people. My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you.

I want to be able to say what David said in the Psalm. Sometimes we so want to do something that isn't in our best interest and we are sure that God is opposing us and yet we are still tempted to go on and participate but if we want the best life possible then we need to be careful and obey the Lord.

Lord help me to overcome the temptation to deviate from the best that you have for me. You didn't promise me a cushy life without trials but if I compromise from your will then I will certainly fall short and I will miss out on the blessings that you have in store for me.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Jigsaw Puzzle Life

Who moved my pieces?



2 Corinthians 1:3-11  All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. More >>

Colossians 3:15  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.

Jeremiah 10:23  I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.

The jigsaw puzzle sits in the box, a thousand pieces of a beautiful picture, what an amazing amount of potential. That's the way a lot of us feel, our lives could be a beautiful picture if we could just figure out how to keep things together so that there aren't any pieces falling out.

Do you think that life is supposed to be a beautiful crossword puzzle with all of the pieces in the right place? My wife suffers with chronic pain and a constant fever, my friends and neighbors are dealing with divorce, loss of a parent, a wayward child. It wasn't any easier for God's people, take a look in the Bible and tell me who had their jigsaw puzzle all together.

The child of God can break through the worst of times by relying on God, our source of comfort, in the midst of persecution and trials we know that our loving Father is in control and that he can make peace of our chaos and someday he will make all things new and put all of the pieces of our puzzle together.

Look at what the Apostle Paul tells us about suffering and about comfort:
  • We are comforted so that we can pass it on. (2 Cor 1:3)
  • Greater suffering brings greater comfort. (2 Cor 1:5)
  • Rely on the one that can bring you back from death. (2 Cor 1:9)
  • Want to help your neighbor that is suffering? Say a prayer. (2 Cor 1:11)
To think that we are supposed to be in control, and have all of the pieces in the right place is a lie of the devil and we should not believe that being a child of God is going to make our puzzle come together. We will live with pieces out of place and at times we won't even know if we have all of the pieces.

I admit that you are in control Lord and that I need to trust in you for my peace in this hectic, broken world. Thank you for giving us a bright future with you for eternity.

Monday, June 27, 2011

On A Mission Trip With An Attitude

Men of the Bible Series - Jonah didn't like the results of his mission trip.


Jonah 4:1-12  This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.

2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord?

That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”   >> Read more...

They didn't have big tents back then, but whatever methods that Jonah used when he arrived in Nineveh it was effective and he got amazing results. All of the people reacted to his message and got right with God, it's a pastors dream come true, or was it?

Jonah knew how God operates, he knew that the people of Nineveh could be drawn back to the Lord and that he would forgive them and when they did Jonah said to God "I told you so." There is an attitude problem here, instead of being pleased that God used him to bring revival, Jonah wanted to see God's judgment poured out.

As if showing mercy were an imperfection of the Divine nature, which is the greatest glory of it. It is to his sparing, pardoning mercy, we all owe it that we are out of hell.
-Matthew Henry Commentary

God received the glory despite Jonah and his sorry attitude, if he had to go to Nineveh then he wanted it to be for a good cause, and as he saw it their destruction was a good thing. The number one motivation for participating on a mission trip should be love, we have to see past the sin and look at the person, Jonah didn't love the people of Nineveh.

I have to remember that I have enjoyed the benefits of God's love and mercy and I have to be willing to pass it on to others, if God desires to show mercy then I need to show mercy and rejoice, after all I didn't do anything to obtain enough status that I should reap the benefits of God's mercy.

Help me to see the world through your eyes Lord.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

God Will Get The Glory

Men of the Bible Series - God used Jonah's disobedience.


Jonah 1:1-3  The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:

2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.

Jonah 1:12  “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”

15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

Jonah's directions were very clear, it isn't very often that I feel like I have such a clear mission from God as the one that Jonah had, I have felt a burden to do something but I haven't ever gotten a mission so crystal clear as this.

Jonah was a prophet gone AWOL, look at what happened because Jonah wasn't willing to obey God:
  • Jonah ran in the opposite direction, it's a classic response.
  • Jonah caused the other passengers on the boat to suffer a loss, they feared for their lives and tossed their belongings overboard to lighten the load.
  • Jonah created his own solution for the dire situation that he created, he probably preferred death over going to Nineveh.
He was in the wrong place but God was still able to use Jonah. When the Lord disciplined Jonah it caused a revival in the boat, "the sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him."

Help me to always trust you to help me accomplish what you want me to do.
You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Dad Life Video

Happy Father's day to all you rockin' dads out there.



Ephesians 6:1-4  Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Psalm 127:3 Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Victory Despite Our Weakness

Men of the Bible Series - Barak didn't need help, he had God on his side.


Judges 4:6  One day Deborah sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali.

She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. 7 And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”

8 Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

9 “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.”

14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. 15 When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. 16 Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive.

Israel has fallen away from God in their never-ending relationship cycle with God and as a result they have been ruled by Jabin, king of Canaan, for twenty years. Israel has finally turned back to God and cried out for help from the oppression and as a result God is faithful and sends them a savior.

Barak wasn't a very likely savior he wouldn't trust that God was going to do as he promised and insisted that Deborah go into battle with him. Despite Barak's tiny little faith God came through and the Israelites were able to gain a huge victory that they had not experienced since the days of Joshua.

Even when my faith is small I need to remember that God can use me to do great things, his will can be accomplished through me despite my hesitation to trust him completely.

Help me to trust in you Lord and be completely obedient to your word.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Monday, June 13, 2011

God Can Use Anybody

Men of the Bible Series - If God used Lazarus then certainly he can use anybody.


John 11:11-15  Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

John 11:43-48  Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

There isn't any deep character study here today. Lazarus isn't described to us at all, we do not know if he was a good man or not, we don't know if he was nice to his sisters Mary and Martha. All we know is that he was dead long enough to "stinketh" according to the King James translation.

We do know that God can use anybody in any situation. Jesus told his disciples that he was pleased that there was an opportunity to display his power and help his disciples to believe wholeheartedly. Lazarus wasn't even aware that he was a player in God's plan, he just laid there dead, God didn't need Lazarus to do anything special in order for his plan to work.

As I live each day seeking to know God and his will for my life I know that God can use every circumstance for his glory, some times I am just there unawares that God is using me to bring others closer to him. If I am obedient to the truths that I learn each day as I am "digging the word" of God then I can be an influence on people that I won't ever be aware of.

Help me to live in obedience to your word Lord. I want to be used to bring glory to your name in the things that I do day to day that don't seem to be of much consequence.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Trying To Comfort A Friend?

Men of the Bible Series - I hope you know what you are doing.


Job 16:1-6  Then Job spoke again: “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?

I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.

Job is in bad shape and is in great need of relief from the pain and mental anguish that he is enduring. So Eliphaz, Zophar and Bildad take Job on as a project, after-all they are smart men and they can probably see a problem in Job's life that he cannot see for himself.

The debate with Job and his friends about the suffering took the same line of thinking that debates commonly take, which is to accuse each others good sense, their wisdom, or their behavior. There must be something that God is holding over Job's head that Job is afraid to admit, we all know that those who are truly good are never entirely forsaken by God, so Job needs to confess and get on with the good life, right?

We do not understand why we have to live through such a broken world full of sin and suffering, we have to ask ourselves why God allows the madness to go on, our understanding is limited. The answers are not simple and we cannot insist that we are so in control of life that we should be able to fix all of our bad circumstances.
"Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time? One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables us to grow. Remember, earth is not heaven!"
-Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life
Lord, help us to remember that you are in control and that some of the things that bring pain are not things that we brought upon ourselves but they come from you for a greater purpose.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Tips For Fulfilling Our Mission

We have been given a very serious assignment, after all we are on a mission from God, too bad that most of us don't take it seriously enough.

Here is a simple list that will help us to live to fulfill the mission that God has assigned to all of his children.

I saw this blog post this morning and wanted to keep it fresh in my memory so that I will apply it to my life.

8 Ways to Easily Be Missional
   Article by: Jonathan Dodson

Missional is not an event we tack onto our already busy lives. It is our life. Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life: “As you go, make disciples….”; “Walk wisely towards outsiders”; “Let your speech always be seasoned with salt”; “be prepared to give a defense for your hope”.

We can be missional in everyday ways without overloading our schedules. Here are a few suggestions:

Thursday, June 09, 2011

God Makes Us Right With Him

Men of the Bible Series - Boaz demonstrates redemption, a fore shadowing of Christ.

Men of the Bible Series
Ruth 2:1, 19  Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side named Boaz. He was a prominent man of noble character from Elimelech's family.

19 Then her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the LORD bless the man who noticed you."

Ruth told her mother-in-law about the men she had worked with and said, "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz."

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not forsaken his kindness to the living or the dead." Naomi continued, "The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers."

Ruth 4:13-17  Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he was intimate with her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Boaz was a "prominent man of noble character" during the time of Israel's histories when everybody was doing his own thing.Boaz was the wealthy landowner of Naomi's husband that died and left Naomi and Ruth to try to support themselves.

Ruth was not too proud to go into the field and do whatever was needed to make her way in a very harsh world. Boaz offered mercy and grace to Ruth, she was protected and she received more than any other woman did from gleaning the fields.

Boaz was second in line to be the "kinsman redeemer" he had no obligation to intervene on Ruth’s behalf, so it is with Christ. Boaz saw the plight of the poor widows and he came to their rescue just like Jesus did for each and everyone of us. Boaz pursued the opportunity to be the redeemer by striking a deal with the man that was first in line for the job. All of this generosity was bestowed on a foreigner of a country that Israel was fighting against, much like our us, we were God's enemy when he redeemed us.

Boaz married Ruth and became Obed’s father, David’s grandfather, and an ancestor of Christ our true redeemer.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace that you so freely give to people that are so against you.Thank you for making a way for me to have a relationship with you.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Life Isn't Easy

God's kids don't get a free ride.


1 Peter 1:4-6 And we have a priceless inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
1 Peter 1:14-15  So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

Life isn't easy, but if you want to pursue the easy life then being a Christ follower is not the way to go. You stand a better chance of skating through life without any bruises if you stay away from Jesus.

Living to satisfy self doesn't require much effort on your part, that's the most natural way to live, staying away from Jesus will help you to live life effortlessly. No requirements,  no standards, just do whatever feels right to you.

God calls his children to live to a higher standard, he establishes what is right with his "inconvenient" absolute truth and then he commands us to do what's right, to love him above all others and put others before yourself. Much is required of us but we also have much to gain.

Life is hard, we have been told to live different, as we strive to be holy. We need to remember that this life is but a minute when we have our sights set on eternity. The trials that we face will be over as we walk into the priceless inheritance that Jesus has prepared for us, no more pain, no more struggle, there is wonderful joy ahead!

Sunday, June 05, 2011

If God Tells You To Go Get A Giant, Go Do It

Men of the Bible Series - Caleb wholeheartedly followed the Lord


Numbers 14:6-9  Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing.

7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

Numbers 14:24, 36-38  But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.

36 The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land, the ones who incited rebellion against the Lord with their bad report 37 were struck dead with a plague before the Lord. 38 Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.

Unbelievable! All of the people of Israel with the exception of Joshua and Caleb are daring to doubt God and his promise to give them the Promised Land. Caleb was chosen from the tribe of Judah to go spy out the land along with representatives from all of the other tribes.

Caleb believed without any hesitation (Numbers 32:12), without any consideration of the circumstances and conditions over in Canaan, his loyalty to the Lord was rewarded (Joshua 14:1-15) with good health when all of his peers were dying off and he received the portion of land that was promised to him.

I need to believe in God's promises the way that Caleb did. He knew that the people that were in the way of God's promise would not be there long if the nation of Israel would believe and be obedient. Faith requires me to look beyond the logical and believe what God has promised will happen.

Help me to look past my circumstances Lord and believe that you will come through for me.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Taking Care Of Your Family

Men of the Bible Series - Judah knew the value of family relationships.


Genesis 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? His blood would just give us a guilty conscience. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed.

Genesis 44:30 “And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life. 31 If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave. 32 My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.’

33 “So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”

Just like all of the men of the Bible, Judah had his good moments and he had some times when he really messed up. Thankfully God can still use that kind of people, after-all that is the only kind of people that God has access to, if he didn't use imperfect people then he wouldn't have anybody to use.

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob by Leah, his aunt Rachel was his dad's favorite wife, the envy between his mom and his aunt probably made for a dysfunctional family. His dad Jacob had a bad habit of picking favorites, not only did he have a favorite wife but he also had a favorite son.

Jacob's favorite son was Joseph, the kid that had the best clothes, including a fancy coat. Joseph was annoying about it all too and his brothers couldn't stand it and wanted to kill him. Judah was the guy that saved Joseph and devised the plan that would send Joseph away.

Later in life Judah was sticking up for his family again. This time he begged to keep Benjamin out of slavery to Joseph who was now the top guy under the Pharaoh. Judah took charge in protecting his family and offered to be Joseph's slave instead of Benjamin. This protected Benjamin and it also served to protect his father Jacob as well since they feared that he would die if something happened to his youngest son.

Judah was not a perfect man (Genesis 38:1-30) and he came from a less than perfect family background but he always tried to protect his family and do what was best for them even to the point of offering himself as a slave instead of his little brother.

I need to look out for the best interest of my family at any cost. My wife and kids are my priority and God expects me to take care of them.

Lord, I pray that you will strengthen families, I pray that men will make a deliberate choice to put their families first.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Friday, June 03, 2011

Trouble Makers In The Body Of Christ

Men of the Bible Series - Achan's disobedience affected everybody.


Joshua 7:1-5, 10-11  But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.

2 Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. 3 When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”

4 So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
10 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.

Second stop in the Promised Land, second military conquest, the Israelites have one win and one loss. What do you mean a loss?

It seems that somebody didn't listen when the Lord told Israel that all of the spoils of war at Jericho belonged to God. It was like the Lord was taking the first-fruits of the conquest of the land as an offering. Achan gave in to the temptation to take away just a small part of what belonged to God, what would it matter when Jericho was such a huge city full of riches, wouldn't God be okay with the 99.99% that was being left untouched?

James 1:12  God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

God promises us the the crown of life, just one of the blessings that come to those of us that "patiently endure testing and temptation" and refuse to pick out our blessing here and there, whenever we see something we like. Achan wanted a taste of the riches of Jericho and because he gave into the temptation he missed out on all of the riches that God wanted to bestow on the nation of Israel.

Instead of his blessings the nation suffered defeat. We may think that we are islands in the body of Christ and that what we do isn't a big deal but that isn't anywhere near being true. The church is crippled and held back each time that a Christ follower falls down.

1 Corinthians 12:26  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

The world sees our irresponsible behavior and they are hardened to the message that we have to share. Each failure that they see in the body of Christ is a stumbling block that needs to be hurdled in order for them to believe in the message that we have to share.

I need to be a messenger of the gospel that doesn't get in the way of the message. I need to live in obedience so that the world will not resist the gospel because of me.

Help me Lord to be a good example of what your grace can do in a persons life.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Not Gonna Give In

Men of the Bible Series - Scary situation for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego


Daniel 3: 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Sometimes life is pretty scary, you can feel like a cat in a pack of dogs, just waiting for someone to take a bite. Imagine being in such a hostile environment a very wicked country and their evil king tells you to do something, what's your next move?

It is easy to try and define bravery as "not being scared" but that wouldn't be an accurate definition. I am pretty sure that the three Jews that were about to be thrown into the furnace were as scared as anybody would be. Few people actually want to die, I am sure that they would rather not and if they had families they would be in hard times without them, life was hard enough already from being in exile.

It is so easy to take a stand for God from where we are and yet, too many times we pass up the opportunity. Our fear level is so low that we care too much about what the world will say or how they will look at us if we are seen as different for Jesus.

As God's child, I must never be ashamed of Him. No matter how adverse the situation, I must be bold and unshaken in my witness.

Help us to be brave for you Lord and stop being concerned about how much we are different. Different is what you called us to be.

You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.