Joseph the Quiet Man

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Matthew 1:24

Scripture doesn't tell us much about Joseph. We know he was a carpenter, so he would have been familiar with hard work, splinters in his hands, and smashed thumbs. We also know he was poor because when he and Mary went to the Temple to offer the sacrifice for her purification rite instead of offering a lamb they offered two birds in keeping with a provision made in the law for poorer families. Past that we really have very little about Joseph in Scripture. He is never mentioned in Mark’s gospel and only indirectly referenced in John’s. In Matthew and Luke's gospels he is only mentioned in chapters 1 & 2. These shapshots in the first few chapters of Matthew and Luke are really all we are left with of the man who was Jesus' adoptive father.  

But there is still much we can learn from him. One of the things I've noticed about Joseph in this passage but also all throughout Scripture is that he didn’t say anything. He simply obeyed God. No words, just obedience. Scripture doesn’t even record Joseph going and telling Mary about the dream. It just says that he married her. In fact, Joseph never says a single word in all of Scripture. Not a word. 

Think of the amazingly significant role God gave this quiet man to play. He was the adoptive father of the eternal Son of God. You know God would not have chosen a wicked man or a short-tempered man to raise up His own Son. You know that God the Father entrusted God the Son into the care of a good and righteous man. Joseph was a solid, hardworking, quiet man. We have a lot of these kind of men and women in our churches and I thank God for them. The kingdom needs more solid, hardworking, quiet men and women of God who simply obey without a bunch of extra words.

You know, sometimes in the church, we give all the attention and praise to people, like myself, who talk a lot and aren’t scared to be in front of crowds, those who are willing to preach, teach, pray or sing solos. Joseph is a powerful reminder that God can use quiet people in powerful ways too. Maybe you know you will never teach a SS class or preach. You might share the gospel with a person one-on-one but you are never going to be the person in the spotlight. That's okay! God made you who you are and He can still use you in powerfully significant ways. 

Joseph was a quiet man who simply obeyed God. He didn't say a lot, he just obeyed. You do the same! Take the gifts God has given you and obey God with those gifts! Then you just wait and see if God won’t use you. Never underestimate the power of simple, quiet obedience!

Money (W.o.W. Rewind)

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:8-11

Money. 

If you get enough of it you can have almost anything you want: a big house, a fast car, nice clothes, fancy food, tropical vacations, plastic surgery, beautiful friends, and sometimes even lovers. This is just how our world works. It always has, and it probably always will. Though we claim to have grown past this level of base greed, deep down many of us still believe that more money would make us happier.

Just look at social media. You can scroll through an endless number of pictures of young people flashing big stacks of cash. These young people are merely emulating celebrities whom they often see draped in opulent jewelry and drinking expensive liquor while flanked by their cars, yachts or planes. You may be older and wiser than these kids on social media, but don't think you are beyond the allure of being rich. In my experience love of money knows no age limit. Your concept of happiness may look less like Jay-Z than a fat 401k, but none of us are above being tempted by riches.

But Scripture warns us that this desire to be rich is a trap! Proverbs 23:4-5 says, "Do not wear yourself out to get rich... Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." So, don’t work to get rich. Work to provide for your family, or to advance God’s kingdom, or to improve yourself; but never merely to get rich. 

Riches almost always disappoint and corrupt their owner. 1 Timothy 6:8-11 reveals that this desire for money can plunge us into ruin and destruction. It can produce all kinds of evil in us. Wanting to be rich is a foolish and harmful dream whose only rewards may prove to be grief, pain and apostasy. The man or woman who wants to be rich is like the dog who chases its own tail. It very likely will never catch it, and it is sure to be disappointed and hurt if it ever does. 

So be wise! Regularly surrender significant sums of your money to the Lord asking Him to direct you to some church or ministry to give to. In doing so you will not only store up treasure for yourself in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), but will also continually put to death any growing love of money that tries to take root in your heart. Be vigilant! 

For further reading...

• Luke 4:5-8- Satan tried to tempt Jesus with all the world had to offer too.

Only Yourself to Blame

Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 

2 Chronicles 15:2

This is a prophetic word spoken by the prophet Azariah to the Judean King Asa and what a word it is!

"The Lord is with you when you are with Him!" How often is God not with us because we have left Him far behind. We complain and accuse God of abandoning us, when the truth is that we abandoned Him a long time ago. Sometimes it's easier to see this in other people's lives. I've known people who played the victim and bitterly questioned why God refused to answer their prayers, when it seemed to me that they had long ago walked away from God and refused to live by His commands. In fact, these people never spoke of God until the consequences of their choices came around, then they began to speak God's name but only to blame Him for the harvest they themselves had sown. Remember "if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Are you sure you are with God!

"If you seek Him, He will let you find Him." God isn't hiding from you. He isn't trying to keep you in the dark. He wants you to know Him and understand His will for your life. If you seek Him, you'll find Him. So take steps of faith toward Him knowing He will reciprocate. But be careful that you seek Him in earnest. Don't hold on to sin and feign a halfhearted attempt to get to know Him. He will not be mocked. If you seek Him fully with all you have, you'll find Him. In this sense, you are as close to God as you want to be. If you want to be closer to Him, then seek Him and you will find Him. If not, then understand you only have yourself to blame.

A "How To" for Reconciliation

Reconciling with someone is to change their mind or renew your friendship with them after your sin has caused a rift in your relationship. It normally requires much more than a simple apology. If all you offer those you have wronged is a half-hearted “I’m sorry,” then you will most likely fail in your attempts, so how do you go about reconciling with those you have wronged?

Here I believe that the story of Abigail and David, which can be found in I Samuel 25, is immensely helpful. Even though Abigail is apologizing for her husband’s sin and not her own, she provides us with a wonderful, biblical example of how to reconcile with our enemies.

During the time David was on the run from King Saul, he and his men provided protection in the wilderness to the flocks of a man named Nabal. It was the custom in those days that when Nabal sheared his sheep he should throw a big feast and give some food to David and his men in gratitude for their service. But, when David’s men came to kindly request their share of the food Nabal insulted David and them and then sent them away empty-handed. David was enraged! He strapped on his sword and rode out with his men intent on killing Nabal and every man in his house. But before David could carry out his plan, one of Nabal’s servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail what had happened. Now Abigail was certainly Nabal’s better half. She was very wise, so she immediately saddled her donkey and loaded it down with provisions. Then she rode out to intercept David and his men.

As Abigail meets David, her speech of reconciliation gives us five steps we can follow to reconcile with our own enemies.

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 

I Samuel 25:23-24

• First, Abigail humbled herself. She knelt before David and called him "my lord." She called herself his "servant." Reconciling with someone requires humbling yourself before them. This is why reconciling is so hard for us. It’s a humbling experience that hurts our pride

• Second, notice that Abigail fully accepted the blame. It's hard to apologize if you won't admit you have done anything wrong.

Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Fool is his name, [Nabal means fool] and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 

I Samuel 25:25

• Third, Abigail validated his feelings. In essence she says “I understand why you're angry, and you have every right to feel this way.” It's hard to reconcile with someone until we understand and acknowledge all the ways our sin affected them. 

And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.

I Samuel 25:27

• Fourth, she made restitution. Abigail made it right. She generously provided food for David and his men. Whenever you can make up for how you wronged someone, no apology feels complete until you try to do so.

Please forgive the trespass of your servant.

I Samuel 25:28

• Only then did she ask for his forgiveness. The timing on this is important. It often does no good to ask someone to forgive you if you won’t follow these other steps first. If you don’t 1) Humble yourself, 2) Accept the Blame, 3) Validate their Feelings, and 4) Make Restitution then your apology feels hollow and meaningless.

Who do you need to reconcile with? Have you been trying to apologize to someone and haven't understood why they won't forgive you. Hopefully this helps! I leave you with the words of Romans 12:18- "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

An Old Testament Pattern of Evangelism

When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon...she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be!... Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king...”

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

2 Chronicles 9:3-8

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came up to Jerusalem, half incredulously, with a great caravan of gifts for the king and with just as many questions to test him. She couldn't believe the stories she had heard were true. She was overwhelmed to find out that she hadn't heard the half of it! After Solomon had answered all her questions and after she had praised God for giving His people such a wise king, Solomon generously gave her all she asked him for. In fact, he ended up giving her more than she had brought to him in the first place. He blessed her more than she blessed him. 

May this be the pattern of our witness as well! Unbelievers should hear stories about the love and generosity and joy and reconciliation and unity within our churches. They should come to church out of curiosity, half incredulously, to see if the stories they heard could possibly be true. And when an unbeliever does investigate our church or our lives, let us be very careful to exceed their expectations in every way. So that they can rejoice in saying that they hadn't even heard the half of the amazing work God was doing in us. And as they go out from us, curiosity satisfied, let us take great care and even pride in making sure that we are more a blessing to them than they are to us. Be a blessing to lost people every chance you get! This is a sign of God's goodness and blessing in your life that you have enough extra love and kindness and peace and time and even money to allow some to spill out onto them. This should be true of us individually and of our churches as a whole. We don't need to take anything from this old world. It all belongs to our God, so we ought to be generous and even extravagant in seeking to be a blessing to those who come to us seeking to know about Jesus.

Think on this today. When people hear stories about you, stories about your church, what kind of stories do they hear? When they come to see if the stories are true, does the reality of your everyday life outshine the stories? And when these lost people leave you to go out on their way, do you seek to bless them in the name of Jesus every chance you get? I know I still don't measure up, but I am going to strive to follow Solomon's pattern in my life and in my church. 

Loving like Jesus Loved

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35

God had already commanded the Israelites to “love your neighbor as yourself” in the Old Testament. And Jesus had taught that this was the second greatest commandment. So what exactly is new about the command given in this passage? Here Jesus commands them to do more than simply love one another, or to love others as themselves; now He commands them to love one another as He had loved them. That’s new! 

Believers are commanded to love other believers like Jesus loves them. What a radical command. Jesus gave His disciples this command just after He had shown them the “full extent of His love” by washing the disciple’s feet and just before He showed them “the greatest love of all” when He went to the cross and laid down His life for His friends. So even in its immediate context we can see that Jesus is calling us to a radical kind of love for one another. One that is self-abasing and prideless. One that willingly makes sacrifices to meet the needs of other believers. A love that lays down its very life to save the other. In a culture preoccupied with our own rights, Jesus commands you to be willing to lay down your very life for the person in the pew next to you.

We gain an even greater perspective on this command when we push past its immediate context and back up farther to view it from the vantage point of Jesus' life and mission as a whole. The gospel teaches that we were in conflict with God. We were His enemies. We had sinned against Him, wronged Him and robbed Him of the glory due His name. And what did God do? In Jesus, he came to us and confronted us with our sin. He showed us how wrong we had been, but then He did something remarkable. Instead of demanding we make it right, instead of demanding restitution for how we had wronged Him, Jesus made it right on our behalf. Jesus paid the price for us. At great cost to Himself He reconciled us to God. He was willing to be wronged in order to make our relationship right. Though it cost Him His life, He made peace with us.

God is a peacemaking God. That is how Jesus loved us was by making peace with us and you are called to love others in the same way. You are called to be a peacemaker, to be reconciled to one another, to keep the unity of the peace with other believers. This is the love of Jesus we are called to live out with one another. This is how we are supposed to love other believers inside and outside this church. So, if there is a believer in your church, in your family, or anywhere in the world that you are not loving in this way, then you are wrong! Repent of this. Go to them and make peace with them and love them like Jesus loves them. Love them like Jesus loved you.

The Prisoner who was Richer than the King

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

Genesis 41:14-16

What an exciting day for Joseph! How many men in the history of the world have been lifted up out of prison to have an audience with the King? Sure, some were pulled out of prison to go before the King to be sentenced or judged, but how many were brought out so the King could make a request of them? Pharaoh asks for Joseph's help!!! He has all the power in Egypt, but even in that dungeon Joseph is richer than Pharaoh because he has something Pharaoh doesn't...GOD!

Never underestimate the blessing you have, Christian! The Spirit of the living God dwells in you. Don't waste your time coveting the things of this world - other people's money, house, car or career - when what you have in Jesus far surpasses all those things. There will come a time in that person's life when all their possessions will mean nothing, when they would gladly give up all they own to experience what you have, the Spirit of God. 

He is in us to guide and direct, to enlighten, to lead into all truth, to comfort, and to empower. This is a gift so special that no amount of money can buy it. No worldly influence can win it. You can't be born into it, and it can't be counterfeited. And absolutely no one can take it away from you. They can take away all your earthly possessions. They take away your freedom. They can wrongly accuse you and throw you in jail like they did Joseph, but they can't take God's Spirit away from you. Even in that jail cell, even at his lowest point, Joseph had something that Pharaoh never would, and that means that even then, in jail, he was incredibly blessed.

God in you...what a powerful blessing! Don't take it for granted. Spend some time alone with God today. Listen to His Spirit. Ask Him to guide you. And if you don't have that, but you want it, here's how you can become a Christian. 

• A- Admit that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace (Romans 3:10 and 3:23).
• B- Believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead (Romans 6:23 and 5:8).
• C- Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. Turn from sin (from living life your way) and commit to live your life for God (Romans 10:9).

It's just that easy!

Doubting the End of the Story

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

John 11:25

The great Christian hope isn't just eternal life, or even forgiveness of our sins, it is experiencing a physical resurrection from the dead and being a completely new and glorified body. If you really pause to think about that, it tells us a lot about our God.

Notice, for example that He doesn’t spare us the pain of death or the hardship of life and simply take us up to Heaven to be with Him now. No! He chooses to give us life on the other side of death and hardship. This means that God doesn’t always allow us to avoid suffering, sometimes He wants us to pass through it, just like Jesus did. So, we shouldn’t be surprised when we suffer hardship or even death. It doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. In fact, it may be when God is working in us and through us the most! You see, the hope of resurrection should change how we respond to difficulty and death. It should give us the hope we need to persevere through hardship and suffering without losing faith. 

Think about it. With Jesus, no matter how bad your life gets, you can’t lose. You already know how your story ends. In that way, it's kind of like one of those sports underdog movies. You know who is going to win before you even start the movie, but they often do a really good job making you think that maybe, just maybe, you’re wrong and the underdog is going to lose. The more they can make you doubt the ending, the more entertaining the movie is. So, they have become very skilled at making you doubt how the story is going to end. This gives the movie a sense of unpredictability even though we know that it is entirely predictable. 

The same is true of your life. We have an Adversary who is very, very good at getting us to doubt how it’s all going to end. But if you’re a believer then your story has never been in doubt. No matter how bad things get, no matter how low your life sinks or how difficult it becomes, in the end you will win. So, don’t lose faith! “Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:14) Press on, because you can’t lose! Your victory has been secured. It’s in the bag! What you are living for now is just to show God thanks, to point others down the right path and to lay up rewards for yourself in heaven.

Public Praise (W.o.W. Rewind)

Hallelujah! I will praise the Lord with all my heart in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

Psalm 111:1

It's just a little verse but it has a lot to say.

If we are to follow the psalmist's example, the first thing we find we must do is praise the Lord. To praise God means to brag on Him, to tell how great and worthy of honor He is. In the first four verses of this psalm alone God is called unendingly righteous, gracious and compassionate. His works are called great, splendid, majestic, and wonderful. For me even the first word of the psalm rings forth as a call to praise. The Hebrew word 'hallelujah' is considered to be the highest form of praise in the Bible because it includes part of God's sacred name. It combines the Hebrew word for praise (halal) and the beginning of the name Yahweh ("I am who I am") by which God revealed Himself to Moses. It literally means "Praise the LORD!" Let's heed this admonition.

Second, we see how we are to praise Him. The psalmist commits himself to praise God with his whole heart. It would be insulting to offer up half-hearted praise to a God this deserving of worship. Praise ought to be the overflow of a grateful heart. It is the willing gift of one who has been awed by God's glory. When we glimpse God's true character we are driven to worship Him with all we have. Is that how you praise God? Is red-hot praise flowing out of your heart or is your praise just lukewarm leftovers from your love affair with the world offered up half-heartedly?  

Lastly we see that although we worship God with our hearts, it is not enough to worship Him in our hearts. The psalmist commits to worship God in the assembly and in the congregation. He will tell others of God's goodness! God is so wonderful, so amazing that those who are stricken with love for Him must tell others. This is what we do when we sing in worship. We are not only telling God about His greatness but we are singing it at the top of our lungs so that anyone in earshot can know how wonderful God is too. Notice though that the psalmist isn't talking about singing in this passage. Music is a wonderful way for us to praise God but it shouldn't be the only way we praise Him. We must praise God with words too. We must declare His goodness publicly! When was the last time you bragged on God in front of other people? When did you last give Him the glory for answering a prayer or for providing for your family during a difficult time? Purpose in your heart today to openly declare how great God is! Don't be timid; do it wholeheartedly. Who knows, your worship just might give someone else the courage to publicly praise God too.

Walk by the Spirit (W.o.W. Rewind)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-25

When I was a kid we had a big, untrained dog named Bear. This Australian Shepherd mix was aptly named (in my eyes anyway). I was only an eight year old boy at the time and Bear was much bigger and stronger than me, so my feelings toward him were a mixture of love and fear. Anytime I tried to take him for a walk Bear would see something worth chasing and tear off after it. It was all I could do to hold onto his chain and get drug behind him. I simply wasn't big enough to stop him. The truth is I never walked Bear. Bear walked me.  

Sadly, this is exactly how a lot of people live their lives. Only it’s not a big, untrained dog that drags them around... it’s their flesh. When our fallen, sinful nature gets a craving it simply takes off after the thing it desires. Sex, money, success, proving you were right and winning the argument. Whatever it is that the flesh wants it runs after. The problem is that all of us are like that eight year old version of me. We are drug around like rag dolls behind our cravings. None of us are strong enough to fight the lusts of the flesh alone. We need a stronger power to pull against the flesh. A power that will ultimately overpower the flesh and put it down like the rabid dog it is. Only then can we be truly free. 

Galatians 5 tells us that this is exactly what happens in Christ. Verse 24 says, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." When a person declares Jesus as Lord of their life, they die to sin and are raised to live a new life for Christ. In this sense they participate in Jesus' death and resurrection spiritually. But how is this possible? 

It happens by the supernatural work of God's Spirit who indwells believers at salvation. Once the flesh has been dealt with, the Spirit begins leading us in the way that we should go. Prompting, convicting, and directing us. Unfortunately, though the final death blow has already been landed, Christians are not completely free of their sin nature until heaven. So there is a constant tug of war going on in a believer's life. 

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (Galatians 5:17)

Thankfully, Scripture tells us what we can do to gain the victory here and now. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). When Christians aren’t living by the Spirit daily, when they return to their old ways of living, then they strengthen their fleshly desires. They actually join in with their flesh and fight against the Spirit of God in their hearts. But Paul shows us a better way. WALK BY THE SPIRIT! If the believer chooses to listen to the Spirit's whispered promptings day by day, if he chooses to turn his ear to God's voice, and if he sets his heart to obey the Spirit's tugs, then the great promise of verse 16 awaits him. He will no longer carry out the desires of the flesh.

You don't have to taste defeat at the hands of that addiction or bad habit any more. You can finally be free of the sin that has entangled you for so long and kept you from becoming the person God is calling you to be.

So what does it mean to walk by the Spirit? It involves drawing nearer to God through things like:

• Scripture Reading- This is God's primary way of revealing Himself to us. Don't take it for granted. You must make time to be with the Lord, if you are to walk with Him daily.
• Prayer- And I don't mean just a one-sided conversation where you download your wish list. God placed His Spirit in believers for a reason. We have to stop and listen some. We have to tune our hearts to be sensitive to the Spirit's promptings.
• Be sensitive to God’s voice- According to John 3:4-8 & 6:44, every believer feels the tug of the Spirit when we get saved. Since we are all called to salvation, we have all felt Him move in our hearts before. It is that burning conviction in your heart and in your gut. Oftentimes you just know what it is that God is telling you to do. At other times God speaks to us through our circumstances, through opportunities that come our way or through the wise counsel of Christian friends. But of course we must always make sure to check our understanding of these leadings against Scripture. Only Scripture is inerrant. 
• Be Eager to Obey what you know- We need a prepared readiness to eagerly obey whatever God leads us to do. Whether he reveals it to you, be careful not to quench, grieve, or resist the Holy Spirit. Step out on faith and see what God does. 

Consider Paul's admonition in verse 25 as a challenge to take up. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

Permission to Speak Freely

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

2 Chronicles 1:7

Young King Solomon, at the beginning of his reign, was given an invitation beyond all imagination. He was invited by God to ask Him for anything he wanted. Now, Solomon didn't ask for what you might expect. He didn't request wealth, honor, victory over his enemies, or even long life. Instead, he humbly asked God to give him the wisdom and knowledge he needed to lead God's people well. His request was not only humble but pleasing to God. God not only granted Solomon's request but also promised to give him exceeding wealth and honor like no king before or after him in the history of the world would enjoy. Talk about a windfall of blessings!

But isn't the modern believer blessed in this way too!? We too are invited to ask our Lord for whatever we want. In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus invites us to:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

I think we often overlook how great a privilege that is. You can ask God for anything! Of course, our situation is different that Solomon's. His invitation to ask probably came with a stronger assurance that he would get whatever he asked for, but still as God's children we are not very far off at all from this level of certainty. As God's children, we can be sure that He will hear our requests and answer in accord with our best interests.

So, now that you understand the invitation, what are you going to ask for? Don't overlook how great a blessing it is for you to be able to take any request you want before your Creator. Make time to pray! But take James 4:2-3 to heart. "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Be sure not only to ask but to do so with right motives.

Now You'll See What God Will Do

Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

Exodus 5:22-6:1

In Exodus chapter five God walks right up to the biggest bully on Israel's block and picks a fight with him. At least that's how I read the story. God's people had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years serving one cruel Pharaoh after another. When God calls 80 year old Moses (a washed up, old, nobody in Egypt's eyes) to go to Pharaoh and say, "let My people go." Not only is Pharaoh not impressed by Moses or his miracles, he is not at all afraid of this God of the slaves either. In Exodus 5:2 he says, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."

"I've never heard of God, so how famous can He be?" he reasons. "If this God's people are all slaves serving me then doesn't that prove that my Egyptian gods are more powerful than He is?" To Pharaoh it did. He was insulted that Moses and this unknown god would dare approach him in this manner, so he added to the Israelites burden. He stopped providing them the straw they needed to make bricks, but he still required them to make the same quota of bricks each day. Of course, the Israelites failed to meet the quota, the Israelite foremen were beaten, and Pharaoh refused to relent. He renewed his demanded that they find a way to meet his impossible expectation.

When God stepped in to save them it actually made their situation worse. But here's the thing, when things got worse, God was just getting started. In the first verse of chapter six God tells Moses, "Now you will see what I will do..." What a powerful verse! Can you imagine hearing that come out of God's mouth?! 

So often when things get worse in our lives we see it as the end. We run to God to complain that things are worse now than before. But so very often when things get worse in our lives it's because God is just getting started on a new and amazing work. How does the old saying go? You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Sometimes the beginning of a great work looks messy and destructive. Trust God anyway because it's in those moments that you are best positioned to see what He will do.

Jesus is The Way

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

Jesus is the only way to Heaven because He alone is the way to salvation and forgiveness. He alone can pay the penalty for man’s sin, because He alone is the god/man. You see only a man could pay the debt for mankind's sin but only God could be a sacrifice perfect and sinless enough to pay the infinite price of punishment that the sins of the whole world required. 

This is why Jesus is The Way. Only He could pay the price for sin. Only He could forgive the sins that separated us from God. How could there be any other way? Who else but Jesus is both God and man? How else but through His death on the cross could God’s perfect wrath against man’s sin be satisfied? What other sacrifice could make atonement for our sin? Could any other man be good enough to get to Heaven on his own? 

No! It’s only in Jesus! If you are waiting for some other way, or trusting that somehow God will let you in because you “aren’t that bad.” You’re wrong. Cast your pride aside, bow before King Jesus and ask Him for forgiveness. Confess Him as Lord of your life and become a Christian today! No one is beyond saving if you will only repent and believe. Jesus is The Way to Heaven for you!

For further reading- 

• Matthew 7:13-14- "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it."
• Acts 4:12- "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Glamorless (W.o.W. Rewind)

The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.

Nehemiah 3:5

Serving the Lord is not always glamorous. In fact, it rarely is. Don't let the TV preachers fool you. It's not about sequined jackets or puffy hairdos. The Bible talks about feeding widows, caring for orphans, healing lepers, protecting the foreigner and the stranger, and showing hospitality to those in need. Jesus Himself walked the dusty roads of Palestine for three and a half years, healing and loving on the dregs of his society. He "put his shoulder to the work" of the cross, carrying it to the place of His crucifixion (John 19:17). He did not think it below Him to take your sin and your punishment upon Himself but "took on the nature of a servant" and "humbled himself" even to the point of  "death on a cross" (Philippians 2:7-8).

The Apostle Paul also gives us an example to follow. The great missionary financed his ministry by working as a tent maker during the day and preaching when he could (Acts 18:3-4, I Thess 2:9, II Thess 3:7-10). Paul never thought himself too good to do the Lord's work but saw himself as he truly was...a vile sinner saved by grace. Redeemed from slavery to sin, Paul became a slave of God...a willing servant who "put his shoulder to the work" with a grateful heart. He once wrote of the church as a great body in which the different members are asked to do different jobs. Just like the human body cannot be all mouth or all foot, the church cannot be all prophet or all teacher. Paul notes that "the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it" (I Cor 12:23-24).

So do not think yourself beyond or above any act of ministry or service to God's people. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples, "So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10). Choose to "put your shoulder to the work" to do whatever God has called you to do and whatever the Bible commands you to do with a cheerful heart as a thanks offering to your God. 

For further reading...

• I Cor 12:12-31- Which part of the body are you?
• Luke 17:7-10- A hard word on the true nature of servitude.
• Jonah- Trying to run from God's command? You should really put your shoulder to the work. 

A Test for Leadership

Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice...I am the gate for the sheep.

John 10:1-3, 7

In Jesus' day sheep were sometimes kept in pens made of stone walls with a single gate for access. Briers were sometimes put on top of the wall as a sort of makeshift, first-century barbed wire to keep intruders out. And a watchman was hired to sleep at the gate to guard the sheep. Jesus uses this well-known shepherding practice to give us a test for evaluating leaders in the church. 

In this context, there's only one reason anyone would climb into the pen over the wall and that's because he is a thief who “comes to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). So whether or not a man enters by the gate tells you all you need to know about his relationship to the sheep. 

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees about how they are preying on God’s people and leading them astray from the true Shepherd. These religious leaders are like thieves who are more interested in fleecing the sheep than caring for them. They look out only for their own interests, and you better believe people try to get in our churches to do the same. 

So, be careful who you choose to follow. Do they come in Jesus’ name? Are their teachings in keeping with His? Are they like Him? These are the most important questions you can ask of any leader! If they don’t measure up to this standard then don’t follow them! Remember, those who come in their own name or climb in over the wall are here to “steal, kill, or destroy.” So, don’t choose leaders based on anything other than their validation in Jesus. He alone is the test.  

It sounds simple, but we mess it up all the time. We choose a youth pastor based on his jeans, or his hair, or his skill with a guitar. We choose a Sunday School class based on the teacher’s speaking ability. We vote for someone to be a deacon based on their age (young or old). We give importance to all these things when the only thing that really matters is, "Are they coming through the gate?" And to those who are leaders in the church, watch yourself and be careful how you choose to lead. Make sure you always enter through the gate. Stay true to Jesus' life and teachings. Know that if you begin to lead His sheep astray, Jesus will protect His flock.

That One Time Peter Told Jesus to Go Away (W.o.W. Rewind)

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Luke 5:8

Everyone wanted to get closer to Jesus. Once, while Jesus was teaching by the Sea of Galilee, the crowds pressed in on Him.  As the crowd inched forward I imagine Jesus' feet finally met the water. Seeing Peter's fishing boat nearby Jesus put it to good use. They put the boat out a little from the shore and Jesus sat down to teach.

When His sermon was over Jesus told Peter to go out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. Peter knows this breaks every rule of fishing. There is a zero percent chance this is going to work. Yet for whatever reason, Peter did it. The nets were so full of fish that Peter couldn't haul them in by himself. He called his partners over and they filled two boats so full of fish that they were both in danger of sinking. 

That's when Peter looked over at Jesus. This miracle that was tailor made for a fisherman had given him a glimpse of who Jesus really was. So right there in the boat, knee deep in fish. Peter falls down before Jesus and asks Him to leave. 

Peter's response seems odd at first. Everyone wants to get closer to Jesus. The crowds had been pressing in on Him. But here is Peter, enjoying next level intimacy with Jesus and wanting to get away. He's sharing a small boat with Jesus receiving personal miracles, and yet he's telling Jesus to get away from him.

But Peter's response isn't all that odd or unique really. Consider Isaiah's response when he entered God's presence in a vision. "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips..." (Isaiah 6:5). When God first spoke to Moses at the burning bush Moses hid his face in fear (Exodus 3:6). When the people of Israel heard God speak at Mt. Sinai from the midst of the cloud and the fire, they were so afraid that they told Moses not to let God speak to them anymore (Exodus 20:18-21).

The key to understanding Peter's response is in the second half of verse eight. Peter asks Jesus to leave him because he is a sinner. When Peter got a glimpse of who Jesus really was it made him more acutely aware of his own sinfulness. Far from a rejection of Jesus, Peter's statement is a form of worship. It's like he was saying, "I am unworthy to be in Your presence." 

When was the last time you felt unworthy of God? How long has it been since you were so moved by a passage of Scripture or so overwhelmed by the power of His presence in some place that you said to God "I am unworthy of You. I don't deserve You." This is the appropriate human response to entering God's presence. If we don't occasionally respond to God in this way then we have a problem. Either we think too highly of ourselves, we think too little of God, or we simply aren't seeing how good God really is. Take some time today to fall down before the holy God and declare yourself unworthy.

A Primer for Praise

On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! 

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; 

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name; 

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

I Chronicles 16:7-10

Upon bringing the ark up to Jerusalem and establishing the worshiping order of priests, David gives them this psalm to sing. I wonder if that means this was the very first psalm in the Hebrew psalter we now know as the book of psalms? If so it would have been a very good place to start because it walks God's people through all the basic methods of worshiping God. It's like a primer for praise. 

First we give thanks. What a simple but effective way to begin worship! Everyone knows how to say thank you, plus by fixing our mind on the blessings God has given us we are naturally led into other forms of praise. 

Next, we're urged to call on God in prayer which we should never forget to do. Then we give Him glory among the nations by telling of all His glorious deeds. Following that we lift our voices in songs and conversations of praise. Finally, we lose ourselves in worship, seeking nothing from God, but only God Himself.

Verse 10 serves as a powerful reminder of how different God is from other gods. Whether we consider the idols worshiped in King David's day or the idols of Hinduism and Buddhism worshiped today, these gods are all pursued as a means to an end. Worshipers pray to them and offer sacrifices to them to get something from them. They seek a good harvest of crops, or a child amid infertility, or more success and prosperity. We seek all of these things from God as well, but they are not the core reason why we seek Him. God is the only god who is good enough and worthy enough to be sought not as a means to something else but as an end in Himself. We come before God in worship to seek Him, not just gifts from His hand. 

So, use this pattern of praise to seek God's face today (v11). He is worth it, and you'll find a joy like no other in His presence.

The Ultimate Imitation of Christ (W.o.W. Rewind)

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

At any given moment most of us have a burden, some heaviness or trouble in our lives. If you are anything like me, then you are acutely aware of your own burdens and almost completely oblivious to those of anyone else around you. It's true. Serving others, thinking of others, being considerate- these aren't my natural strong suits. So when I came across this verse, I was prompted by the Spirit to ask myself this question. "Do I help bear the burdens of other believers?"

The second half of the verse reveals just how important this question really is. It tells us that if we are helping to bear burdens then we are fulfilling the law of Christ. So if we aren't, then we must be failing to fulfill Christ's law. 

Why is this so important? The ESV study Bible adds a helpful footnote here. "To bear one another's burdens is the supreme imitation of Jesus, the ultimate burden bearer" (p.2255). Think for a moment about Jesus as the ultimate burden bearer. 1 Peter 2:24 says, "'He himself bore our sins' in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness." Galatians 3:13 reveals that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." But perhaps Isaiah 53:4-5 puts it best of all: 

Surely he took up (bore) our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

In Christ we have been set free from the Old Testament law; we are no longer obligated to observe times and seasons. So what is this law of Christ? We are obligated by the grace and freedom we have received through Jesus to live for God as His servants, obeying His commands. Jesus taught us that the second greatest command of God is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). If we are to fulfill Jesus' teaching, if we are to obey His commands, then we must bear one another's burdens.

All of us know a believer with a burden. Stop right now and think of at least one.

Now, prayerfully and considerately, do something about it. Help bear that burden. Encourage them. Pray for them. Serve them. Come alongside and mourn with them. Volunteer to help them get some work done. Give generously to them. Remember that we are called to love one another as a family- a new family, created through Jesus, as we are adopted as God's children. So do something to lighten the load of a brother or sister in Christ today. 

For further reading

• John 13:1-17 & 34- Consider Christ's service through the lens of a powerfully symbolic act.
• 2 Corinthians 8:9- The prince of heaven becomes a poor carpenter with no place to lay his head so that we might be saved.

Service Springs from Love

John 13 tells the story of Jesus washing His disciples' feet. This is how it starts. 

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

John 13:1

Why does John begin by talking about Jesus' love for His disciples? Because through this story he is going to teach us something very important about service and its relationship to love in Jesus’ life and in our own. Service springs from love and is an expression of love.

Love is the fertile soil that produces service. Why is the young mother willing to get up in the middle of the night to feed her baby? Love! What makes a man willing to wait hand and foot on his wife in her old age? Love! Or even, as we are about to start a new school year, why do our schoolteachers and administrators return each year to jobs where they have to spend their own money on supplies, are mistreated by parents, and disrespected by students? Why? It certainly isn’t the paycheck. It’s love. They love the students; and they love their jobs.

True love is humble, and self-sacrificing. This kind of love always brings you lower to serve the needs of the other person. Only service rooted in this kind of love will last. Why? Because service that stems from a sense of duty will grow cold and die before long. 

So, evaluate yourself. When was the last time you did something truly humbling or selfless to love your spouse or your kids; to serve your friends or your church? If you aren’t drawn to put their needs above your own then you probably don’t love them as you should. If selfishness and self-love have crowded out your love for others, then stoke the flames of your love again. Think of one way you can put their needs ahead of your own today.

You're a Sign

Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 24:24

Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty…

Isaiah 8:18

The prophets we read of in Scripture were God’s mouthpieces. They received messages from God and then delivered those messages word-for-word to God’s people. Sometimes the prophets spoke these messages to God’s people. At other times they wrote them down in the books we have in the Bible. Often they did both. But occasionally, the prophets went to greater lengths to deliver their messages. Sometimes merely speaking the truth wasn’t enough. God’s people needed to see it lived out in front of them. So, occasionally, God commanded His prophets to put His word into action, to act out God’s prophecy, to be a living metaphor or parable for God’s people.

Ezekiel served as a sign to God's people in this way when God commanded him not to mourn the death of his wife (Ezekiel 24:15-24). Isaiah also served as a living sign. God told him to walk around naked (possibly in a loincloth) for three years (Isaiah 20:3)! Even his children were given names that carried prophetic meanings (Isaiah 8). The prophet Hosea was commanded to marry an adulterous woman so he could picture God's grace for His people's idolatrous worship (Hosea 1:2-3 & 3:1-3).  

I believe that in a way all believers are called to the same. You are a sign. In the same way that the prophets served as a picture of God’s dealing with His people, so too your life tells the people around you about God. Your life may be the only Bible they ever read. You may be the closest thing to a preacher they're ever willing to talk to. So, think seriously about this. What does your life point people to? What does your life say about Jesus? About the gospel? You are called to be an ambassador for Christ, so be careful how you live (2 Corinthians 5:20). Make sure your life paints an attractive picture of your Savior and points people to Jesus accurately.

God Subverts Pain (W.o.W. Rewind)

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Since it is God's expressed purpose for believers to one day trade in our mortal bodies for immortal, heavenly ones, it makes sense that He would subvert the pain of death and growing old (which is brought on by our sin) to suit His own purposes such that even this pain would cause us to groan more longingly for heaven. The aches and pains of growing old can little-by-little help tear us away from our attachment to this life and to these earthly bodies. The frustration and discomfort we feel can actually serve as fuel to help us long all the more intensely for heaven and for our resurrection bodies.

The simple truth is that we cannot receive our heavenly bodies until we have first been stripped of our earthly bodies. Some believers lose their life in a moment. Others endure long drawn out battles with pain and sickness losing their health long before they die. The slow tearing away of a person's strength and vitality, as terrible as it is, can be used for the Christian's good if he will trust God. Our physical struggles, our disabilities, our "thorns in the flesh" can actually be spiritual assets. Paul the apostle struggled with his own "thorn in the flesh." We're never told what it was, but Paul made peace with it. How? He learned that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Your physical disability, your physical suffering, may be a blessing in disguise. It may be the way God uses you most, or it may be what focuses your spirit to long all the more intently for heaven.

So, the next time you want to curse that bad knee or bad back or even that reoccurring cancer, don't. Accept it as from the Lord. Let God work it to your good. Instead of groaning, "Why, Lord!?" Groan, "When, Lord? Oh, when will I be free of these troublesome pains in heaven with you?" Let His strength be made perfect in your weakness.

For further reading...

• 2 Corinthians 12:1-10- Read about the Apostle Paul's thorn and God's strength in our weakness.
• Romans 8:18-39- Read about how God works our suffering for our good.

Hosea's Love

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

Hosea 3:1-3

At God's command, the prophet Hosea had begun one of the most surprising and scandalous love stories in all of Scripture by marrying a "promiscuous woman" named Gomer who was likely a prostitute (Hosea 1:2-3). You might think that Gomer would count her blessings to have received such grace and been rescued from such a life. Instead she grew to despise Hosea's love and publicly humiliated the prophet of God by returning to her old life of promiscuity. Apparently, Gomer returned to a life of prostitution.

Now, at God’s command, Hosea must go and get his wife. Can you imagine?! The prophet of God, a holy man, having to purchase his wife back from prostitution?! Hosea humbles himself and spends what little wealth he has to redeem his wife from her own bad decisions. But why would God tell Hosea to marry Gomer in the first place? And why would He tell Hosea to go redeem her and take her to himself again? 

Hosea and Gomer’s marriage was a picture of God’s relationship with His people, Israel. Gomer's betrayal perfectly captured the unthinkable way Israel had betrayed God by whoring herself out to worship Baal, and Hosea's faithful, forgiving love perfectly depicted God's grace for His people. Israel was committing spiritual adultery by worshiping the Baals. Hosea and Gomer’s marriage would shock the people into seeing how poorly they were treating God and how amazing His love and grace toward them was.

Hosea's love is a powerful reminder for us that God forgives the worst of sins... even those we commit after salvation. Israel had been God's covenant people for many years before Hosea’s time. Yet, what was God’s response to their betrayal? He shows them through Hosea that He is willing to forgive them and bring them back to Himself if they will only repent and faithfully serve Him once again. If Hosea could forgive and love adulterous Gomer, if God could forgive idolatrous Israel, then surely He can forgive you and love you. He may punish you but He won’t abandon you. So, don’t think for a second that God can’t or won’t forgive you! Simply repent. Ask Him to forgive you for each and every sin you've committed against Him and then move on. It's covered in the blood of Christ.

Nehemiah Leadership

From the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah... twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 5:14-16 & 19

Those who fear God use their authority not for their own gain but as an opportunity to bless and serve His people. This is pleasing to God and will result in their reward in due time, even though in this life it often means hardship. 

I became a senior pastor six months ago after serving in youth and children's ministry roles for more than a decade. I knew that becoming a senior pastor meant more authority. I also knew that in the church more authority means more responsibility, more hardship, more service. I wasn't climbing higher to rule, I was stooping lower to serve. And this has proven true through my first six months. The demands on my time and the needs crying out for my attention have only increased. 

It ought to be the case in our churches and in Christian families that the higher you climb the lower you go in service. Jesus models this for us. "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) Jesus had more power and authority than any other man in the history of the world, but He refused to use it to advance His own cause choosing instead to serve others. In the verses preceding this quote He commands us to do the same. “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." (Mark 10:42-44) 

How many of us actually do this though? It is so very tempting to think that whatever position of authority we have attained has come to us because we paid our dues and that now is the time for us to reap our rewards. But this is an unchristian way of thinking. It is out of step with the gospel and out of step with Jesus. So, who do you need to be serving? Most of us have authority over someone. Is it your kids? Your employees? Your Sunday School class, youth group, or kid's ministry? Wherever God has given you leadership and authority, no matter how small, use it to bless and serve those beneath you. It glorifies Him and gives you a good name as you do so. Plus, it will secure for you a sure reward for Heaven.

Three Don'ts of a Blessed Life

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Psalm 1:1

In the middle of our Bibles we have the songbook of the OT believer. In it we find all different kinds of psalms that were sung in their worship services, songs of praise, songs of lament, thanksgiving songs, and some songs that were written to instruct God’s people. Psalm 1 is one of these last types. It lays out for the believer how to have a blessed life and in the very first verse gives us three don’ts to attaining that life.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked." 

The blessed man doesn't take advice from wicked people. Let me ask, who do you take advice from? If you remember the story of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, then you know that the counsel we accept often determines our fate (I Kings 12). We often end up becoming like those we follow, so don’t let wicked people tell you how to think or what to do. Listen to the counsel of the righteous, instead. Take counsel from God’s Word.

"[He] does not stand in the way of sinners."

What paths are you walking? We're blessed when we do not live like the wicked live. So don’t frequent the places or activities the wicked frequent. "But Jesus hung out with sinners," you might object. While Jesus was a companion of sinners, He interacted with them when they were not engaging in their sinful ways. He didn’t frequent brothels or temples of pagan gods! He spoke to them in the marketplace and out on mountain sides and by the sea shore. Jesus steered far clear of their wicked paths and so should you. Don’t do what the wicked person does and somehow fool yourself into thinking you are any different from them.

"[He] does not sit in the seat of scoffers."

Notice here the progression in his path toward wickedness. First he merely walked by the wicked. He doesn’t tarry but is there long enough to just hear their thoughts on a subject. He "walks in their counsel." Then he grows accustomed to them and their thinking and he "stands among them" in their way of life though he is still somewhat set apart. And in the end where do we find him but sitting down, settling in among them. Here we see that by virtue of taking their advice and hanging around them, over time this young man has begun to think like them. Their worldview has become his worldview. The way of the righteous person seems odd and foreign to him now. And so He joins in with the wicked in mocking God’s people and God’s ways. He is now one of them, whether he admits it or not.

Consider your own life. Look back at where you were 5 or 10 years ago and see where you are now. Are you more like Jesus or the world now than you were then? Are your beliefs more in keeping with the Bible or with the world? Are you walking, standing, or sitting in the way of wicked men?

Water at Sea (W.o.W. Rewind)

On May 27, 1943 a B-24 bomber named "The Green Hornet" went down in the Pacific Ocean while flying a search and rescue mission. Louis Zamperini was on that plane. He and another crew member survived the crash and for 47 days fought for survival on the open seas in a small inflatable raft. They had very few provisions and went as many as six days at a time without drinking water. Water became one of their most precious resources. They prayed for rain and perfected techniques of capturing as much as they could.* Imagine the irony of literally being surrounded by a sea of water while you are dying of thirst. As far as their eyes could see in any direction there was only water, yet none of it was able to quench their thirst. In fact, because of its high saline content, this water would only dehydrate them more.

This is the spiritual situation we all find ourselves in. We are dying of thirst for something spiritually real, something that satisfies, someone who can put us right with God. And we are surrounded by a sea of options that purport to be able to satisfy this thirst. We are tempted to turn to horoscopes to give us hope for the future; to other religions for a more palatable view of God; to love to give us self-worth and meaning; to entertainment to provide rest, and to nature to explain our origins and give purpose to our lives. But just like saltwater none of these solutions satisfy our thirst. They leave us worse off than we were before. Only Jesus satisfies!

Jesus highlights this aspect of His mission at the Festival of Booths. This festival is a celebration of God's provision for His people as they wandered in the dessert. No small part of that provision was that God provided water for so large a group of people in a dessert setting. Thus, Jesus stands on the last day of the celebration and says in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)

Whether you are in a dessert or an ocean, you can't live very long without water. Water is one of the most basic human needs. Jesus is telling us that He is much more than one helpful bit of spiritual nourishment among many options. He is the only one that truly satisfies, that meets our needs. It is easy to forget this though. You would think I would have this figured out. I'm a believer and a pastor, but still I sometimes forget that only Jesus satisfies. He is the one source of living water.

In so many ways I am like Martha. Remember the sisters Martha and Mary. As Martha swarms around Jesus busy with the details of hosting an important teacher and His disciples, her sister sits at Jesus' feet idly taking in His precious presence. So often I am like Martha- lost in a swarm of activity and missing the blessings of Jesus' presence. I'm starving over here, working my fingers to the bone because I think it's what Jesus wants me to do. But what does Jesus say? "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

Help us all Lord to choose the better portion. As we drift in this sea of false hope and false gods, gently remind us that only You satisfy. Only You solve our real problem, the problem of sin. Only You can truly give us the hope of Heaven. Draw us to Your feet through Your Word and through prayer. Help us Jesus to feast on Your presence today.

For further reading...

• John 6:32-40- Consider also Jesus' statement that He is the bread of life. 

*Details taken from the book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

Walking Through the Land

The Lord said to Abram...“All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever... Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.

Genesis 13:14-18

I see many parallels between Abram and the believer today. Abram had been promised that his offspring would one day inherit the land of Canaan. The believer also has a promised inheritance, for us it is the whole earth. God commanded Abram to walk throughout the land of Canaan in faith, believing that all of it would one day belong to his descendants. God has called us to go and make disciples throughout the entire earth in faith, believing that some are called to become God's children. As Abram walked through the land he built an altar to his God and made sacrifices worshiping Him. Let us build altars to the Lord wherever we go as well. Let us make sacrifices to share the gospel and bring men to faith in Christ. And let this be our pleasing act of worship to Jesus. When Abram left a place that altar remained as a silent testimony to the Lord. So too the believer will not be left without a witness as we move through the world. If we walk closely with Jesus and worship Him openly, then when we leave a place the impact as well as the memories of our good deeds will remain as a silent testimony to our Lord Jesus.

Find your way to "walk throughout the land" you will one day own. Go on a mission trip. Sacrifice to support missions both financially and in prayer. Live in such a way that you leave altars of worship behind you as a testimony to Jesus wherever you go. Each of us are only given so much time. Make the most of yours. One day the whole earth will be ours, believer. Let's live like it!

Be Bold like Nehemiah

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests

Nehemiah 2:7-8

Just a few verses before these Nehemiah has taken his own life into his hands. He is a cupbearer for the king, part of the conquered people of God living in exile in a foreign land. And he has just asked the King of Persia to give him time off from work so he can go rebuild Jerusalem (vs 5). This is no small request. It must have been a completely unheard of and absurd scenario for a cupbearer to make such a request of the king. And yet, the king was gracious to Nehemiah! In verse six he basically asks Nehemiah how much time off he thinks he will need. Can you imagine?!

But then the unthinkable really happens. Already, Nehemiah could have been severely punished or even killed for his presumption to make such a request, yet he finds the boldness and faith double down and ask for more! In verses seven and eight above, Nehemiah asks for all the incidentals he will need to accomplish his purpose. He asks the king for guarantees of safe passage and all the lumber he needs to rebuild the city wall, gates, and a personal residence for himself. Nehemiah will be gone long enough to build himself a house! And because of God’s grace, the King of Persia actually grants this request as well. He essentially writes Nehemiah a blank check for all the lumber he could need.

If Nehemiah could be so bold in making requests of a pagan king who had no reason to grant his desires, then why can't you be bold in prayer before God? How much more ought the child of God to be bold to ask his Heavenly Father for all that his heart desires (if what he desires is good and right)? Approach the throne with boldness and ask for all you need! God delights in providing for His children. It is not bothersome to Him to hear the requests of His children. Be careful not to be worldly or selfish but be bold like Nehemiah and ask for everything you need!

Inspire Others. Repent!

While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.

Ezra 10:1

Ezra was innocent before God, but his people were not. As the one who was to teach them the law and help them return to living in accordance with God's Word after their 70 year exile in Babylon, Ezra felt the weight of their sin on his own shoulders. And so he began to repent of and mourn over the people's sin publicly before God. His heartfelt and sincere repentance quickly had an effect on the others and they began to repent in earnest too. 

The point? Your sincere repentance over sin can lead others to repentance too. In fact, setting the example out front of those you lead will very often yield better results than driving them from behind with a whip. So too exemplifying true repentance before others is often a quicker road to bring them to repentance than confronting them with their sin would be. 

I have seen this over and over again in worship services. I've sat in countless services where no one came forward after the sermon to repent or pray, and I have sat in quite a few services in which two or more came forward. But, I would estimate that there have been fewer services in which only a single person came forward. Why is that? Because the brave vulnerability of the one often inspires others to follow suit. If a single person comes forward to repent, the likelihood of others coming increases greatly. 

So, put this into practice in your own life. In a world that makes light of sin, make much of yours instead. If you know someone who needs to repent, don't accuse and attack them. Try genuinely repenting of your sin in front of them instead and see if they won't follow suit.