James 4:4 reads: You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Tough words, tough times, tough world, because so many only focus on the here and now. Valuing the things the world esteems is hatred towards God. All the world has to offer adds up to nothing, it won't last. Those things will fade and rust away long before forever. The world's offerings and finest goods come with expiration dates, built in obsolescence. What can't last forever won't
Befriending the world, allying with the world is a declaration of war on God. We become his enemy. We go to war without ever sizing up the opposition.
While we were still sinners, that is to say enemies of God, Christ died for us. We fail to size up God because we cannot fathom the unfathomable. We cannot comprehend the mind of God. Us, enemies with him, at war with Him, and yet while we wage war, He died for us. The world will never offer that, yet God has.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Two Wisdoms
The world contains wisdom. The wisdom of the world clings to us like the strands of a spider web accidentally wandered into. It's like the odor of smoke, it permeates the fabric of our lives. We are surrounded and immersed in a wisdom that says, "Me first", "If it feels good it can't be that bad", "If it feels good do it."
The wisdom of the world can only carry us so far or so long. That wisdom last about 75 years. The same wisdom tells us the bible is a compilation of stories and essays that make a good read, and that's all.
Heaven's wisdom is far different. It is pure, just as God is pure. There is no stain or odor on the fabric of heaven's wisdom. Wisdom from heaven loves peace. It's not quarrelsome or argumentative, it doesn't have to have the last word. The wisdom from heaven is simply the word. Wisdom from heaven is considerate-it's not the hammer and we're the nail. It's considerate of all our short comings; it knows our desires. Heaven's wisdom is submissive to God's will, as we are when we submit to wisdom.
Heaven's wisdom is full of mercy. Overflowing mercy, saturating, permeating, mercy that penetrates the fabric of our lives. Heaven's wisdom produces good fruit. It promotes and encourages placing others first, wisdom from heaven eases suffering. Heaven's wisdom is impartial, no favorites or favoritism allowed. Heaven's wisdom is is sincere, it's from the heart, God's heart. This wisdom last without end. This wisdom is given in love and is love, God's love for all.
The wisdom of the world can only carry us so far or so long. That wisdom last about 75 years. The same wisdom tells us the bible is a compilation of stories and essays that make a good read, and that's all.
Heaven's wisdom is far different. It is pure, just as God is pure. There is no stain or odor on the fabric of heaven's wisdom. Wisdom from heaven loves peace. It's not quarrelsome or argumentative, it doesn't have to have the last word. The wisdom from heaven is simply the word. Wisdom from heaven is considerate-it's not the hammer and we're the nail. It's considerate of all our short comings; it knows our desires. Heaven's wisdom is submissive to God's will, as we are when we submit to wisdom.
Heaven's wisdom is full of mercy. Overflowing mercy, saturating, permeating, mercy that penetrates the fabric of our lives. Heaven's wisdom produces good fruit. It promotes and encourages placing others first, wisdom from heaven eases suffering. Heaven's wisdom is impartial, no favorites or favoritism allowed. Heaven's wisdom is is sincere, it's from the heart, God's heart. This wisdom last without end. This wisdom is given in love and is love, God's love for all.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sliding
Psalm 73, 2-3
(2)But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. (3) For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
What happens when we take our eyes off the goal of eternity Christ? The psalmist says we loose our footing, we trip up, we slip, we loose our foothold. When our focus switches from God to the world, we envy. We envy the prosperity of the wicked. We become discontent with who we are, with where we are, with who we are with, with what we have. We give up God's standards for man's standards. We give up the eternal for the temporary.
Power, beauty, fame, and fortune, these are the things the world values. We stumble over the prosperity of the wicked. Power weakens, beauty fades, fame flees, fortunes dwindle. Distracted we become discontented, discontented we become self centered. Suffering follows.
Who will feed the hungry? Who comforts the uncomforted? Who will defend the defenseless? The one who has heard "love others as yourself." In disobedience we envy. In obedience, we give the things the world values a passing glance. In obedience alone, are grace and mercy found. When we find them, we can give them. When we give them, God's ways are our ways.
(2)But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. (3) For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
What happens when we take our eyes off the goal of eternity Christ? The psalmist says we loose our footing, we trip up, we slip, we loose our foothold. When our focus switches from God to the world, we envy. We envy the prosperity of the wicked. We become discontent with who we are, with where we are, with who we are with, with what we have. We give up God's standards for man's standards. We give up the eternal for the temporary.
Power, beauty, fame, and fortune, these are the things the world values. We stumble over the prosperity of the wicked. Power weakens, beauty fades, fame flees, fortunes dwindle. Distracted we become discontented, discontented we become self centered. Suffering follows.
Who will feed the hungry? Who comforts the uncomforted? Who will defend the defenseless? The one who has heard "love others as yourself." In disobedience we envy. In obedience, we give the things the world values a passing glance. In obedience alone, are grace and mercy found. When we find them, we can give them. When we give them, God's ways are our ways.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Knowing Jesus
To know Jesus is to sit under his teaching.
To know Jesus is to follow his teachings.
To know Jesus is to be Jesus to others.
To know Jesus is to serve others.
To know Jesus is to rise up others.
To know Jesus is to lose self importance.
To know Jesus is to live.
To know Jesus is to know God.
The great mystery in knowing God is found in knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus begins with a step in faith.
To know Jesus is to follow his teachings.
To know Jesus is to be Jesus to others.
To know Jesus is to serve others.
To know Jesus is to rise up others.
To know Jesus is to lose self importance.
To know Jesus is to live.
To know Jesus is to know God.
The great mystery in knowing God is found in knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus begins with a step in faith.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
With Us
2 Chronicles 15:26b
The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
God is with us when we are with Him. When are we with God? We are with God when we gather together for worship. We are with God when we study His word alone and in private in order to hear His voice and will. We are with God when we act upon the things He has taught us in those moments. We are with God when we love Him as we should. We are with God when we love others through serving them and meeting their needs. We are with God when we take care of widows and orphans and don't allow ourselves to be corrupted by the world. We are with God when we pursue Him and His will, when we act upon His will we are with Him. God avails Himself to us when we seek Him, and when we seek Him we will find Him.
The opposite is also true, if we choose not to seek him, if we choose not to follow His ways, we will be rewarded with that pursuit also. Our reward will be our own folly. God won't abandon us or forsake us until we abandon Him first. Scripture tells us of His love for us. He loved us so much that he came seeking us. He made Himself available to us, that whoever, anyone, who believes in Him will not perish. He came seeking us first.
God is with us. We have to individually decide if we are going to be with Him. The choice to follow Him is an easy one, yet it seems so hard for many. Avail ourselves to Him, and in his grace and mercy we will be found.
When we seek Him we will find Him.
The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
God is with us when we are with Him. When are we with God? We are with God when we gather together for worship. We are with God when we study His word alone and in private in order to hear His voice and will. We are with God when we act upon the things He has taught us in those moments. We are with God when we love Him as we should. We are with God when we love others through serving them and meeting their needs. We are with God when we take care of widows and orphans and don't allow ourselves to be corrupted by the world. We are with God when we pursue Him and His will, when we act upon His will we are with Him. God avails Himself to us when we seek Him, and when we seek Him we will find Him.
The opposite is also true, if we choose not to seek him, if we choose not to follow His ways, we will be rewarded with that pursuit also. Our reward will be our own folly. God won't abandon us or forsake us until we abandon Him first. Scripture tells us of His love for us. He loved us so much that he came seeking us. He made Himself available to us, that whoever, anyone, who believes in Him will not perish. He came seeking us first.
God is with us. We have to individually decide if we are going to be with Him. The choice to follow Him is an easy one, yet it seems so hard for many. Avail ourselves to Him, and in his grace and mercy we will be found.
When we seek Him we will find Him.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Obstacles
In Romans 14, Paul tells us to make up our minds to not put any stumbling blocks or obstacles in our brothers way. Interesting choice of words. Make up your mind to not do something, means we are naturally inclined to do the very thing we don't want to do. We must make a conscious choice to do the right thing.
Anything we do deliberately that causes someone to unjustly feel pain, or suffer, or to otherwise negatively impact them is a stumbling block or obstacle. Here's an application of what we should do.
When it is in our power to encourage, we encourage.
When it is in our power to do good, do good.
When it is in our power to help, help.
When we do these things, we use our lives to point others to Christ. We become stumbling block and obstacle removers.
Anything we do deliberately that causes someone to unjustly feel pain, or suffer, or to otherwise negatively impact them is a stumbling block or obstacle. Here's an application of what we should do.
When it is in our power to encourage, we encourage.
When it is in our power to do good, do good.
When it is in our power to help, help.
When we do these things, we use our lives to point others to Christ. We become stumbling block and obstacle removers.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Theory and Reality
Proverbs 2
If you accept my words...
If you call out for insight...
If you look for it...
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD...
Then you will understand what is right and just...
Then you will walk in the ways of good men...
Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Wisdom is there for the taking. Solomon laid out the path and the steps we need to take. Accept the words of God, live the teachings of Jesus and we will have wisdom. Call out for insight. Seek wisdom as a treasure hunter would pursue a long lost fortune, go on a quest for wisdom.
Look beyond self, look past personal importance, seek the greater gift to be shared. Then and only then will wisdom be found.
Remember, times and seasons of life come when we won't do the things we know we should do. We will hate what we do, and when that happens:
Accept His words...
Call out...
Search for it...
The we will:
Understand the fear of the LORD
Understand righteousness and justice
Walk with God and good men
When we forget, keep searching, we will find.
If you accept my words...
If you call out for insight...
If you look for it...
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD...
Then you will understand what is right and just...
Then you will walk in the ways of good men...
Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Wisdom is there for the taking. Solomon laid out the path and the steps we need to take. Accept the words of God, live the teachings of Jesus and we will have wisdom. Call out for insight. Seek wisdom as a treasure hunter would pursue a long lost fortune, go on a quest for wisdom.
Look beyond self, look past personal importance, seek the greater gift to be shared. Then and only then will wisdom be found.
Remember, times and seasons of life come when we won't do the things we know we should do. We will hate what we do, and when that happens:
Accept His words...
Call out...
Search for it...
The we will:
Understand the fear of the LORD
Understand righteousness and justice
Walk with God and good men
When we forget, keep searching, we will find.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)