"...Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them..." (Mal 2:17).
This is what the people were saying. But God's response was clear: "You have wearied the LORD with your words."
The people had gone beyond ignoring sin in their lives to accepting it. They even got to the point that they said it was good in God's sight.
That sounds pretty harsh. And we don't think it would ever happen to us.
Or could it?
At first we feel uncomfortable with sin.
After a while it gets more comfortable.
We get away with it. So we think no one knows.
God doesn't do anything about it, so we conclude "everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them."
We slide down the slope even further.
Eventually, the sin becomes comfortable and a regular pattern with apparently no consequences.
But God does care.
If we are truly a child of God, He won't let us keep going down that path.
His Word and His Spirit will begin to work in our hearts.
He will rip out the sinful habits.
But He replaces them with His presence and joy.
I know. I've been there.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
It's Christmas!
It's Christmas!
Time to go to church.
Time to give gifts.
Time to sing carols.
Time to decorate.
Time to bake.
Time to send out cards.
Time to be merry and bright.
Churches will be filled this week with people who haven't been there since Easter, unless there was a wedding or funeral since then.
People have been frantically shopping to find the perfect gift. Hoping to make Christmas merry for their friends and loved ones - even if they haven't spoken to them all year.
Families will gather together to sing songs about the birth of Christ, ignoring the lack of biblical truth in some of the songs.
Hours will be spent decorating the trees, the yard, the house, the church, the business, the cookies, the gifts. And lots of money spent on the frills.
Cookies, pies, turkeys, hams, soups and sandwiches will be prepared for a gluttonous feast - or feasts.
Cards and letters will be sent to people, salving our consciences for another year of not keeping in contact.
And we'll all paste on a smile and wish each other "Merry Christmas!" while struggling through the stress of the season, the failed marriage, the rebellious child, the meaningless job, the depression and thoughts of suicide.
But that's okay. It's Christmas. It's what we do. It's how we celebrate. It's tradition. It's okay.
It's Christmas.
Maybe next Sunday, the Sunday after Christmas, the churches should be filled again.
This time filled with repentance.
Repenting over the hypocrisy of occasional church attendance (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Repenting over materialism (1 Timothy 6:10).
Repenting over false doctrine and Bible interpretation in the songs and sermons of the season (Jude 3-4).
Repenting over the foolish waste of money spent on decorations (1 Peter 3:3-4).
Repenting over gluttony (Proverbs 23:21).
Repenting over the fraudulent behavior and ignoring the spiritual needs of those around us (Galatians 6:1-2).
But it probably won't happen.
It's Christmas and it's just the way we do things.
Time to go to church.
Time to give gifts.
Time to sing carols.
Time to decorate.
Time to bake.
Time to send out cards.
Time to be merry and bright.
Churches will be filled this week with people who haven't been there since Easter, unless there was a wedding or funeral since then.
People have been frantically shopping to find the perfect gift. Hoping to make Christmas merry for their friends and loved ones - even if they haven't spoken to them all year.
Families will gather together to sing songs about the birth of Christ, ignoring the lack of biblical truth in some of the songs.
Hours will be spent decorating the trees, the yard, the house, the church, the business, the cookies, the gifts. And lots of money spent on the frills.
Cookies, pies, turkeys, hams, soups and sandwiches will be prepared for a gluttonous feast - or feasts.
Cards and letters will be sent to people, salving our consciences for another year of not keeping in contact.
And we'll all paste on a smile and wish each other "Merry Christmas!" while struggling through the stress of the season, the failed marriage, the rebellious child, the meaningless job, the depression and thoughts of suicide.
But that's okay. It's Christmas. It's what we do. It's how we celebrate. It's tradition. It's okay.
It's Christmas.
Maybe next Sunday, the Sunday after Christmas, the churches should be filled again.
This time filled with repentance.
Repenting over the hypocrisy of occasional church attendance (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Repenting over materialism (1 Timothy 6:10).
Repenting over false doctrine and Bible interpretation in the songs and sermons of the season (Jude 3-4).
Repenting over the foolish waste of money spent on decorations (1 Peter 3:3-4).
Repenting over gluttony (Proverbs 23:21).
Repenting over the fraudulent behavior and ignoring the spiritual needs of those around us (Galatians 6:1-2).
But it probably won't happen.
It's Christmas and it's just the way we do things.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Love Conquers Fear
Jesus knew what Judas was going to do and that it would lead to His painful death. He didn't just suspect that Judas might hurt Him, He knew exactly what was going to happen.
And yet in the upper room, Jesus gave Judas a piece of dipped bread a symbol of honor and trust that the host was extending to His guest.
And when the moment of betrayal came, Jesus called him "friend."
Throughout the evening Jesus gave Judas opportunities to repent.
We often fear the potential harm that others may inflict on us and pull away from them. Or fight back.
Jesus knew. He didn't suspect. And yet He chose to love Judas. He extended love and grace.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Praise God Regardless
It's easy to praise God when everything is going well.
When the paychecks come in regularly and the bills are paid.
When the family is healthy.
When the car is working.
When the roof is not leaking.
But what about when things are not going so well?
Habakkuk had received visions from God that the Babylonian armies were coming to Jerusalem to destroy it.
Awful things were going to happen.
Crops would be destroyed.
Walls knocked down.
People murdered.
Yet Habakkuk was going to choose to praise God.
He wasn't going to thank God for the desolation.
He was going to praise God for being God.
"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the LORD, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's. He makes me tread on my high places" (Hab 3:19).
He was praising God for who He is.
He was praising God for His deliverance in the midst of the trials.
His focus was not on the trials, but on God.
He was choosing to praise God.
When the paychecks come in regularly and the bills are paid.
When the family is healthy.
When the car is working.
When the roof is not leaking.
But what about when things are not going so well?
Habakkuk had received visions from God that the Babylonian armies were coming to Jerusalem to destroy it.
Awful things were going to happen.
Crops would be destroyed.
Walls knocked down.
People murdered.
Yet Habakkuk was going to choose to praise God.
He wasn't going to thank God for the desolation.
He was going to praise God for being God.
"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the LORD, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's. He makes me tread on my high places" (Hab 3:19).
He was praising God for who He is.
He was praising God for His deliverance in the midst of the trials.
His focus was not on the trials, but on God.
He was choosing to praise God.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
God Forgives and So Must You
"Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot" (Micah 7:18-19).
What a comfort to know that God is a forgiving God!
If He held on to all the sins that I have committed against Him, there would be no chance for me.
Look at the other attributes listed here that have to do with God's forgiveness:
He does not retain His anger forever. He lets go of the anger. He withdraws His wrath.
He delights in steadfast love. He enjoys pouring out His mercy on us.
He will again have compassion on us. Though it did not seem like it at the time, Micah was anticipating God's compassion being seen again.
He will tread our iniquities underfoot. What a picture of how God sees our sins - just as dirt on the ground. He's not holding them against us. He's not looking through the list of our sins when He looks at us.
But wait, there's more!
Paul writes to the Ephesians: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake, has forgiven you" (4:32).
We are not only to take great joy and comfort in the forgiveness that God gives to us. We are also to forgive others just like God has forgiven us.
We must pardon those who sin against us.
We must choose not to be angry at those who have trampled on our lives.
We must delight in steadfast love, loving those who are unloving toward us.
We must have compassion on those who have not been compassionate toward us.
We must consider their sins against us as dirt on the ground, choosing to look at them as Christ looks at them.
Not because they deserve it. We don't deserve God's forgiveness either.
Not because it will restore a relationship. God is ready to forgive even those who are not interested in Him.
But because that's the way God is.
What a comfort to know that God is a forgiving God!
If He held on to all the sins that I have committed against Him, there would be no chance for me.
Look at the other attributes listed here that have to do with God's forgiveness:
He does not retain His anger forever. He lets go of the anger. He withdraws His wrath.
He delights in steadfast love. He enjoys pouring out His mercy on us.
He will again have compassion on us. Though it did not seem like it at the time, Micah was anticipating God's compassion being seen again.
He will tread our iniquities underfoot. What a picture of how God sees our sins - just as dirt on the ground. He's not holding them against us. He's not looking through the list of our sins when He looks at us.
But wait, there's more!
Paul writes to the Ephesians: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake, has forgiven you" (4:32).
We are not only to take great joy and comfort in the forgiveness that God gives to us. We are also to forgive others just like God has forgiven us.
We must pardon those who sin against us.
We must choose not to be angry at those who have trampled on our lives.
We must delight in steadfast love, loving those who are unloving toward us.
We must have compassion on those who have not been compassionate toward us.
We must consider their sins against us as dirt on the ground, choosing to look at them as Christ looks at them.
Not because they deserve it. We don't deserve God's forgiveness either.
Not because it will restore a relationship. God is ready to forgive even those who are not interested in Him.
But because that's the way God is.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Giving Up Hope
The Hallmark channel is filled with stories of hope this time of the year.
Hope that a broken relationship will be restored.
Hope that a sick child will be healed.
Hope that there will be snow for Christmas.
Hope that Lassie will make it home through the storm.
Usually by the end of the movie, everyone feels warm and fuzzy because that hope has been fulfilled.
Unfortunately, many Bible-believers have swallowed the Hallmark-Hope Lie.
If we truly believe, it will happen. If we are obedient, our dreams will come true. If we are humble and submissive, harm will never come our way.
One problem with that is that we don't have movie directors writing the scripts of our lives.
But the bigger problem is that we don't have any promises in the Bible that our dreams will come true.
No promises for a happy marriage.
No promises for healthy children.
No promises for a rewarding job.
No promises for a white Christmas.
No promises that the lost dog will return.
If we are believing the Hallmark-Hope Lie, we will be disappointed. We might try harder to believe. We might work harder to make God like us more so that He'll give us what we want. We'll be constantly on the lookout for the ruby slippers.
Or we might just give up on God. Take things into our own hands. God has given up on us. He's not given us what we want, so He must not be God. We are on our own.
Hoping for things for which there are no promises or giving up on God - both are idolatry. We've set something else in the place of God. We've made our hopes the goals for our lives.
So what's the solution?
Give up hope.
Jesus did. And so should we.
In the hours before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me" (Lk 22:42a). He knew the pain that was coming. He knew the burden of sin that would be placed on Him. He knew the separation from His loving Father that He would face.
And He hoped that there would be another way.
But the next line of His prayer reveals that He gave up hope. "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done" (Lk 22:42b).
He gave up His hopes to be obedient to His Father.
Rather than chasing the Hallmark-Hope Lie, chase after the heavenly Father. Devote ourselves to Him. Love Him. Obey Him. Trust Him.
Not as a way to get what we want. "If I do this, then God will give me this" is like bringing fruit to an idol of stone.
Give up your hopes.
Cling to the promises of God.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
"Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go!"
It's an old hymn that has an amazing story behind it.
The author of the hymn, George Matheson, had lived in Scotland during the 19th century. He had two passions: preaching God's Word and a young woman to whom he was engaged.
His passion for preaching the Bible required much time in study and preparation - that means lots of reading. He spent so much time reading that his vision was suffering. Doctors told him that the damage was irreversible and that he would soon go blind.
When his second passion learned of the imminent handicap, she broke off the marriage. Matheson was heartbroken.
He continued to follow his passion for teaching God's Word. In spite of his blindness he became a pastor, preacher and scholar. He preached weekly to 1500 people, even though he couldn't see any of them.
For most of his adult life, his unmarried sister Jane cared for him. She prepared his meals and kept his house. She helped him with his studies. They were close companions.
On the eve of Jane's wedding, Matheson wrote the hymn "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go."
His beloved wife-to-be had jilted him. Now his closest companion on earth would be leaving him.
With wounds re-opened he recognized a love that would never disappoint. It was a love that had been there through all the years.
God's love was so overwhelming to him at that time that it only took him five minutes to write the hymn. And he claimed it was the only hymn that he never went back to edit.
In the midst, or the depths, of the greatest pains this life brings to us, the only true love is the love of God.
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that foll'west all my way,
I yield my flick'ring torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
The author of the hymn, George Matheson, had lived in Scotland during the 19th century. He had two passions: preaching God's Word and a young woman to whom he was engaged.
His passion for preaching the Bible required much time in study and preparation - that means lots of reading. He spent so much time reading that his vision was suffering. Doctors told him that the damage was irreversible and that he would soon go blind.
When his second passion learned of the imminent handicap, she broke off the marriage. Matheson was heartbroken.
He continued to follow his passion for teaching God's Word. In spite of his blindness he became a pastor, preacher and scholar. He preached weekly to 1500 people, even though he couldn't see any of them.
For most of his adult life, his unmarried sister Jane cared for him. She prepared his meals and kept his house. She helped him with his studies. They were close companions.
On the eve of Jane's wedding, Matheson wrote the hymn "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go."
His beloved wife-to-be had jilted him. Now his closest companion on earth would be leaving him.
With wounds re-opened he recognized a love that would never disappoint. It was a love that had been there through all the years.
God's love was so overwhelming to him at that time that it only took him five minutes to write the hymn. And he claimed it was the only hymn that he never went back to edit.
In the midst, or the depths, of the greatest pains this life brings to us, the only true love is the love of God.
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that foll'west all my way,
I yield my flick'ring torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
Monday, December 9, 2013
A Mundane Monday Morning
"So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never pass through it again" (Joel 3:17).
In other prophets we read that the people would "know that I am the LORD your God" when judgement came.
This passage talks about the restoration of Jerusalem and Judah as the sign.
When there is peace and prosperity in Jerusalem, the people would know tha tthe LORD is their God.
When the enemies of Israel have been subdued, the people would know that the LORD is God.
So in restoration or judgement, God is working to make Himself known.
God's ultimate goal in all of His acts is to make Himself known.
In good times and bad, we can seek to discover God's attributes.
How has He revealed Himself in this event?
What does God want me to learn about Himself through this?
And I don't think it's reserved for spectacular events of judgement or restoration.
How will God reveal Himself to me today, on this mundane Monday morning?
In other prophets we read that the people would "know that I am the LORD your God" when judgement came.
This passage talks about the restoration of Jerusalem and Judah as the sign.
When there is peace and prosperity in Jerusalem, the people would know tha tthe LORD is their God.
When the enemies of Israel have been subdued, the people would know that the LORD is God.
So in restoration or judgement, God is working to make Himself known.
God's ultimate goal in all of His acts is to make Himself known.
In good times and bad, we can seek to discover God's attributes.
How has He revealed Himself in this event?
What does God want me to learn about Himself through this?
And I don't think it's reserved for spectacular events of judgement or restoration.
How will God reveal Himself to me today, on this mundane Monday morning?
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
I don't like his style!
He's too direct.
His illustrations are bizarre.
He's boring.
He's too simplistic.
He's too complicated.
He talks too fast.
He stutters.
He repeats himself.
He preaches too long.
That's just scratching the surface of complaints raised against any preacher on any given Sunday.
And it's not anything new.
How many people do you suppose complained about Isaiah walking around naked and barefoot for three years?
How many people complained about M-m-m-m-moses when he stuttered?
Read the book of Jeremiah to see how many people criticized him.
People criticized Paul's timid nature in person.
Follow the life of Jesus and you'll see that people complained about His preaching.
"But," you may argue, "those were ungodly people who complained. I'm just trying to be helpful."
Isaiah's critics probably thought the same thing.
Instead of being your preacher's best critic, maybe you should be his best encourager by applying what he preaches!
His illustrations are bizarre.
He's boring.
He's too simplistic.
He's too complicated.
He talks too fast.
He stutters.
He repeats himself.
He preaches too long.
That's just scratching the surface of complaints raised against any preacher on any given Sunday.
And it's not anything new.
How many people do you suppose complained about Isaiah walking around naked and barefoot for three years?
How many people complained about M-m-m-m-moses when he stuttered?
Read the book of Jeremiah to see how many people criticized him.
People criticized Paul's timid nature in person.
Follow the life of Jesus and you'll see that people complained about His preaching.
"But," you may argue, "those were ungodly people who complained. I'm just trying to be helpful."
Isaiah's critics probably thought the same thing.
Instead of being your preacher's best critic, maybe you should be his best encourager by applying what he preaches!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Stubborn Heifers or Submissive Sheep?
I'm not a farmer or a rancher. And I'm not really much of an animal-lover. They belong outside or on the grill. I don't hate animals, I'm just not an expert. Nor do I intend to be.
But Hosea uses an interesting picture that I think I understand. Some of you farmers and ranchers might need to correct me if I get this wrong.
"Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn;
Can the LORD now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?"
(Hosea 4:16)
For those of you who don't know, a heifer is a young female cow that has not borne a calf. (I looked it up, just be sure).
So, make that young female cow that has not borne a calf a stubborn young female cow that has not borne a calf.
I've been to a few rodeos. And I've been on a few farms.
My observation: Cows are pretty big.
If they don't want to move, you have to hit them pretty hard. Pull on their ropes. Hoot and holler at them. Shock them with electricity.
God is comparing Israel to a stubborn heifer that won't do what He wants them to do. She won't go where He wants them to go. Israel is fighting every command, every prodding, every shock.
When they are in that state, can God let them graze in an open pasture?
Think of a herd of sheep. No fence around them. A shepherd and his dog can keep them together. They can go from juicy blade to juicy blade. Eating until they're nice and plump. Taking a drink when they're thirsty. Resting and chewing their cud at leisure.
The shepherd wants them to eat the best grass, so he leads them to where the pastures are green. He wants them to be protected from predators and the elements. He wants them to get the fresh water that they need.
He does everything he can to give them what they need and want.
But then he lets them graze where they want in that wide open pasture.
If that stubborn heifer were let loose in that open pasture, she might run off. The rancher can't take that risk of losing his source of income. So he has to keep that stubborn heifer penned up and feed it dry grass from the last cutting of hay. She has no choice. No freedom.
How often have I been like a stubborn heifer?
"No, Lord, I want to do it this way!"
"No, Lord, I want to go to this place!"
When the Shepherd wants to give me exactly what I need and want, doesn't it just make more sense to submit to His leading?
But Hosea uses an interesting picture that I think I understand. Some of you farmers and ranchers might need to correct me if I get this wrong.
"Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn;
Can the LORD now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?"
(Hosea 4:16)
For those of you who don't know, a heifer is a young female cow that has not borne a calf. (I looked it up, just be sure).
So, make that young female cow that has not borne a calf a stubborn young female cow that has not borne a calf.
I've been to a few rodeos. And I've been on a few farms.
My observation: Cows are pretty big.
If they don't want to move, you have to hit them pretty hard. Pull on their ropes. Hoot and holler at them. Shock them with electricity.
God is comparing Israel to a stubborn heifer that won't do what He wants them to do. She won't go where He wants them to go. Israel is fighting every command, every prodding, every shock.
When they are in that state, can God let them graze in an open pasture?
Think of a herd of sheep. No fence around them. A shepherd and his dog can keep them together. They can go from juicy blade to juicy blade. Eating until they're nice and plump. Taking a drink when they're thirsty. Resting and chewing their cud at leisure.
The shepherd wants them to eat the best grass, so he leads them to where the pastures are green. He wants them to be protected from predators and the elements. He wants them to get the fresh water that they need.
He does everything he can to give them what they need and want.
But then he lets them graze where they want in that wide open pasture.
If that stubborn heifer were let loose in that open pasture, she might run off. The rancher can't take that risk of losing his source of income. So he has to keep that stubborn heifer penned up and feed it dry grass from the last cutting of hay. She has no choice. No freedom.
How often have I been like a stubborn heifer?
"No, Lord, I want to do it this way!"
"No, Lord, I want to go to this place!"
When the Shepherd wants to give me exactly what I need and want, doesn't it just make more sense to submit to His leading?
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