Exodus 33:12-13 - "Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
We see that Moses found favor with God. It is a wonderful thing when we have the favor of God. As believers we have favor with God, but it is unmerited favor. It is God's grace. Yet, the favor Moses found with God was more than this. Moses said, teach me your ways so I may know you. Moses had favor with God because he was teachable. Also, he found favor with God because he was a faithful servant of God.
Hebrews 3:2 _ "He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house."
Have you found the favor of God. Do you have a teachable spirit? One who has a teachable spirit is one who walks in obedience. You are not teachable if you know what to do but you don't do it.
God help us to be teachable that we might serve you faithfully.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Impatients & Worthless Idols
Exodus 32:1 - "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him."
How often we like Israel are impatient with God. Unwilling to wait on him. Instead we go running off and do our own thing. It wasn't that they didn't know God existed. There was no doubt about this because they saw his glory on the mountain and he spoke to them. They saw his mighty power in delivering them out of Egypt. Yet, despite this they decided to make gods. They were brought out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in them. To us it may seem sheer stupidity that they chose to make idols and proclaim them as their gods. Yet, this is the nature of man. They chose a lie over the truth because they didn't want to follow the truth, not because of ignorance.
We often do they same thing. We know what is true. We have no doubt it is true, but we choose not to obey they truth. We may not have physical idols in your life. Yet, we have spiritual idols in our lives. Things you have chosen to cling to with full knowledge that they are worthless, but it pleases you to do so. It boils down to control. We like to be in control of our own lives and destiny. It is for this same reason the people of Israel made idols for themselves.
How often we like Israel are impatient with God. Unwilling to wait on him. Instead we go running off and do our own thing. It wasn't that they didn't know God existed. There was no doubt about this because they saw his glory on the mountain and he spoke to them. They saw his mighty power in delivering them out of Egypt. Yet, despite this they decided to make gods. They were brought out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in them. To us it may seem sheer stupidity that they chose to make idols and proclaim them as their gods. Yet, this is the nature of man. They chose a lie over the truth because they didn't want to follow the truth, not because of ignorance.
We often do they same thing. We know what is true. We have no doubt it is true, but we choose not to obey they truth. We may not have physical idols in your life. Yet, we have spiritual idols in our lives. Things you have chosen to cling to with full knowledge that they are worthless, but it pleases you to do so. It boils down to control. We like to be in control of our own lives and destiny. It is for this same reason the people of Israel made idols for themselves.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Sacrificial Love
Matthew 10:37-39 - "Anyone
who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;
anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."
God does not only called us to love Him, but to love Him above all else. A love that calls us to sacrifice ourselves. A love that calls us to give ourselves wholly to Him. A love that is willing to die for Him physically, but much more a love that will bring to death the acts of the flesh.
Think of that person in your life that you love intensely, more than any other person. A person that you would be willing to do anything for them, even give your own life. A person that you are passionate about. Then think of God. Do you love him more than this person? We have a great example of this in Abraham who was willing to give his son as a sacrifice.
We have another great example in Exodus 32:25-29, where Moses and the Levites went through out the camp killing whoever was before them friend or brother to cleanse the camp of the ramped sin.
This kind of love can only be birthed as we spend time with the Father and keep our eyes on the Father. This kind of love can only be produced by the Spirit of God as we submit ourselves unto Him.
God does not only called us to love Him, but to love Him above all else. A love that calls us to sacrifice ourselves. A love that calls us to give ourselves wholly to Him. A love that is willing to die for Him physically, but much more a love that will bring to death the acts of the flesh.
Think of that person in your life that you love intensely, more than any other person. A person that you would be willing to do anything for them, even give your own life. A person that you are passionate about. Then think of God. Do you love him more than this person? We have a great example of this in Abraham who was willing to give his son as a sacrifice.
We have another great example in Exodus 32:25-29, where Moses and the Levites went through out the camp killing whoever was before them friend or brother to cleanse the camp of the ramped sin.
This kind of love can only be birthed as we spend time with the Father and keep our eyes on the Father. This kind of love can only be produced by the Spirit of God as we submit ourselves unto Him.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Judge the Complaicent
Zephaniah 1:12 - "At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.
When we look at this chapter we see that God is condemning the people of Israel for their duplicity and complacency. There is a fine line between God's love and God's wrath. God love is great and he is very patient with those who love him. Yet, he will not tolerate duplicity and complacency for ever in our lives. Lord help us to fear you more and walk in holiness and righteousness before you. Forgive us when when we fall into complacency.
When we look at this chapter we see that God is condemning the people of Israel for their duplicity and complacency. There is a fine line between God's love and God's wrath. God love is great and he is very patient with those who love him. Yet, he will not tolerate duplicity and complacency for ever in our lives. Lord help us to fear you more and walk in holiness and righteousness before you. Forgive us when when we fall into complacency.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
God's Reddeming Grace and Mercy
I encourage you to read Ezekiel 16:1-14 which is an allegory of how God redeemed Israel and took her as His bride. Actually he is addressing Jerusalem who the was the heart and true representation of Israel. He begins by saying that she was not from a great race, and she was rejected at birth. She was living in her filth, and naked. Then God passed by and saw her plight and took her in and cared for her. He washed the filth off of her and clothed her. Then God spread a corner of His garment over her which was an act of redemption as well as an act of marriage. (See Deut. 25:5-10 & Ruth 3:9) He took her as His wife and give her the best of everything. He made her beautiful and she became renowned among the nations.
This allegory also depicts the church. It portrays God's love and grace. It depicts the sinful state of man and his fallen state. Before Christ redeemed us, we were illegitimate children. We were despised, wretched and rejected. We were castaways on the sea of life. We lived in our filth or sinfulness. Yet, Christ took us in. He nurtured us and made us His own. He clothed us with righteousness and made us beautiful. He gave us honor and glory.
Thank you Lord for all that you have done for us. Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy.
This allegory also depicts the church. It portrays God's love and grace. It depicts the sinful state of man and his fallen state. Before Christ redeemed us, we were illegitimate children. We were despised, wretched and rejected. We were castaways on the sea of life. We lived in our filth or sinfulness. Yet, Christ took us in. He nurtured us and made us His own. He clothed us with righteousness and made us beautiful. He gave us honor and glory.
Thank you Lord for all that you have done for us. Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Task as Watchman
Ezekiel 3:16-21 - "At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’
and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil
ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.
20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
In this passage we see two types of people, we see the wicked and the righteous man who has turned from his righteous ways.
Let us first look at the unrighteous man or the sinner. God told Ezekiel that he was responsible to show them their sinful ways and seek to persuade them from their ungodly way. If he did not, he will be held responsible for their blood. It means that he will be held responsible for the innocent blood he sheds or the crimes and evil deeds he does. It would be as if he had committed them himself because he did not try to persuade the person from them. The Bible says we will be judged for our sins and if we don't know Christ, we will be condemned. God is not simply saying to Ezekiel. It is your fault if you don't try to persuade them from their evil ways, but you will have to give account for your non action. Interesting, God doesn't only require an accounting for our action, but non actions as well. If God would not take some action against our disobedience, then God doesn't hold us responsible. So what action would God take against Ezekiel? I don't think I am knowledgeable or wise enough to say, but it suffices to say that he will pay for his non action in some way.
God calls us even as he called Ezekiel to be a watchman. We must in love show the sinner the evil of his way and try to persuade him from continuing in his sinful way. We are to exhort him to give his life to Christ and the very least to discourage him in his ungodly ways. We can't fall to the worlds philosophy that says, everyone can do what he feels and it is not any of your business. Yes, it is our duty to show the sinner the evil of his way and the destruction that it will bring him and those around him. We can't remain silent to be politically correct. We can't remain silent with the intent of not offending them or possibly being rejected. If we do, God will not be pleased and we will be held accountable. God will take some disciplinary action against us.
God told Ezekiel, to warn the righteous man who has turned from his righteous ways. If he didn't, he will be held responsible for their ungodly action and possibly even for them losing their salvation. We find a shocking statement in this passage. When the righteous turn away from the God, their righteous acts will no longer be remembered by God. In other words, our previous righteous acts can not cover our later unrighteous acts. In actuality they nullify our previous righteous acts if we fall away from Christ. We must not in the name of Christian love and unity not seek to reconcile the believer who has fallen back to Christ. When we see a believer going down the wrong path, and fallen into sin, we must exhort him to forsake their sinful way.
This is scary stuff. Yet, the upside to all this is that if we persuade the person from his sinful way and bring them unto Christ, we save ourselves. We don't save ourselves from condemnation, but we save ourselves from the discipline of God and his disfavor.
In all this, we need the wisdom and grace of God that we do this rightly.
20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
In this passage we see two types of people, we see the wicked and the righteous man who has turned from his righteous ways.
Let us first look at the unrighteous man or the sinner. God told Ezekiel that he was responsible to show them their sinful ways and seek to persuade them from their ungodly way. If he did not, he will be held responsible for their blood. It means that he will be held responsible for the innocent blood he sheds or the crimes and evil deeds he does. It would be as if he had committed them himself because he did not try to persuade the person from them. The Bible says we will be judged for our sins and if we don't know Christ, we will be condemned. God is not simply saying to Ezekiel. It is your fault if you don't try to persuade them from their evil ways, but you will have to give account for your non action. Interesting, God doesn't only require an accounting for our action, but non actions as well. If God would not take some action against our disobedience, then God doesn't hold us responsible. So what action would God take against Ezekiel? I don't think I am knowledgeable or wise enough to say, but it suffices to say that he will pay for his non action in some way.
God calls us even as he called Ezekiel to be a watchman. We must in love show the sinner the evil of his way and try to persuade him from continuing in his sinful way. We are to exhort him to give his life to Christ and the very least to discourage him in his ungodly ways. We can't fall to the worlds philosophy that says, everyone can do what he feels and it is not any of your business. Yes, it is our duty to show the sinner the evil of his way and the destruction that it will bring him and those around him. We can't remain silent to be politically correct. We can't remain silent with the intent of not offending them or possibly being rejected. If we do, God will not be pleased and we will be held accountable. God will take some disciplinary action against us.
God told Ezekiel, to warn the righteous man who has turned from his righteous ways. If he didn't, he will be held responsible for their ungodly action and possibly even for them losing their salvation. We find a shocking statement in this passage. When the righteous turn away from the God, their righteous acts will no longer be remembered by God. In other words, our previous righteous acts can not cover our later unrighteous acts. In actuality they nullify our previous righteous acts if we fall away from Christ. We must not in the name of Christian love and unity not seek to reconcile the believer who has fallen back to Christ. When we see a believer going down the wrong path, and fallen into sin, we must exhort him to forsake their sinful way.
This is scary stuff. Yet, the upside to all this is that if we persuade the person from his sinful way and bring them unto Christ, we save ourselves. We don't save ourselves from condemnation, but we save ourselves from the discipline of God and his disfavor.
In all this, we need the wisdom and grace of God that we do this rightly.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Genuine Faith
1 Peter 1:7-9 - "These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls"
Trials come to test our faith and refine our faith. It is easy to believe God when everything is going well. Trials will either strengthen our faith or destroy our faith. Yet, it always tests the genuineness of our faith. If our faith is genuine, it will past the test. Genuine faith results in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. In other words, when faith is proven and stands the test of time and trials, we will be rewarded. We will receive glory and honor with Jesus and give Him praise. The end result of our faith is salvation. Saving faith is the most important faith. There is much talk about miraculous faith, but nothing is greater than saving faith.
Trials come to test our faith and refine our faith. It is easy to believe God when everything is going well. Trials will either strengthen our faith or destroy our faith. Yet, it always tests the genuineness of our faith. If our faith is genuine, it will past the test. Genuine faith results in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. In other words, when faith is proven and stands the test of time and trials, we will be rewarded. We will receive glory and honor with Jesus and give Him praise. The end result of our faith is salvation. Saving faith is the most important faith. There is much talk about miraculous faith, but nothing is greater than saving faith.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Bless the City
Jeremiah 29:7 - "Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
This is an interesting passage. God is exhorting the people of Israel to seek blessing on the city of their enemies. The very people who conquered them and took them into exile, we are to seek their good.
Wherever God places us even when we are placed their unwillingly, we need to seek peace and prosperity to that place. We are not to be a problem. We are not to be rebellious. Sometimes when we see the sin and abuses in the city, we can become bitter and resentful. Yet, God tells us we are to pray for the city or place you are at. We are to seek the prosperity of the city. We then in turn will prosper with it.
How about your work place. As believers we are to bring peace and prosperity there. We are to seek the prosperity of the company that we work for. We are to seek the welfare of all those who work their. We are not to be part of the problem, but part of the solution. We need to pray for our bosses and co-workers. We then will be will be blessed.
This is an interesting passage. God is exhorting the people of Israel to seek blessing on the city of their enemies. The very people who conquered them and took them into exile, we are to seek their good.
Wherever God places us even when we are placed their unwillingly, we need to seek peace and prosperity to that place. We are not to be a problem. We are not to be rebellious. Sometimes when we see the sin and abuses in the city, we can become bitter and resentful. Yet, God tells us we are to pray for the city or place you are at. We are to seek the prosperity of the city. We then in turn will prosper with it.
How about your work place. As believers we are to bring peace and prosperity there. We are to seek the prosperity of the company that we work for. We are to seek the welfare of all those who work their. We are not to be part of the problem, but part of the solution. We need to pray for our bosses and co-workers. We then will be will be blessed.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Physical Punishment Today
Jeremiah 9:12-16 - "Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?
13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water. 16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.”
This may not be a very encouraging passage, but it holds a truth that we need to accept. God is a holy God and He does not tolerate sin. Today, we talk a lot about the love of God, his mercy and grace. These are true attributes of God. Yet, we must not forget his holiness and hatred of sin.
God still judges the nations. There is no teaching in the N.T. that teaches otherwise. When drought and other natural disasters happen, God is often the initiator of this, at the very least allowing it to happen. Yes, we do often bring it upon ourselves because of poorly caring for the planet. Yes, there is a scientific explanation for them, but who knows science better than God. Who can manipulate the elements and arrange them at will, but God? There is much evidence in the O.T. that God uses nature to judge his people and the nations. We can not shut our eyes to this and explain these events away as purely natural. Often the supernatural is behind the natural.
1 Peter 1:17 - " Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."
13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water. 16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.”
This may not be a very encouraging passage, but it holds a truth that we need to accept. God is a holy God and He does not tolerate sin. Today, we talk a lot about the love of God, his mercy and grace. These are true attributes of God. Yet, we must not forget his holiness and hatred of sin.
God still judges the nations. There is no teaching in the N.T. that teaches otherwise. When drought and other natural disasters happen, God is often the initiator of this, at the very least allowing it to happen. Yes, we do often bring it upon ourselves because of poorly caring for the planet. Yes, there is a scientific explanation for them, but who knows science better than God. Who can manipulate the elements and arrange them at will, but God? There is much evidence in the O.T. that God uses nature to judge his people and the nations. We can not shut our eyes to this and explain these events away as purely natural. Often the supernatural is behind the natural.
1 Peter 1:17 - " Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."
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