Duelling hostesses

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 9:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Wisdom ... cries out from the highest places of the city, 'Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!'
A foolish woman ... sits ... on a seat by the highest places of the city, to call to those who pass by, ... 'Whoever is simple let him turn in here.'" Proverbs 9:1, 3-4, 13-14, 16.


In Proverbs 9 we have two hostesses competing for guests.

Wisdom has prepared a banquet with meat and wine. She advertises a delicious and wholesome experience:

"'Come and eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding'" - Proverbs 9:5-6.

Foolish Woman's commercial has an intriguing undertone to it—an air of mystery mixed with naughtiness:

"'Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant'" - Proverbs 9:17.

Of course, this isn't really a story about two women and their banquets, but about choices we're faced with in life. Other places in the Bible express a similar idea:

• Jesus talked about people having a choice between two different roads—a wide one and a narrow one (Matthew 7:13-14).

• He also talked about building our house on two different foundations—sand or rock (Matthew 7:24-27).

How do we know which is the right banquet, the right road, the right foundation? Proverbs 9:10 gives us the answer:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" - Proverbs 9:10.

That choice may not have the sensual attractiveness of the other. We may need to ignore the clamoring of our human nature which finds stolen water, secret bread, the wide path, the easy foundation compelling. But such self-denial is a small price to pay for the final end: Wisdom's understanding and multiplied days, vs. Foolish Woman's scoffing, death, and hell.

PRAYER: Dear God, I recognize the voices that call out to me in these metaphors. Please help me to make the "fear of the Lord" choice in every situation. Amen.

MORE: Where to find the "fear of the Lord" choice

• Romans 8 from the Message Bible:

"'Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life' Romans 8:6 - Message.

• Rick Warren, from  The Purpose Driven Life:

I have read many books that suggest ways to discover the purpose of my life. All of them could be classified as 'self-help' books because they approach the subject from a self-centered viewpoint. Self-help books, even Christian ones, usually offer the same predictable steps to finding your life's purpose: Consider your dreams. Clarify your values. Set some goals. Figure out what you are good at. Aim high. Go for it! Be disciplined. Believe you can achieve your goals. Involve others. Never give up.

Of course these recommendations often lead to great success. You can usually succeed in reaching a goal if you put your mind to it. But being successful and fulfilling your life's purpose are not at all the same issue ....

How, then, do you discover the purpose you were created for? You have only two options. Your first option is speculation. This is what most people choose. They conjecture, they guess, they theorize....

Fortunately there is an alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life. It's revelation. We can turn to what God has revealed about life in his Word" - Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life, pp. 19,20.

*************
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Overcome by glory

The priests brought in the ark 
to the most holy place" - Paul Hardy

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 8:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord." 1 Kings 8:10-11

What a wonderful benediction fell on David and Solomon's temple project when God's glory filled it. The temple was so full, so thick with the shockingly awesome glory of God that the priests couldn't do their work.

We think of other times God's glory is mentioned in the Bible.

• It appeared to the Israelites in the wilderness as a bright cloud by day, a fiery cloud by night - Exodus 16:7, 10.

• It illumined the top of Mount Sinai when God met with Moses and the Israelites there (Exodus 24:17).

• When the tabernacle was finished, God's glory filled it (Exodus 40:34), as it did the temple in today's reading.

• Glory surrounded the angels who announced Jesus' birth - Luke 2:9.

• Stephen saw the glory of God and Jesus as he gazed into heaven just before he died under a barrage of stones - Acts 7:55.

• And here is the wonderful one: We are being transformed to reflect that same glory. As we see the glory of God through Jesus in the Bible and let the Holy Spirit change us, we "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory" - 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Rick Warren gives us a great definition of God's glory in The Purpose Driven Life:

"What is the glory of God? It is who God is. It is the essence of his nature, the weight of his importance, the radiance of his splendour, the demonstration of his power, and the atmosphere of his presence. God's glory is the expression of his goodness and all his other intrinsic, eternal qualities" - page 53.

He goes on to list five things we can do to bring God glory:
1. Worship Him - Romans 6:13
2. Love other believers - 1 John 3:14.
3. Become like Christ - 2 Corinthians 3:18.
4. Serve others with our gifts - 1 Peter 4:10-11, 2 Corinthians 8:19.
5. Tell others about Him - 2 Corinthians 4:15 (from The Purpose Driven Life pp. 55-57).


PRAYER: Dear God, in the natural I live out the truth of the words: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Please transform my life so that I will  give You glory and reflect Your glory. Amen.

MORE: Lord, Let Your Glory Fall − Matt Redman

**********

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Testing, testing...

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Exodus 16:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not.'" Exodus 16:4

In today's reading we see that the very mundane instructions for the gathering and handling of manna were were not options or suggestions but a God-designed test. What God was testing here was whether the people took Him and His instructions seriously.

[Test - nasah  means to put to the test, prove, tempt. The basic idea is to put someone to the test to see how he will respond - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth" New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 747.]


Other places this word us used shows various ways God may test us.

"Nasah" is the word used of what God did to Abraham when He asked Him to sacrifice Isaac - Genesis 22:1.

God sent a nasah-test in the form of the ten commandments followed by fearful trumpet sounds and an electrical storm. This was to impress the people with how seriously they should take these commands and Moses' instructions about staying off Mount Sinai - Exodus 20:18-20.

Nasah is also the word used to describe what Moses accused the Israelites of doing to God at Rephidim when they demanded water as a proof of His presence - Exodus 17:1-7. Later, in his final instructions, Moses told them testing God was something they should not do - Deuteronomy 6:16.

Again in his Deuteronomy sermon, Moses reiterated how the desert wanderings were a test: "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" - Deuteronomy 8:2 (emphasis added).

Which brings me to the question, what things in our lives may be God's tests?

It could be an Abraham-sized test like an accident or tragedy happening to a loved one or to us as a test of whether our faith is in God or someone or something else. Or perhaps it's a little manna-sized test—an item on the grocery cart missed by the checkout lady to test honesty; a string of rainy days to test contentment; someone cutting us off in traffic to test love ("...love suffers long ... does not behave rudely ... is not provoked" - 1 Corinthians 13:4,5).

Rich Warren defines life: "The Bible offers three metaphors that teach us God's view of life: Life is a test, life is a trust, and life is a temporary assignment."

Of the test part he says:

"Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather! He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you're polite toward a clerk or waitress" - Rick Warren - The Purpose Drive Life, p. 42, 43.   

PRAYER: Dear God, it sure changes the complexion of life when I view the details of my day as tests. Help me to pass today's tests. Amen.

MORE: More about life's tests

"When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God. Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don't even notice. But all of them have eternal implications" - Rick Warren, Op. cit., p. 43.

*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Can sickness serve God's glory?

"Jesus Comes to Bethany"
Artist unknown - Illustrator of 
Jerome Nadal's 'Evangelicae Historiae
Imagines', 1593

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 11:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "When Jesus heard that (Lazarus was sick), He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' " John 11:4.

Are we hearing Jesus say that sickness can sometimes be a means of glorifying God? Sickness, indeed everything that we experience as "bad," is a stumbling block for many to believe in a God whom the Bible describes as both sovereign and good. They ask, how can a God who allows bad things to happen be both all good and all powerful?

But this question is based on a wrong presupposition—that God's goodness is evidenced only in our well-being. That's not what the Bible says. Paul, in Romans, points out a different main purpose for God's goodness—indeed for everything:

Everything comes from God alone.

Everything lives by His power

And everything is for His glory." Romans 11:36 (The Living Bible).

Rick Warren, in The Purpose-Driven Life says:

"It's all for him.


The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God. It is the reason for everything that exists, including you. God made it all for his glory. Without God's glory, there would be nothing.


What is the glory of God? It is who God is. It is the essence of his nature, the weight of his importance, the radiance of his splendour, the demonstration of his power, and the atmosphere of his presence. God's glory is the expression of his goodness and all his other intrinsic qualities" - p. 53.

One way we serve this "goal" is to worship Him, even in the midst of bad things happening to us. Job did that. After he lost everything, he "tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped" - Job 1:20.

That's not to say we don't also pray to be healed (James 5:14-15). But if God does not heal, that doesn't necessarily mean that we don't have enough faith, or that there is too much sin in our lives, or that God doesn't like us. Even Paul asked for his "thorn" to be removed, and it wasn't.

In times of sickness (and for some, a lifetime of sickness) may our trusting faith that God knows what He is doing (and that declares with Job "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him,") only add to His glory.


PRAYER: Dear God, I defer to You in the area of how my life will best bring glory to You. Help me to view all of life through the lens of glorifying You. Amen.


MORE: Food for thought

 A bow-and-arrow life:

"A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says - "I cannot stand any more." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him." 

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God" - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest - May 8th reading (emphasis added).

Satisfied:

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper

**********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked The Living Bible (or TLB) copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.

Turn the dial to "Spirit"

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 8:1-17


TO CHEW ON: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:5

What a lot is packed into this little verse!

• It talks about two life orientations:

- Living (or "walking" Romans 8:4) according to the FLESH.
- Living (or walking) according to the SPIRIT.
A footnote in my Bible explains the two: "To walk according to the flesh is to follow the sinful desires of one's old life. To walk according to the Spirit is to live in a way pleasing to Him" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1561.

I would submit that this living to the flesh includes following sinful tendencies in ways that may not even appear overtly sinful. It means living as if God did not exist. That is, living by one's own resources and wits.

• It talks about our thoughts and how they are an indicator of which direction or orientation our lives are moving in. By that measure, I think it's possible for Christians to live "according to the flesh." For when we analyze our thoughts and detect worry, fear, and anxiety, for example, don't they imply a lack of Spirit orientation and dependence? If I truly believed what Paul says later in this chapter — that I am a child of God (Romans 8:15-16) and that all things are working together for good in the process of conforming me to Jesus' image (Romans 8:28-29), would I not have greater peace in even evil-appearing circumstances?

• It talks about taking control of our thoughts. Paul uses the little word set ("for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit  (set their minds - implied) on the things of the Spirit.")

[Set = phroneo : means to direct one's mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for; to be of one's party, side with]

Of course it's never as simple as a one-time moving the dial of the mind to SPIRIT and then coasting through life on auto-pilot. For though we do set the dial of our mind to SPIRIT, we need to be constantly alert to its natural tendency to return to the FLESH setting. So initially at least, it takes conscious effort and alertness to live life in a SPIRIT setting — to live secure in the mindset that even when the car won't start, or someone I love is in an accident, or I am diagnosed with a deadly disease, I am God's child. He sees and knows and cares about what's happening to me. He will work it for good in the process of forming my character. I do not need to operate in fear (or envy, or anger, or lust, or any other FLESH setting with which I may struggle).

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to see life areas where I have a self-directed or self-dependent orientation. Please show me how to relinquish these to You and to live my whole life "according to the Spirit." Amen.

MORE: Ammunition

If we think of the mind as a battlefield where flesh thoughts and Spirit thoughts are at war, the best defense against the flesh thoughts that keep popping from their foxholes and spraying their ammo of fear, envy, hatred, lust, anger etc. all through our thoughts, is Bible truth. Memorized Bible verses are the best ammunition. Here is a resource that lists topics. Each topic is linked to Bible verses that apply to it. Choose the area that challenges you then look up and memorize the applicable verses to help set your mind on the things of the Spirit.

"If you have no Scripture memorized, you have no ammunition." - Rick Warren (paraphrased - heard in this video where John Piper interviewed Rick Warren)

********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

It's not a competition

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

TO CHEW ON: “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” 1 Corinthians 12:18

It’s a rare person who doesn’t sometimes look at him- or herself and wish to be different. I’ve had such thoughts: If only I were funnier, more flexible, less serious, had a talent for drawing, found it easier to make small talk… Even being part of a church, where we know we should have a realistic view of ourselves, doesn’t do away with the tendency to compare ourselves with others – and feel we come up short.

But those are not God’s thoughts about us. Rick Warren says it so well:

“You are not an accident.

Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did…..

God prescribed every single detail of your body. He deliberately chose your race, the color of your skin, your hair and every other feature. He custom-made your body just the way he wanted it. He also determined the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality. The Bible says, ‘You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.’” The Purpose-Driven Life – pp. 22-23

What is true of you in general is also true of you in the church. Whether you are most comfortable hidden away working with the babies in the nursery or heading up some high profile ministry, you don't have to justify yourself or compete with others. Rather do your job, whether hidden or public, without apology. In this way you will fulfill your own destiny and God’s destiny for earth and its people as He accomplishes it through His body, the church.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me find my place in Your body. Help me to be content with who I am, knowing that someday I will need to account for what I’ve done with the strengths and talents you actually gave me – not the ones I wished I had. Amen.

MORE: Feast of St. Bartholomew

Today the church celebrates the Feast of St. Bartholomew. The day's liturgy begins with this collect:

"Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

(From the archives)