Jesus and the religious superstars

"Jesus Teaches" by A. Bida

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 19-20; Psalm 119:65-96

TO CHEW ON: “Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes…’” Luke 20:45,46


The cat-and-mouse game the scribes and chief priests played with Jesus was serious. They wanted to get Him arrested, turned over to the governor, and sentenced (hopefully to death) for something.

They went to great lengths to try to make this happen.

• They sent spies who pretended to be righteous but with the intent to catch Jesus saying something seditious (Luke 20:21,22).

• They followed him around. It seems like wherever Jesus taught, there was a coterie of scribes, chief priests and Pharisees frowning and muttering in the background (Luke 20:20, 26, 39).

• They flattered him (Luke 20:21,39).

Jesus was never tripped up or intimidated. Just the opposite. To His disciples but in the hearing of everyone (Luke takes pains to point out) He condemned the scribes for their religious show, their love of being honored and deferred to, their sanctimonious prayers, and their hypocrisy (Luke 20: 46,47).

Just as Jesus wasn’t  awestruck or taken in by these first century religious superstars, neither should we be starstruck by the religious big names of our time, or try to become one of them.

When we find ourselves tempted to fawn over popular preachers, singers, or authors, or trying to impress others with our learning and insight let’s remind ourselves:

• God sees past education, cleverness, and talent. Let’s not be too impressed with these things in others or ourselves.

• Religious showing off is abhorrent to God. Let’s avoid it and not be fooled by it in others.

• In the end, each of us will stand with our own heart naked before Him. Let’s guard ourselves against sanctimoniousness, the love of human praise, and hypocrisy.

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, Your insight into human nature and refusal to be impressed or intimidated by the religious big names of Your time is inspiring. Help me to live for Your approval, not the approval or praise of people. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 119:65-96

The Bible Project VIDEO: Luke ch. 19-23 (Gospel of Luke mini-series)



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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.

Prepare to be surprised

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 19-20; Psalm 90

TO CHEW ON: " ' But many who are first will be last, and the last first.' " Matthew 19:30


Again and again Jesus reminds His disciples that the kingdom of heaven is characterized by reversal. That's the word the Thompson Chain Bible uses to head a section that traces the kinds of reversals taught and illustrated in the Bible.

[Reverse: Adjective: having a contrary or opposite direction or character, order etc., turned backward. Noun: that which is directly opposite or contrary; a change to an opposite position, direction, state. Verb: to turn upside down, inside out, to turn in an opposite direction - Funk & Wagnall's Dictionary.]

- God reverses fortunes - Psalm 75:7; 107:41; "…Nothing shall remain the same…" Ezekiel 21:26.

- God hates pride. The proud person is a target for reversal - Psalm 147:6.

- God can remove the life props we make for ourselves - Isaiah 22:25. He can destroy the things we have accomplished and in which we trust: "The lofty city; He lays it low…" - Isaiah 26:5.

- God can bring down rulers - Isaiah 40:23; Luke 1:52. Nebuchadnezzar is an example of this, when he goes from being a proud king to a mentally deranged "beast" - Daniel 4:28-33.

- God sees the poor, neglected by the rich and reverses their state - Luke 6:25; 16:25.

- On the other hand, He also rewards good stewardship with more, that is, gives more to the person who already has while taking away from the one who has little - Matthew 25:29.

- Our expectations will be challenged. Over and over we hear Jesus say: " 'The last shall be first, the first last' " - Matthew 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30.


Some thoughts we can take from this into our day:

1. God hates pride. When we give ourselves credit for what we have and get puffed over what we've done, we set ourselves up for reversal.

2. The material things in which we put our confidence aren't as trustworthy as we think.

3. The world's rulers, those we love or hate, follow or resist, admire or fear, are targets for God's reversal. Let's remember that as we pray for our nation and the world.
 
4. We are responsible to be good stewards of what we have, whether it's much or little.

5. Knowing all the above, we'll probably still be surprised when, someday, we stand before God and see things as they really are.



PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live in the upside down, back-to-front paradigm of the kingdom of heaven while I'm here on earth. Amen.


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 90

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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.

Story of a proud tree

Tree hit by lightning (Photo - RGB stock)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 31-33; Psalm 40

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and its heart was lifted up in its height, therefore I will deliver it into the hand of the mighty one of the nations, and he shall shurely deal with it; I have driven it out for its wickedness.' " Ezekiel 31:10,11

The fault of the great tree in Ezekiel's prophecy was not that it was so magnificent and towered over all the other trees in the forest—but that its "heart was lifted up in its height" - Ezekiel 31:10.

This chapter is a prophetic warning to Egypt. In it, Ezekiel recalls magnificent Assyria, the great tree in our reading. Ezekiel says that just as God allowed Assyria to be cut down by "…aliens the most terrible of nations" (thought to be Babylon), so Egypt is on notice:

 " 'To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth …. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,' says the Lord God" - Ezekiel 31:18.

I find this passage both a warning and a comfort.

It's a warning against pride—exalting oneself. And this is certainly not the only place in the Bible we are warned. We cautioned against pride by:

• The example of the angel Lucifer—the father of pride - Isaiah 14:13,14.

• The stories of those who were proud, like Pharaoh (Exodus 9:17); Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16); Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:25), Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30) and Belshazzar (Daniel 5:23).

• The Bible's proverbs and wisdom - Proverbs 17:19; 25:6,7,27; 27:2.

• Jesus Himself - Matthew 23:12; Mark 9:33-36.

• Paul - Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 10:5,17.

• Peter - 1 Peter 5:3.

• James - James 3:16; 4:10.

• John - 3 John 1:9

It's also a comfort to know that God has the kings and kingdoms of earth under His control (Proverbs 21:1). Any dynasty or regime can be toppled at His bidding (Isaiah 40:23; Ezekiel 17:20; 29:4).

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be wary of the sin of pride in my life and of how foolish any self-exaltation is in the face of Your sovereignty. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 40

The Bible Project VIDEO: Ezekiel - Part 2 (Read Scripture Series)



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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.

A Cautionary Tale

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 28-30; Psalm 39

TO CHEW ON: “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:15


This part of the “Proclamation Against the King of Tyre” (the title given this chapter in my Bible) sounds a lot like a description of Satan and his fall. Like Lucifer’s (Satan’s) fall is described within the prophecy against the King of Babylon in Isaiah (Isaiah 14:12-21), so it seems to be described here in the prophecy against the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2-19).

We can learn several things about Satan from this passage:

1. He was beautiful, gifted and favoured:

“You were the seal of perfection
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” - Ezekiel 28:11,12.

2. He was created for a special purpose and assignment:

“The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
You were the anointed cherub who covers’
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God” - Ezekiel 28:13,14.

My Bible’s study notes explain:

“'Anointed cherub who covers' indicates high office with authority and responsibility to protect and defend 'the holy mountain of God,' an illusion to God’s throne. The high order and specific placement of Lucifer prior to his fall afforded unique opportunity to bring glory to God. Verse 13 suggests his role included leading heaven’s choirs in worship of the Most HIgh” -  Howard M. Ervin, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1086.

3. His fall came because of pride, unchecked ambition and self-will:

“How you have fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!…
For you have said in your heart:
I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit on the mount of the congregation…
I will… I will…” Isaiah 14:12-14.

and

“By the abundance of your trading
You became filled with violence within
And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
Out of the mountain of God
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub …
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor
I cast you to the ground…” Ezekiel 28:16,17.

The sobering part of this is that the sins that caused Lucifer to be expelled from God’s presence and thrown out of heaven—pride, ambition, self-will—are no strangers to us. They are what drive many in our society and so easily and readily infect us. Can you say that you are a stranger to them? Neither can I!

Let’s take this sobering account of Lucifer’s fall as a cautionary tale, a warning about the end of pride, personal ambition, and self-will (Isaiah 14:15; Ezekiel 28:17-19; Revelation 12:7-9).

Instead of being captive to these things, let's give ourselves to lifting up and making big the One who is truly praiseworthy and good. Not ourselves but our creator God and all HIs works and ways.


PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to detect all whiffs of pride, selfish ambition, and self-will within me. I know their origin and I want no part of them in my life and destiny. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 39
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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.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

The amnesia of self-sufficiency

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hosea 11-14; Psalm 124

TO CHEW ON: "When they had pasture, they were filled;
They were filled and their heart was exalted;
Therefore they forgot me." Hosea 13:6



Forgetting who one's source of supply is and becoming self-reliant and self-satisfied is a state that Bible writers talk about again and again. Here Hosea names it as one of the reasons for Israel's spiritual prostitution.

We find warnings against God-forgetful self-sufficiency throughout the Bible. Let's examine a few to see what conditions predispose to such an attitude.

1. Plenty of food. Forgetting God is often linked with having enough and more than enough to eat; fatness, even obesity - Deuteronomy 32:15; Psalm 17:10; Isaiah 10:16; Jeremiah 5:28; Jeremiah 50:11; Ezekiel 16:49.

2. Full of their own ways - Proverbs 14:14.

3. Spiritual dullards and lethargic. Isaiah talks about people with dull hearts, heavy ears, shut eyes - Isaiah 6:10. Jeremiah speaks of spiritual ease and lethargy - Jeremiah 48:11.

4. Pride, idleness, and ignoring the needs of the poor - Ezekiel 16:49.

5. Preoccupation with the superficial things of life - Luke 6:25.

6. And perhaps the most sobering condition of all, there is no awareness of one's own need - Revelation 3:17.

In our technologically advanced, wealthy society we are more prone than ever to forget that God is our source of supply. Often in the Bible, God's remedy for this was to send trouble so that the people would again remember Him and renew their allegiance to Him.

Though we may feel immune from the troubles of Bible-time people, even for us it really takes very little to feel our vulnerability. A storm wiping out our dwelling, a lost job, a deathly illness, a computer virus, even a few days with no electricity show us how susceptible we are to things beyond our control.

Let's take to heart Hosea's words to Israel, whatever state we find ourselves in.

"O Israel (or insert your name here___________)
You are (or 'easily can be') destroyed.
But your help is from Me.
I will be your King
Where is any other
That He may save you in all your cities?"
- Hosea 13:9-10.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to always remember that I need You — no matter how well, or poorly, things are going. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 124

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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.

Original Exorcism

Lucifer of Liége, Liége Belgium (Image: Pixabay)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 13-17; Psalm 112

TO CHEW ON: “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!” Isaiah 14:12

Here we have the interesting account of what is believed to be Satan’s casting out of heaven. My Bible’s notes explain the double application:

“These verses … are part of the proverb against the king of Babylon. The language, however, shows that he is a type of Satan” Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 891.

There are several other accounts of Satan’s fall:
- Jesus, when debriefing the disciples on their return from ministering in His name and excited that they could perform exorcisms, told them this was no surprise for Satan was a long-ago defeated foe. He said: “‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven’” Luke 10:18.

John in his Revelation vision tells it again:
“So the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast to earth, and his angels were cast out with him” - Revelation 12:9*

It is interesting to notice the details in Isaiah’s telling. Lucifer’s pride and self-will are on display in his “I will” statements:
“I will ascend to heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation…
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High” - Isaiah 14:13-14.

God responds to him:
He will be brought down
He will be the object of stares
He will be the object of ridicule.
He will be cast out by even the lowest place, the grave.
He will be alone (Isaiah 14:15-20).

What particularly makes me sit up and take notice in this account is the reason for Satan’s fall: pride and self-will, attitudes with which I (and perhaps you too?) am all too acquainted.

PRAYER: Dear Father, by Your Spirit help me to recognize, repent of, and root out the satanic qualities of pride and self-will that so readily take root and flourish in my life.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 112

* Some eschatologists interpret this as a future and final casting out of Satan. different from the one described in Isaiah; others see this as a flashback to that first casting out.

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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.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

Do we have "high places"?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Micah 1:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "For behold the Lord is coming out of His place;
He will come down
And tread on the high places of the earth." - Micah 1:3

"Prophecies of Christ make Micah's book glow with hope and encouragement," says Willard Elijahson in my Bible's introduction to Micah (New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1202). It's a great book to read as we look forward to the season of Advent that begins in a few weeks' time.

Micah, the man, prophesied alongside Isaiah. Historians date his writings between 704-696 B.C. during the reigns of kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His message is directed to inhabitants of Samaria and Jerusalem.

He begins his message by announcing the coming of the Lord. We get the picture of someone coming from elsewhere: "...the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down..." - Micah 1:3.

The place God chooses to visit is noteworthy—the "high places of the earth." Though we might read this as elevated land masses (mountain peaks perhaps, which would give a good view of all the surrounding area) the people of that time would probably have understood high places to mean elevated pagan altars. God was coming to check out their disloyalty—the places they compromised, flirted with, and gave in to idols. Awkward! Embarrassing! Incriminating!

The picture of God coming down to check out the high places of Judah prompts me to ask, what if I applied this image to my society, my life? What would God find?

Dennis McCallum in his book Unlocking the Mysteries of Satan explains how, at the fall, Satan took charge of the world system or kosmos. He says:

"Perhaps the definitive passage on kosmos is 1 John 2:15-17.

'Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.'

Accordingly the kosmos is primarily a system of values. The lust of the flesh refers to living for ungodly pleasure. The lust of the eyes refers to owning beautiful things or gaining control over beautiful people. The boastful pride of life refers to the way humans try to establish identity and importance by competing with each other for attention, power, and admiration" (Kindle Location, 871).

McCallum goes on to suggest that the church and we as individual Christians have gone easy on many of these attitudinal sins:

"Many Christians think of 'worldly' things as gross sins like wanton sex, for example .... Many of the same Christians, however, would never recognize the world-system when looking at the Harvard University green or the Sears Tower. A glossy magazine advertisement showing a family luxuriating in a hot tub in Tahiti or a shiny new SUV would not ring the kosmos bell in their minds" - KL 887.

Are we in these ways building our own high places? As I imagine God coming to me, I ask, what high places is He finding in my life? Is He finding some in yours?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to see my attitudes from Your point of view. Show me where I have bought into the world system and perspective. Amen.

MORE: Throwing down 'high place' attitudes

"Instead of arguing with Satan, Christians must learn to share the Word of God with him, like Jesus did. To match up with someone this smart, we need the help of someone even smarter, and God is infinitely smarter than Satan" - McCallum, K.L. 767.

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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.

Serving versus impressing

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 23:1-22

TO CHEW ON: “‘But all their works they do to be seen by men.’” Matthew 23:5


This word stabs me right where I live this morning, coming as it does on the heels of a prayer for how to handle something nasty I’ve seen in my own heart.

Pride! It stinks. And it’s so adaptable. You think you’ve finally dealt with it once and for all and then you sniff it coming from another area of your life.

The trouble with pride is it’s also subtle. You share a moment from your life on Facebook, perhaps, and then catch yourself growing more and more puffed up as the likes, reactions, and comments come in. Or you slip little bits about yourself into the conversation and feel miffed when someone changes the subject away from you. Yuck!

I see dealing with pride as similar to dealing with the eating / overeating issue. The trouble with weight control is you can’t just stop eating or you’d die. It’s similar with ego control. You can’t stop communicating as in sharing yourself with others. If you did you’d die socially and emotionally.

Detecting when that self-disclosure changes from a desire to share your life  in a healthy way to grubbing for compliments, praise, and strokes is similar, I think, to sensing when eating goes from a legitimate need for nourishment to indulgence.

Thankfully, Jesus didn’t stop talking at verse five. His solution to our easy-to-come-by overweening, self-exalting attitude comes in Matthew 23:11:

“‘But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.’”

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for answering my personal and specific request with this passage today. Help me to give pride the boot by focusing on serving rather than impressing. Amen.

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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.

Beautiful humility

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Peter 5:1-14

TO CHEW ON: “… Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud / But gives grace to the humble.’” 1 Peter 5:5 (the quote is Proverbs 3:34)


Genuine humility has to be one of the most attractive qualities a person can possess.

The word “humble” serves as both an adjective and a verb. Its noun form is “humility.”

[Humble means - Adjective: not proud or arrogant but modest; having a feeling of insignificance; low in rank, importance or status; courteously respectful. Verb: to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; to make meek.]

A partial list of synonyms for humble helps us understand what humility feels like and how we communicate humility through actions: content, courteous, deferential, gentle, lowly, mild, modest, obliging, polite, quiet, respectful, sedate, simple, soft-spoken, submissive, unostentatious, unpretentious.

Aside from the fact that humility makes us attractive to others, it is also desirable because it is hugely attractive to God.

• God “regards” the lowly (Psalm 138:6) “…For though the Lord is high yet has He respect to the lowly bringing them into fellowship with Him” - Psalm 138:6 AMP.

• He will look “… on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit” - Isaiah 66:2

• We are great in God’s eyes when we welcome the “least” person, e.g. a child - Luke 9:48.

• Humility sets us up to be exalted by God while pride sets us up for divine humiliation - Luke 14:11; James 4:10.

• God “gives grace” to the humble - Jame 4:6 and our focus verse, 1 Peter 5:5.

As we contemplate who God is and compare with who we are, humility is the only rational response. May we take this realistic sense of ourselves into the day, and more … may humility pervade our lives.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to see myself realistically and respond with appropriate humility. Amen.

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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 AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Tainted living-—recognize it, lay it aside

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Peter 1:17-2:3

TO CHEW ON: “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:1,2


I have recently found a new way to meditate on Bible passages—through Bible journaling. A book that introduced me to this activity describes what it is:

“Bible journaling is a way to express your faith creatively. Putting pen to paper is a great way to remember and record biblical concepts that are meaningful and relevant to your life. Whether you are drawing, coloring, and writing right inside your Bible—the most commonly understood definition—or writing and illustrating scripture verses in a separate book or on paper alongside your Bible, the essential thing to understand is that Bible journaling is about creating while reflecting on God’s word” - Joanne Fink & Regina Yoder, Complete Guide to Bible Journaling, p. 8.

The guidebook has tons of ideas, introduces prominent Bible journalers and their work, and suggests ways and places to share Bible journaling, doodles and lettering.

I was instantly attracted, dug out an old notebook New Testament with wide margins, and tried my hand at it.

My first attempts were meaningful and rich. As I drew and lettered, my mind dwelt on what I was illustrating. More snippets of Bible verses came to me, and I added them to the design. It was worthwhile and uplifting to me spiritually.

Then I searched #biblejournaling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I found many wonderful ideas—brilliant and bold artwork, flawless lettering that looked like it came from a computer. I joined a Facebook group where members share their work with each other. And slowly the purity leaked out of this activity for me as it became about comparison, envy, wanting "likes" for my work, pride. Yuck!

Today’s Bible text is right-on for this situation. It reminds me, and us, of the tendencies inherent within us (toward malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking) and that they can infect any aspect of living (even studying the Bible!). It tells us in plain words that we need to lay them aside as we give attention to taking in, with the focus and single-mindedness that babies give to drinking a bottle, wholesome Bible truth.

May this be my (our) template for thought and action:

“Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of Jesus (not myself), thanking God the Father every step of the way” - Colossians 3:17 MSG).

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” Colossians 3:17 NLT.

“Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him” Colossians 3:17 AMP.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to not only recognize the carnal tendencies within myself, but to lay them aside by starving them—refusing to give them what they want. Amen.

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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.

Love—it begins between the ears

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 2:31b-3:13

TO CHEW ON: "Love … believes all things, hopes all things …" 1 Corinthians 13:7


Today is Valentine's Day when we demonstrate our love with all kinds of loving actions like sending cards, gifting chocolates, and taking our loved one out for dinner. It's a day when 1 Corinthians 13—the Love Chapter—is the perfect reading. But have you noticed how many of the attributes of love listed in it are rooted in thoughts and not actions at all.

Let's make a list. (I've referred to the Amplified along with the NKJV):

Love refuses to think thoughts of:

• envy, jealousy, vainglory or self-exaltation (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• violated rights, self-promotion, resentment, the evil done to it (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Love encourages thoughts of:

• patience, kindness (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

• perseverance—bearing up under anything and everything, the best about the loved one, hope (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Whatever kind of love we celebrate today—the love of parent to child, friend to friend, or lovers—let's remember that how it begins and whether it stays strong are dependent on the thoughts we feed it. If your love for someone is anemic, take a look at your thoughts about that person. And love-friendly thoughts not only nourish love but also give integrity to all those actions of love we perform today—and every day.

PRAYER: Dear God, please make me sensitive to thoughts that destroy love—like envy, jealousy, and resentment. Help me to make a habit of thinking the best of every person. Amen.

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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.

Jerusalem’s story - part 3

U-Turns allowed (Image: Pixabay)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 16:44-63

TO CHEW ON: “And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done, says the LORD GOD.’” Ezekiel 16:62,63


Jerusalem continued to deteriorate in God’s eyes. She had spurned Him as her husband and gone after idolatrous lovers. Her sins were worse than those of her sister cities (and their daughters—their suburbs and  surrounding villages), big sister Samaria and little sister Sodom.

God named specific sins: pride, gluttony, idleness, callousness to the poor, committing “abominations” [abomination: toebah = a disgusting thing, in a ritual sense of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages, in an ethical sense of wickedness etc.]

The Bible commenter Matthew Henry draws our attention to the height from which Jerusalem has fallen:

“Jerusalem had the temple, and the ark, and the priesthood, and kings of the house of David; and therefore the wickedness of that holy city, that was so dignified, so near, so dear to God, was more provoking to him than the wickedness of Sodom and Samaria, that had not Jerusalem’s privileges and means of grace.” - Matthew Henry Commentary, accessed through BibleGateway.com.

God saw only one solution for Jerusalem. It came from Him and was given not because Jerusalem deserved His mercy but because He doesn’t go back on His word—His covenant (Ezekiel 16:60). 

The atonement He will provide  (I believe a prophecy of Jesus’ atoning death on the cross) will pay for all they have done (Ezekiel 16:63). 

His grace will soften even Jerusalem’s rebellious heart (“Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed…”), a picture Ezekiel paints so beautifully in other places like Ezekiel 11:19,20:

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”

Though this passage is a prophecy concerning a city in the Middle East and an ethnic people, it also shows us a side of God that relates to us. Though we may violate our covenant with Him, backslide, and commit the most awful sins, He is willing to accept us back (Isaiah 1:18). All it takes is our own repentance (“…remember your ways and be ashamed…” - Ezekiel 16:61, also Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19; 8:22). For us too the atonement He made is sufficient (1 Peter 3:18).

PRAYER: Dear father, help me to detect signs and symptoms of rebellion within me before they fruit into backsliding. Help me to be quick to repent. Amen.

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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.

Humility

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 14:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11

Humility — why do we find it so hard to live this most attractive of character traits? Perhaps because it is so counter-intuitive? How unnatural does it feel to keep quiet about a triumph, a win or achievement, a raise, a compliment? Yet even people who don't acknowledge any spiritual motivation for their actions realize the value of humility and feel disappointment at their own lack of it. Poet and teacher Mary Kinzie, speaking of the trend in the literary world to promote oneself writes:

“This was a world in which there was a constant encouragement to promote oneself, to mention every little mention of oneself. To be your own entrepreneur. Deadly to art. I tried not to play, but did just a little – enough so that I neither made a good showing among them nor kept my heart pure.” (Mary Kinzie, quoted in an article that is no longer on line)

Jesus, on the other hand, was a great fan of humility. He implied that humility would eventually be the lot of everyone by one means or another, and the person who sought to avoid humility by exalting himself would be forcibly humbled.

I can think of several reasons why living a life of humility is the better option:

1. It ensures that we do things with the right motives — not for self-glory but for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

2. It ensures that jobs or roles that have no glory attached to them get done or filled (1 Corinthians 12:20-25).

3. Living by the humble ideal helps us set our sites on long-range and lasting heavenly rewards versus immediate and fleeting praise (Matthew 6:1-4).

But I find that knowing these things doesn't make it any easier to be humble.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to cultivate true humility. Amen.

MORE: Traits of the self-life

I have taped in one of my Bibles a small but very convicting tract called "Traits of the Self-Life." It consists of a list of those things that characterize our carnal selves. As I read through the items, I am struck by how many involve pride (the opposite of humility). I will quote the first few paragraphs:

"The following are some of the features and manifestations of the self-life. The Spirit alone can interpret and apply this to your individual case. As you read, examine yourself as if in the immediate presence of God.

Are you ever conscious of:

A secret spirit of pride — an exalted feeling, in view of your success or position; because of your good training and appearance; because of your natural gifts and abilities. An important independent spirit. Stiffness and preciseness?

Love of human praise; a secret fondness to be noticed; love of supremacy, drawing attention to self in conversation; a swelling out of self when you have had a free time in speaking or praying?

The stirrings of anger or impatience, which worst of all, you call nervousness or holy indignation; a touchy, sensitive spirit; a disposition to resent and retaliate when disapproved of or contradicted; a desire to throw sharp, heated flings at another?

Self-will; a stubborn unteachable spirit; an arguing, talkative spirit; harsh, sarcastic expressions; an unyielding, headstrong disposition; a driving commanding spirit; a disposition to criticize and pick flaws when set aside and unnoticed; a peevish, fretful spirit; a disposition that loves to be coaxed and humored?...

[...]These are some of the traits which generally indicate a carnal heart. By prayer, hold your heart open to the searchlight of God, until you see the groundwork thereof. The Holy Ghost will enable you, by confession and faith, to bring your "self-life" to the death. Do not patch over but go to the bottom. It will pay." (Published by Western Tract Mission.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

No need to flaunt, prove, or push

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Philippians 2:1-11

TO CHEW ON: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men." Philippians 2:5-7

Nowadays the common wisdom is if we want people to buy our product, patronize our business, or read our writings, we must get noticed. Thousands give advice on how to establish our presence on the internet using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, and a myriad of other ways to generate buzz and business.

I wonder how Jesus would have handled all this. What would He have put on His Facebook update? What would He have tweeted? What would He have written on His blog? Would He even have been online?

I love what a sidebar article in my Bible says about Jesus' humility:

"Chrlstlike humility is manifested in the freedom of God's Son to affirm the fullness of all God has placed in Him, without needing to flaunt, prove or push it through self-advancement. Jesus' complete absence of any need to "clutch" for power or attention is manifest humility" - Fuchsia Pickett, "Christlikeness," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1662 (emphasis added).

Though media pundits do advise us to exhibit interest in others the underlying motivation is often selfish. The hope is that the attention will be reciprocated and we will get what we are after—something for ourselves.

There was no such self-service in Jesus' humility. He exchanged the role and status He had in heaven ("...made Himself nothing" - Philippians 2:7 NIV) and gave the ultimate (His life) in order to buy us back to God.

His humility did result in exaltation, though—an honor higher than any person could give, bestowed by God Himself (Philippians 2:9-11).

Our Bible commenter helps us understand how this call to be humble works for us:

"Just as Christ's humility received ultimate exaltation (Phil. 2:9-11), so our call to 'humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up' points to the way for the rise of God's highest purpose in each of us (James 4:10). Humbling ourselves opens us up to increased grace (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), and childlikeness is the doorway to the dynamism of 'kingdom come' in our life and service (Matthew 18:4)" Fuchsia Pickett (source quoted above, emphasis added)

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your humility, shown when You relinquished all Your rights, even the right to live. Help me to begin to understand what true humility is and how to live it in 2012. Amen.

MORE: Humility quotes

"The reason we see hypocrisy and fraud and unreality in others is because they are all in our own hearts. The great characteristic of a saint is humility—Yes all those things and other evils would have been manifested in me but for the grace of God, therefore I have no right to judge" - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, June 22nd reading.

"The passion of Christianity is that I deliberately sign away my own rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus Christ." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 3 reading.

"Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about it, it leaves” - Tim Keller (quoted by John Piper in "The Shy Virtue of Christmas."

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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 NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

All is not as it appears

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 12:34-44

TO CHEW ON: "'Beware of the scribes … who devour widows' houses …. Assuredly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.'" Mark 12:38,40,43

In our reading in Mark today the message seems to be "Watch out—all is not as it appears." Jesus has just had a discussion with a scribe who got it right (Mark 12:32-34). But for the most part, these religious leaders were in Jesus' bad books because of their pretentious behavior (long robes, effusive greetings, going after the best seats). Their elevated place in society was permission, it seemed, for doing things that were downright evil (preying on the most vulnerable—widows).

It's no mistake that the person Jesus next drew the disciples' attention to was a widow—the very class that the scribes oppressed. Jesus watched her give her pittance into the treasury and then said, " '… this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury' " - Mark 12:43.

How so? She only gave 2 mites (the smallest coin in circulation).

Because proportionately it was more. It was her all. Perhaps she was one of those widows whose house had been devoured by a scribe. Whatever the reason for poverty and despite her poor clothes and low status her heart was right and she stayed generous toward God.

This incident has lessons for us.

• Let's not let social custom or status blind us to wrongdoing—our own or someone elses.

• Let's examine our behaviors for pride and a desire to be seen doing the right things, in the right places, so that we're welcomed and cultivated by the right people.

• Let's remember, though people can be fooled, God can't. Just as Jesus saw through the behavior of the scribes and widow, He sees down into us  and understands us even better than we understand ourselves.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please help me to know myself, to become aware of my own devious attempts at showing off and getting honor, to understand how repulsive these things are to You. Amen.

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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.

Beastly king of the proud

Destruction of Leviathan by Gustave Dore

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Job 41:12-34

TO CHEW ON: "He beholds every high thing;
He is king over all the children of pride." Job 41:34


If you read these details, what creature would you think I was describing?

He has "mighty power," "terrible teeth all around," "rows of scales," his armor is impervious to spear, dart, javelin, or arrow. Light flashes when he sneezes, sparks shoot of his mouth, smoke billows from his nostrils, his breath is so hot it starts a fire. He moves about with "crashings," churns up the sea to a muddy slurry, and makes pointy footprints on the beach.

It sounds a lot like a dinosaur or a medieval dragon, doesn't it?

The description is for the most part non-judgmental, though we sense from the beast's actions that he is not good, kind or safe. However, in the last verse of Job 41, the writer shows his hand when he says of this creature: "He is king over all the children of pride."

This powerful "king over all the children of pride" beast of Job 41 reminds me of Satan. Satan's identification with pride is seen from his first appearance on the cosmic scene:

"For you (Lucifer—Satan's name when he was an angel) have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; … I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High" - Isaiah 14:12-14.

Let's remember the context here. In Job 41 God is questioning Job. The description of this beast is part of his query from the beginning of the chapter: Can you draw out, snare etc. this beast? The implied answer is, No, Job, you can't, but I (God) can.

The reference to pride also draws us back to Job 40:10,11, when God asks Job if he has the smarts and power to make moral judgements: "Would you indeed annul My judgment … Then … look on everyone who is proud and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low" - Job 40:8,11,12.

In these chapters of Job then (Job 40,41), I think we can conclude that God is not so much impressing Job with His power over these creatures as natural monsters but is using them as images of evil. He is impressing on Job that even the most ferocious evil is still in His power. And that's still true today!


PRAYER: Dear God, whatever the beast Satan throws at the world or at me of fright, upheaval, chaos, and destruction, I take comfort in the fact that You are not intimidated or confused. You can draw him out with a hook, snare him, fill his scales with harpoons and finally overcome him. Amen.

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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.

Tempted to exalt yourself?

Nathan & Bathsheba before David

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

TO CHEW ON: "Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith exalted himself saying, 'I will be king'; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him." 1 Kings 1:5


Adonijah, David's oldest living son, thought the throne should be his. Given the frailty of his aged father, he no doubt expected the process to be quick and easy. Taking the matter into his handsome hands he "exalted himself, saying 'I will be king.'"

The Bible speaks—and not reassuringly—of self-exaltation. Some examples:

• Satan exalted himself, declaring himself above God, before being thrown out of heaven - Isaiah 14:12-15.

• Moses accused Pharaoh of exalting himself against the Israelites when he refused to let them go (Exodus 9:17) and we know what happened to him.

• Though the words self exhalation aren't used, that's what Absalom, Adonijah's older brother had done when he tried to take over his father's throne - 2 Samuel 15:1-12. We have recently read of his inglorious end - 2 Samuel 18:9, 14.

Adonijah didn't reckon with the intervention of Nathan the prophet, who alerted Bathsehba, the mother of Solomon, to whom David had promised the throne. She went to David and very quickly the palace was in the thick of planning a legitimate coronation.

The temptation to exalt oneself is just as strong as ever. Though we don't do it to get a physical throne, the real need to be noticed in order to succeed in business or the arts in a noisy world easily morphs into self-exaltation.

More than ever we need wisdom to know when we've crossed the line between giving necessary information (advertising), and self-exaltation. May  the peace of God be the umpire in our hearts (Colossians 3:15 Amplified) as we resist the temptation to exalt ourselves, choosing instead the Kingdom-wise state of humility and faith that God will lift us up if and when it suits His purposes.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). James echoes that thought: "Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away" (James 1:9-10).

Do I, do you have the faith to wait for God to exalt us and our projects and causes?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to trust You to exalt me when needed and resist the temptation to exalt myself. Amen.

MORE: Anti-self-exaltation wisdom

"It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one's own glory is not glory." - Proverbs 25:27

"Let another man praise you and not your own mouth; A stranger and not your own lips." - Proverbs 27:2

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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.

Pride's ironic fall

"Death of Absalom" 
by William Brassey Hole

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 18:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him .... Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself which is in the King's Valley."  2 Samuel 18:17-18

Absalom's  story has several ironies in it.

His hair was a thing of wonder. The account goes that he was very handsome, praised for his good looks perhaps in large measure because of his thick head of hair which he cut annually to lighten its weight. Weighed, those shorn locks tipped the scale at 200 shekels—5 lbs. (2 Samuel 14:24-26).

How ironic, then, that it was his gorgeous hair that got caught in tree branches, putting him in the very undignified posture of "...hanging between heaven and earth..." and vulnerable to his father's soldiers.

After his death, Joab and the other soldiers heap over his body an inglorious pile of stones. The Bible account contrasts it with the monument he had made to himself:

"And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him .... Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself which is in the King's Valley."  2 Samuel 18:17-18

Absalom's story speaks to me of the trap of pride and God's way of bringing back to bite us the very things we're most proud of. They remind me of the words of Absalom's little brother Solomon:

"Pride goes before destruction
And a haughty spirit before a fall" - Proverbs 16:18.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to see my life as You see it. Point out to me where I am proud and ripening for a fall. Amen.

MORE: Terebinth tree

Check out these images of Terebinth trees to understand the hazard such a tree would have been to someone riding too close to its dense, low-growing branches.

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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.

Is it ever okay to boast?

St. Paul - By Rembrandt

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

TO CHEW ON: "What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting." 2 Corinthians 11:17

The background to our reading today is that false apostles have infiltrated the church in Corinth. They are challenging Paul's authority. Sensing that now not all of the Corinthians are confident in him, we see Paul's tone change from encouraging to exasperated.

Paul's very human feelings come through as he sets out to convince them that he loves them and is an authentic apostle.  As he considers what he is about to do (boast), he admits that this is not godly behavior - 2 Corinthians 11:17. His hurt feelings come through in sarcasm - 2 Corinthians 11:18,19. He points out the irony of the situation as they are being won over by those who treat them badly, the kind of treatment he would never give them - 2 Corinthians 11:20,21.

I like how the IVP NT Commentary explains Paul's behavior in this passage:

"In this matter of boasting Paul does not want to be taken as talking as the Lord would. The phrase is literally "according to the Lord" (kata kyrion). … The bragging Paul is about to engage in is not something the Lord would approve of; hence he does not presume to speak ex cathedra (as an apostle). Boasting of this sort is not the way of the Lord but rather the way of the world (v. 18). The Greek is literally "according to the flesh" (kata sarka)—a favorite phrase of Paul's (five times in 2 Corinthians). Typically it denotes operating the way the world does or being driven by human standards (compare 2 Corinthians 1:17; 5:16; 10:2, 3). When it comes to human pride, the way of the world is to boast in personal accomplishments. Many brag in this fashion, so Paul will too (2 Corinthians 11:18)."

The temptation to boast is still with us. If anything it's stronger than ever. So, is it okay for us to boast, since Paul did it?

Rather than taking Paul's lapse here as permission for us to do a little boasting of our own from time to time (for whatever reason), I prefer to see it as a caution of how even the most spiritual of us can fall into this kata sarka way of operating. Boasting is something the Bible warns us about in more than one place: Proverbs 25:6,7; 26:27; 27:2; Romans 12:3.

Rather than boast, let's trust: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up" James 4:10.

PRAYER: Dear God, the temptation to operate in the flesh comes in many forms. Please help me to resist the temptation to boast when it feels urgent and like the most expedient thing to do. Amen.

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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.

The leaven of hypocrisy

Saul tears Samuel's robe - Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1851-1860)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 15:10-31


TO CHEW ON: "Then he said,'I have sinned, yet honour me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.'" 1 Samuel 15:30.

Saul was an ancient Pharisee in that he was a hypocrite. He wanted Samuel to attend the sacrifice with him in front of Israel's elders as if nothing was wrong, even though Samuel had just caught him in a bold-faced lie and told him that God had rejected him as king.

[Hypocrisy: The pretense of having feelings or characteristics one does not possess; especially the deceitful assumption of praiseworthy qualities - Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary.]

The ancients were well acquainted with hypocrisy. Note this vivid description of a hypocrite:

"The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords" Psalm 55:21.

Jesus' hypocrisy meter clicked fast and furious whenever a Pharisee was around. For example there was the day He was invited to dinner at a Pharisee's home and He neglected the ceremonial washing. His host "...marveled that He had not first washed before dinner." Jesus responded: "Now you Pharisees, make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness" - Luke 11:37-39.

Jesus called the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees "leaven" (yeast) (Luke 12:1). We know how yeast acts. It starts out small and isolated, but gradually grows and expands to permeate the whole lump of dough. Jesus was in effect saying that everything the Pharisees did was infected with hypocrisy.

Other New Testament references to hypocrisy show us how it can infect us too.

• Jesus warned about the temptation to do even our religious practice (like giving and praying) with a view to impress. But God who sees us through and through is not fooled (Matthew 6:2-6).

• James talks about the hypocrisy of partiality as we defer to those among us who appear wealthy and influential while ignoring the person who is humble and poor (James 2:1).

• John warns about generally thinking of ourselves as better than we are and without sin, and thus self-deceived and separated from God (1 John 1:8-10).

The picture of hypocrisy as leaven sticks with me. How subtly it comes in. How silently it grows. How widespread it becomes. Is there any of that yeast in my life? In yours?

PRAYER: Dear God, please alert me to the hypocrisy in my life. Help me to recognize it and get rid of it, just like the Israelites rid their homes of leaven before feast days. Amen.

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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.