Is you stupid?

Forrest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

I was taught that "stupid" is a strong word. I was also taught Latin. The latter tells me "stupid" come from the Latin, "stupere," which means "be amazed or stunned." That tells me it can be a temporary condition and does not have to be permanent.

Life can stun us, and make us temporarily "stupid." The dictionary defines "stupid" as “having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense” or “dazed and unable to think clearly.”

Having been stunned or dazed, we can make some stupid decisions. In the book "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" the character Jackie Brown said, "This life’s hard, but it’s harder if you’re stupid." (a quote oft misapplied and wrongly credited to John Wayne)

The dictionary might tell us a definition and culture might make the word a norm, but what we ought to be concerned about is what the word of God has to reveal about the subject.

Proverbs 12:1 says, "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid." (ESV) The Hebrew word translated "stupid" in the ESV is בָּ֫עַר (transliteration: baar). The KJV translates the word as "brutish." "Baar" means "senseless"

Who, then, according to Scripture, is "stupid." The stupid one is one hates to be corrected.

I have been stupid in this way.
I can sometimes be stupid in this way.

I'd like to think when I am being "stupid" that it's temporary. I'd like to think whatever stuns me or dazes me is but a momentary lapse in my willingness to be teachable.

Do we embrace correction? Are we willing to be corrected? Are we consistently teachable? Do we love knowledge? Do we love growing?

Do we so regularly reject correction, even on small things, that we might be accurately labeled "stupid"? Remember, that can be a temporary condition. We can change.

Knowing I need grace for me makes me ready to share grace with others.

"Take a look at yourself..."

I was reading Matthew's Gospel account, a song popped into my head. I heard, in the voice of Elvis, "Put Your Hand in the Hand." As I read the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14, a soundtrack began to lightly play as I pressed on into chapter 15.

I heard:
"Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee"

Then, when I got to 15:8 and thought, I don't want to be that! Let me make sure I'm looking at Jesus and allowing Jesus to help me look at me. I know Matthew 15:8 is a quote of Isaiah 29:13, and I am familiar with that passage, and I do not desire to be guilty in either context.

The passage:
1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'
5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"
6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" - Matthew 15:1-9 ESV

Here's my point. I believe in edifying believers. I believe in evangelizing those unsubmitted to God through Christ. I believe in sharing the gospel. I believe in encouraging my brothers and sisters. I believe in confronting wrongdoing and I believe in accountability.

Still, I want to be careful to take a look at Jesus. I want to be careful to take a look at myself. When I remember His goodness and my brokenness, like the song says, I will look at others differently.

It's a lot harder to look on someone else in a harsh way once we've remembered in a fresh way our own desperate need for grace. I'll take that counsel today. How about you?

Are you free in your giving?

The call and the answer and the freedom to give...

When God was leading Israel to build the sanctuary that would hold the Ark of the Covenant, the Lord told Moses to "speak to the people" and give them an opportunity to give. What strikes me about the request is not that God calls His people to be givers; there are all sorts of commands to give in the Scriptures, all sorts of reasons to give, all sorts of reasons to give, but all involve being a steward and personal worshiper.

What strikes me in this case is the freedom in giving AND the freedom in asking.

"Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me." (Exodus 25:2 ESV)

Moses was commanded to speak to all the people. He was to inform all the people of God about the opportunity to give, but Moses could not know whose heart was moved and whose heart was not moved to give. Moses could be free to ask, and the people could be free to give. The asker and the giver are both free to simply respond to God.

Surely, some people's hearts are led to give, but they don't obey that call. It's not for the asker to wrestle with someone else's heart; it's for the asked to wrestle with God until they are free and ready to respond to Him who is doing the provoking. (That may be a LIFETIME of wrestling for some givers!)

The person who has a cause of the Lord that is to be supported by the people of the Lord, just ask. Ask God. Ask His people. IF God wants it supplied, HE will move hearts.

Asker, don't try to manipulate; just ask and trust the Lord. Walk by faith!

Giver, simply respond to God! If He is not leading you to give, it's okay. Walk by faith!

Whether asking or giving or both, walk by faith! Whether asking or giving or both, respond to God!

Real, spiritual vision.

Vision...

If you have heard me talk many times, you've probably heard me talk about the need for vision. No vision is like the vision of faith, that makes real-though-unseeable-reality so tangible that pursuit becomes tangible.

A verse I often quote, and think of even more often, is Proverbs 29:18. Let me quote it here in multiple translations, so that we might capture more of the nuances the original languages open to us, but which English restricts.

English Standard Version
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

New International Version
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction.

New Living Translation
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

New American Standard Bible
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.

King James Version
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instruction will be happy

I have been attempting lately to frame some fresh thoughts on this verse and the concept of vision.

First, vision explains. Vision opens up what is not in the headlines. It sees what's not currently being valued, and says, "See here! See this! It's good! Here's why! Let's go!" For example, Moses, living in Pharaoh's household, even when he could see the problem of their enslavement, could not see the way to freedom. He needed to see what was (1) unseen and (2) to also see the doable solution. We need vision!

Secondly, vision restrains. Vision shows us direction. Vision shows us parameters. Vision says "GO!" but not too far, and certainly, vision says "GO!" but don't stop short, and absolutely, vision says "GO!" but not out of bounds. Vision doesn't restrain us for our harm, but that we might be kept from the dangers of being out of bounds and from the danger of go ahead without God or lagging behind where He is moving.

Thirdly, vision trains. Vision turns our minds and hands to what we ought to be doing, and shows us the way to let go of what is not helpful toward mission / vision accomplishment.

Fourthly, vision sustains. When in the midst of troubles and trials, vision reminds us where we are headed. Vision keeps the goal up when spirits are down, so spirits can get up and go on. In the same way, vision maintains; it keeps our eyes on the prize!

We don't drift into excellence or holiness. We need vision for what to go for and what to hold back from. We need to get it from God, lay it down, keep it before us, and GO FOR IT!

A sound response to the worldliness around us.

How to answer worldliness...

If you want to stay on the course of godliness and not get caught in the traps of the world, here's a word for you.

"Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, 'Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.' But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, 'I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?' And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner." (Nehemiah 6:2-4 ESV)

Nehemiah charts a course!

First, be about the Lord's business and that will take care of so many other issues. Nehemiah said, "I am doing a great work..." Nehemiah has noble and pure purposes, so ignoble and impure activities hold a lesser appeal.

Secondly, know what is greater and lesser. Nehemiah said, "...I cannot come down." Nehemiah recognized the worldly influences were calling him down from his lofty work.

Thirdly, understand that Kingdom work is eternal, and unending. Nehemiah said, "Why should the work stop..."? There's no let up in the need of holy labor, so let there be no let up in holy labors.

Fourthly, it may not speak to a person being classless, but we must understand when a classless activity is being offered. Nehemiah said, "Why should...I...come down to you?"

Fifthly, stand strong over and over and over again; no matter how many times we have to say no, say no to unworthy invitations. Nehemiah said, "And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner."

We cannot stop worldly influences from provocation and temptation, but we can have a sound response. The first thing IS the best thing in responding to worldliness: BE ABOUT THE FATHER'S BUSINESS! The other parts are key too, but if we are not about the Father's business, the other points become moot.

Many of us have no clue the worldly are enticing us because we've never made a break with worldliness. We don't recognize unholy labors and intentions because we've not begun holy labors. We have to answer worldliness within before we will resist it without.

God is able!

Be blessed today, beloved friends.

Is the door open?

In my most vulnerable and difficult moments, that's when God has been most real and personal to me. He's always willing to be personal, but it often takes our brokenness and desperation to let Him in.

Some of you are at your wit's end. You may be finally opening up to be at your God beginning.

The Bible tells us that God is near to the brokenhearted. He abides with the humble.

Let Him in.

He is forgiving. He has answers for our guilt and shame. He will ultimately heal all His children.

Beloved friend, consider...

John 3:16
16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9-10
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:13
13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

You may be in the perfect position in your heart and mind and soul today to pray:

Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, and that He died on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to have eternal life now, and to live forever with Him in heaven as part of Your family. Because of what Jesus has done, I ask You to forgive me of my sin and give me eternal life. I receive the gift of Jesus' dying in my place. I invite You to be Lord of my entire life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord. Help me to live in a way that please and honors You. Amen.

What is your conception of God?

Our conception of God...

J.B. Phillips wrote, "We can never have too big a conception of God, and the more scientific knowledge (in whatever field) advances, the greater becomes our idea of His vast and complicated wisdom. Yet, unless we are to remain befogged and bewildered and give up all hope of ever knowing God as a Person, we have to accept His own planned focusing of Himself in a human being, Jesus Christ."

It's not in our knowledge, though, that produces wonder and deep conviction. It's experience.

When the truths of our knowledge become the experience of our relationship, we know that which surpasses knowledge (see Ephesians 3:14-20).

When we come into the grace of Jesus...
When we the love of the Father visits us...
When the communion of the Holy Ghost is upon us...
Grace... love... communion... bringing us to the unmerited, euphoric, intimacy with God...

In a sermon, the English Methodist brother, Dr. W.E. Sangster, succinctly said, "Three in One. God above us; God among us; God within us. God in origins; God in history; God in experience."

No matter where we turn, God.
No matter where we look, God.
No matter how far we seek back, God.
No matter how far we gaze forward, God.
No matter how acutely we look within, God.
No matter to what distances we probe the universe, God.

And to experience Him, this the great joy.
Our conception, growing with our experience, this the great adventure.

May our conceptions continually expand.
May our experience continually abound.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV)

Who do you have to be around to be on your best behavior?

Who has to watch you?

Believer, what person has to be around for "you to be on your best behavior," as the saying goes? Whose opinion makes you shape up? Who has to be around for you to be all that you can be?

To the believers in Philippi, Paul said, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," (Philippians 2:12 ESV)

There is something to be said for the walk of faith that can enjoy accountability from people but doesn't require accountability from a specific person. In other words, there should not be a person that gets our best behavior. We should be the same person around all people because we are responding to our Father, not to those people.

When we are anchored in God, HE holds us accountable. When God is our wind, HE moves us on. We enjoy people, but people are not our security blanket, our motivation, or our reason for good behavior.

Let us be led of God, no matter where we are!
Let us be led of God, no matter who is or isn't around!

Every good gift comes down from the Father of lights.

If being "good" ever had a reason...

"A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of evil devices he condemns." (Proverbs 12:2 ESV)

We know "No one is good except God alone," (Jesus in Mark 10:18), so this puts us in a quandary. Or, does it?

Do we understand the implications of these things? If someone does some good, it is God doing that good through them. Brother James said, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17 ESV)

The "good" multiplies and magnifies when we recognize and reverence the Source of good. We may become, for God's good purposes, a cup of good, but God desires surrender to Himself that we might become a channel of good, constantly receiving and sending.

"A good man obtains favor from the Lord..."

O! by the varied graces of God, I desire to be a good man! As Harper G. Smith wrote in the old hymn, "Make me a channel of blessing today, Make me a channel of blessing, I pray; My life possessing, my service blessing, Make me a channel of blessing today."

If there was ever any reason to be a good man, surely, this is the one, "A good man obtains favor from the Lord..."

Father, raise up good men across this land.

A most critical issue...

A sure foundation...

What is your hope of heaven built upon?
What is your way of living built upon?

Israel had a terrible habit of not trusting God when national problems arose. They'd run quick to seek the help of other nations; they'd look to other neighbors' military powers.

Listen to what God tells Israel through the prophet Isaiah: "Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem! Because you have said, 'We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter'; therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ''Whoever believes will not be in haste.'' And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.' Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it." (Isaiah 28:14-18 ESV)

What God says to Israel is that He will give them a solid place to build -- a "...foundation...a test stone...a sure foundation..."

Friend, what God the Father was promising was God the Son. And, God tells Israel they don't have to "...be in haste...", meaning, they can trust His work of salvation and not run in haste to some other insufficient source of help. Then, God says, Israel's "...covenant with death will be annulled..." In other words, whatever trust Israel had put in other nations --in the strength of man-- would be annul what they had tried to do to secure safety for themselves.

This same foundation is good for New Testament believers, too. Paul quoted Isaiah 28:16 in Romans 10:11 because what was promised to Israel is now true for all; anyone who trusts Jesus as the foundation of their future and their present will not have to run to other things, nor will have any reason to worry that He is not enough.

Jesus taught these truths about Himself, too. Jesus said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)

See that, dear friend? Everyone who hears and believes AND does that which causes them to believe on Jesus and live out the gospel is putting themselves on the sure foundation of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God.

He is the hope of heaven!
He is the Lord of life!
He is the sure foundation!
One need not make haste in running to some lesser thing!

What is your life built upon?

Let there be no celebration where there is no victory...

Accept no substitutes for spiritual victory!

We can recognize participation, but we ought not laud it as victory. We can commend effort, but we should not mistake it for winning.

We condition too many to think showing up is enough. Everyone plays; everyone gets a ribbon. It's just not true. Not everyone wins. Not everyone succeeds. Not everyone is equal in ability.

Fact is, spiritually, we all lose. We are all failures. "[We] have all turned aside; together [we] have become corrupt; there is none who does good,
not even one." (ref. Psalm 14:3)

Ahhhh! But, herein lies a great and precious truth -- we can only participate; we can only try, but Christ IS victorious and the believer is His! He has won and is approved and has ascended and is seated and is ruling!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Jesus has won! He hides any who come to Him in Him and shares His victory with His Body. In Christ, we win! He defeated sin, death and hell, and because of Him, we will too!

Now, because of Jesus, we can celebrate. We might say and sing, "Worthy of worship, worthy of praise, worthy of glory and honor..."

How does your faith direct your life?

Here? Now? How?

"Jesus said to the people who believed in him, 'You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.'" (John 8:31 NLT)

In context of the entire exchange, it seems Jesus spoke those words to some people who didn't truly believe in Him. To "abide" in the teaching of Jesus, or, as the NLT says, to "remain" in the teaching of Jesus is to keep on believing and continue on in trying to live in obedience to what He has said and who He is.

It seems each of our moments can be tested --on the one hand-- and built --on the other hand-- by the continual determination of whether we are abiding in Jesus (see John 15:1-5) and abiding in His word.

Think on how probing these questions are...
Am I remaining in belief in Jesus --right now, right here-- today?
Am I continuing in obeying Jesus's teachings where I am in this moment?
Am I seeking His face right here, right now?

Does Jesus's teaching tell me...
...how I ought to be thinking, right here, right now?
...what I should be saying, right here, right now?
...what my priorities should be, right here, right now?
...how I should be treating others, right here, right now?
...how I should be honoring the Father, right here, right now?
...what I should be expecting of the Spirit, right here, right now?

Right here, right now, do I...
...hold to Jesus's teachings? (NIV)
...continue in Jesus's teachings? (NASB, KJV, HCSB, NCV)
...remain faithful to Jesus's teachings? (NLT)
...abide in Jesus's teachings? (ESV, ASV)
...live by Jesus's teachings? (GWT)
...hold fast to Jesus's teachings? (AMP)
...obey the teachings of Jesus? (GNT)

Here? Yes. And there.
Now? Yes. And then.

How? Holding to -- Continuing -- Remaining faithful -- Abiding in -- Living by -- Holding fast to -- Obeying the teachings of the Master, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah / Christ of God.

May God bless us to abide in Him and His teachings, that we might prove to be His disciples; true ones, at that. Help us, O Lord, I pray, in and through Jesus, for our good and for Your glory. Amen.

I really was dead.

The tale of a former walking dead guy...

Walking dead. Yep. That was me. Everyone either is or has been.

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1 ESV)

Sin is a stone-cold killer. The sin nature killed us from the word go. We didn't sin and become sinners; we are sinners, so we sin. We were born spiritually dead. So, there, it happened to us all.

Now, ALL were spiritually dead, some ARE still spiritually dead and some are NOW spiritually alive.

How does one come alive? How can a walking dead person become a walking alive person?

Back up a few verses in Ephesians and we'll find a blessed answer: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV)

If you have come alive through Jesus, this is what happened...

Heard the "...word of truth, the gospel of your salvation...": that is, you heard that Jesus died for sins, was buried, was raised from the dead, seen of many witnesses and is God's exclusive means for forgiveness and new life.

You heard, and "...believed in him..." That is, you trust God that He is sufficient for all your spiritual need. You trust that He is enough for forgiveness. He is enough for new life. He is enough to please God. He is enough to transform you. You heard the gospel of your salvation in Jesus Christ and you believed in Him.

Then, God quickened you by the work of the Spirit: you "...were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit..." and God gives Him as the "...guarantee..." of our "...inheritance..." and "...possession..."

For the person who heard and believed in faith through the Lord Jesus, God made such persons alive! ALIVE!

We are born dead in our sin. If we are to have life that lasts beyond our heartbeats and the breath of our lungs --spiritual life that outlasts our physical life-- we must hear this gospel of our salvation, believe on the Lord Jesus and HE WILL keep His word and make us alive together with Him!

Are you the walking dead?
Have you heard?
Do you believe?
Will you yield unto God through Jesus?

When we do become alive, that life is just like the life of Jesus. God shapes us into His Son by that life in us and causes us to do the work of His Son through us. The spiritually alive, after all, works on spiritual stuff!

So, this is my story! I was a walking dead guy! Now, thank God, I'm alive!

Standing firm in grace.

See and say where you stand, believer...

Grace is unmerited favor, made all the more amazing by the fact that God pours it out freely on the unworthy. It's no wonder at all that John Newton wrote "Amazing Grace," and it's no wonder this song has endured for for 230 years and been loved by so many generations. Believers keep experiencing amazing grace!

The Apostle Peter wrote, "By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it." (1 Peter 5:12 ESV)

Let me write to you in even more brief turns, and let me write for the purpose of sharing some thoughts about grace.

Peter reminds us that grace is afoundational  issue in a disciple's life. Peter says of grace, "Stand firm in it." Peter tells us to recognize and remember grace constantly, and, in so doing, stand firm in grace and because of grace. We stand firm because we constantly remember this has never been about our goodness. We stand firm because we remember the Source of this unmerited favor. Because of God's grace, and not because of our worth or ability, we are accepted into the family of God, sit at the family table, enjoy the Father's favor, and experience all the family's inheritance.

Secondly, let's slow down and actually appreciate the Source of grace, as privileged mentioned. We are unholy. We are weak. We are broken. We don't get grace by merit. We get favor in spite of merit, which is the very nature of grace. It comes from God. It's, as Peter says, "...of God." Whatever, then, we derive from grace is from the goodness of God and for the grace of God.

Lastly, let's see two compatible and key features of this grace of which Peter speaks. It's (a) divine and (b) genuine.

It's divine because it's "...of God." Slow down for a moment and really appreciate this truth. When we are experiencing God's grace, we are experiencing something directly from the Source. It's of Him!

It's also genuine because what God offers in Christ is the "...true grace of God." What we get from Jesus is the wheat, not the chaff; it's the substance, not just a symbol or a shadow; it's the jewel, not the junk; it's the coin, not the counterfeit. Jesus is the real deal; He is the promise of God, and He can be fully revered, freely received, and forever relied upon.

The true grace of God is Christ Jesus our Lord. Stand firm in Him. Believer, see what you have in Jesus, and say it to all who will listen.

Hear the whole thing.

Wisdom willingly waits for wisdom...

It's easy to hear or read something and immediately react. A wise person doesn't do that. A wise person gathers facts, listens to all sides, seeks truth and weighs in with a wise response, if response is needed at all, that is.

Think about a time when someone told you something you believed immediately only to later discover they were completely and utterly wrong. It's happened to all of us. Truth be told, we've probably been the cause of it happening to others more than once!

The Bible puts it this way: "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him." (Proverbs 18:17 ESV)

A few verses before this one, we clearly see how to handle this kind of thing: "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." (Proverbs 18:15 ESV) See that, beloved friend? "An intelligent heart..." digs in and digs around; such a hearts seeks after truth.

The same chapter of Proverbs even tells us about a person that gives an answer before wisdom has spoken to their heart: " If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." (Proverbs 18:13 ESV)

A wise person is willing to wait, even to work, to gather knowledge, listen to all sides, seek truth and then give a wise response.

It's hard to receive this in our fast-paced culture, but, well, isn't that the whole point? Wisdom is willing to wait to be wise!

Growing? Keep growing. Not growing? Get growing. Grown? Nah.

A believer is always being called forward in growth...

I've said it often to myself: "Though I live on the coastline of the Sea of Regret, I refuse to sail." My failures and who I WAS lies ever near me; I haven't forgotten, neither those in distant years, nor those in recent moments, but I don't sit around looking back; I neither linger mentally nor long emotionally for those times. Sure, there's a confession to have about them, and a classroom to learn from them, but there's Christ calling me out of them. I may look upon those waters. I may remember those rough seas. I may recall days adrift. I am realistic about the dangers of the deep, but I don't go out upon those waters.

I've been called upward in Christ. I'm being called upward in Christ. I am moving forward. I am receiving Him, and He is God's riches. I know who He is shaping me into (Himself) and I am walking with Him in His linear, going-forward plan.

People tell you who you were so they can make you feel bad where you are. God calls you out of being who you were so He can form you into who you'll be.

God points out our sin but bids us come to the Savior. The enemy points out our sin and tells us we're hated by the Father. They have different goals. God points out our failure that we might learn from them and yearn for Him. The enemy points out our failure that we may become trapped by it, tangled in it and torn because of it.

We cannot pretend life has not happened, nor can we claim to be sinless, nor should be ignore failures, BUT in Christ, we SHALL NOT BE DEFINED by them!

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead" (Philippians 3:13 ESV)

Tell everyone, every chance you get.

What are you going to do today? I mean, I know all of us have to go to work or enjoy our day off or whatever; I know we've got to take care of our responsibilities, but, really, what are you going to do today? If it's not what's below, you're missing out on what you're here for...

"And [Jesus] said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16 ESV)

The word "proclaim" can also be translated "preach" or "herald". It simply means to say what God has declared and done as His decision about salvation toward mankind. In other words, tell "...all the world..." that Jesus has paid for sins on the cross and defeated death in order to grant new life by rising from the grave.

Whoever "believes" --which means to be persuaded to put trust in-- will be saved. Whoever does not put their trust in Jesus will be condemned, which means to be judged decisively as guilty.

So, herald / preach / proclaim Jesus. That's what we're called to do. We are not in charge of whether people believe, but we are responsible that we do proclaim the necessity and exclusivity of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ of God.

Secondly, we ought to be doing this: (Jesus said) "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

To "make disciples" means "to train in discipleship". In simplest terms, for the people who believe on the Lord Jesus, we are to train them in following Him in the way of His Life and in all the ways of our lives. We are to help people learn what Jesus says and do what Jesus says. Period. We are to teach them to abide, obey and bear fruit for God's glory and their good.

Proclaim.
Disciple.

Believing friends, Christians, Disciples of Jesus...whatever we may be doing today to steward our lives, the above is to be what we are doing with our lives. If the resurrected life of Jesus is in us --meaning, if we are really saved-- this will be the core interest of our existence, for it was surely the core interest of the Life that was resurrected.

Don't get comfortable, but remember we are commissioned.

The world makes special accommodations for the godly.

For Jesus, they made the cross. The Bible says, "Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." (Hebrews 11:36-38 ESV)

I don't know why we believers keep expecting the world to treat us any differently than believers have ever been treated.

We American believers have been truly blessed for quite a long time. How are we stewarding our incredible blessing? Who do we really look to for our purpose and strength? Who do we really depend upon to secure our calling?

Indeed, when we live for Jesus, it WILL cost us, and, perhaps we might be labeled with those glorious saints who have suffered before us -- "...of whom the world was not worthy..."

I enjoy!

Glad He let me in...

You don't have to convince me I'm a sinner. Even before I knew what God's word said about much of anything, I knew for a fact I did not even always hold true to my own sense of right and wrong. I didn't need a referee to tell me I was out of bounds, but I did need help to get back into play.

Then, when I began to see the heart and holiness of God, I truly saw (and grieved) at my spiritual condition.

I knew (and know) I needed help. I needed (and need) a Champion...a Rescuer...a Friend...an Advocate...Someone to pay the debt I clearly made...I needed (and need) a Savior.

Jesus gave Himself for me. He is my guilt offering. He makes me acceptable to the Lord. I enjoy that acceptance!

The Proverb writer said, "Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance." (Proverbs 14:9 ESV)

We can understand why some mock Jesus. They don't see any need of Him. It is foolishness to such a one to think they even have guilt that needs atoning, or if such a one sees their sin, they don't count Jesus's payment as necessary for their need.

I do understand, but I won't join in. I will enjoy!

Up! Onward, forward... UP!

A life of ascent...

Are you familiar with a group of Psalms called the "Songs of Ascent"? Psalms 120–134 are each one called a song of ascent. Scholars believe that these psalms were sung by worshippers as they ascended the uphill road to Jerusalem as they came to attend holy festivals.

What about a life of ascent? What if the first verse in one of these Psalms of Ascent characterized our entire lives?

"To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!" (Psalm 123:1 ESV)

Consider a few ideas...

Duty is an ascent from aimlessness.
Knowledge is an ascent from ignorance.
Good works are an ascent from wickedness.
Serving others is an ascent from self-centeredness.
Worship of God is an ascent from worshiping lesser things.
Love is the ascent from apathy or hate.
Faith is the ascent from living by sight.

The life of ascent looks to God at all times and seeks His will in all things! The life of ascent recognizes where one's current condition and focus is fixed and adjusts that focus on who God is and His goals for our lives.

I want to live the life of ascent! Always upward! Always growing! Always seeking God! Always believing Him for growth!

Work. Do work.

Some things yield no fruit worth consumption...

"Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense." (Proverbs 12:11, ESV) There's an old saying: "If you want bread in May, make sure wheat is in the ground by November." Farmers, more than anyone else, understand that if you expect to yield a harvest you can expect to labor beforehand.

Truth be told, we're all laboring...at something. Even apathy and laziness is a labor, and it produces something. The challenge from Proverbs is to have the good sense to labor at things that produce fruit worth consumption. Proverbs 12:11 actually says it makes no sense to follow worthless pursuits. Don't plow in fields where nothing will ever grow. It's just not smart.

It's probably why so many of feel so empty inside: we're starving for good fruit.
It's probably why so many of us are insatiable for more life experiences: we're eating the stuff of life that will not fill us up.

We all labor. Let's make sure we're laboring in places and on things that will yield something worth living for and something we can live on.

Resurrection for inheritance!

Our Part in the Resurrection...

"This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are t

hree that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:6-12 ESV)

When I was young, I read Brewster’s Millions. The concept of the book lingered in my imagination for years – some thirty-five, by now, I’d say. A man was left a large sum of money by a rich grandfather. An uncle, who didn’t like the grandfather, left the man a second inheritance, much larger than that from the man’s grandfather. To receive the much larger gift from the uncle, the man had to spend the smaller inheritance from the grandfather, and do so with several strange caveats.

Some years later, with some adjustments to the story, a movie, based on the book, was made. All it served to do was double my intrigue and imagination.

I often caught myself wondering what such a quandary would do to me. I often imagined what it would be like to get one inheritance; that alone was something I could not wrap my mind around – well, that is, until I met Jesus.

Today’s passage fascinates me. When John says Jesus was “the Spirit and the water and the blood”, John is telling us that Jesus was equally fully man and fully God. He really was a man. He was blood and He was water. He had a real, physical body. And He was surely fully God.

The great story of Resurrection Day is that the Spirit raised the body. That is to say, when Jesus was crucified –when His body literally died—He did not remain dead. The eternal God that He also was raised the temporal body from the dead.

Life is what happens when one believes on the name of Jesus and receives Him; such a one is given the right to become a child of God. Then, God’s Spirit makes our spirit alive and joins with us. We were only water and blood, but the Holy Spirit joins with our spirit and God’s life is in us. This means we have the promise of the resurrection in us!

Jesus was the first to raise His body from the dead, which is why New Testament writers call him the “firstborn from the dead.” All who believe on Him will join Him as future fruits from the dead!

Paul understood this, and he said, “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18 ESV)

John understood this, and he said, “…and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…” (Revelation 1:5 ESV)

Luke understood this, and, quoting Paul on trial, Luke said, “…that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:23 ESV)

We have a now inheritance – God IN us!

We have a coming inheritance – the fullness of God before us!

We cannot use up either!
When we celebrate Jesus being resurrected from the dead, we are looking with loving celebration of His life joined with ours now and in the blessed expectation of His life raising our bodies up from the dead.

Dear friend, please receive this today, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Either the life of the Son is joined with us in this life, or we do not have the life that will raise up our bodies and give us life forever with Him.

Do you have life? Do you have the Son? Do you have a part in the resurrection?

Do we weary God with our words?

The thing that makes God tired...

Well, let me first say, this is not tired in the sense of being out of energy, but the tired that means one is out of patience.

Can you imagine something would make God's patience run out?

According to the prophet, Malachi, what wearied God was HIS people doubting what HE would do about things! What seems to weary God is us forgetting to be concerned with our own sin, our own weakness, our own behavior; what seems to weary God is when we want the boom lowered on someone else instead of wanting to get right with God ourselves.

"You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, 'How have we wearied him?' By saying, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.' Or by asking, 'Where is the God of justice?'" (Malachi 2:17 ESV)

The people the prophet confronted wanted God to do something about others. They seemed to forget, God always starts with His own (see 1 Peter 4:17).

Do we want God to deal with sinners? Sure. Will He? Sure.
Do we want God to stop the wicked? Absolutely. Will He? Absolutely.
Do we want God to judge us? Probably not. Will He? Yes, first.

Let us look into the Word today. Let us look to ourselves. Let us judge ourselves, lest we be judged. May we receive this, and may each of us look to Jesus.

Do you have bad religion?

Bad religion?

The quotes about religion abound. Many are accurate, some are helpful, but most are rottenly out of context, shortsighted or fail to appreciate the complexity of normal life. I actually tire of those with bad religion commenting on bad religion. Most of that sort of commentary is clanging noise, and useful for very little.

A simple definition of "religion" could be "the way one habitually practices what they believe." In this way, we're all "religious." We all believe in something, someone or some things, and we all habitually live out our beliefs.

So, the problem is one of two things, that is, if there is a problem; we are either (1) unfaithful to what we say we believe and have habits that do not match our stated beliefs, or (2) we have unhealthy or untrue or dysfunctional beliefs which we are very faithful to living out, thus creating unhelpful life results.

Let me talk to those in "my" "religion". Let me talk to the folks who would call themselves "Christian" or "disciple of Jesus" or "redeemed of the Lord" or whatever language one might use to identify themselves as one who believes they walk with the living God through the power of the Holy Ghost and the finished work of Jesus, the Christ. Let me talk to those folks.

Now, let me say up front, there's all sorts of ways for we who believe to "examine ourselves and determine whether we are in the faith" (paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 13:5). What I am applying today is a fundamental test to help us determine whether our religion is functioning in accordance with our confession and stated values.

If you've hung on this far, you, like me, really want to walk well and are brave enough for God to take a look at your life without running away from what you may discover. Praise God!

Are you ready? Here goes. James said, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:26-27 ESV)

If our religion is working --if it's "pure and undefiled"-- in the minimum --NOTE: minimum!-- it will:
(a) bridle our tongues -- in other words, God will take increasing control and constantly transform our speech. Can you say your speech life has changed since you began walking with Jesus? Is there less lewdness, gossip, slander, needless babbling, cutting put downs, verbal bullying, complaining, slander, scoffing, etc.? Is there more praise, encouragement, truth telling, etc.? Do you use your tongue to witness? If what we SAY we believe does not come out in conversation, we have bad religion.
(b) have compassion that moves us to action -- we will hurt for people. We will love the marginalized. We will grieve with the broken. We will serve the poor. We will help the weak. If emulating Jesus is a value, consider His behavior; He never excused sin, but He served the sinner and laid down His life for the morally corrupt (me!). James gives two great examples when he says good religion will lead us to "visit orphans and widows in their affliction." There are many other ways compassion acts, but, make no mistake, true compassion does indeed act! If what we SAY we believe does not affect how we respond to people in need, we have bad religion.
(c) push us toward holiness -- notice, James says to "keep oneself unstained from the world." Good religion looks in the mirror long before and much more often than it stares out the window. If we have no concern about holiness, what we SAY we believe is functioning as bad religion.

I'm looking in the mirror. The following question is me inviting you to share my mirror: is your religion bad?

Blame who? Blame you.

No blame game...

Whatever we walk by, we walk by each ourselves.

We live in a litigious society that constantly seeks to cast blame on others. It's nothing new; even in the Garden of Eden, Eve blamed the devil and Adam blamed Eve and God.

Truth be told, we, each one of us, answer for our own selves. I don't mean that only in the sense of facing judgment when we die. I also believe it matters in how we live. The Proverbs writer said, "If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it." (Proverbs 9:12 ESV)

If we seek wisdom and seek God in this life, the benefit will be ours.

If we scorn wisdom and refuse God in this life, the loss will be ours.

Interestingly enough, and we all know this, ancillary benefits and burdens will be born by those in our lives. Consequence or blessing is ours, but our lives are connected, so we cannot say what we reject or embrace will not affect those in our lives.

The Lord is going to return. Fact.

With sudden greatness...

Few expected the Messiah to come when He did; maybe none expected Him to come how He did. You and I know that all of prophecy collectively expected Jesus to come when and exactly how He came. It's one thing to put all that together AFTER it has happened.

But, come Jesus did, and, I'd say, with sudden greatness. Maybe few men were watching, but the host of obedient angels were watching His every move, and the very moment Jesus arrived, the angels were there to greet and worship Him (see Luke 2:13-14).

And, when the Messiah came, everyone expected the fierceness of a conquering army led by an emperor-like soldier-leader. People expected Messiah to conquer Rome -- or the Persians, or Greeks, or Chaldeans, or whoever was up-to-bat as the world power at the time. It's no wonder they missed the Warrior King who smashed the bonds of sin and killed the killer, death.

But, come He did...

The prophets predicted it, warned of it, and described it; Malachi said, "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years." (Malachi 3:1-4 ESV)

However, no one was ready. The Apostle John said, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." (John 1:11 ESV) Failure to receive Him, according to Jesus is the very nature and severity of the chief sin; He even said that when the Holy Spirit would come, revealing this failure to each human heart would be His chief role: "And when [the Spirit] comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;" (John 16:8-9 ESV)

Jesus will return. We have all the instructions and descriptions. We have prophecies about His second coming. We have warnings about how we should look for Him, how we should receive Him and how we should be prepared to face Him.

Are we ready?

Do we believe?

With sudden greatness, again, He is coming.

This time, there will no be time to decide whether we will receive Him, but only the mission for Him to receive His own. Are we ready for this sudden greatness again? Friend, believe on the Lord Jesus, receive Him, that when He returns, He might receive you. Disciple, check the oil, judge yourself, be found serving and watch that eastern sky...

When it's not an act.

We often wonder why someone “acts” a certain way. We either mean to express why someone’s actions are what they are or why they put on a certain character or face.

The truth is that many times it is no act at all. And that in either case mentioned above.

Sure, sometimes, under pressure or in crisis, we do things not normally typical of ourselves. Weakness and brokenness often come through; our personal reserve breaks down momentarily or inhibitions get interrupted.

However, there are those whose actions are no act. On the one hand, people’s actions are based in the reality of their character. On the other hand, the essence of the character is revealed with thoughts, speech, and values. It’s no act. They are that way!

Fact is, none of us are as we should be. We don’t sin and become sinners; we are sinners, so we sin. We are born dead, live broken, and are separated from the Living God. None of that is an act. We are that way.

It takes an encounter with God and it takes new life to become something other than what we are. We are Humpty Dumptys, and we all need miracles bigger than all this world’s men and horses can provide.

That’s what God promises in Christ. He promises peace through Christ and a literal new life. He promises a change in our relationship with Him, and through Him a new nature and way of living.

God longs to move out of our way of being into His way of being. No acting. No multiple faces. No shame. No fear. God calls us to genuine, shameless, purposeful pursuit. He calls us to a whole new life.

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. - 1 Peter 2:1-3

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer. -- James 1:22-25