Luke 16:15b: "What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."
Luke 16 is another combative exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees . . . . The Pharisees had been using their positions of religious influence to attain prominent places in the social hierarchy in the Palestine community, and Jesus continued to rebuke their self-aggrandizement under the guise of religion. Because Jesus was challenging the Pharisees' power and prestige in the region, the Pharisees "opposed (Jesus) fiercely . . . waiting to catch Him in something He might say" in order to incriminate Him (Luke 11:53-54).
In the early part of Luke 16, Jesus shared the parable of the shrewd manager to teach a valuable lesson to His hearers, namely that material wealth should be used to bless others and further the kingdom of God. He then chided the Pharisees for their love of money by telling them that only one master could be served . . . and the choice was either God or their love of money. Money per se was not necessarily the inherent problem with the Pharisees; rather it was the insatiable quest for power and prominence that fueled their craving for material wealth. The Pharisees had demonstrated in Luke 14, that they craved the seats of honor at social events; thus, they revealed that their true worship was themselves. Jesus admonished them by telling these religious leaders that they could never be entrusted with the "true riches" of heaven, because they consumed early riches to satisfy their own lust for prominence.
The condition of the Pharisees was exacerbated by their attempt to justify their behavior in the eyes of men. To be sure, the Jerusalem community elevated these religious leaders and were impressed with the accumulated wealth that these leaders were reaping from their pompous religious behavior. The Pharisees did not want to lose what in their minds was a "good thing." They feasted on the attention and power that came with their positions, and they used their positions to control their communities so that they could continue to wield the power that they had acquired.
Jesus knew the hearts of the Pharisees and told them that they sinned by using their positions to "justify (themselves) in the eyes of men" (16:14). Of course the Pharisees hated such a rebuke as this, and they responded with "sneers" at Jesus. Jesus was not willing to retract His statement, but told them that despite the venerated positions that they had acquired in the community, God knew their true hearts. Jesus then told them that these religious positions of pomp and power were utterly detestable to God. Why? Because these Pharisees ultimately wanted people to worship them rather that the One True God. And because these Pharisees were consumed with themselves, they were unwilling to minister to others who truly needed help. These leaders could care less about others because their foundational purpose in life was their own self-adulation.
There is a good word for us here as we reflect upon the behaviors of the Pharisees. Even today, we find people who are striving for positions of power and influence. We also find that our culture's opinion of greatness is predominantly tied to wealth accumulation; the more one has financially, the more impressive a person is to his peers. Jesus is counter-cultural in that He tells us that our allegiance should be to God first, and we should see our material resources as a resource to be used to bless others who are in need. If we are willing to see ourselves as a conduit of blessing from the Lord, charged with ministering to others, then God says that we can be trusted with the eternal treasures that awaiting the faithful in heaven.
We must remember that it is not about us, but it is about our surrendering to Him as Lord and using what He has entrusted to us to further His kingdom for His glory.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Count the Cost, Then Surrender Everything
Luke 14:28-33: "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
These words of Jesus were quite provocative for the large crowds that were following the Messiah. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus had been invited by the Pharisees to a banquet at the home of one of their prominent members. The banquet was not to bless Jesus but to trap him, for the Pharisees "carefully watched" Jesus to see if He would do or say anything that could be used to incriminate Him. Jesus in turn used the opportunity to address the spiritual condition of these religious leaders. As Jesus observed the Pharisees scurrying about to sit in the esteemed seats for dinner, He took the time to share a parable to teach them of the importance of replacing their hearts of pride and self-fulfillment with the attitudes of humility and surrender. He did this knowing that pride was the foundational problem with these people, and He instructed them that a person with a humble spirit toward God would in turn be exalted by the Lord. When one of the Pharisees countered Jesus with the rather arrogant proclamation, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God," Jesus knew that this man believed himself to be one of these privileged men who would dine with God. Thus, Jesus responded with the parable of the great banquet, in which the Master called his servants to invite many guests, but many of the expected guests made excuses to refuse the Master's invitation. Jesus used this illustrative story to identify the hardened hearts of the hearers. Jesus knew that these men arrogantly thought themselves worthy of eternal blessedness, but He also knew that these men were calloused toward the Lord of Hosts and were thus refusing His offering to the Great Banquet. They in effect had elevated themselves to the place of a god in their own lives, and thus they were resistant to the notion of surrender to the One True God.
After leaving the banquet, Jesus then began to teach the crowds about God's grace. He began with two different illustrations of a home builder and a king, who both counted the cost of building a home or fighting a battle respectively before charting their course of action. He used these stories to teach the people that each person must contemplate deeply their spiritual conditions and respond accordingly to finish in a way that would gain God's eternal blessing. Jesus told the crowds that a person must make God preeminent in one's life . . . nothing, can supercede the place of God as Lord. This is the key ingredient to salvation; it necessitates that a person repent of the sin of rebellion against God and surrender to Him as Lord (Master). As we receive the solely sufficient gift of grace through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, we respond by removing ourselves from the throne of our lives and bow to the Lord as our Sovereign King. Our wills are conformed to His will, and we choose to follow in obedience to His commands.
Jesus reinforced everything that He had shared with the people by reiterating, "any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" (14:33). We must relinquish our rights to everything and surrender them to our Savior. We must have an attitude of humility and contrition before the Almighty, and we must seek Him above all persons and things.
Tragically, many of the Pharisees who invited Jesus to the banquet would never count the cost of their arrogant quest for self-adulation. They never contemplated the eternal loss that they would encounter, because deep within their hearts was a desire to usurp the throne of God for themselves, and this lack of sobering reflection would lead to their eventual doom.
There is a good word for each of us here. We all must count the cost of surrender versus rebellion against the Lord. For those who would fall before the Lord with a humble spirit of repentance and submission, God has offered His gift of eternal life. For those who defy the One True Lord for their own wanton desires, only judgment remains.
These words of Jesus were quite provocative for the large crowds that were following the Messiah. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus had been invited by the Pharisees to a banquet at the home of one of their prominent members. The banquet was not to bless Jesus but to trap him, for the Pharisees "carefully watched" Jesus to see if He would do or say anything that could be used to incriminate Him. Jesus in turn used the opportunity to address the spiritual condition of these religious leaders. As Jesus observed the Pharisees scurrying about to sit in the esteemed seats for dinner, He took the time to share a parable to teach them of the importance of replacing their hearts of pride and self-fulfillment with the attitudes of humility and surrender. He did this knowing that pride was the foundational problem with these people, and He instructed them that a person with a humble spirit toward God would in turn be exalted by the Lord. When one of the Pharisees countered Jesus with the rather arrogant proclamation, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God," Jesus knew that this man believed himself to be one of these privileged men who would dine with God. Thus, Jesus responded with the parable of the great banquet, in which the Master called his servants to invite many guests, but many of the expected guests made excuses to refuse the Master's invitation. Jesus used this illustrative story to identify the hardened hearts of the hearers. Jesus knew that these men arrogantly thought themselves worthy of eternal blessedness, but He also knew that these men were calloused toward the Lord of Hosts and were thus refusing His offering to the Great Banquet. They in effect had elevated themselves to the place of a god in their own lives, and thus they were resistant to the notion of surrender to the One True God.
After leaving the banquet, Jesus then began to teach the crowds about God's grace. He began with two different illustrations of a home builder and a king, who both counted the cost of building a home or fighting a battle respectively before charting their course of action. He used these stories to teach the people that each person must contemplate deeply their spiritual conditions and respond accordingly to finish in a way that would gain God's eternal blessing. Jesus told the crowds that a person must make God preeminent in one's life . . . nothing, can supercede the place of God as Lord. This is the key ingredient to salvation; it necessitates that a person repent of the sin of rebellion against God and surrender to Him as Lord (Master). As we receive the solely sufficient gift of grace through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, we respond by removing ourselves from the throne of our lives and bow to the Lord as our Sovereign King. Our wills are conformed to His will, and we choose to follow in obedience to His commands.
Jesus reinforced everything that He had shared with the people by reiterating, "any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" (14:33). We must relinquish our rights to everything and surrender them to our Savior. We must have an attitude of humility and contrition before the Almighty, and we must seek Him above all persons and things.
Tragically, many of the Pharisees who invited Jesus to the banquet would never count the cost of their arrogant quest for self-adulation. They never contemplated the eternal loss that they would encounter, because deep within their hearts was a desire to usurp the throne of God for themselves, and this lack of sobering reflection would lead to their eventual doom.
There is a good word for each of us here. We all must count the cost of surrender versus rebellion against the Lord. For those who would fall before the Lord with a humble spirit of repentance and submission, God has offered His gift of eternal life. For those who defy the One True Lord for their own wanton desires, only judgment remains.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Causes of Pain & Tragedy
Luke 13:1-5: "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them-do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.'"
Tragedy and pain are realities for all of us who live on this earth . . . to be sure, these difficult experiences are packaged differently for each of us, but they are nonetheless very real and very painful.
One of the difficulties in ascribing causation to our pain is the uncertainty as to what brings it to pass, and one can worsen the situation by inappropriately attributing certain explanations that in fact are not the causes. Many of us have heard of horror stories in which a person struggling with a sickness is told by "concerned" friends that their sickness is the result of the person's sinful behavior or a lack of faith. We also have heard stories of those who advocate a "prosperity gospel" tell those who struggle financially that their penury is the result of their lack of faith. Tragically, many of those who struggle with pain in their lives are weighed down even more with the burden of the flawed causation conclusions by their friends. We saw this with Job, when his friend Zophar told him that his sins were bringing the bombardment of destruction in his life. Zophar told Job, "Will no one rebuke you when you mock? . . . Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you . . . . Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin" (Job 11:2-6). In the end, Job was vindicated for his faithfulness to the Lord, and God commanded that Job must pray for his friend, otherwise God would judge Zophar for his erred counsel (Job 42:7-9).
Tragedy and pain are realities for all of us who live on this earth . . . to be sure, these difficult experiences are packaged differently for each of us, but they are nonetheless very real and very painful.
One of the difficulties in ascribing causation to our pain is the uncertainty as to what brings it to pass, and one can worsen the situation by inappropriately attributing certain explanations that in fact are not the causes. Many of us have heard of horror stories in which a person struggling with a sickness is told by "concerned" friends that their sickness is the result of the person's sinful behavior or a lack of faith. We also have heard stories of those who advocate a "prosperity gospel" tell those who struggle financially that their penury is the result of their lack of faith. Tragically, many of those who struggle with pain in their lives are weighed down even more with the burden of the flawed causation conclusions by their friends. We saw this with Job, when his friend Zophar told him that his sins were bringing the bombardment of destruction in his life. Zophar told Job, "Will no one rebuke you when you mock? . . . Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you . . . . Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin" (Job 11:2-6). In the end, Job was vindicated for his faithfulness to the Lord, and God commanded that Job must pray for his friend, otherwise God would judge Zophar for his erred counsel (Job 42:7-9).
In the Luke 13 passage, Jesus is told of the horrific episodes of the death of the Galileans at the hand of the Procurator Pilot as well as the death of eighteen people from the fallen tower at Siloam. Whereas Jesus' audience seemed to be looking for Jesus to attribute sin as the determining cause for this misfortune, Jesus taught the people that these events were not the result of any guilt of the people. This response by the Lord would have been a surprise to his hearers, for in this culture, tragedy was invariably linked with personal sin. We find this response in the story of the blind man in John 9. When Jesus and His disciples passed by where this man sat, the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned to bring this blindness into this man's life. The disciples thought that such a physical loss must have been the result of either his sin or the sin of his parents. Jesus corrected their flawed thinking by saying that no sin had occurred, but "this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (John 9:3). God had permitted this event to occur so that He might display His power to heal . . . a miracle that was attributed to God alone (see Exodus 4:11; Psalm 146:8). This powerful healing of Jesus caused people to wonder about Jesus' claims to be the Messiah, for they said, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs? . . . . Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" (John 9:16b,21b). We know that the blind man believed in Jesus and worshiped Him after he was healed; so God used the man's physical handicap to bring the man both physical and spiritual sight. He also used the event to display His authority and position as Lord, and many began to ponder His claims as God (John 8:58; 10:30).
We also know that believers in Christ SHOULD expect painful trials at the hands of disgruntled pagans, who hate the exclusivity of the gospel. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:12-13 not to be surprised at the "painful trials (we) are experiencing, as though something strange were happening to (us). But rejoice that (we) participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that (we) may be overjoyed when His (Christ's) glory is revealed." This misfortune is not the result of personal sin in the Christian's life; rather, it is suffering for the Christian's stand for the truth of Christ as Lord!
Now, we would be incorrect to assume that ALL tragedies are not the result of sinful behavior in our lives, for the Scriptures tell us that certain fates will befall those who perpetuate sin. Proverbs 6:10-11 is a perfect example, when it says, "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-and poverty will come on you like a bandit." If a person is lax in his diligence to be resourceful with his life, he can expect that his life will be filled with financial struggles.
Still, we must be cautious in determining the cause of pain in a person's life. Whereas some pain may in fact be caused by our sin, some tragedies are not the result of our sin. We live in a fallen world that is filled with unfortunate experiences, and we all can be subjected to the personal losses that come through those experiences. This gives us even more reason to look forward to the blessedness of eternity, where we will not have to worry about pain or tragedy (see Revelation 21:3-4 for a great word of encouragement).
One certainty that we DO find in the Luke 13 passage above is the importance of our repentance and submission to Jesus as Lord. Whereas Jesus teaches us of the uncertainty of the cause of physical tragedy in our lives, He reinforces the ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY of spiritual destruction for those who do not repent and surrender to the Lord. If a person chooses to defy the Lord of Hosts through spiritual rebellion, then the eternal judgment that befalls that man can be attributed to none other than his own sinfulness. Jesus is emphatic in His repetition of this truth . . . and we must pay attention to it.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Interpreting the Times
Luke 12:54-56: "He (Jesus) said to the crowd: 'When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?'"
This very interesting admonishment by Jesus is wedged between our Lord's words of warning of coming judgment for those who do not surrender themselves to His Lordship. At the beginning of Luke 12, Jesus warns His hearers of the One who has the "power to throw (a person) into hell" . . . namely God Himself (12:5). Jesus interjects the consequence for those who would fail to surrender to Christ as Lord (which is the foundational message propagated by the Holy Spirit); specifically, He said that these reprobate would be "disowned before the angels of God" in eternity (12:9).
Jesus then shares with the people the parable of the rich fool . . . a man who was consumed with himself and his wealth accumulation and was indifferent to his relationship with God. This man in effect sought his own lordship over everyone and everything else. On the day of his death, his riches were not able to help his plot; he would be cast into the depths of hell for eternal punishment. And so Jesus concludes the parable by telling His hearers not to be consumed with the things that pagans pursue, but be consumed with the Kingdom of God.
Jesus reinforces his homily by telling the people of the story of the faithful versus the unfaithful servant. The context of this story has to do with the preparedness of individuals for the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus). For those who have hearts attune to Jesus' will and are surrendered to Him as Lord, Jesus will bring eternal blessing; for those who defy the Lordship of Christ by the pursuit of their own lordship, Jesus will "cut (them) to pieces and assign (them) a place with the unbelievers" (12:46). Jesus then lets his hearers know that He has come into the world to bring division between family and friends. Some will hear His words and respond with repentance and obedience, whereas others will rebel against such expectations, for it counters their quest for self-supremacy.
After the featured passage above (12:54-56), Jesus warns the people that unless they repent they will perish (13:5); he then used the illustration of the unproductive fig tree to teach that those who were not productive for the kingdom of God would be cut down. Jesus wanted the people to know that the same fate of the fig tree would befall them if they were unproductive for God's kingdom.
Now, having seen the context for our cited passage, we see that Jesus is warning the people that they must be discerning as to the times at hand. The Messiah had come into the world to provide salvation, but each person must respond to that offering of grace through submission to Christ as Lord and obedience to His commands. This offering is short lived, for no man knows the duration of time that he has been appointed to live on this earth. As with the rich man in the chapter 12 parable whose life was suddenly taken away, so too each man is not guaranteed another day. Jesus is telling His hearers to understand that today is the day of salvation . . . tomorrow may be too late. Each of us must understand that we are given the opportunity to surrender to Him as our Lord and Savior, which necessitates that we kick ourselves off the throne of our own lives and seek Jesus above all other things. We are no longer consumed with self-adulation and self-fulfillment as the end of all things; rather, we are committed to serving the Lord as our Eternal King.
For those who fail to interpret the time of God's offering of grace ultimately will stand before a Holy and Righteous God in judgment. God will disown that person (12:9) and will assign that person to the place of eternal torment with other unbelievers (12:46).
This very interesting admonishment by Jesus is wedged between our Lord's words of warning of coming judgment for those who do not surrender themselves to His Lordship. At the beginning of Luke 12, Jesus warns His hearers of the One who has the "power to throw (a person) into hell" . . . namely God Himself (12:5). Jesus interjects the consequence for those who would fail to surrender to Christ as Lord (which is the foundational message propagated by the Holy Spirit); specifically, He said that these reprobate would be "disowned before the angels of God" in eternity (12:9).
Jesus then shares with the people the parable of the rich fool . . . a man who was consumed with himself and his wealth accumulation and was indifferent to his relationship with God. This man in effect sought his own lordship over everyone and everything else. On the day of his death, his riches were not able to help his plot; he would be cast into the depths of hell for eternal punishment. And so Jesus concludes the parable by telling His hearers not to be consumed with the things that pagans pursue, but be consumed with the Kingdom of God.
Jesus reinforces his homily by telling the people of the story of the faithful versus the unfaithful servant. The context of this story has to do with the preparedness of individuals for the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus). For those who have hearts attune to Jesus' will and are surrendered to Him as Lord, Jesus will bring eternal blessing; for those who defy the Lordship of Christ by the pursuit of their own lordship, Jesus will "cut (them) to pieces and assign (them) a place with the unbelievers" (12:46). Jesus then lets his hearers know that He has come into the world to bring division between family and friends. Some will hear His words and respond with repentance and obedience, whereas others will rebel against such expectations, for it counters their quest for self-supremacy.
After the featured passage above (12:54-56), Jesus warns the people that unless they repent they will perish (13:5); he then used the illustration of the unproductive fig tree to teach that those who were not productive for the kingdom of God would be cut down. Jesus wanted the people to know that the same fate of the fig tree would befall them if they were unproductive for God's kingdom.
Now, having seen the context for our cited passage, we see that Jesus is warning the people that they must be discerning as to the times at hand. The Messiah had come into the world to provide salvation, but each person must respond to that offering of grace through submission to Christ as Lord and obedience to His commands. This offering is short lived, for no man knows the duration of time that he has been appointed to live on this earth. As with the rich man in the chapter 12 parable whose life was suddenly taken away, so too each man is not guaranteed another day. Jesus is telling His hearers to understand that today is the day of salvation . . . tomorrow may be too late. Each of us must understand that we are given the opportunity to surrender to Him as our Lord and Savior, which necessitates that we kick ourselves off the throne of our own lives and seek Jesus above all other things. We are no longer consumed with self-adulation and self-fulfillment as the end of all things; rather, we are committed to serving the Lord as our Eternal King.
For those who fail to interpret the time of God's offering of grace ultimately will stand before a Holy and Righteous God in judgment. God will disown that person (12:9) and will assign that person to the place of eternal torment with other unbelievers (12:46).
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Most Attractive Wife
Proverbs 31:10-11: "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value."
If there is one thing that perplexes me in our culture today, it is the selective process by which people decide to marry. One only needs to watch the evening news to see celebrities cycling out of relationships as quickly as they entered into them. The qualifications for which people are looking in choosing a prospective mate are superficial at best . . . physical appearance, social popularity, wealth, etc. There seems to be little concern for the more nobler characteristics that make a person truly beautiful, and this inattention to these qualities is leading couples into the abyss of relational destruction.
King Lemuel in Proverbs 31 tells us that the wife is more precious than fine treasure. Listen to the characteristics that are identified:
31:11: "Her husband has full confidence in her." This husband never has to wonder about his wife's loyalties. She is consistently dependable and faithful to her husband relationally, emotionally, and physically.
31:12: "She brings him good, not harm" Because this wife is driven by Godly principle and because she is consciously committed to ministering to her husband, she is a perpetual blessing to him. This wife is not restless in coveting that which her family does not have; rather, she is satisfied in the coventantal commitment of love that she and her husband have for one another. Never would one hear from her expressions like, "he doesn't meet my needs anymore" or "I want more than what my husband can give me."
31:13, 27: "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands . . . . She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." This wife is industrious and diligent to accomplish things with her life. She doesn't sit around the house eating junk food and watching daytime soaps. She works hard to reach her fullest potential for her Lord, her family, and herself.
31:14: "She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar." She is dependable to her husband; like the merchant ships of ancient history that would carry to port precious commodities for the benefit of the ship owner, so too she brings an abundant supply of blessing to her husband. Her husband delights each night in returning to home from a hard day's work, knowing that the fellowship with his wife will be sweet and fulfilling.
31:15: "She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls." Notice that this wife is willing to sacrifice her needs for the benefit of others. She is not self-absorbed, but wants to bless those around her, even if this selfless commitment to others presents inconveniences for her. She is also equitable to those within her household; this wife does not play favorites within the home.
31:16 "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard." This wife is perceptive, which means that she is observant and is able to discern what will be a blessing for her family. She also contributes to the well-being of her family. She doesn't have the mindset that her husband should take care of her and leave her to live a life of stagnancy and laziness.
31:17: "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." This wife is assertive, goal-oriented, and disciplined. She sees work that needs to be done and resolves to get it done.
31:20: "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." This wife is generous to others. She is not consumed with her own needs to the detriment of others, but she looks to be a blessing to those in need.
31:21: "When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet." This wife is a preparer for the future; she blesses her family by being prepared for the unexpected circumstances that could befall them down the road.
31:23: "Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land." This wife is not an embarrassment to her husband. Her behavior in public is constructive and gracious; thus, it brings honor to her husband.
31:26: "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." This woman's tongue is not used as a weapon against others, nor does she speak words that would convey shallowness and immaturity. She speaks words of wisdom and truth, and the people respect her for such "faithful instruction."
31:28: "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." Notice that this wife is such a blessing to her family, that her children and her husband praise her in response. There is no dysfunction in this home, for this wife is mature, honorable, and dependable.
Again, for a culture that seems to elevate superficial qualities like charm and physical beauty as determinants for prospective mates, the word of God has a word of warning: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Single men, be wise in your discernment for a wife. Do not fall prey to the entrapments of the foolish philosophies of this world; rather, seek wise counsel from the Holy Scriptures, for then you will find the most attractive wife.
Of course, there is a further word of direction for you as you pursue this woman. If you expect a Godly woman to be attracted to you in return, you too must demonstrate all of these same Godly characteristics of honor, dependability, integrity, resourcefulness, discipline, etc. Otherwise you are wasting your time in pursuing a Proverbs 31 woman.
If there is one thing that perplexes me in our culture today, it is the selective process by which people decide to marry. One only needs to watch the evening news to see celebrities cycling out of relationships as quickly as they entered into them. The qualifications for which people are looking in choosing a prospective mate are superficial at best . . . physical appearance, social popularity, wealth, etc. There seems to be little concern for the more nobler characteristics that make a person truly beautiful, and this inattention to these qualities is leading couples into the abyss of relational destruction.
King Lemuel in Proverbs 31 tells us that the wife is more precious than fine treasure. Listen to the characteristics that are identified:
31:11: "Her husband has full confidence in her." This husband never has to wonder about his wife's loyalties. She is consistently dependable and faithful to her husband relationally, emotionally, and physically.
31:12: "She brings him good, not harm" Because this wife is driven by Godly principle and because she is consciously committed to ministering to her husband, she is a perpetual blessing to him. This wife is not restless in coveting that which her family does not have; rather, she is satisfied in the coventantal commitment of love that she and her husband have for one another. Never would one hear from her expressions like, "he doesn't meet my needs anymore" or "I want more than what my husband can give me."
31:13, 27: "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands . . . . She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." This wife is industrious and diligent to accomplish things with her life. She doesn't sit around the house eating junk food and watching daytime soaps. She works hard to reach her fullest potential for her Lord, her family, and herself.
31:14: "She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar." She is dependable to her husband; like the merchant ships of ancient history that would carry to port precious commodities for the benefit of the ship owner, so too she brings an abundant supply of blessing to her husband. Her husband delights each night in returning to home from a hard day's work, knowing that the fellowship with his wife will be sweet and fulfilling.
31:15: "She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls." Notice that this wife is willing to sacrifice her needs for the benefit of others. She is not self-absorbed, but wants to bless those around her, even if this selfless commitment to others presents inconveniences for her. She is also equitable to those within her household; this wife does not play favorites within the home.
31:16 "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard." This wife is perceptive, which means that she is observant and is able to discern what will be a blessing for her family. She also contributes to the well-being of her family. She doesn't have the mindset that her husband should take care of her and leave her to live a life of stagnancy and laziness.
31:17: "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." This wife is assertive, goal-oriented, and disciplined. She sees work that needs to be done and resolves to get it done.
31:20: "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." This wife is generous to others. She is not consumed with her own needs to the detriment of others, but she looks to be a blessing to those in need.
31:21: "When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet." This wife is a preparer for the future; she blesses her family by being prepared for the unexpected circumstances that could befall them down the road.
31:23: "Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land." This wife is not an embarrassment to her husband. Her behavior in public is constructive and gracious; thus, it brings honor to her husband.
31:26: "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." This woman's tongue is not used as a weapon against others, nor does she speak words that would convey shallowness and immaturity. She speaks words of wisdom and truth, and the people respect her for such "faithful instruction."
31:28: "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." Notice that this wife is such a blessing to her family, that her children and her husband praise her in response. There is no dysfunction in this home, for this wife is mature, honorable, and dependable.
Again, for a culture that seems to elevate superficial qualities like charm and physical beauty as determinants for prospective mates, the word of God has a word of warning: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Single men, be wise in your discernment for a wife. Do not fall prey to the entrapments of the foolish philosophies of this world; rather, seek wise counsel from the Holy Scriptures, for then you will find the most attractive wife.
Of course, there is a further word of direction for you as you pursue this woman. If you expect a Godly woman to be attracted to you in return, you too must demonstrate all of these same Godly characteristics of honor, dependability, integrity, resourcefulness, discipline, etc. Otherwise you are wasting your time in pursuing a Proverbs 31 woman.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
How Do You Discipline Your Children?
Proverbs 29:17,21: "Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul . . . . If a man pampers his servant from youth, he will bring grief in the end."
In our culture today, it seems that there is a strong aversion to parental discipline in any form. The "experts" as some would call them would argue that to discipline a child is to restrict him from reaching his fullest potential. These experts would also tell us that discipline fosters low self-esteem and insecurities that could be avoided if a child were given the chance to live life freely, unencumbered by any restrictions in life. Tragically, many parents have bought into such fallacious wisdom, believing that they will demonstrate love to their children best if they remove any restraints or consequences that could evoke "bad feelings."
God's Word is rather counter-instructional to this modern philosophy. As one reads the 29th Chapter of Proverbs, one finds that discipline is a productive ingredient in child rearing. If a parent is willing to discipline his child lovingly and constructively, then the child will respond with "peace" to the parent. That is, the child will learn to respect those in authority over him, and will glean from his parents the wisdom needed to bless himself and others. As the child honors his parents (i.e. by respecting their position as spiritual leaders in the home and their accumulated wisdom through years of personal experience), he will bring joy to them. The parents will bask in the pride of knowing that their child is fulfilling his calling given to him by the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-3).
Time and again I have watched the children of loving, principle-driven, discipline-oriented parents accomplish great things with their lives. As these parents disciplined their children, they instilled within them an awareness of respect and responsibility in life, which in turn birthed in these children the ability to self-discipline themselves to achieve their goals. These children would grow to demonstrate stability, maturity, and respect as adults. They would become well-behaved, secure, and confident, for they knew that the boundaries that were placed early in their lives by their parents were consistent, dependable, and ultimately rewarding. These children could trust the standards enacted by their parents as those which would provide personal blessing, as long as these principles were respected and obeyed.
The second part of this proverb is the antithesis of effective child-rearing through discipline, namely that the perpetual pampering of a person will lead to "grief in the end." I have observed parents who haphazardly created an environment of "anything goes" in the home. Being afraid of hurting their children or even losing their children's affections, these parents decided to let their children pursue any and all desires, irrespective of the selfish, hedonistic disposition that this approach was purporting . These children had no consequences for disobedience; they would be free to do what they willed in any manner that they willed. Tragically as these children would grow into adulthood, they would lack the abilities of discipline and restraint that would help them live honorable lives based upon order and courtesy. Many of these children even would refuse to honor and respect their parents, for their parents created within them the philosophy that all ends should gratify these children's selfish pursuits. Thus for these children, personal satisfaction would become the end to which all things must yield, even if others are hurt in the process. These children would bring dishonor and grief to their parents and to society.
Many of our societal ills have been created by dysfunctional homes, where the parents have not fulfilled their God-mandated responsibility of modeling Godly maturity for their children and fostering an environment of Godly discipline that would give their children structure, support, and stability. In speaking of the tremendous correlation between familial leadership and the health of a society, A. Skevinton Wood (Principle of Cliff College, in Derbyshire, England), has said, "Disobedience to parents is a symptom of a disintegrating social structure, and Christian families have a particular responsibility not to contribute to the collapse of an ordered community." Those of us for have submitted ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ should not fall prey to the prevailing philosophies of modern parenting. As we lead our children, we need to follow the principles found in the Holy Scriptures, for it is only then that we will find that our children will respond with blessings to our Lord, to us, and to others.
In our culture today, it seems that there is a strong aversion to parental discipline in any form. The "experts" as some would call them would argue that to discipline a child is to restrict him from reaching his fullest potential. These experts would also tell us that discipline fosters low self-esteem and insecurities that could be avoided if a child were given the chance to live life freely, unencumbered by any restrictions in life. Tragically, many parents have bought into such fallacious wisdom, believing that they will demonstrate love to their children best if they remove any restraints or consequences that could evoke "bad feelings."
God's Word is rather counter-instructional to this modern philosophy. As one reads the 29th Chapter of Proverbs, one finds that discipline is a productive ingredient in child rearing. If a parent is willing to discipline his child lovingly and constructively, then the child will respond with "peace" to the parent. That is, the child will learn to respect those in authority over him, and will glean from his parents the wisdom needed to bless himself and others. As the child honors his parents (i.e. by respecting their position as spiritual leaders in the home and their accumulated wisdom through years of personal experience), he will bring joy to them. The parents will bask in the pride of knowing that their child is fulfilling his calling given to him by the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-3).
Time and again I have watched the children of loving, principle-driven, discipline-oriented parents accomplish great things with their lives. As these parents disciplined their children, they instilled within them an awareness of respect and responsibility in life, which in turn birthed in these children the ability to self-discipline themselves to achieve their goals. These children would grow to demonstrate stability, maturity, and respect as adults. They would become well-behaved, secure, and confident, for they knew that the boundaries that were placed early in their lives by their parents were consistent, dependable, and ultimately rewarding. These children could trust the standards enacted by their parents as those which would provide personal blessing, as long as these principles were respected and obeyed.
The second part of this proverb is the antithesis of effective child-rearing through discipline, namely that the perpetual pampering of a person will lead to "grief in the end." I have observed parents who haphazardly created an environment of "anything goes" in the home. Being afraid of hurting their children or even losing their children's affections, these parents decided to let their children pursue any and all desires, irrespective of the selfish, hedonistic disposition that this approach was purporting . These children had no consequences for disobedience; they would be free to do what they willed in any manner that they willed. Tragically as these children would grow into adulthood, they would lack the abilities of discipline and restraint that would help them live honorable lives based upon order and courtesy. Many of these children even would refuse to honor and respect their parents, for their parents created within them the philosophy that all ends should gratify these children's selfish pursuits. Thus for these children, personal satisfaction would become the end to which all things must yield, even if others are hurt in the process. These children would bring dishonor and grief to their parents and to society.
Many of our societal ills have been created by dysfunctional homes, where the parents have not fulfilled their God-mandated responsibility of modeling Godly maturity for their children and fostering an environment of Godly discipline that would give their children structure, support, and stability. In speaking of the tremendous correlation between familial leadership and the health of a society, A. Skevinton Wood (Principle of Cliff College, in Derbyshire, England), has said, "Disobedience to parents is a symptom of a disintegrating social structure, and Christian families have a particular responsibility not to contribute to the collapse of an ordered community." Those of us for have submitted ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ should not fall prey to the prevailing philosophies of modern parenting. As we lead our children, we need to follow the principles found in the Holy Scriptures, for it is only then that we will find that our children will respond with blessings to our Lord, to us, and to others.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Each Generation's Responsibility
Psalm 78:4b-6-8: "We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done . . . . so the next generation would know them (i.e. the Lord's statutes), even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefathers-a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him."
Each generation that is birthed has a tremendous responsibility to tell subsequent generations about the Exalted, Majestic Lord, who loves us beyond comprehension and who showers us with blessings beyond measure. As God brings each generation into the world, so too He calls them to be the agent of revelation to "speak of the glorious splendor of (His) majesty . . . (and) tell of the power of (His) awesome works" (Psalm 145:4-6). Since our foundational purpose in life (and the reason for being created in the first place) is to glorify God, we would do well to exalt the Sovereign Lord who is worthy of our worship. And of course this "worship" is more than sharing mere perfunctory words of "religiosity"; it encompasses a lifestyle wholly surrendered to the One True God.
As I have now had the opportunity to observe people and their "spirituality" for over 40 years, I have come to realize that many people summon God for His blessings (and sometimes His deliverance from bad situations), but they don't seem to be interested in fostering a rich, fulfilling, intimate relationship with Him . . . . and this indifference is affecting the next generation. People seem to be going through the motions of corporate worship on Sundays, yet they appear to be completely disinterested in the purpose of being there in the first place (to glorify God). Not only do they have no committed relationship with God throughout the week (except the occasional token "blessing" prayer before the evening meal), they also see Sunday worship as an obligation to satisfy the Lord, family, and/or conscience. They may be singing songs like, "All to Jesus I Surrender" during the worship service, but their minds are thinking about lunch, or a Monday business meeting, or the televised football game that afternoon. They would tell you that they are religious, but they have compartmentalized God into a very small part of their total life experience. They will call upon God only when a crisis necessitates His intervention. There is no excitement . . . no passion . . . no confidence . . . no genuine, heartfelt love and adoration for the Lord. Every act of worship seems to be more about the show than the substance.
Tragically, the next generation sees the duplicity of such shallowness in one's commitment to the Lord, and determine that they want nothing of it. To be sure, this next generation desires spiritual things, because God has placed such things in the hearts of all men (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Still, they don't want their parent's religion, because they see that it is a lot of formality without significance. They do not observe the powerful transformation that the Lord brings to those who passionately seek Him; instead, they see stale, repetitive, religious practices that are spiritual space fillers in one's life. I believe that this is a reason why only 4% of the millennial generation (late teens-early twenties) has any genuine commitment to Christ. They want spiritual substance, but they see that their parent's worship is most assuredly not that!
We need to re-examine ourselves to see if we are pursuing the Lord genuinely and passionately. Are we desirous of a love relationship with Him? Do we feast upon His continuous presence in our lives, and do we earnestly desire to obey His will? Are we more than "compartmentalized Christians" in that we savor God's involvement in every part of our lives as our Lord and Savior? If we have this disposition of heartfelt devotion for the Lord, then the next generation will take note. And they will be more inclined to seek the Lord, for they will see in us that He (God) transforms lives, bringing forth purpose, completion, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Our best testimony to the next generation will be with our lives of genuine surrender to the Lord.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Don't Lift Your Horns
Psalm 75:4-5,10: "To the wicked (I the Lord say), 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck . . . . I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.'"
One of the reoccurring themes found in Scripture is the warning not to defy the One True Lord. In this passage above, the reference to horns is mentioned. In antiquity, horns were synonymous with strength or power; it could refer to a person's disposition or determination toward someone or something. Jesus for example is referred to as the "Horn of Salvation for us" in Luke 1:69. His death and resurrection is the "power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). He alone provides satisfaction for the remission of our sins before a Holy God, for He alone is the "atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 2:2).
For the above passage to mention the wicked lifting up their horns would be for them to attempt to rebel against the Sovereign Lord and thwart His will. The Lord warns that such vain attempts are utterly futile, for the very horns of defiance will be cut off of the wicked by God Himself. He will "oppose the proud" (1 Peter 5:4), by enacting His Divine wrath against such stubbornness and hardheartedness (Romans 2:5).
In Job 15, Eliphaz the Temanite shares the disposition of the wicked and their ultimate doom when he writes, "(The wicked man) shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty, defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield . . . . He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away" (Job 15:25-26,30). Whereas the wicked may think that they can resist the Lord and overthrow His lordship, in the end they will meet an all-powerful God who will hold them to account and punish them severly and eternally (see Matthew 13:41-42).
Jesus gives the perfect account of this reality for the wicked in his Parable of the Tenants in Luke 20. In this story, a vineyard owner leaves for a time and entrusts his fields to some farmers. At the time of the harvest, he sends several servants to them to receive some of its fruit, but the tenants beat the servants in defiance to the demands of the owner. Finally, the owner determined to send his very Son in hopes of the farmers respecting His will, but these farmers were even more determined in their rebellion against the owner. They thought to themselves that the Son was an heir to the vineyard; thus, if they were to kill the Son then the inheritance would be their own. Jesus then records the fate of such defiance when He said, "the Owner will come and kill those tenants . . . . (he) on whom the Stone falls will be crushed" (Luke 20:16,18). The hearers of this parable were indignant at such a story, for they knew that Jesus was referring to their own rebellion. They had defied the prophets whom God had sent (the servants in the story), and ultimately they were rejecting the Son (Jesus Christ). Even though Jesus shared this story to bring clarity to their disposition toward Him as Lord, the teachers of the law looked for a way to arrest Him immediately for His proclamations against them. This was rebellion at its worst.
We must be ever mindful of our disposition toward the Lord. We must understand that God will not be mocked and will satisfy His holiness by judging the defiant heart against Him. We would do well to surrender ourselves wholly to His Lordship and enjoy the blessings of His salvation. It is then that Our Merciful Savior will "lift up our horns" in glory (Psalm 75:10).
One of the reoccurring themes found in Scripture is the warning not to defy the One True Lord. In this passage above, the reference to horns is mentioned. In antiquity, horns were synonymous with strength or power; it could refer to a person's disposition or determination toward someone or something. Jesus for example is referred to as the "Horn of Salvation for us" in Luke 1:69. His death and resurrection is the "power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). He alone provides satisfaction for the remission of our sins before a Holy God, for He alone is the "atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 2:2).
For the above passage to mention the wicked lifting up their horns would be for them to attempt to rebel against the Sovereign Lord and thwart His will. The Lord warns that such vain attempts are utterly futile, for the very horns of defiance will be cut off of the wicked by God Himself. He will "oppose the proud" (1 Peter 5:4), by enacting His Divine wrath against such stubbornness and hardheartedness (Romans 2:5).
In Job 15, Eliphaz the Temanite shares the disposition of the wicked and their ultimate doom when he writes, "(The wicked man) shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty, defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield . . . . He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away" (Job 15:25-26,30). Whereas the wicked may think that they can resist the Lord and overthrow His lordship, in the end they will meet an all-powerful God who will hold them to account and punish them severly and eternally (see Matthew 13:41-42).
Jesus gives the perfect account of this reality for the wicked in his Parable of the Tenants in Luke 20. In this story, a vineyard owner leaves for a time and entrusts his fields to some farmers. At the time of the harvest, he sends several servants to them to receive some of its fruit, but the tenants beat the servants in defiance to the demands of the owner. Finally, the owner determined to send his very Son in hopes of the farmers respecting His will, but these farmers were even more determined in their rebellion against the owner. They thought to themselves that the Son was an heir to the vineyard; thus, if they were to kill the Son then the inheritance would be their own. Jesus then records the fate of such defiance when He said, "the Owner will come and kill those tenants . . . . (he) on whom the Stone falls will be crushed" (Luke 20:16,18). The hearers of this parable were indignant at such a story, for they knew that Jesus was referring to their own rebellion. They had defied the prophets whom God had sent (the servants in the story), and ultimately they were rejecting the Son (Jesus Christ). Even though Jesus shared this story to bring clarity to their disposition toward Him as Lord, the teachers of the law looked for a way to arrest Him immediately for His proclamations against them. This was rebellion at its worst.
We must be ever mindful of our disposition toward the Lord. We must understand that God will not be mocked and will satisfy His holiness by judging the defiant heart against Him. We would do well to surrender ourselves wholly to His Lordship and enjoy the blessings of His salvation. It is then that Our Merciful Savior will "lift up our horns" in glory (Psalm 75:10).
Thursday, June 5, 2008
A Change of Heart
Psalm 73:2-5,16-17, 25,28: "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles . . . free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills . . . . When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny . . . . Whom have I in heaven but you (O Lord)? And earth has nothing I desire besides you . . . it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."
I love the transparency of the writers of Scripture. Whereas they wrote under the Divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these writers shared their painful struggles in life. For example, Asaph shared in Psalm 73 his frustration with the prosperity of the wicked while he himself was plagued with penury. Asaph envied the wicked. He wanted what they had, and he was angered that God seemed to be indifferent to his circumstances. Asaph felt as if his commitment to purity and obedience to the Lord was all in vain, for it seemed not to bring any noticeable benefits from the Lord. As Asaph witnessed the wicked's calloused attitude toward the Lord and yet were prospering in life, Asaph felt gipped. He desired the wicked's supposed carefree lifestyle, full of affluence, popularity, and confidence; and Asaph's covetous spirit nearly caused him to lose his foothold on the path of righteousness (73:2). The more that Asaph tried to reason through his circumstances in light of his contemporaries around him, the more he became burdened by such gross unfairness and inequity. He believed that he was trying to do the right thing and was suffering for it; yet the wicked (i.e. those who had an indifference to the Lord) seemed to him to be living lives of happiness and blessing.
When Asaph had reached the end of his rope and was on the verge of throwing in the proverbial towel in discontent, grief, and bitterness (73:21), the Lord ushered the writer into His presence at His sanctuary for better clarity of the circumstances. God revealed to Asaph that although the wicked seemed to be blessed in all areas of their lives, there would come a day when they would have to give an account for their wickedness against the Holy, Righteous God. This day of judgment would bring to light the wickedness of these people, as God would distribute His eternal wrath upon them leading to their eternal ruin (73:18,20).
Asaph then realized the had been like a "brute beast" in his ignorance and senselessness to the realities of God's sovereign working. He was reminded that God was using Asaph's circumstances in life to craft him into a person who would glorify the One True Lord. God was choosing to take Asaph through some difficult circumstances to mature him into the person of potential that the Sovereign One knew Asaph could be.
Asaph was reminded that his life of supposed misery was but a temporal setting that would be overtaken by a more glorious existence with the Lord in glory. Asaph then had a change of heart: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (73:25). How beautiful was Asaph's repentant heart . . . He now realized that God was everything. Asaph did not have to dwell in the misery of comparative reflection with others around him; he only needed to keep his eyes on His Lord. God would ultimately resolve the inequities that this life had afforded him. Asaph had grown so much through this experience, that he concluded that even if he were to lose his life, it was okay, for he knew that God was his strength in all circumstances.
It was at this point of serendipity that Asaph started doing some serious worshipping. He loved being in an intimate relationship with the Lord, and he sought God as his refuge even though the times were difficult. Asaph proclaimed that the Lord was good to those whose hearts were pure, and he couldn't wait to share that goodness with others around him. Asaph had a true change of heart, now that he was looking at the Lord and trusting Him by faith. The writer of Psalm 73 was no longer looking at his circumstances around him and becoming discouraged.
Boy . . . this is such a good word for each of us. How many times have we fallen prey to the irrational conclusion that God is not willing to bless us for our faithfulness to Him? How many times have we taken our eyes off of the Lord and looked at our circumstances only to become discouraged that we don't have what others have? We become like the ignorant, senseless "brute beast" that Asaph called himself in that we are driven by our selfish desires and not by faith in God. We must remember that God is good, and He will orchestrate the path of our lives in such a way that we will trust in Him, mature in Him, and ultimately bring glory to Him .
I love the transparency of the writers of Scripture. Whereas they wrote under the Divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these writers shared their painful struggles in life. For example, Asaph shared in Psalm 73 his frustration with the prosperity of the wicked while he himself was plagued with penury. Asaph envied the wicked. He wanted what they had, and he was angered that God seemed to be indifferent to his circumstances. Asaph felt as if his commitment to purity and obedience to the Lord was all in vain, for it seemed not to bring any noticeable benefits from the Lord. As Asaph witnessed the wicked's calloused attitude toward the Lord and yet were prospering in life, Asaph felt gipped. He desired the wicked's supposed carefree lifestyle, full of affluence, popularity, and confidence; and Asaph's covetous spirit nearly caused him to lose his foothold on the path of righteousness (73:2). The more that Asaph tried to reason through his circumstances in light of his contemporaries around him, the more he became burdened by such gross unfairness and inequity. He believed that he was trying to do the right thing and was suffering for it; yet the wicked (i.e. those who had an indifference to the Lord) seemed to him to be living lives of happiness and blessing.
When Asaph had reached the end of his rope and was on the verge of throwing in the proverbial towel in discontent, grief, and bitterness (73:21), the Lord ushered the writer into His presence at His sanctuary for better clarity of the circumstances. God revealed to Asaph that although the wicked seemed to be blessed in all areas of their lives, there would come a day when they would have to give an account for their wickedness against the Holy, Righteous God. This day of judgment would bring to light the wickedness of these people, as God would distribute His eternal wrath upon them leading to their eternal ruin (73:18,20).
Asaph then realized the had been like a "brute beast" in his ignorance and senselessness to the realities of God's sovereign working. He was reminded that God was using Asaph's circumstances in life to craft him into a person who would glorify the One True Lord. God was choosing to take Asaph through some difficult circumstances to mature him into the person of potential that the Sovereign One knew Asaph could be.
Asaph was reminded that his life of supposed misery was but a temporal setting that would be overtaken by a more glorious existence with the Lord in glory. Asaph then had a change of heart: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (73:25). How beautiful was Asaph's repentant heart . . . He now realized that God was everything. Asaph did not have to dwell in the misery of comparative reflection with others around him; he only needed to keep his eyes on His Lord. God would ultimately resolve the inequities that this life had afforded him. Asaph had grown so much through this experience, that he concluded that even if he were to lose his life, it was okay, for he knew that God was his strength in all circumstances.
It was at this point of serendipity that Asaph started doing some serious worshipping. He loved being in an intimate relationship with the Lord, and he sought God as his refuge even though the times were difficult. Asaph proclaimed that the Lord was good to those whose hearts were pure, and he couldn't wait to share that goodness with others around him. Asaph had a true change of heart, now that he was looking at the Lord and trusting Him by faith. The writer of Psalm 73 was no longer looking at his circumstances around him and becoming discouraged.
Boy . . . this is such a good word for each of us. How many times have we fallen prey to the irrational conclusion that God is not willing to bless us for our faithfulness to Him? How many times have we taken our eyes off of the Lord and looked at our circumstances only to become discouraged that we don't have what others have? We become like the ignorant, senseless "brute beast" that Asaph called himself in that we are driven by our selfish desires and not by faith in God. We must remember that God is good, and He will orchestrate the path of our lives in such a way that we will trust in Him, mature in Him, and ultimately bring glory to Him .
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Open Rebuke is Better Than Hidden Love
Proverbs 27:5-6: "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."
Confrontation is never an easy experience, for we are concerned that our expressions of admonition will be misconstrued as self-righteous acrimony. All of us have had situations in which we have observed sinful behavior in our family and friends, and we have felt the compulsion to approach them about the issue. But then we find ourselves evaluating the potential relational damage that could result from such a confrontation. Many of us have acquiesced to our fears that such an intervention is not worth the loss of the friendships that we have, and we say nothing. In the mean time, our friends and family continue down a path of sin, which ultimately brings pain and heartache. Whereas we may believe that we did better by not saying anything, in effect, we have done more damage to our friends and family for saying nothing.
We must remember that the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people of sin (John 16:8), not us. But many times, God uses us as the instruments to begin the process of conviction in a person's life. Even if our Christian friends respond caustically to our expressed concern of sin in their lives, the Holy Spirit may use that encounter to plant a seed that will one day reach the full harvest of repentance.
Still, we must examine ourselves to see if our motivations at confrontation are pure. As we are restoring our brothers or sisters in Christ, we must make certain that we have (1) assessed the situation correctly and (2) have a proper disposition in our approach. We must make certain that we have examined the circumstances so that we make proper assertions towards the one we are confronting. In many cases, this takes time and even continuous, constructive dialogue with that person about the issue. We must also approach that person in a spirit of meekness and humility, knowing that we are also subject to temptation in our own lives (Galatians 6:1). Some thrive in identifying the faults in others, because it boosts their perception of self-worth. This is an egregious sin that the Lord finds utterly detestable (Proverbs 6:17).
Again, we understand the difficulty in approaching others and addressing sin in their lives; still, we all can remember times when we wished our friends would have had the boldness to share an open rebuke to us in a spirit of love so that we could have avoided the trouble caused by some sinful activity in our own lives. For us simply to share platitudes and turn a blind eye to observable sin in a fellow Christian's life is to sin against that person. We demonstrate by our unresponsiveness that we are more concerned with our personal loss of fellowship with that person than with helping him avoid the perils that sin presents. This ultimately is selfishness at its core.
We must remember that our true friends are those who don't simply share with us what we want to hear, but they are willing to share the honest painful truth with us. Trust is enhanced and a friendship is strengthened when a person in a spirit of love and redemption is willing to admonish his friend.
Confrontation is never an easy experience, for we are concerned that our expressions of admonition will be misconstrued as self-righteous acrimony. All of us have had situations in which we have observed sinful behavior in our family and friends, and we have felt the compulsion to approach them about the issue. But then we find ourselves evaluating the potential relational damage that could result from such a confrontation. Many of us have acquiesced to our fears that such an intervention is not worth the loss of the friendships that we have, and we say nothing. In the mean time, our friends and family continue down a path of sin, which ultimately brings pain and heartache. Whereas we may believe that we did better by not saying anything, in effect, we have done more damage to our friends and family for saying nothing.
We must remember that the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people of sin (John 16:8), not us. But many times, God uses us as the instruments to begin the process of conviction in a person's life. Even if our Christian friends respond caustically to our expressed concern of sin in their lives, the Holy Spirit may use that encounter to plant a seed that will one day reach the full harvest of repentance.
Still, we must examine ourselves to see if our motivations at confrontation are pure. As we are restoring our brothers or sisters in Christ, we must make certain that we have (1) assessed the situation correctly and (2) have a proper disposition in our approach. We must make certain that we have examined the circumstances so that we make proper assertions towards the one we are confronting. In many cases, this takes time and even continuous, constructive dialogue with that person about the issue. We must also approach that person in a spirit of meekness and humility, knowing that we are also subject to temptation in our own lives (Galatians 6:1). Some thrive in identifying the faults in others, because it boosts their perception of self-worth. This is an egregious sin that the Lord finds utterly detestable (Proverbs 6:17).
Again, we understand the difficulty in approaching others and addressing sin in their lives; still, we all can remember times when we wished our friends would have had the boldness to share an open rebuke to us in a spirit of love so that we could have avoided the trouble caused by some sinful activity in our own lives. For us simply to share platitudes and turn a blind eye to observable sin in a fellow Christian's life is to sin against that person. We demonstrate by our unresponsiveness that we are more concerned with our personal loss of fellowship with that person than with helping him avoid the perils that sin presents. This ultimately is selfishness at its core.
We must remember that our true friends are those who don't simply share with us what we want to hear, but they are willing to share the honest painful truth with us. Trust is enhanced and a friendship is strengthened when a person in a spirit of love and redemption is willing to admonish his friend.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Daily Bearing Our Burdens
Psalm 68:19: "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."
This passage is such a great word of encouragement for Christians . . . for our ephemeral lives often are filled with painfully distressing trials. We all are confronted with burdens in life . . . they are packaged differently for each of us; nonetheless, they are very real and very painful. When David spoke the words of Psalm 68, he himself was reflecting upon the trials of his own life and how he needed the Lord to sustain him through the difficulties. It is good to know that our Lord is genuinely interested in us and is willing to minister to us during our tribulations.
What I find particularly fascinating is David's "processing" through his painful experiences in the following Psalm (69):
1. 69:1-2: "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold."
Ever felt like you were up to your neck in your agonizing circumstances? Have you wondered if there was any way out? David felt this as he recounted his painful ordeals. The first thing that he did was petition the Lord for deliverance. He knew that the Lord was the only one who could get him through his situation.
2. 69:3: "I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched . . . "
For those of us who believe that we are self-sufficient in resolving any and all of our trials, we, like David, have to realize that we are not able to remedy every circumstance. We need to seek the Lord for His Divine intervention and sustaining peace through our trials. He is the only One Who can give us the strength to pull us through our painful experiences.
3. 69:5: "You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you."
David was willing to think introspectively of himself and confess the sin that he had in his life. We too need to examine ourselves to see if there is any sin in our lives that is impeding deliverance from our painful ordeals. Sometimes we may in fact be the contributing ingredient to our misery due to our sinful behavior.
4. 69:30: "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."
Here, David is not trying to trivialize his difficult circumstances, but he is able to praise the Lord despite his circumstances. David is willing to worship the Lord simply for who He is in His ineffable glory and for the assurances of deliverance that God has promised to David.
5. 69:35-36: "For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah . . . . and those who love his name will dwell there."
David was strengthened in the knowledge that the Lord in the end would deliver his people from the bondage of this painful life by ushering them into the blessedness of eternity. David knew that this earthly life would not exist forever, and that those who put their faith in the Lord would see the joy of a "rebuilt Judah (Promised Land)." We too need to be encouraged by the hope that this life will be transformed into the joy of glorification, when we will dwell in the presence of the Lord forever.
Enjoy God's daily presence in your lives, and look forward to the joy of your eternal salvation, when agonizing trials will be a thing of the past.
This passage is such a great word of encouragement for Christians . . . for our ephemeral lives often are filled with painfully distressing trials. We all are confronted with burdens in life . . . they are packaged differently for each of us; nonetheless, they are very real and very painful. When David spoke the words of Psalm 68, he himself was reflecting upon the trials of his own life and how he needed the Lord to sustain him through the difficulties. It is good to know that our Lord is genuinely interested in us and is willing to minister to us during our tribulations.
What I find particularly fascinating is David's "processing" through his painful experiences in the following Psalm (69):
1. 69:1-2: "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold."
Ever felt like you were up to your neck in your agonizing circumstances? Have you wondered if there was any way out? David felt this as he recounted his painful ordeals. The first thing that he did was petition the Lord for deliverance. He knew that the Lord was the only one who could get him through his situation.
2. 69:3: "I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched . . . "
For those of us who believe that we are self-sufficient in resolving any and all of our trials, we, like David, have to realize that we are not able to remedy every circumstance. We need to seek the Lord for His Divine intervention and sustaining peace through our trials. He is the only One Who can give us the strength to pull us through our painful experiences.
3. 69:5: "You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you."
David was willing to think introspectively of himself and confess the sin that he had in his life. We too need to examine ourselves to see if there is any sin in our lives that is impeding deliverance from our painful ordeals. Sometimes we may in fact be the contributing ingredient to our misery due to our sinful behavior.
4. 69:30: "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."
Here, David is not trying to trivialize his difficult circumstances, but he is able to praise the Lord despite his circumstances. David is willing to worship the Lord simply for who He is in His ineffable glory and for the assurances of deliverance that God has promised to David.
5. 69:35-36: "For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah . . . . and those who love his name will dwell there."
David was strengthened in the knowledge that the Lord in the end would deliver his people from the bondage of this painful life by ushering them into the blessedness of eternity. David knew that this earthly life would not exist forever, and that those who put their faith in the Lord would see the joy of a "rebuilt Judah (Promised Land)." We too need to be encouraged by the hope that this life will be transformed into the joy of glorification, when we will dwell in the presence of the Lord forever.
Enjoy God's daily presence in your lives, and look forward to the joy of your eternal salvation, when agonizing trials will be a thing of the past.
Monday, June 2, 2008
When God Conceals Himself
Proverbs 25:2: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings."
Sometimes in our life experiences, we wonder where God is and why He does not make Himself known to us with miraculous regularity. Often, I have heard people say, "If God is real, then why does He not reveal Himself in such a magnificent way that would impress everyone to follow Him? . . . Why is He so noticeably absent from our everyday lives (if He is even real at all)?"
Proverbs 25:2 addresses this question by telling us that God chooses not to broadcast Himself to us, for His glory. God is all-wise, and He knows that we will revere Him more if we are willing to pursue Him above all things. Our glory is in our finding the blessedness of companionship with the Almighty, and He knows that we will cherish Him more, when we have passionately pursued Him above everything else.
Jeremiah 29:13 presents this truth all too well. Specifically, the passage says, "You (man) will seek me (God) and find me when you seek me with your whole heart." Notice that the passage does not say, "you will find me when you pursue me halfheartedly." God is apt to reveal Himself to us when we are focused and determined to find Him. God's glory is mocked whenever we give to Him our leftovers. He is glorified and we are blessed when we pursue Him with unadulterated devotion.
Jesus referenced such a pursuit of God when He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure hidden in a field, that "when the man found it, he . . . with joy went and sold all he had and bought that field" (Matthew 13:44). Those who find the Kingdom of Heaven (and thus God Himself) are those who are willing to give up all in seeking the Lord.
It is interesting in the gospel accounts to see the Pharisees demanding of Jesus a sign to validate His authority as Lord (see John 2:18 for example). When Jesus did perform miraculous signs, He refused to entrust Himself to the people for he "knew what was in a man" [i.e. their duplicity](John 2:24-25). Although people were impressed with what Jesus had done, their true hearts of apathy (even hatred) for the Lord later would be revealed with Jesus' subsequent miracles. Although the religious leaders knew that Jesus was a "teacher who had come from God . . . (for the) miraculous signs (He) was doing" [John 3:2], they would later persecute the Savior and would try harder to kill him (John 5:16-18). This vehement hatred often was fueled by the miraculous deeds that Jesus performed before the people.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the religious leaders did not rejoice in this overwhelming miraculous act by the Lord; rather, they plotted to take Jesus' life and kill Lazarus to get rid of the Divine evidence (John 11:53; 12:10). Although God chose to reveal Himself in a majestic, supernatural way, the hardened hearts of the people were further spurred on to destroy the Lord.
If we find ourselves angry at the Lord for His apparent unwillingness to reveal Himself, maybe we need to look at ourselves to see how passionate we are in seeking Him. If we think we can beckon Him to us through our shallow superficialities that lack substantive desire for intimacy, we shouldn't think that we will find Him. God, to His glory, will choose to distance Himself from us until we are better able to appreciate who He is as Lord.
Sometimes in our life experiences, we wonder where God is and why He does not make Himself known to us with miraculous regularity. Often, I have heard people say, "If God is real, then why does He not reveal Himself in such a magnificent way that would impress everyone to follow Him? . . . Why is He so noticeably absent from our everyday lives (if He is even real at all)?"
Proverbs 25:2 addresses this question by telling us that God chooses not to broadcast Himself to us, for His glory. God is all-wise, and He knows that we will revere Him more if we are willing to pursue Him above all things. Our glory is in our finding the blessedness of companionship with the Almighty, and He knows that we will cherish Him more, when we have passionately pursued Him above everything else.
Jeremiah 29:13 presents this truth all too well. Specifically, the passage says, "You (man) will seek me (God) and find me when you seek me with your whole heart." Notice that the passage does not say, "you will find me when you pursue me halfheartedly." God is apt to reveal Himself to us when we are focused and determined to find Him. God's glory is mocked whenever we give to Him our leftovers. He is glorified and we are blessed when we pursue Him with unadulterated devotion.
Jesus referenced such a pursuit of God when He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure hidden in a field, that "when the man found it, he . . . with joy went and sold all he had and bought that field" (Matthew 13:44). Those who find the Kingdom of Heaven (and thus God Himself) are those who are willing to give up all in seeking the Lord.
It is interesting in the gospel accounts to see the Pharisees demanding of Jesus a sign to validate His authority as Lord (see John 2:18 for example). When Jesus did perform miraculous signs, He refused to entrust Himself to the people for he "knew what was in a man" [i.e. their duplicity](John 2:24-25). Although people were impressed with what Jesus had done, their true hearts of apathy (even hatred) for the Lord later would be revealed with Jesus' subsequent miracles. Although the religious leaders knew that Jesus was a "teacher who had come from God . . . (for the) miraculous signs (He) was doing" [John 3:2], they would later persecute the Savior and would try harder to kill him (John 5:16-18). This vehement hatred often was fueled by the miraculous deeds that Jesus performed before the people.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the religious leaders did not rejoice in this overwhelming miraculous act by the Lord; rather, they plotted to take Jesus' life and kill Lazarus to get rid of the Divine evidence (John 11:53; 12:10). Although God chose to reveal Himself in a majestic, supernatural way, the hardened hearts of the people were further spurred on to destroy the Lord.
If we find ourselves angry at the Lord for His apparent unwillingness to reveal Himself, maybe we need to look at ourselves to see how passionate we are in seeking Him. If we think we can beckon Him to us through our shallow superficialities that lack substantive desire for intimacy, we shouldn't think that we will find Him. God, to His glory, will choose to distance Himself from us until we are better able to appreciate who He is as Lord.
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