Judges 3:4
(These hostile enemies of Israel) were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.
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We know the Lord could easily erase every struggle and make our lives smooth sailing into glory. But He allows it to “rain on the just and the unjust”. Christians get sick, have money problems, relational stresses, auto accidents, are victims in tragedies, on and on. In fact, as one first century accuser said, “You Christians have more problems than the average person. How can you believe a God who takes such poor care of you in this life is able to take care of you in the life to come?” Continue reading
Real Rolex for 20 dollah!
Ephesians 5:1
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
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“Is that a genuine Rolex watch for $20?” Street vendors in Thailand are known for responding to such questions with, “Same. Same. But different.” It is the exact same … only different. It is an imitation.
The Holy Spirit tells us to be imitations of God. To be the “same, same” as God even though we are “different”.
There are cheap imitations that look good on the outside but their inner workings are not the same. Such fakes won’t last. At the first test, they break. Lord, I don’t want to be a cheap imitation.
The Holy Spirit is not telling us to be fake, to masquerade as something we are not. In fact, He is telling us to be what, in Christ, we genuinely are. We have a new nature, a divine nature. We are new creatures, spiritual beings. We have a new mind, the mind of Christ. Imitate God. Be genuine. Live like what we truly are, born again, drawn from God’s gene pool, “his dear children.”
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1 Peter 1:14, 15
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
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I am awesome!
Philippians 1:15-18
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, … The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, … But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
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I used to wonder how you could “preach Christ out of selfish ambition”, “out of envy and rivalry”, with “false motives”. Going into ministry is not usually thought of as a road to fame and fortune. But the longer I’ve been at this pastoring thing the more I’ve seen a subtle temptation.
When you have been blessed, like I have, to pastor wonderful and gracious people they frequently encourage you, tell you how much God has used you to help them and generously express their love and appreciation. It is tempting to begin to look for those strokes, live for them and long for them. Suddenly you are ministering to meet a need in you instead of allowing God to meet the needs of others through you – selfish ambition and soon envy and rivalry. Slowly you can even begin to believe you are as wonderful as people say you are. Continue reading
How do you stop a charging elephant?
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
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Someone was commenting on the deal they got on a new car because of “good financing”. Instead of minding my own business I let them know I think the term “good financing” is an oxymoron. How can anything that makes us a slave to another be “good”?
It is so easy to go into debt to demonstrate our love, or meet a “need” we feel we have, to comfort ourselves, pass time shopping, etc. Before we do however, it is wise to invest some time meditating on the warning of Proverbs 22:7. Continue reading
The Big O Still Matters
Judges 1:19
Now the LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.
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The Lord was with them and they took the high ground but was God impotent against iron chariots? Of courses not. Judges 4 shows even 900 iron chariots is no challenge for the Lord. So why couldn’t Judah drive out the “inhabitants of the valley”? Continue reading
Living inside out
John 3:1-3
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
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He prayed long, hard and sincerely. He gave faithfully to the work of God. He fasted regularly and was at church every time the doors were open (probably even had a key to get in when it wasn’t open). He had a profound, unshakable belief in God that drove him onward and impacted his daily living. He studied and memorized Scripture and even believed Jesus was sent from God. Sounds like a guy you would want to welcome into your church.
But without pleasantries or pats on the back for all his religious zeal, the first thing Jesus told Nicodemus is that he couldn’t even see the kingdom of God if there was not a radical change in his life. He had to be “born again”. Continue reading
Help for exhausted parents
Proverbs 28:23
Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
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What an important message for parents. When our children misbehave we are tempted to look away, ignore it, if in public to act like we don’t even know who these kids belong to. Sometimes it seems impossible to muster the strength to deal with it one more time. And sometimes our attitude (anger?) is such that we shouldn’t try to deal with it right now.
But this passage makes a promise for worn out parents who do rise to the occasion and rebuke, discipline, even chastise if necessary “one more time”. If we dig deep and find the energy (and self control) to make the effort, endure the grief and embarrassment it causes us, we “will in the end gain favor”. Continue reading
Rebuke me, please.
Proverbs 27:5
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
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This passage seems a little strange. No one likes to be rebuked but everyone wants to be loved. So how is rebuke better than love?
Hidden love is worthless. Love is a verb. It requires action. If I love you but never act lovingly toward you, my “love” amounts to nothing. So this passage is saying: If you love someone, do something, act like it, tell them.
What an important truth for parents and children, husbands and wives and even friends. The old, “They know I love them so I don’t have to tell them” is a deception. Tell them, express your love, lavish it on. Do not let your love remain hidden. Continue reading
Get real! Water to wine?
John 2:11
This (turning water into wine), the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
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The Almighty God who flung the stars and planets into their orbits, who scooped out the oceans with His hand and before whom all creation bows, this God manifests Himself in the flesh and for His first great act He turns water into wine. Sounds pretty trivial even if you are a lover of fine wine. Continue reading
My friend stabbed me!
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Proverbs 27:6
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
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What a strange passage. We don’t usually think of a friend wounding us or of enemies kissing us – except perhaps the kiss of Judas which this passage is obviously prophetically referring to. But sometimes it is only a friend who will wound us. Continue reading