Jeremiah 44:16-18

As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine.

The Israelites had just experienced a horrible time of famine, war, and persecution. God had already spoken through the prophet Jeremiah that it would come because of their turning from Him and committing spiritual adultery with the "queen of heaven." No one believed him though, and continued in their ways, trusting God would still protect them despite their false idol worship. When the testing did come, they turned from their idols and sought God, but now it was too late. God's judgment had come and they were not repentant, only remorseful for their mistakes. This is shown in the verse above in that when God tells them to stay in the land and not go down to Egypt. They did not associate their suffering with their spiritual adultery but rather their abandonment of it! Their past had caused their current pain but they sought to return to their past sins, glorifying it's joy and fulfillment of their desires. Don't allow yourself to believe this lie either. We can sometimes be tempted to look back fondly on our sinful life and remember the good things, forgetting the bad things like pain, suffering, and lack of real fulfillment. Remember the good things you have when you follow God, even if it is hard for a season; eternal life, forgiveness, and the love of the Creator of the Universe! That far outweighs even the greatest pleasure of your past sin life. Don't forget this!

Luke 4:1-2

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. - Luke 4:1-2

Jesus just had an amazing moment in His life; He was baptized, the Father declared Him to be His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in full view of many people. It must have been an utterly amazing moment for Him, but then the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days! Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into a trial and temptation? The answer is that this trial made Jesus stronger, and that was what God wanted for Him at this point. Sometimes we fall into the temptation to believe that because God wants good things for us that life will be easy and calm. This is not the truth! When a parent wants their child to be healthy, they have to take the child to the doctor, give them food that isn't sugary, and get them to sleep at a decent hour. This is not pleasurable for the child but it will help the child be healthy and happy. Likewise God will often give us Spiritual food that isn't our favorite "flavor," take us to places where we receive a Spiritual "checkup" and maybe a shot or two to keep sin away, and cause us to rest when we just want to do something. In these times, we need to trust God as a child has to trust their parents. Don't give into the sin of doubting God's love or good plans for you. Trust Him and you will see the good fruit that results.

Luke 1:1-4

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Have you ever been told in school "Don't ask why, just trust me. I know what I'm talking about?" This is the response of someone who is afraid to challenge his concepts and beliefs. They may even be aware of some hole in their understanding and are afraid you will open that doubt in them again. This is not what we, as Christians, are supposed to do. In 1 Peter, the apostle Peter says we should all be ready to defend our hope. How can you do that unless you have investigated and searched the truth for yourself? Faith in Christ is not an exercise in trusting what someone else says about Him but experiencing and growing in it yourself. Then, you can share what you have learned with someone else and encourage them to investigate it themselves. Don't be afraid to open yourself to your doubts and fears but accept them, investigate them, and allow God to answer them. Questions are not the enemy of faith, but the fertilizer that helps it grow.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8

2 Cor 7:4-6

Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction. For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 2 Cor 7:4-6

Our troubles can seem so overwhelming at times. I have often been in the middle of a tough time and felt in my heart an overwhelming desire to just stay home, alone, and just sleep. It seems like that is the most comforting thing I could do in those times, but that is not the case. Paul had suffered greatly when he came to Macedonia, both physically and spiritually, but in the midst of that trial, he was comforted by the visit of his friend and fellow believer; Titus. In this visit, Paul realized that God had sent Titus to comfort them and welcomed it with open arms. When we are in trials, like Paul, we might feel that the last thing we want is a visitor or to go to church, but that is exactly where we need to go! It is there that God can speak to us, comfort us, and encourage us through each other. Don't allow the enemy to disable the great source of strength and healing that is the fellowship of believers. Get out of your pit of despair and allow God to shine some light into the darkness, giving you a proper perspective and view of your trial. Then, you can face the trial with renewed faith and trust in God's ability to show you His love, grace, and power, even in this time.

2 Sam 6:6-9

But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. David became angry because of the LORD'S outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. So David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" - 2 Sam 6:6-9

There is a strange trend in our generation to try to reduce role models and authority figures to normal people through mockery or acting like they are our best friends. We see this spill over into Christianity with the idea that Jesus is my best friend, for example. This idea turns the Creator of the universe and sustainer of all things into one of the dudes I play poker with every week while smoking a cigar or the girl I have a coffee and long conversations with. While Jesus is the lover of our souls and desires a real relationship with us, He is also the Holy God. Because of this, He desires us to be holy, as He is holy, and to respect Him for who He is. Uzzah was trying to do a good thing when he tried to stop the Ark of God from falling over, but he didn't honor the holiness of God by doing so. This is why God struck him dead. It seems harsh to us maybe, but we need to understand that God had given specific ways to carry the ark and to handle it with reverence. When the people failed to do that, He was gracious enough to allow them to continue, but when they stepped over the line, He had to act. Today, God often withholds His judgment of our sins because of His love, but we shouldn't expect Him to allow us to continue in an irreverent and unloving attitude with Him. He is a holy God and needs to be treated as such. We need to be close to God, but in His way and according to His terms. Then and only then can we be set free from fear and truly enjoy the love and grace of God.

2 Corinthians 2:6-8

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. - 2 Cor 2:6-8

Everyone likes to see justice finally come to someone who has done something horribly wrong. There is a need within us all to believe that every bad deed will be punished and every criminal will be repayed for his crime and when we see that about to happen, something within us rejoices. In Corinth, there was a man who had sexual relations with his own mother and had claimed the freedom in Christ to defend his actions. This was wrong and Paul instructed the church to cast him out of the church "so that his spirit might be saved." This they did, and it had the intended effect; the man repented and desired to be forgiven. However, the church wasn't doing that. This man was desiring to be restored but the church didn't want to restore him. This poor man was filled with sorrow and repentance and yet those who most closely represented God would not forgive and restore him! This was a horrible example of the love and forgiveness of the Father! While his sin had been great, his repentance was real and deserved to be responded to. This is why Paul instructs the people to now forgive and restore, lest the man turn from God in his sorrow. God does not turn His back on anyone so long as their repentance is real and honest, and neither should we. As Jesus taught in Luke 6, "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you... Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." (31, 36-37) If there is someone who has hurt you or sinned against you, shows repentance, and desires to be forgiven and restored, do not withhold that from them. If you don't, you will become a living demonstration of God's nature and you yourself will receive the forgiveness and restoration you so badly need from the Lord as well!

Change of plans

Sorry anyone reading this for not updating for almost two months! EEK! I have discovered the time commitment to update every day is a bit much so I am going to try once a week and see how that goes. I hope and pray these posts have and will continue to be encouraging to people and that God blesses someone through them. So, here goes the weekly experiment!

- Shane

Psalm 45:3

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, In Your splendor and Your majesty!

When most people think of Jesus today, they think of the buddy Jesus or hippie Jesus, but not warrior Jesus. To connect the teachings of Jesus with the Bible's representation of a just warrior King is hard, but it is the truth; Jesus is a warrior and that is part of His majesty. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in the idea of today, thinking that Jesus is just a warm fuzzy teddy bear. Remember His strength, power, and justice. He is rightly to be feared and respected, even though He loves us immeasurably. Trust in God, not only for your salvation, but also for your protection and to bring justice when you are wronged. He is fully capable.

1 Sam 30:23-24

Then David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike."

David's men had won a great battle and recovered everything that had been taken from them. However, some of David's men fell behind and couldn't keep up. The men who fought became frustrated at the laziness of those who didn't fight and decided to leave them out of the spoils from the battle. David makes a good point though; they might not have helped in the fighting, but they did help in protecting what they had. While this didn't actively help in the battle, it did keep them from loosing more than they already had lost. This deserved some respect and shouldn't be punished but rewarded like everyone else. In today's world, it's easy to dismiss or forget about those who do little to help with the work visibly, but in God's kingdom, the ones who will receive the greatest reward are those we didn't even know helped. Don't neglect to think about those who help in the ministry of the church in a less visible way. God will not forget them.

Exodus 10:7

Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?"

Pharaoh had surrounded himself with men who would do whatever he said and tell him what he wanted to hear. Though they sought to please Pharaoh and not tell him the truth, even they knew there was a time to "wake up and smell the coffee." How much better for Egypt everything would have been if Pharaoh had had quality people to give advice from the beginning, and he had listened to them. Don't allow yourself to be surrounded by people who only seek to please you. Seek advice from those you know will tell you the truth, no matter how much it hurts, and then listen to them! Don't allow your entire world to be destroyed simply because you want to follow your ideas and not God's. Submit to Him and you will see His plans will reap rewards far greater then any loss you might suffer from following Him.

1 Cor 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Today's society sees independence and self reliance as a virtue and strength. We look up to those who beat the odds and overcame their limits. The problem is that God did not design us that way, and He actually considers independence and self reliance a sin! In realty, nothing we have came from ourselves, so even "pulling ourselves up by our own boot-straps" necessitates someone giving us the arms with enough strength and boot straps strong enough to pull ourselves up with. It is only by the grace of God we can do anything, including drawing our next breath. Don't allow yourself to believe the lies of Satan and the praises of this world. You are not the one responsible for anything in your life that is good, only God. Thank Him and praise Him for His goodness and power. Then, you will not sin in pride and fall into the trap of many; relying on yourself to accomplish what only God can.

Mark 9:5-6

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.

In this part of the Gospel of Mark, Peter, John and James are taken aside with Jesus and witness an amazing sight; Jesus, Moses and Elijah, with Jesus transformed into the image of a glorious king rather than the humble servant of mankind, all right before their eyes. This, clearly, terrified all three of them. However, Peter, true to his nature, says something silly. He was excited because he saw the Jesus he had expected to see Him all along and in a state mixed with fear (the now obvious power of Jesus was frightening) and excitement (all of his hopes might now be met) he speaks. "Yes! This is how it should be! Let's stay like this forever!" The problem was that this isn't what God wanted for the world. Jesus, on a hill, with Moses and Elijah... What would that solve? It might have solved the temporary problems of Rome and the Pharisees, but it would only bring condemnation and death to the world, not life. God's plan wouldn't solve the problems of Rome or the Pharisees the way Peter wanted, but it would solve the eternal problem of sin. We need to remember that our plans are not always what God wants. Don't be like Peter and try to stay in the times of glorious revelation. Rather, allow God to move you to the next stage; testing and trials, for it is there that you will be shaped into His image and there that His power can change the World.

Jeremiah 14:13-14

"Ah, Lord GOD!" I said, "Look, the prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.'" Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds."

The prophets of Jeremiah's day were saying a lot of things about God, but none of them were true. They were promising prosperity and safety from trouble, but God was saying just the opposite to Jeremiah! Jeremiah asks God about this problem and God's response is simply that He didn't send them. Later, He predicts that they will die by the very things they were predicting wouldn't come. Guess who was right? The point was the false prophets were promising good things, even though the people were in rebellion to God. Jeremiah was warning of problems because of their rebellion. One was a false message of comfort and security in sin, the other was a warning of the consequences of staying in sin. Never forget that God loves us and His grace is what saves us for eternity, but there is no safety or security promised for us in the temporal world when we are in sin. God will not speak words of comfort or love when you are slapping Him in the face and rebelling against Him. He desires to love you, but if you will not accept it, then beware of the consequences of your sins. You might be saved from hell, but if you stab yourself in the leg, you will still bleed. This is the difference between the words of false prophets and the words of God; God seeks to keep you from stabbing yourself, the world attempts to cover the wound and allow you to bleed to death.

Job 30:26

When I expected good, then evil came; When I waited for light, then darkness came.

Does it surprise you when bad things happen in your life? Did you believe that when you accepted God, everything would be easy and pain-free? Did you know that Jesus never promised that? Not only this, but He actually promised persecution and even death! God is not a spiritual piggy-bank and becoming a Christian doesn't create a savings account in God's bank. When we do good things or obey God, it doesn't add a credit to our account which we can use to get what we want later. Our good works do not produce wealth and comfort in this life, but eternal rewards in heaven. We need to remember this and not be discouraged when bad things happen, even when we are doing everything we can to please the Lord. God is not punishing us by allowing tragedy and pain in our lives, but giving us the opportunity to demonstrate to those around us that there truly is something different about us, something they need. This often cannot be seen when everything is going smoothly and we are happy and content. Don't be afraid when trials or troubles come, trust the Lord, and know that He is working both in you and through you in every situation.

Psalm 42:1-2

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?

How much do you long to be with the Lord? Do you thirst for His presence the way you thirst for a swim in some cool water on a hot day? If not, then do you want it to change? Jesus promised to the woman at the well that He could give living water, and once she drank, she wouldn't thirst again. Are you in a place where worshiping the Lord has become dry and wearisome? Do you no longer desire to be with the Lord with all your heart? Seek again that living water and ask God to give you a renewed desire for it. As you do, you will find yourself fulfilled, no longer focusing on what you are not receiving or not able to do, but simply content to be with Him and enjoying His presence. Remember, Jesus alone is the living water, and only when you seek Him will you no longer thirst again.

1 Samuel 22:17-19

And the king said to the guards who were attending him, "Turn around and put the priests of the LORD to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me." But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to attack the priests of the LORD. Then the king said to Doeg, "You turn around and attack the priests." And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.

Here we see one of many examples of why God rejected Saul as king. David, the man God had chosen to replace Saul, was helped by a priest. When Saul finds out, he wants to kill the priest and all his family! Talk about overkill! Saul's servants were wise in that they didn't want to obey Saul for these men were not enemies of Israel, (or even common men,) but the faithful servants of God! That didn't stop Saul though. He searched until he found someone who would do as he said, and he eventually found this person in a non-Israelite. This man not only did what Saul wanted, but he was cruel and unjust in his obedience. He killed the men, their women, children, animals, and even burned the town. We can look at this and agree with God that this is a horrible thing, but we can do something similar. When we want to do something, do we seek those who will tell us the truth or simply those who agree with us. If we only seek those who agree with us, we do the same thing as Saul, and it will always result in destruction and suffering. Don't surround yourself with people who agree with you, but seek the council of those who will speak plainly what God thinks, no matter what. Then you will be spared from making destructive mistakes and God will be present in your life in a mighty way.

Exodus 7:10-13

So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

God had told Moses to go and perform signs and miracles before Pharaoh so that he might let the people go and worship Him in the wilderness. One of these miracles was to turn his staff into a snake. While miraculous, it seems that Pharaoh's magicians could duplicate the effect, taking away the impact of the miracle on Pharaoh. However, note that they did not remove the one snake, but made more snakes. If you think about it, it doesn't really help the situation very much. The one snake could have bitten someone and killed them, but more snakes just added to the problem! Isn't it interesting that often times, man can duplicate many of the things that God can do, but most of the time, it just adds to the noise and confusion rather than makes it clearer? It's only when God's work produces fruit of righteousness that we can truly see clearly what is from God and what isn't. While God's work created the initial problem for Pharaoh and the magicians only added to it, it was God's work that cleared up the problem and protected Pharaoh in the end. Likewise, it is God's work alone that will eventually clear up the confusion and reveal the truth of God's greatness. The work of man will simply confuse and muddy the waters of our search for truth. Don't be fooled by things that appear to be from God. Test it, and only if it proves true, then believe it.

Jeremiah 8:8-9

How can you say, 'We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie. The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, And what kind of wisdom do they have?

Have you ever watched a horror movie and found yourself shouting at the actor "Don't go in there! What are you thinking?!?" There is something within us that cries out when we see someone rejecting the "obvious wisdom" for the situation they are in. Usually they do this because there is some other form of wisdom in their hearts that makes them feel more comfortable, though it is clearly wrong to an outsider. They reject the obvious for the comfortable, and that usually ends in the movies with that person dying. Luckly, in life, that isn't always the case, or most of us would be dead now. What is even worse than this, though, is when someone in a position of power leads others to do this through purposely not sharing the truth. God isn't pleased with this at all. This is what the scribes, or the sole group of people charged with copying God's Word, were doing. They knew the Word and were in it all day, every day, and yet they did not tell the truth to the people who sought them for answers. God was not pleased, to say the least. We too need to be careful that we don't seek to change, lighten, or manipulate the Word of God to make it "easier" on people to receive God. While it might lead people to Christ, it won't please God and will make it harder for that person in the future when they realize the truth. Don't worry about making the Gospel more appealing or easier to accept. It is what it is and doesn't need any changing. Simply share it as it is and let God do the work. Be faithful to share the whole truth and watch God work.

Job 28:12-13, 23, 28

But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living... God understands its way, And He knows its place... And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'

The world around us is filled with information. In our generation, there has never been more information available to the average man, and yet we are no wiser then those of the past. Wisdom is not simply having information about something, that is knowledge. Wisdom means using the information you have in a useful and powerful way. In that regard, we are truly no better then any other generation as many still do not understand how to apply the things they know in a good way. True wisdom begins with understanding that 1) there is a God, 2) we are not it, 3) we should listen to the One who is God. That is why God says the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord. This is not a natural thought though, since it is not a part of the "natural" world. Many Christians even shrink back from the idea of fearing the Lord, thinking that because God is love, there should be no fear in our hearts towards Him. We need to understand that God is mighty, awesome, and just! This shouldn't make us afraid as in a horror movie, but it should make us respect and honor that power and authority as it deserves. This is what it means to fear God; allow Him His proper place in our lives. When we do that, then everything else can come into focus and wisdom can begin to build up in our lives. If you don't fear the Lord in this way, then I pray you would begin today. You will see a change in your life that will truly make you wise for eternity, not just for a time.

Psalm 39:4-5

LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.

Do you realize how short our time is on this earth? One person, when asked what his greatest fear was, responded "I'm not afraid of hell, but of wasting my life." If we are lucky, we spend 80 years on this planet. In that time, we experience less than 1% of the world's history! We can accomplish things in this limited time, but many of those things will simply pass away into dust and air. Even the work we do today is quickly replaced with more work and more things to do. With this in mind, we can become like Solomon and think that "all is vanity." However, not all is vanity. Some things we do in this life have eternal meaning. These are the things that make those 80 (more or less) years worth it. So, the question before us is then, in light of the transience of our life, what, if anything, are we doing that really matters? If the answer is nothing, then start, today, to seek the Lord to see how you can make your life matter eternally.

1 Sam 16:18

Then one of the young men said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

This verse describes King David as many people know him; powerful, wise, skillful, and a servant of the Lord. However, this description is given of him before he is ever recognized as anything other then the 7th son of Jesse who shepherds the sheep. He had not yet killed Goliath, he had not yet led the armies of the Lord into battle, he had not yet become known as the sweet psalmist of Israel. Despite this, he already had cultivated a life fit for those achievements. Most people who are used by God in a mighty way are developed long before they are used. David had the choice to be lazy, or work. He had the choice to waste his free time, or use it to worship the Lord. He had the choice to run when he was scared, or stand and fight. Because he consistently chose, day by day, to be brave, strong, hard-working, and close to the Lord, his life produced a lot of powerful fruit in this area. What are you cultivating in your life today? If you want to see powerful fruit, then seek the Lord, be diligent, and wait for His perfect timing.

Exodus 3:19-20

"But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go."

The Israelites were hard pressed and persecuted. They were worked very hard and treated very badly, and in this state they cried out to the Lord for deliverance. Then Moses came... and things got worse! God sent them the person who would deliver them and the Israelites began to complain about him also! Why? Because they said "he made things worse before he made them better." Did he though? In reality, it was the hardness of the Pharaoh's heart that made things harder, not Moses. Moses was simply God's catalyst to bring about the change they were praying for. However, to bring about that change, God had to change something in Pharaoh's heart, and to do this He had to allow a little more suffering into the lives of the Israelites. When we are in a situation where it is bad, we pray, and it seems to get worse, we need to cling to the fact that God promises not to abandon us. It might be that our suffering is God's way of reaching out to someone else, teaching someone else, or forming someone else into the person they need to be to accomplish His will. Don't loose hope and don't blame those God sends into your life. Rather, praise God that He has heard your prayers and wait in expectation, no matter how bad it might get.

1 Corinthians 11:17-18, 22

But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it... What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. NASB

The Corinthian church had a major problem; they had formed groups within the church that saw themselves as better then other groups. This was causing problems and people began to see the church time not as a time of growing closer to God and each other, but an opportunity to get back at the other groups and demonstrate that their group was better then the others. It had become a brutal display of selfishness and lack of self control. This is a horrible condemnation against them, that Paul himself says their meetings cause more harm then good! When anyone in a church sees themselves as better then the others, division happens, and this leads to selfishness and self indulgence. Beware of this in your own life and don't allow yourself to fall into the same condemnation as the Corinthian church. Remember that Jesus said about the greatest among us should be the servant of all and that we in the church should not lord our positions over each other, but love one another by submitting to one another and serving in love. Be an example of the grace and love of Jesus, not the selfishness and evil of the world.

Mark 6:35-37

When it was already quite late, (Jesus') disciples came to Him and said, "This place is desolate and it is already quite late; send (the crowds) away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But He answered them, "You give them something to eat!" And they said to Him, "Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?" NASB

The crowds had come to seek Jesus, just as they always did. After Jesus ministered to the people for a long time, the disciples saw a problem develop and got worried. They brought this to Jesus' attention and He told them to help the people solve the problem so they could continue to seek Him. However, the disciples first response was a logical, but selfish one; where could they possibly find the resources for that? The response Jesus was looking for was one of faith and trust, one that desired to enable the people to see Jesus more; Tell us how we can do this Lord! At first glance, there isn't much of a difference between the two statements, but one is really saying "we can't do that" and the other is really saying "I don't see how we can do that, but show us." One expresses a lack of trust in the Lord and a desire to remain comfortable, the other, a desire to see God work, no matter the cost. What is your response when God challenges you to do something beyond your understanding? Pray that you can be more like the disciples should have been and ask God to show you how. Then, you will see God work and know that you didn't fail to trust in the Lord to do it.

Jeremiah 5:30-31

An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? NASB

The people of Jeremiah's day were in a very dangerous place. They knew God, knew about His commandments and the consequences of disobedience, and yet they continued in their ways, believing the lies of the false prophets and enjoying the double life. This really bothered God. He didn't like that they represented a relationship with Him in a false way to the world. According to their example, it was ok to cheat, lie, steal, murder, and do horrible things, so long as you made your sacrifices and observed the feasts. This made people turn away from God and that really bothered Him. Because of this, God allowed Judah to be captured by the Babylonians and Jerusalem destroyed. However, the most interesting point in this verse is not that, but the last statement: what will you do at the end of it? Where will you follow and what will you do? This is the real heart of it all; others might be doing the wrong thing, but what will you do? I pray your answer is to follow the Lord and serve Him in truth and love.

Job 25:5-6

"How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? If even the moon has no brightness And the stars are not pure in His sight, How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!" NASB

When we are confronted with our sinfulness and willful disobedience, it can seem like there is no possible way that God could love us the way He says He does. Being confronted with God's holiness, love, and grace should produce this attitude in us, but it shouldn't end there. We need to remember that God's grace allows us to stand before Him, regardless of our lack of worthiness and holiness. It is not by our great deeds or perfect life that God accepts and loves us, but by the suffering of Christ and the work of the cross. This is a gift and we cannot earn it. Don't let yourself try to add to the work of the cross by saying that you need to add anything to enter into God's presence. Even your attitude needs to be as Paul described in Hebrews 10:19, with boldness and confidence, not in ourselves, but in the completeness of the work of Christ. Realize the reality of your personal status in God's eyes, but don't forget that you are also a beloved child of the Father! Run into His arms and enjoy the love He has reserved for you alone.

Psalm 37:8

Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

We all can agree that anger isn't usually a good thing and that wrath tends to lead to mistakes of judgment. However, did you know that fretting is just as bad in God's eyes as anger and wrath? Fretting, or worrying, makes us do silly things sometimes. It messes up our health and makes us miserable. Not only that, but it is a result of us being disobedient to God! He tells us to worry about nothing and pray to Him. Why? Because He is GOD! If there is a problem, He can fix it, no matter how hard. So then why do we worry? Is God too small to handle our problem? We need to put God back in His proper place in our lives and, like a small child, trust Him to take care of it. Every day has it's problems, but every day God is God. Trust Him to handle everything. Listen carefully to what He asks you to do, then do it. Trust Him with the rest.

1 Sam 12:20,22-25

Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart... For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.

Samuel, a mighty prophet of God, was about to demonstrate the anger of the Lord in the people asking for a king, but before that he wanted them to know that God might not be pleased but He still desired a loving relationship with them. Also, Samuel wanted them to know that he would continue to pray for them and that if they repented, he would seek to teach them the path that pleased God. This is just one example how Samuel was a godly judge. We have a far greater Judge in heaven who makes constant intercession before the Father on our behalf; Jesus. Though God is righteously angry over our sins, the redemptive work of Christ pays for those sins. They are now and forever forgiven and we are set free to live a life led by the Spirit. To do this, we need to seek the teaching of Jesus and allow Him to show us the good and right way. Don't wait another day if you are not yet doing this. Start now and allow God to restore and renew you.

Genesis 49:28b

(Jacob) blessed (his sons,) every one with the blessing appropriate to him.

Jacob was dying and, as was normal in those days, he blessed his sons from his death bed. As the verse above notes, he blessed them not with a general blessing, but with a specific, individual blessing designed just for them. This means that he spend time and energy on making each one special for that son, custom fitted to match them and their personalities. That took a lot of time and effort, but it was the best way to show his love to his sons. What's interesting is that this is what God does for each of us. God does not give us all the same blessings and gifts for this life, but those which are suited best for us. We might look at others and see how blessed they are and feel jealous, or maybe try to convince or force others to be like us, but this shouldn't be. God made each one of us differently with different talents, traits, and gifts, and we shouldn't try to fit into someone else's mold or make others fit into our mold. To truly be blessed and a blessing to others, we should seek to set people free from that pressure to conform to our standards and encourage them to enjoy being the person that God created them to be. Celebrate their diversity, accept them for who they are, and allow them to serve God in the way He made them to.

1 Cor 9:2

If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. NASB

People have a habit of criticizing others, especially when they are doing something well. Paul was facing just such criticism from Jewish Christians trying to turn the Corinthian church against him and into legalism. Paul's defense is basically this; look at the fruit of my work in your life and decide for yourself who is true and who isn't. As Luke 7:35 says, "Wisdom is vindicated by her children." We shouldn't feel the need to defend ourselves to critics if we are following the Lord's calling and our relationship with the Lord is solid. There will always be people who are convinced they know more then you and they will love to tell you so. Your job is not to make them "see the error of their ways" but to be faithful to the calling God has called you to and love them, no matter how they might abuse you. Then, the results of your work will speak for themselves. Yes, it is hard at times to do this, but Jesus knows all about that pain. Call out to Him when you experience things like this and He will give you strength and endurance to get through it.

Mark 3-4a

And Jesus said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" NASB

The religious leaders of Jesus' day were upset with Jesus. While Jesus never sinned, He didn't obey the man-made rules the Jews had made to keep themselves from sinning. He didn't need them. In the end, the rulers sought to kill Jesus because of this and the threat He proved to their power. In this specific example, Jesus sought to set someone free from a crippling disability. This is good by anyone's definition, but the Pharisees were upset because Jesus "worked on the Sabbath." They had so wrapped themselves in rules and regulations to keep themselves from sinning that they lost sight of the heart of God! They saw this act as a sin, not as a miracle! Don't let your relationship with God become like the Pharisees. Don't become so obsessed with rules and legalism that you forget to help people who are sick and suffering!

Isaiah 63:1-4

Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? "I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come." NASB

Verses like this tend to be really troublesome for some people. When they think about Jesus, they think of a guy who loves to hug people, heal the sick, and say a lot of good things about living a life of love, not of hate. The problem is that Jesus also spoke out a lot about hypocrisy, injustice, and sin. In fact, He was as angry with sin as He was in love with us. That is His nature. We cannot accept the love of Jesus and "leave out" His justice and holiness. The reason the Gospel is good news is because there is bad news; we all have sinned, God is Holy, and sin and holiness can't dwell together. There will come a time when God's love for all mankind will have to step aside for His holiness and justice to step in. This is both good and bad news! We all see the sin and injustice in this world and wonder why it happens. The problem is when the sin and injustice are in us. Then we want only the love of God, not his justice. Of course, with the justification of Christ, we are exempt from the justice of God, and even in verses like this we can see a hope for those who trust in Him. It might be hard to understand at times the holiness and justice of God, but trust that God is good and holy, that He loves everyone and doesn't want them to perish. But also understand that God is holy and just, and when evil is done, there will be a price to pay. If not upon the cross, then upon our own souls.

Job 23:10

But He knows the way I take; {When} He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Trials can be some of the most frustrating, annoying, and faith-breaking times of our lives. We feel distant from God, pressured to let go of our striving for holiness or maybe even to just give up our faith and walk away. However, like Job, we are not put into trials to destroy us, but to grow us. God's desire is to make us into a mirror image of Jesus and to do that He has to allow trials in our lives. The Bible describes this process in Zechariah 13:9 as a metalsmith purifying his metals. Metal smiths heat their metal to the melting point, then scrape off the impurities until they can see themselves in the metal's surface. Sometimes he would do this repeatedly and this would increase the value of the metal even more. This is what God is seeking to do with us when we go through trials; He is seeking to remove the impurities in our hearts and lives through our trials. As we let those go, we are made more and more in His image and become more and more valuable to His work in this world. Don't fight against God in your times of trials, but seek what He desires to remove and let Him take it. Then, you will shine with His purity and be useful for the work of the Lord!

Psalm 33:10-11

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Sometimes the world can seem like a really scary place. We see nations making plans to detonate nuclear bombs or people desiring to inspire terror and fear in our hearts. However, God is always the one in control. This works in two ways. The first is that if someone seeks to destroy God's work, God will not allow it. We should work to maintain and protect what God has given us responsibility for, but we shouldn't be worried when the enemy seeks to tear it down. God will prevail. We waste too much energy and time worrying about something that God alone can maintain and defend. The second way this works is that God's eventual plan is to bring about the end times prophecies. The Bible speaks a lot about the wickedness and corruption of those days being like the days of Noah. This is God's plan. Things might look bad now, but don't be afraid! We know the battle belongs to the Lord and we know how it ends. Don't fret and be anxious, simply seek to do the work of the Lord and warn as many as possible before the time draws to a close. The signs are evident and the time is coming. Are you ready?

1 Samuel 8:3

(Samuel's) sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

Samuel was the last judge of Israel, and just like Eli before him, his sons rebelled and went after their own ways. Samuel was a truly Godly man, and yet his own sons turned against the Lord! Some people might blame Samuel for not spending enough time with his children, or others might blame the ministry and the demands it placed on Samuel. The Bible is silent on why this happened though. The point of this section isn't how good or bad of a parent Samuel was, but that the people rebelled against God and sought a king instead of a prophet to lead them. Little did they know what they were really asking for. They might have had problems with the sons of the judges, but at least the judges were chosen by God. Judges could come from anywhere and were called with signs and wonders. When Israel asked for a king, they increased their problems as the next king was chosen by birth! Like Israel, we need to seek a way that is closer to God's desire, not what everyone else is doing or what seems to be more comfortable. God is our Lord and King and the more steps we add between us and Him, the harder it will get for us. Seek the Lord yourself and seek to hear what He has to say for you today! Don't always rely on someone else to speak for Him. His message might get lost in the translation.

Genesis 45:5,8a

"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life... Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God... "

Joseph's brothers were rightfully afraid when Joseph revealed himself to them. They had sold him into slavery and told his father he was dead! Now Joseph was second only to the king of the ruling nation of those days and they were under his power. Joseph demonstrates here the heart of God though by forgiving, blessing, and desiring to have fellowship with them. He realized that God's plans can use even the seemingly worst turn of events to accomplish His perfect will. This is the attitude we need to have also. It might be hard to imagine God turning your current situation to good, but hang in there! Over and over again we see how God changed lives and used horrible situations to accomplish a good and lasting result. Look to Jesus and His sacrifice on behalf of the brothers who cried out to crucify Him. Though they shed His blood, their actions accomplished the work needed to save the whole world! Also, think about Jesus' reaction to those brothers; forgiveness, love, and grace. May we have the same heart as Jesus in this. May we always seek God's perfect will and to demonstrate His perfect love in all things.

1 Cor 8:9,13

"But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble."

Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23 that one of the fruits of the Spirit in your life is self-control. In Christ, we are truly blessed in that we are no longer under the Law but freedom. However, Christ gave us a commandment to follow: love one another as He has loved us. Think about this for a moment; Jesus was God in the flesh! He had the power to never be hungry, tired, or frustrated. He could snap His fingers and make the apostles into super-holy men. He could whistle and the Roman guards who were torturing Him would be frogs. It was all in his ability to do, but He didn't do these things. Why? Because of love. He so loved us that He chose self control and self denial so that we might have salvation. This is how Jesus loved us, and how He commands us to love one another. We are all free to do whatever we wish in Christ, but the question we need to ask is if our actions are causing someone to walk closer to Christ or walk further away from Him. Freedom is a great thing, but not allowing your freedom to destroy someone else is an even greater thing. Love others enough to sacrifice so that they may be drawn closer to the Lord. This is what Jesus did for us after all.

Mark 1:43-45

"And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere."

This man, healed by Jesus, was a leper. Leprosy was an incurable disease in those days and highly contagious. This man had been living a life full of isolation, persecution, and hopelessness. Then, Jesus came into his life and set him free! What a huge change and an obvious work of God! However, Jesus warned the man to keep the Law and do as Moses commanded. Why? Because it would strengthen his testimony and his witness for Jesus' being a messenger from God. Also, the people that he told would come to Jesus seeking the Word of God, not just a physical healing. However, the man didn't obey and because of this Jesus was unable to do what He truly wanted to do in that area for a time. Did you know that you too are a messenger of God? Your actions, words, and life all witness to everyone around you about God. Sometimes, this can feel like a huge burden, like this man having to go through the ceremonial cleansing ritual after his leprosy was cured, but if we are faithful and do our best to obey, God will be glorified and others will be drawn to Him in a real faith. Thus, God will be set free to work in a powerful way through you and your life here and now. Don't allow your witness of God to limit His work for a time. Set Him free to work in a mighty way by remaining faithful to His calling for you today!

Isaiah 59:1-2

"Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden {His} face from you so that He does not hear."

At this time, the people of Israel were blessed by God and had enjoyed much prosperity and protection by God's hands. However, they became lazy in their relationship with God and eventually their faith became nothing more than an outward show. While they still went to the temple and offered sacrifices and worshiped God, inwardly their hearts were far from God. This meant they were not seeking God's will, nor His face. Because of this, their lives became harder and God's hand was slowly being removed from their lives. God did not do this without warning. He constantly confronted them through the prophets and His Word to return to Him, warning them of dire consequences if they didn't. His love for them never changed, but His ability to bless them did. When we walk in a relationship with God, seeking His direction and desires for us, we are able to receive the blessings He desires to give us. When we walk in our own will, seeking only to get what we want and neglecting our relationship with the Lord, He cannot bless us as He wants. Eventually, we will walk into a place where God even has to allow our disobedience to bring about painful consequences. We don't have to experience this though! If we will remain close to the Lord and seek His will, we will have trials, but God will protect us and empower us to make it through them. Best of all, we will be in the place where we will receive every blessing and gift that He has lovingly prepared for us. Don't let your blessings be wasted! Walk close to God every day!

Job 22:2-3

"Can a vigorous man be of use to God, Or a wise man be useful to himself? Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, Or profit if you make your ways perfect." NASB

Job was a man whom God loved and declared "he is blameless and upright." (Job 1:8) However, God allowed a severe trial to come into his life for the strengthening of his faith and deepening of his walk with God. His friends, attempting to comfort him, ended up speaking discouraging and wrong things to him. This quote, though spoken in a wrong motive, is quite true. Job was no more or no less useful or pleasurable to God then anyone else because of his righteousness and faithfulness. God's love for him was based on a pure, unchanging motive. This is true for us as well. Do you know that your value to the Lord is no better or worse because of your abilities, faithfulness, or adherence to some rules and laws? Do you know that there is nothing you can do to make yourself more valuable or loved by God? Romans 5:8 states it clearly that " God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God already gave the greatest sign of His love ever while we were still sinning! His love won't change based on any change in us. While our obedience and devotion makes us walk in the places where God can bless us, it doesn't change the depth of His love for us. You don't have to strive to make God love you more and you don't have to fight to be loved more then the next person. God already loves you completely, you just have to walk in it. Seek the Lord, walk in His love, and the rest will come.

Psalm 32:9

Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. NASB

Have you ever tried putting a horse's bit into their mouth? They don't like it, and for good reason! It hurts! It isn't designed to be pleasurable for them, but to help in guiding them because they won't simply listen and obey. God often times will use painful things in our lives to guide us into His will, similar to a horse's bit. However, the secret here is that God doesn't want to use the bit on us! He would prefer we would listen to Him and then obey Him. This begins by taking the time to hear from God in the first place. Without that, we won't be able to do the next step. Spend some time in God's Word and praying each day gives you the chance to hear what God is saying. After this, we need to do what He is saying. Sometimes we might not understand what God wants us to do or why, but that isn't important. If it matches God's Word and Jesus' commission, then go for it. When we do this, we won't eliminate pain from our lives, but that pain will be the pain of the enemy, not God, and thus we can cling to the promises that He will give us the strength and power to overcome the trial and that it will work out for good in the end.

1 Sam 2:17

Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD. NASB

As the time of the Judges was drawing to a close, Eli was judging Israel and was the high priest. He was a good and Godly man, but his sons were not. Though they surely knew about the LORD and His commands, they lived a life as if they didn't. Despite this, they were priests in the tabernacle of the Lord due to their birth. They were supposed to be ministering to the LORD and be representatives to the people of God's character and love, but they used their position to take advantage of the people and lived selfishly and in the flesh. 1. Samuel chapter 2 says that God saw this and it bothered Him very much. Why? Because they served God without faith and didn't care about what they were doing. Though they were priests of God, they managed His service as if it didn't matter to them. Worse then this, they bullied, abused, and threatened the honest worshipers of God. God does not want us to forget that He is primarily a holy, good, and just God and that each of us is a representative to the world for Him. Yes, God is love, and that doesn't change based on how faithful or unfaithful we are to Him, but He is also holy and desires that people see Him as He actually is. When we forget that and take lightly the things of God, we commit the same sin as Eli's sons; hypocrisy and misrepresenting God to the people. This doesn't please the Lord at all. We should strive to always honor and sanctify the things of God so that His name is glorified, both in our actions and for the example of those around us. We should seek to always worship and serve the Lord from our hearts and love and honor those we serve as Christ would. Then, God is honored, people are blessed, and God is pleased.