Luke 2:25-35 Songs of Christmas

Upon His birth, Jesus Christ was welcomed and introduced by a few different people described in Luke 2. Each of them had praises or songs for Jesus. One of those that had a Christmas Song was Simeon.

Simeon is described in v.25 as “just and devout” meaning he was justified in the eyes of God and devout or reverent and respectful of God. He was a believer in the Lord.

He also was waiting on the Lord and looking forward to the coming of the consolation of Israel. Consolation means comfort, removing distress of mind.  The prophets of Israel said a Savior would be coming and Simeon looked forward to that day of comfort.

And we can see when He did find Christ, he was ready to leave Earth and go to Heaven. Death caused no anxiety for Simeon because of his Heavenly expectation.

Simeon’s faith in the Lord and expectation of the coming Christ and leaving earth to be with the Lord in Heaven all describe him as a fitting representative of the righteousness of the Old Testament. Consider how Paul describes the righteousness of the saints we read of in the Old Testament and hear the expectation of a promise of a Savior to come and a Heavenly home they looked forward to: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

The faith of the saints in Hebrews 11 is the faith of Simeon. And in Luke 2, we read that Simeon, the representative of the righteousness of the Old Testament held the Christ, who gives the righteousness of the New Testament!

There are no coincidences in the Bible! God ordained the events we read of for a reason! He is almighty and just!  You can trust God's Word.

Regrets of Secret Disciples

Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus prepared Jesus' body for burial.  In John 19, Joseph is recorded as a disciple who followed Jesus in secret and we are reminded once again that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night.  Both feared the Jews and their retaliation if they owned Christ publicly.  But when they saw Jesus hanging on the cross, they regretted being a "secret disciple" and not walking with Christ and serving him when He was alive.  They came to Pilate publicly and buried him, no longer caring what people thought of them and their stand for the Savior.  They regretted their lack of a walk with Christ and did something about it.  Do you have regrets about your current spiritual life?  What are you doing to change it?  You'll never regret taking a public stand for Christ and living for Him!

Your World

Jesus hung on the cross and declared "It is finished."  What was finished?  He was the perfect sacrifice that was finished for the whole world.  In John 19, he hung on a cross for all humanity. 

But it was also finished for your world.  All prophecies throughout the Old Testament pointing towards this moment were fulfilled at Calvary and yet, Jesus, in his agony, hung there and continued to show concern for individuals that stood at the foot of the cross.  Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, stood there looking up at her dying son. It is believed that Joseph, her husband, was dead and now her eldest son would soon be dead too.  What would she do?  How would she care for herself?  Her little world was crumbling around her, but Jesus knew that and took care of her too.  He looked at John, the disciple standing next to her and appointed him to care for her in our Lord's absence.  If someone is missing in your life, Jesus can fill the hearts and places that are now empty.  It was finished for the whole world, but it was also finished for your world.

Evil Used for Good

The river Pharaoh ordained for the destruction of Moses was the river God ordained for the deliverance of Moses! The Egyptian household that sought to destroy Israel would now educate and raise the leader God would use to deliver Israel! That's my God! (Exodus Chptrs 1&2)

Genesis 49: The Costs of Instability

Jacob spent his last days in Egypt. It was there that he called his sons to him to bless them as recorded in Genesis 49. Consider first what he said of Reuben:

Genesis 49:3-4 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

Reuben had many advantages and privileges. He was the firstborn child, the oldest, entitled to the birthright. Jacob had great expectations for Reuben and counts him as the beginning of his strength, a man of great dignity and power. He had a lot going for him and there was no reason to expect him to ruin himself.

But Reuben disgraced himself. In Genesis 35, we learn that Reuben slept with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine. Why did Reuben do this? Jacob describes him in Genesis 49 as “unstable as water.”

How is water unstable? Here, “unstable” means: recklessness, wantonness and unbridled license. Water does not control itself or deny itself from flowing. You can’t stop it. My garden hose sprung a leak and I put electrical tape on the hose, but the water would not be denied, it just leaked around the edges of the tape. When a dam breaks and the river valley is flooded, the water will not be denied – it goes wherever it pleases and fills every nook and cranny. Water knows no limitations.

How was Reuben unstable as water?  On the one hand, Reuben could do right: He attempted in Genesis 42 to spare Joseph’s life. But on the other hand, he lay with his father’s concubine. Reuben lacked self-control, had no respect for boundaries or limits to self-will and selfish desires. Unstable does not like “no” for an answer.  He had no respect for his father, was consumed by his lust and was not thoughtful in his decision-making.

What did Reuben’s instability cost him? His strength, his dignity and power. He had great promise, he could have excelled or done well considering his advantages as the firstborn; but he threw it all away because he would not allow his flesh to be denied. No judge, prophet or ruler ever came from the tribe of Reuben.

He fostered an attitude of settling for less in the hearts of his descendants. Later, all the tribes of Israel were promised land on the west side of Jordan, but the enemies on the west side had to be defeated in battle to get it. And God promised the victory. The tribe of Reuben had no desire to excel and essentially told Moses, “the grass is green on the east side, we’ll help the other tribes fight on the west side, but let us have our portion on the east side.” So much for might, power and strength! The tribe of Reuben was lazy and took no initiative to get the best God had for them. They settled for less!

He lost his reputation. It had been forty years since Reuben went into Bilhah, but it was not forgotten. Proverbs 6:32-33 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

What can Christians learn from Reuben? Like Reuben, Christians have a lot of advantages in our salvation through faith in Christ, the Bible, the opportunity to have a prayer life, join a church and serve God. We have much potential there for the taking – IF WE DESIRE IT!

Respect the boundaries God puts in your life. If there is something you want and God said “no”, leave it alone. Why hurt yourself? Many a Christian failed to excel because they did not respect the boundaries God established. They would not allow themselves to be denied what they want and they sidelined themselves in the work of the Lord.

Remain stable and steadfast. Stability is a hallmark of Christian maturity. The mature Christian is stable, steadfast, diligent, consistent and dependable. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Many a Christian could have excelled, but, like Reuben, they were unstable. They walked with Christ for a little while and then stopped. Proverbs 24:21-22 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

II Samuel 12: When God Says "No"

In II Samuel 12, God told David that his son would die. Like any loving parent, David wanted his son to live and prayed that God would spare him. He fasted and prayed for seven days and then the child died. God did not heal the him as David asked in prayer. Essentially, God said “No, your child will not live.”

How did David respond when God said “No”? How should we respond when God says “No”?

First, when David heard that God did not chose to heal the child and his son was with the Lord, David rose up from fasting and praying, washed and anointed himself, went home and had something to eat.

In other words, he continued on with his life even though God did not answer his prayer like he hoped God would. He did not sulk, reach for a gallon of cookie dough ice cream and a ladle and watch an Andy Griffith marathon.

When God makes it clear that he’s not going to answer your prayer just the way you want it, don’t let yourself go; rise up and move on with life following the Lord’s leading.

Second, David worshipped the God that did not answer his prayer as he desired. He didn’t get angry with God, he didn’t stop believing in God, he continued to trust the Lord and give God praise. When your prayers are not answered, don’t blame God, trust in Him. Why chose to get angry with God? What good does that do? God doesn’t desire you to do that. If you let yourself get angry at God for not answering your prayer and forsake the Lord, the Devil is the only one that wins.

Notice also that David didn’t decided he needed to take time off from worshipping the Lord to figure out what to do next. On the contrary, he realized a great need to praise God for the Lord’s sovereignty in his life.

Third, David’s servants did not understand his walk with the Lord – praying when the child was alive, but not praying when he was dead. Don’t require and don’t expect others to understand a faithful walk with the Lord.

Fourth, David did not become selfish and withdraw from his family. That child that died was also Bathsheeba’s. It’s one thing for a father to lose a seven-day-old baby, but far more difficult for a mother. She was distraught and he comforted her.

If David chose to sulk, have a pity party and watch Andy Griffith all day, he would have no time or interest in comforting his wife during that time of grieving. Even though David didn’t get what he prayed for, he continued on with life, thinking about others.

David consoled Bathsheeba, but who consoled David? No one. David only had the Lord to lean on. And so it is for many a husband/father that needs to be strong in the Lord themselves in order to be a comfort and encouragement to the rest of the family. After seven days of prayer and fasting, David had the quiet strength to be an asset to his family, rather than a selfish and sulking liability.

Next time God says "no", remember the example of David.

John 14: Looking Forward to My Father's House

At the last supper, the apostles were very concerned about Jesus leaving them and what they were supposed to do in His absence. Their first cause for alarm was Jesus’ announcement that one of them would betray him (John 13:21). The second was his declaration of his departure to a place they could not go to (John 13:33).

As our loving God, Jesus recognized their hearts were troubled: (14:1-2) and he encourages them by declaring that in His Father’s House, there are many mansions. Or, in Heaven, there is plenty of room for all believers to join Him when they exit this earth.

But even for believers that have the assurance of a Heavenly home, we don’t really look forward to the end of this life. The circumstances of death, our lack of experience with exiting this world for Heaven, the silence and distance between ourselves and loved ones that have gone on before us all rob the promise of eternal life of the excitement we think it really deserves.

But how all that fear melts away when we consider Heaven as “My Father’s House”!

Can you remember your childhood in your Mother and/or Father’s house? Not all childhoods were the same, but if you had a fond childhood, you can remember not having any worries or cares like you now have in adulthood. You had all your needs met and felt very secure. As you flip through pictures of yourself when you were four years old, look at the activities: playing, eating, getting and giving hugs, opening presents or petting an animal. You had no responsibility to provide meals, income, fixing things broken in the house, keep a schedule or pay bills. And your health was probably a lot better too!

Chapter 14 is a continuation of the conversation started in Chapter 13 where we find Jesus addressing the Apostles as “little children” in v.33. Christ had a great concern for them as a parent does for their children.

And Jesus reminds these grown men that he calls “little children” of that simple, worry-free childhood, that is similar in some sense to eternity in our Father’s house, a blessed homestead for the family of God forever! No schedule, worries, no responsibilities, no deadlines.

I watch my four year old and six year old playing around the house – they have no cell phone alarm ringing to tell them what they need to do, they don’t know the pressure of finances, health concerns, they don’t know what the President is doing, they don’t understand how wicked this world really is. I don’t mean to humanize or trivialize our Father’s House in heaven, but it certainly is a much simpler and uncomplicated eternal life believers have to look forward to.

Those simple childhood days on earth may be long past, but believers can look forward to their renewal in a far greater form in Heaven where no evil can come to us, all wants are supplied, the battle with sin and the flesh is over and we’ll be “Little children in our Father’s House” forever more!

II Kings 4: A Mother's Faithfulness

In II Kings 4 we are introduced to a mother with great faith. Her husband was older and they were unable to have children. But because of her faithfulness, God gave her a son.

Apparently, the boy had some kind of aneurysm and he died at a young age while sitting on his mother’s lap. What a tragic event. But like the death of Lazarus, God allowed it to bring glory to Himself! If nothing bad ever happened, God could not receive glory for the miracles he performs.

Certainly her heart was grieving that God could allow her to have the son and yet now took the son away for apparently no reason. It would be entirely understandable for her to ask “Why God?”, to become angry with God, and ask “Why is God toying with me?” and perhaps even doubt the existence of God.

But this was no ordinary mother: This was a woman of magnificent faith! Her faith was....

... Proven by her actions. She placed the boy’s body in the house on the bed. This was not the place to put a body to be prepared for burial. Why then did she do this? She expected the boy to be raised from the dead!

....Proven by her respect for authority. Even though this is a desperate time and she needs to get to Elisha for help, she still asks her husband’s permission to go see the man of God.

...Proven by her faith during adversity. Notice, her husband had to ask why she was going to see the man of God. He didn’t know the boy was dead! Remember, when the boy fell ill, he sent him home to his mother, not knowing the fatal outcome. And she doesn’t give him the reason for the trip to Elisha. Her faith that the boy will walk again is so great that not even the look on her face betrayed the fact that her only son, given by a miracle, died in her arms just moments before! God give us mothers with such faith today!

...Proven by her faithfulness to God. Consider the husband’s question: Why are going to see the man of God today? It’s not new moon or Sabbath, those feast days of the Lord when she would go to the assembly and Elisha would lead the people to hear the word, pray and praise God. He well understood that she faithfully attended the times of worship.

...Proven by her concern for her child. She fervently desired to do whatever she had to do to ensure her child lived again. That meant getting to Elisha quickly so she told her servant to drive the cart quickly and don’t slow down for the bumpy ride. She was willing to become uncomfortable and inconvenienced for the sake of her child. She did not see her children as an obstacle to her desires.

The Lord rewarded her faithfulness yet again and the child was raised from the dead.  Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again...

II Samuel 11: Preventing Adultery

Benjamin Franklin was not only one of the founding fathers of the country, but was also a printer and inventor. He was a wise man who could identify problems and propose a solution.

Fires were a dangerous threat to Philadelphia, where Franklin lived. So in 1736, he organized Philadelphia’s Union Fire Company to fight fires and teach people how to avoid having a fire in their home in the first place.

Referring to fire prevention, Franklin coined the phrase, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” There’s a lot of wisdom in that statement. It’s much better to spend an hour cleaning up flammable materials and treating fire with respect rather than being lazy and suffering the loss of family members and a home because of a fire that could have been avoided. If even possible, recovering from such a devastating event can take years.

Likewise, it’s much better to take certain measures to remove temptations in our lives and understand how to avoid sin than suffer a fire of sin that can destroy our lives and families. It’s better to consider these things than be lazy and suffer the consequences of sin for years to come.

In II Samuel 11:1-5, we read of the adulterous affair between King David and Bathsheba, the wife of one of David’s faithful soldiers. There are many lessons to learn from these events and David’s response to them that help us understand how to prevent committing adultery in particular and sin in general.

1. Stay busy doing right. David should have gone to war, but stayed home. Had he led his troops like a king should have, he would not even been home to see his neighbor in a state of undress. Instead, David was lounging around the house with nothing to do. This is called “idleness”.

Sodom fell into its sin because of idleness: Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her.... The Lord warns young women of being idle instead of attending to the needs of their family: 1 Timothy 5:13-15 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. When we become idle, we give Satan, our adversary, an opportunity to pull us aside from doing right.

2. Don’t create opportunities for the Devil to work. I remember playing soccer in high school and one of the younger players on the opposite team got confused and drove the ball down the field in the wrong direction and scored on his own goal.  We laugh at how foolish that is.  But how many times do we hurt ourselves by the same lapses of judgment?

David created the environment and factors necessary to tee himself up for his own fall.  He scored on his own goal. Not only did he avoid doing right by not going to battle, but he went looking to see what he could see and when he saw Bathsheba, he “enquired” of her.  He wasn't satisfied with just looking, he wanted to know all about her.  And when he found out she was married, he was too far down that road to let that hinder him! 

We live in a society that has little respect for marriage vows.  A woman was at a coffee shop and a male employee ten years her junior was hitting on her.  She said she was married.  He replied, "Happily?"  "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer" before witnesses and God just doesn't mean much to many spouses.

And Bathsheba was bathing in plain view of the neighbors! Her lust for men to notice her created an opportunity for Satan to destroy her marriage. Both David and Bathseba created the environment needed for Satan to work. Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Men need to make a covenant with their eyes: Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. The internet has led to the fall of many marriages either through online relationships or pornography. Both should be avoided.

Women should dress and behave in a way that does not attract ungodly attention from men. It is probable that Bathsheba knew men might be watching her bathe while her husband was out of town in the army. She was immodest and it would cost her her husband and a child. 1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.... Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair [attractive] woman which is without discretion. A fair or attractive woman should not be flirtatious, lacking discretion in our behavior towards men. Proverbs 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.  If discretion will preserve and keep you, what will indiscretion lead to?  Some women believe they have the “right” to dress any way they want. That demonstrates a spirit of lust, selfishness, naivety and a lack of wisdom. It is not a godly attitude.

3. Remember, Satan is stronger than you. Our power comes from Christ, not ourselves. 1 Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. When we get lifted up with pride and think we can flirt with sin an immoral relationships and not let it affect us, we’ll fall into Satan’s trap. Satan will use that prideful spirit to lead you to the place where you can’t resist temptation. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Look to the Lord as your source of strength, not yourself: Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

David only saw Bathsheba and then pursued what he saw. How different Joseph behaved when Potiphar’s wife actively sought to seduce him every day he went to work!

Genesis 39:7-12 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Notice the integrity of Joseph. To commit an adulterous act with his boss’ wife would betray the confidence his boss had in him. Further, it would be a sin against God. Christian, do you care about what God thinks of you? She was trying daily to wear him down and seduce him. But he didn’t even want to be with her. Finally, she saw her opportunity when no one else was in the house.

The biggest difference between Joseph and David was that Joseph fled temptation but David pursued temptation. NOTE: If we want to remove many opportunities for immoral behavior, avoid being in private places with members of the opposite sex that are not family relations. That may sound archaic, but if we’re honest and can use some wisdom for just a moment, it would eliminate a lot of tempting situations. And avoiding those moments is a lot easier than you might think if you’re willing to try. But if you’re not willing to even try, you might want to question your own fidelity to your spouse and to God. We need to make up our minds to flee when Satan lays his trap before us. Remember, Satan is our enemy and he’s stronger than we are.

4. Cultivate a thought life focused on Christ. When we are busy in the work of the Lord, our focus is on Christ and not ourselves and not hidden desires of the heart. We’ll sin a lot less if we spend more time in the Bible, more time in prayer, more time in church and more time witnessing! Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

I hope these things will encourage you to remove temptations from your life and pursue godliness.  An ounce of prevention could save your marriage.

Hebrews 5: Is that a Milk Mustache?

In Hebrews 5:11-14, Paul exhorts the readers to hear the Word of God and grow spiritually. If they don’t, they will remain babes in Christ or spiritual infants consuming “milk” or the basics of the Christian life instead of growing in spiritual maturity and consuming great Biblical truths or “meat”.

The Bible is full of rich doctrine and truth that help the believer through this life. If one takes the Word of God seriously and applies it to their heart, they won’t struggle with the same problems, addictions and habits. We should take responsibility for our spiritual growth and develop a closer walk with the Lord over time, graduating from milk to meat. Christians ought not have a milk mustache forever.

There are some stark differences between Christians still consuming milk or struggling with the first steps of their Christian life (faithful Bible reading, faithful church attendance, faithful witnessing) and those that have graduated to eating meat (living faithfully, seeking the Lord’s will for their life and studying God’s Word).

A mother’s milk will only help an infant grow so much. If they don’t eventually start consuming solid foods (meat) their growth will be hindered. Christians need to seek to grow through consuming God’s Word or they will not grow spiritually.

Infants are dependent on others. They depend on their mother for milk. Without the mother, the babe is helpless. Christians ought not rely on others for help and assistance, they should seek grow spiritually through studying God’s Word. They should become consistent and reliable in their service and not require “hand holding.”

Meat eaters are independent. They can cook and cut their own food without assistance. Similarly, mature Christians can resolve problems and difficulties in their life by studying the Bible and applying it their lives. They are consistent in this.

Infants cry a lot. Christians would do a lot less crying about their problems if they spent more time in God’s Word, coming to a greater understanding of the truth God has for them. They would then have the victory and become mature meat eaters.

While some may still be babes, every Christian must determine to become spiritually mature and not wear a perpetual milk mustache. If they don’t, consider what happened to the Corinthians that refused to grow spiritually:

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

The Corinthians refused to grow spiritually and as a result, they were carnal and caused strife and hurt feelings in the church. God help us if we always have a milk mustache.

I Samuel 18: The Critical Spouse

In I Samuel 18, David and Michal were a young married couple in love. Michal loved David. David was asked to slay 100 Philistines to earn Michal’s hand in marriage and he proved his love for her by slaying 200 Philistines.

But King Saul was jealous of David and sought to take his life. David had to leave behind the country and his wife, Saul’s daughter. Saul then gave Michal to another man, Phalti, to be his wife.

A lot happened over the next ten years. Saul and his son Jonathan were dead. His general, Abner, was now running Israel and promised to unite Israel under King David. But David only agrees to Abner’s plan if Abner takes Michal away from Phalti and gives her to David – her first husband.

A short while later, in a procession with 30,000 men, David lead the ark of God back to Jerusalem. It was a great day for the nation of Israel. The ark was where it needed to be, Israel was united and David was no longer running from Saul. There was great excitement in the air and David thought God was doing great things! David blessed the ark, made offerings to the Lord and gave some food and drink to all the people. What a time! David “danced” – he jumped and leaped for joy for what God had done. And he wore a linen ephod – representative of the ephod the priest would wear. Everything David did, he did so with an attitude of sincere worship and thanksgiving for the victory God gave.

And then David returns home to his wives and family. Think of how great it is to come home with great news and you have the privilege to be the first to announce it. Certainly, Michal will be just as excited as David about all God had done for Israel!

But Michal was not excited about what God was doing. In fact, she comes out of the house to meet him in the road before he even gets to the house and accuses David of making a fool of himself. She criticizes him. “You’re the king, why are you leaping through the streets in front of everyone?”

Why was she so critical? Why wasn’t she encouraged by the work of the Lord?

First, Michal changed over time. Remember, she spent ten years living in the house of her father, Saul. Saul was a godless king. The spirit of God had left him a long time ago.

And there no public worship in the days of Saul: 1 Chronicles 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul. During Saul’s reign, the people grew cold towards the things of God and Michal was no exception. She had become suspicious like her father and was also a false accuser and cold in her heart. If Christians don’t develop a walk with the Lord, they will become cold and indifferent to the work of the Lord.

Second, she had a heart problem: v.16 Michal despised David in her heart. Why? She was prideful and had little concern for God. We can see this was her problem by looking at David’s response to her attack: note v.21-22 “I will be more vile”, “I will be base.” David says: You’ve got a problem with me humbling myself before God because you’re prideful. You don’t care about the ark, you just care about the throne. And these maidservants you despise will honor me when you won’t.

She enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of being the King’s daughter just as much as Saul lusted to remain king. And while David was walking closer to the Lord while hunted by Saul, Michal was drifting farther from God in the palace. She didn’t share David’s zeal for service, worship and consecration. The ark of God meant nothing to her – the prestige of the throne was her goal. She enjoyed being the queen and her husband the war hero and king, but she had no interest in being married to a devout Christian that served and worshiped God. She didn’t like it when he took off his kingly purple robe and wore a godly linen ephod.

Michal’s heart was not right with God. David was praising God for what He had done to bring the ark to Jerusalem. He’s serving the Lord and giving God his best and what is she doing? Finding a way to be critical. Imagine that: David praises God with the whole country for bringing the ark to Jerusalem, he blesses the nation and the whole nation is happy with him – except one person: His wife.

And what was he coming home to do? According to v.20, have family devotions. She doesn’t care that her husband wants to read the Bible and go to church. She doesn’t care if he wants to spend time in prayer. She wants her husband to be her king-boy at home, not out serving God with the common people! And so, the one person that ought to be his biggest supporter is his biggest critic. The one place that ought to be a haven and rest for his weary soul – home – is a battleground. We ought to put our helmet on when leaving the house and take it off when we return. But because of a spouse that was critical and had little heart for God, David had to prepare for battle before he crossed the threshold!

After a couple trips home like that, many spouses don’t come home! I’m not saying that’s right, but I can see why they’d rather stay out doing something else than come home to their biggest critic! If you spend so much time criticizing your spouse, you better hope they’re patient – or there’ll come a day when you go out to meet them half way home to tear into them and there won’t be anyone there!

What she should have been for him: Proverbs 31:10-12 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Spouses should rejoice in the work of the Lord together, worshiping and serving together, not criticizing. Stay close the Lord and support your spouse.

John 11: For Your Sakes - What to Remember in Troubling Times

The Lord has great purposes for each of our lives. First, we must see our sin nature and our need for Christ. Then, it His desire that each of us become a great Christian, full of faith. And he makes us into that kind of Christian by using difficult trials.

In John 11, notice what God does to make Mary and Martha the great believers they were. Jesus is in Jerusalem when messengers from Mary and Martha arrive. They tell Jesus that Lazarus, their brother is sick. Based on Jesus’ response, it appears that Lazarus is terminally ill. Jesus tells the messengers that the sickness is not to result in permanent death, but rather so that God would be glorified.

In v.5, we read that Jesus loved not only Lazarus, but Mary and Martha as well. Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, but he would so in a way that would teach Mary and Martha how to be better Christians.

Jesus is informed that Lazarus is sick and he took four days to leave where he was beyond Jordan to get to Bethany where Lazarus was. I’m sure his disciples must have been wondering what the boss was doing. “Why is he waiting? This is a life and death situation, we need to get moving, Jesus!” Four days they waited and prayed. Finally, God came and did a greater miracle than just healing Lazarus. As a result, many believed!

Why did he make Mary, Martha and others wait on God? The answer is in v.15: “For your sake.” Jesus allowed Lazarus to become sick and die for their benefit. He desired those that knew Lazarus to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and offers eternal life. That’s why he was glad he was not there to heal Lazarus and prevent his death. If Jesus prevented his death, there would be no opportunity to raise him from the dead and fewer people would see who God is and believe on Him.

Think of how many people would never trust in Christ as their Savior if God never allowed anything bad to happen. If we never needed deliverance, why would we ever call upon the Lord? If we never saw how frail and powerless we really are, would we ever need God?

Now consider this. We see the big picture in the life of Mary and Martha. We’re cruising at 30,000 feet looking down and reading the announcement of Lazarus’ terminal illness, his death and resurrection four days later. We don’t see any reason for Mary and Martha to worry because we know the outcome. Why should they fear and be dismayed that Jesus didn’t come yet? Why do they worry? Don’t they know Jesus is God? Four days to wait on God is not that long. How confident we are in God when we know how the story ends!

But what about when you don’t know how the story ends? What about when it’s your family member diagnosed with cancer? Or you lose your job? Or some other calamity happens in your life and you can’t escape the pressure and cruise 30,000 feet above the situation because you’re in up to your neck in the calamity as it slowly unfolds, one plodding and painful day after another? You’ll give anything just to make it end! It’s those days when we need to remember who God is and what he is doing, just as He did for Mary and Martha:

Remember that He sees all things: He knows the suffering you endure. 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers...

Remember that He is all powerful. He is in control. Look to see what God is doing – what is God accomplishing through your trial?

Remember that it is “for your sakes” that God does not provide deliverance when you want it. We don’t become more faithful and consistent Christians that trust in Him more and love him more because only good things happen. It’s when we continue to walk with him through hardships that we become better Christians.

Don’t accuse God. Mary and Martha blamed God for the death of Lazarus – “God if you did something, none of this would have happened. It’s all your fault!” When God allows something bad to happen, look to see what God is doing instead of blaming Him.

Remember that God does the unexpected. Upon learning of Lazarus’ illness, the expected reaction would be to heal Lazarus immediately, not wait for him to die. And we would certainly not expect to open a grave! But God is not limited to our expectations and be glad He isn’t: We’re not always right!

Remember, it takes time to build great faith. We’ll have seasons of pain and difficulty that will not be short if we are to be the great Christians God wants us to be. But praise God, those four days didn’t seem so long when Lazarus walked out of that cave! When we get what we prayed for, the season of prayer always seems shorter after the fact!

Remember, God loves us. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” He loved them and had a purpose for them in this trial. It was for their sakes that he was not there. And he loves you and has a purpose for you in your trial. The sooner we figure that out, the sooner we can patiently wait on God.

Genesis 34: Teenagers and Relationships

Genesis 34:1-2 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. Genesis 34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

What a tragic account.  It may well be that Dinah was raped by Shechem, but that is not certain.  "Took" does not always mean "forced" and "defiled" could refer to Dinah losing her virginity to a man that was not her husband.  Further, Shechem otherwise demonstrated good behavior towards Dinah.  A clearer description of an incident of rape can be found in II Samuel 13.  Nevertheless, Shechem's behavior towards this woman was an inexcusable act of lust.  He was wrong.  "It ought not to be done!"  So the answer to the question of "Did Dinah deserve this" the answer is clearly "No."

But if the question is "Did Dinah allow herself to enter into a compromising position," the answer is "Yes, she did."  Dinah left home to see the daughters of the land - what she had at home no longer interested her and she instead sought what was in the world around her.  The fact that she had 11 brothers and no sisters probably didn't encourage her to stay home!  But there was great danger in her leaving the safety of home, the oversight of her parents when she was still a young teenager (about 14 years old) and lacking wisdom in how to do deal with the smooth talking Shechems of the world and the ways of people that didn't know the Lord.  She left the safety of home and found herself in a vulnerable position.  Be cautious of the company your children keep!  Parents ought to know where their children are at all times, who they are with and what they are doing.  There are those that will influence them or take advantage of them!

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Proverbs 4:14-16 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

This leads to the point of this blog entry.  What was missing at home that Dinah sought for among the daughters of the land? What were her parents thinking? Where was her mother?  Titus 2:3-5 instructs older women to teach younger women to be discreet and chaste in their behavior.  If Rebekah taught her daughter this truth, perhaps Dinah would not allow herself to enter into a compromising situation.

Further, the heart of children should be towards their parents, not Shechem: Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.  Apparently, Jacob and Rebekah lost the heart of their daughter to the world - Dinah saw something in the world, the daughters of the land, that she was not getting at home.  Perhaps it was love or attention.  Parents should teach their children the Bible at home, spend time doing some fun things with them, teach them how to live life in a God fearing manner to ensure their heart is at home and not for the daughters in the land.  If parents keep the heart of their children, when they are teenagers they will want to talk to their parents instead of looking to get out of the house at every opportunity to run with their pack of friends or look for relationships on the internet.

And when we allow young people to enter into close relationships with the opposite sex, parents risk losing the child's heart to that boyfriend or girlfriend.  Note in v.3 that Shechem romanced Dinah with his kind words.  Shechem had an emotional bond with Dinah that she should have had with her father till she met her husband.  Parents that allow their teenagers to run in the dating scene is dangerous business!

If parents keep the heart of the child, young people will enjoy homelife and not seek for something in this world that will put themselves in a vulnerable position.

Genesis 17-20: What Friends Do

No friendship in the Bible earns as much attention as the friendship between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son. Their loyalty to one another is exemplary. And they communicated well with each other. Friendships are made or broken in large part because of communication practices, how we listen and when we talk.


The origin of Jonathan and David’s friendship is found in Genesis 17 when David slays Goliath. They each wanted to be friends and made a covenant with each other. Jonathan even gave David his weapons and armor. They were considerate and shared. Their friendship was unconditional. They obviously showed themselves friendly toward one another. If one of them wanted to be standoffish, this friendship would never have happened. Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly...

Friends are loyal to one another. David was one of King Saul’s best men, but Saul attacked David’s character and tried to kill him. Who could David run to in this time of despair? Jonathan. Even though Jonathan was Saul’s son, he was a loyal friend.

Friends protect one another. In Genesis 19, Jonathan committed to tell David the truth if King Saul desired to kill David. Jonathan would warn David if needed, even if it meant risking his life and siding with his friend instead of the King. Their friendship was not superficial: Even during these hard times, Jonathan was David’s friend. Jonathan spoke well of David. He did not promise to protect David and then betray him. In Chapter 20, when Saul made false accusation against David, Jonathan risked his own life and his relationship with his father to defend David’s reputation.

Friends Listen and Resolve Differences. In Chapter 20, David tells Jonathan that he is convinced that Saul is trying to kill him. After Saul assured Jonathan that David would not be slain (19:6), Jonathan doesn’t believe his father is still trying to kill David. He’s certain that he would know if his father was trying to kill David. Because they listen to each other they each recognize that they differ in their opinion of King Saul. Jonathan was willing to find out if he was wrong. Together, David and Jonathan determined what to do to solve their differences and find out the truth.

Friends are interested in listening to their friends. Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear [LISTEN], and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

Friends don’t dominate a conversation with their one pet topic, always bringing the conversation back to their pet topic. That’s not listening. Proverbs 17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words... Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

Friends don’t talk over one another. That’s not listening. Friends don’t try to “one up” each other: always feel they have to have something more important or better to say, prove a point that’s already been proven. That’s not listening. Friends don’t try to maintain they know everything. That’s not listening.

Friends encourage spiritual growth. In Chapter 23, we read that “Jonathan strengthened David’s hand in God,” meaning Jonathan sought to encourage David in his walk with the Lord. David was distressed and Jonathan reminded David of the Lord. Friends care about the spiritual well being of each other. A friend won’t:

1. Persuade you to forsake church attendance

2. Persuade you to forsake Bible reading

3. Turn you against your Pastor

4. Turn you against church members

5. Turn you against God

Proverbs 19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. A friend will encourage you to do more for the Lord, walk closely with God and have strong relationships at church.

Do you not have friendships like you desire? Do you want to be a better friend?  Be careful how you listen and talk.  Resolve differences.  Be loyal and seek to protect friends.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Genesis 29: Husbands, Love Your Wife

Genesis 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

What does the Bible say regarding the love a husband should have for their wife?  In Genesis 29:20, we read that Jacob worked a hard labor job for seven years without pay to earn Rachel's hand in marriage.  And because of the love Jacob had for Rachel, those seven years seemed like but a few days. In other words, his love for the woman who would be his wife was so great that seven years of unpaid labor seemed like a very small sacrifice. What a testimony!

There ought to be real love in the marital relationship and it starts with husbands. We find three occasions in the Bible where husbands are commanded to love their wives:

Husbands should love their wives sacrificially: Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it...  Husbands should be willing to make sacrifices for the one they say they love.

Husbands should love their wives and care for her as they care for their own selves: Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Husbands, we don’t ignore ourselves, hurt ourselves or give ourselves the silent treatment. Don’t do that to your wife.

Husbands should not have wrong attitudes toward their wife: Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  A husband that loves his wife will not be angry, bitter and resentful towards her.

Husbands, Jacob loved his wife and proved it.  Now it's your turn.

John 8: Conviction of the Conscience

In John 8:1-11, the Pharisees bring a woman that is caught in the act of adultery to Jesus.  The Pharisees knew the law condemned adultery, but they also knew Jesus liked to forgive sinners.  They hoped to accuse Jesus of forgiving someone that was condemned under the law and then deny that He is the Son of God because he contradicted the law.

Jesus responded that the one that was without sin should cast the first stone at the woman.  In v.9, we learn that the conscience of these Pharisees and Scribes was convicted.  In the light of their sin being revealed, they realized they were sinners and one by one, they walked away.

Conviction of the conscience is only valuable if it is followed by action.  When we are confronted by truths in God's Word that reveal our own sin and the need to repent and change, we ought to heed that warning.  What if the Pharisees ignored the conviction of their conscience and stoned the woman anyway?  We would observe their behavior and proclaim that they were very foolish and arrogant for ignoring the conviction of their own conscience.  But do we have the same indignation toward ourselves when we ignore the conviction of our own conscience?  How foolish we are if we should be confronted with the truth of our sin and need for Christ or our need to change and ignore it!

Jesus did not ignore the woman's sin either.  Any kind of sexual activity outside of marriage is sin and Jesus makes no exception here - he tells the woman to "go and sin no more."  Consider her plight:  Under the law, she was condemned.  But Jesus forgave her sin.  How ungrateful she would be if she then returned to the same sinful life she was just delivered from!  Let's heed the conviction of the conscience and appreciate the grace of God by living a life pleasing to the Lord.

Genesis 27-28: Honesty in the Home

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

It is difficult to resolve problems in a home if spouses are not honest with each other.  In Genesis 27-28, Rebekah used her favorite son Jacob to decieve her husband into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.  Jacob didn't want anything to do with her plan, but she commanded her son to obey her in deceiving her husband.

Genesis 27:11-13 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

Rebekah was dishonest and taught her son to be dishonest - even to the point of desiring a curse on herself instead of being truthful with her husband and her son.  Jacob was about 70 years old at this time, so we're not dealing with a 6 year old that is learning how to cope with life.  But how true it is that children will learn behavior patterns from their parents.

Rebekah was also abusive.  She blamed Jacob for orchestrating this scheme to deceive Isaac.

Genesis 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

Rebekah commanded Jacob to deceive her husband to steal Esau's blessing.  Esau found out about the deception and plans to kill Jacob.  If there was ever a time for Isaac and Rebekah to have an honest conversation, it was during the events recorded in Gen 27. But they never resolve this mess.  Rebekah never finds room for repentance for her deception and compounds it with another lie.  She tells her husband that she wants Jacob to leave home before he marries one of the heathen Heth girls.  The real reason she wants Jacob to leave is so that he won't be killed by Esau! 

Rebekah was a deceiver and taught her son to lie and cheat instead of dealing with problems in an honest fashion.  Mom, are you honest with your children and your husband?  What are you sowing?

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Genesis 25: Guard the Precious Things

Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. We can learn a lot about making right choices by studying the lives of these two men and their parents.

In Genesis 25, Esau came in from hunting and found his brother making stew. I believe he was a larger man. We do know that he was covered in red hair and was a great hunter. Esau claimed that he was going to die if he did not get some of Jacob’s food. Jacob took advantage of his brother and requested Esau give Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. Famished, Esau quickly agreed and gave away his birthright for a bowl of soup.

The ancient, middle-eastern custom of the birthright meant the firstborn would be heir of the lion’s share of his father’s estate when he died. Moreover, the holder of the birthright would later become the leader of the clan. At the time, to have the birthright was a great honor and esteemed to be very precious. The birthright also had a huge spiritual dimension, especially in this particular family’s case due to the Abrahamic covenant and both of these boys knew it. Esau should have cherished and guarded his birthright, but instead, he traded it for a bowl of soup to satisfy an immediate desire for food.

Isaac preferred his son Esau, while their mother, Rebekah, preferred Jacob. Later, as recorded in Genesis 27, Isaac asked his son Esau to go get him meat from the field and prepare it. Isaac would give him his blessing when Esau returned. Rebekah overheard the conversation and manipulated her husband to get what she wanted: a blessing for Jacob! Esau returns from the field to find his blessing has been robbed by his brother’s deception.

Esau now cries out to God in bitterness over losing first his birthright and then his blessing, but it is too late. Esau was quick to trade his birthright, something that was precious to him and was irreplaceable, for a pot of stew on a moment’s notice and now he lost his blessing. We also notice that he despised his parents and married women they disapproved of, just to spite Mom and Dad. How can we avoid making the same kinds of foolish choices in life?

Don’t let your flesh override Godly wisdom. If we have Christ in our heart, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. But if Christians choose to heed the lusts of the flesh, we’ll make foolish mistakes.

Esau sought present gratification at the price of giving up far greater future good. He failed to consider tomorrow’s costs for today’s decisions.

He focused on the sensual and physical and ignored the precious thing that God gave him. How often do we do the same thing! We get so distracted by the world around us and forget about the spiritual! We set our affections on things on earth instead of things above!

He lost his priorities, like Lot in Sodom who offered up his virgin daughters to wicked men. Esau and Lot were both willing to give up something precious and irreplaceable to satisfy some temporary need. Let’s not forget the things in life that are really important. And don’t sacrifice them for immediate fleshly desires!

He was full of spite and bitterness. It is clear in Genesis 28:6-10 that Esau despised his brother, despised his parents’ wishes regarding their relationships with the wrong women and despised obeying his parents.

It is clear from a study of Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau regretted his foolish decisions. Esau is described in the text as the example of what is “profane”. Profane means irreverent towards what is sacred. Of all the people God could have used from the scripture as an example of profanity, the Lord chose Esau! Esau treated with contempt that which should have been precious and guarded!

Further, Esau “found no place for repentance.” Esau cried and wept because of his decisions, but it was too late to repent. He could not turn the clock back on his life. Giving up that birthright for a bowl of stew seemed like a good idea at the time, but he later realized he lost one of the most important things he ever had.

And the consequences of his decisions didn’t stop there! Unrestrained living, unhealthy relationships (strange women, hatred toward his brother, spite towards his parents) yielded ungodly children. The descendants of Esau were called the Edomites. Many centuries later, Edom was eventually destroyed by decree of God (Isaiah 34:5,6; 63:1; Obadiah 1-21; Malachi 1:3). A man who cares nothing for the eternal perpetuates this in his kids. Edom became a symbol of the earthly, non-spiritual people of the world. People who care little for God and His will, but instead are carnal, greedy, and even treacherous are as the Edomites were, and as their ancestor, Esau, was.

Spouses have the spiritual blessing of being married. We fling that blessing away when we fail to resolve conflict. We fling that blessing away when we fail to enjoy one another and seek satisfaction in an adulterous relationship or pornography.

Parents have the spiritual blessing to influence children. We fling that blessing away when we forsake our God-given roles as parents. We fling that blessing away when we ignore our family. How many parents regret fling away their time to a business or a career while they wait to bail their child out of jail or attend their funeral!

Christians have a spiritual blessing in the fact they have one life to live for God. We fling that blessing away if we waste it chasing a career instead of time with God and seeking opportunities to serve God. We fling that away if we live only for ourselves and not for the Lord.

Our homes, our marriages, our children, our walk with God ought not be for sale or traded to satisfy some immediate impulse.

Genesis 24: How to Make Wise Decisions

The Bible is a practical book. If we seek Bible truth and the Lord’s leading in life, we can make wise decisions. We learn six important lessons for decision making in Genesis 24:1-21.

In the first few verses, we are introduced to Abraham and Isaac. In a sense, the anonymous servant is like the one that wants to follow the Lord. Abraham is representative of the Lord. There are six things the servant did that made it possible for him to follow God’s will:

Step One: He had an earnest desire to follow the Lord’s leading. The Servant desired to do the will of Abraham just as we should desire to do God’s will. If there is no desire to do God’s will, we’ll never find it.

Step Two: He had a fervent prayer life. The servant received a command from Abraham and the servant asked questions seeking clear direction: What if the woman won’t come with me?

Through a fervent prayer life, God the Father will give us certain instructions. If we are fearful or need more information before setting out to do God’s will, pray to the Lord for further guidance and encouragement. Abraham did not leave the servant without further direction: It was promised that an angel would go before the servant. God does not leave us without direction. He will go before us!

As hard as doing the will of the Lord might be, it’s a lot easier to first get clear direction from Him and pursue it, than setting off on our own course of trial and error only to make irreversible mistakes and later find ourselves praying for forgiveness for being so foolish.

Step Three: He conformed his will to the will of his master. The servant got his orders from Abraham and had some doubt as to whether the plan would work: What if she won’t come with me? Should I bring Isaac to that land? But Abraham confirmed the instructions and the servant brought his will into conformity with Abraham. The servant left Isaac at home and went forward by faith.

So should we bring our will into conformity with the Lord and not change the instructions that the Lord clearly gives. And you’ll notice that when a Christian wants to do their own will, they will accept the strangest and slightest indication that might prove God is leading them in that direction.

Step Four: The servant got prepared (v.10). The servant got clear direction and he physically prepared himself with the things needed to do the Lord’s will. When we find out what God wants us to do, let’s make the physical preparations that are necessary.

Step Five: He followed the Lord’s leading (v.27). If you want to do God’s will, get moving, doing what you know to do. The servant knew he had to leave and where he had to go. He did not know who he would meet, but he trusted God’s leading.

He did not abandon his Master’s instructions. He never left the road he started out on.

Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

A good Christian follows the Lord. And if the Christian should fall, he shall not be utterly cast down as the Lord continues to hold his hand and lead him!

Step Six: The servant looked for God’s leading (v.12-21). He followed God’s leading at the well and his prayer was answered before he could finish praying! (v.15) We like those kinds of answers!

Notice that there was no flash of lightning or burning bush indicating which lady was the answer to the servant’s prayer – just the trivial occurrences of day-to-day life at the well. Fortunately, this servant was discerning and not oblivious. He saw God’s hand in what appeared to be trivial matters to others. Beneath all the nothings and littlenesses, he saw the Lord clearly at work! God leaves a great deal to our common sense (which presents a problem for some!) Look to see how God is leading us by every day circumstances!

And when we get guidance from the Lord we need to follow it; whether the finger points down the easy path we want to go on or through some tangled path we want to avoid.

If we can determine to live that way in our daily life, God will always make it known where to go in His time.

John 6: Are You Broken?

Over 5,000 people crowded around a hilltop to hear Jesus. In John 4:1-14 Jesus asked the disciples what they should do to feed them. Jesus knew what he would do, but he wanted to prove or test the faith of the disciples. The disciples had no idea how to feed all these people. Philip doesn’t think 200 pennyworth of bread could feed them all. As recorded in Mark 6, they even suggest telling the people to go away and feed themselves.

A lad had a small lunch of five barley loaves and two small fishes. Jesus takes the food, blesses it, breaks it and distributes it. He feeds the multitude and the disciples take home 12 baskets of leftovers. The theme of the book of John is “believing that we might have life” and the miracle definitely encourages someone to trust in Christ.

But what is powerful to consider is noticing exactly where the miracle took place:

John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

The disciples put 2 small fish and 5 loaves into the very hands of God. They took the little that they had and put it in the very hands of God and it was there in his hands that the little they gave was multiplied over and over and over again – Jesus kept breaking the bread and he that made life made more bread and more fish and an impossible need was met because a few people were faithful enough to entrust what they had to the very hands of God. Then the disciples got their baskets and the lad that gave the lunch didn’t go hungry either. It’s amazing to consider what the Lord can do with what little we give him.

But remember the purpose of the miracle: Jesus sought to prove the disciples. As that bread needed to be broken before it could be used, so the disciples and their way of doing things needed to be broken before they could be used. Their plan was to send the people away or buy them all bread. They considered the loaves and fishes too little among so many, but it was all they had. But that small amount was the very will of God for their lives at moment. And it was multiplied over and over.

We must surrender our plans, our power and our way of doing things to the hands of the Master. We don’t have to have all the details figured out and have all the answers, but God does. Our ideas of parenting or having a great marriage need to surrendered to His Word. Put your life in His hands, let Him break us of our will and use us in magnificent ways we never thought possible.

II Cor 12: Strongest When We are Weakest

In II Corinthians 12, Paul makes the startling claim that we are strongest when we are weakest. What does he mean? Paul was a great man of God with a deep understanding of Christianity. In v.7, he writes that God allowed Satan to give him a physical ailment, described as a thorn in the flesh, to buffet him or cause pain.

God allowed this to happen to drive Paul to pray to God that the thorn be removed (v.8). God answered Paul’s prayer, but not in the way Paul expected. Instead of taking the thorn away, God left the thorn there and told Paul that the grace or favor of God that he already had would give Paul the strength he needed to endure the thorn (v.9).

There are two ways God will help us with a burden we bear: He will either decrease the weight by removing burden or He will increase the strength of the shoulder that bears the burden. In Paul’s case, God increased Paul’s strength by reminding him that, as a believer in Christ, Paul already had the grace necessary to bear the burden. How do we know he already had it? Note the word “is” – that’s the present tense of the verb “to be”. Believers already have the grace of God necessary to shoulder a great burden!

Further, God told Paul that His strength is made perfect in Paul’s weakness. God’s strength is complete, is greatest, when we are weakest because it is only when we recognize how weak we are that we trust in God’s strength the most. We are strongest, when we are weakest!

Notice the progression in v.8-10: (1) Paul prays to God that the burden would be removed. (2) God answers the prayer, not by removing the burden, but by reminding Paul of the grace and strength he already has access to. (3) Paul “gladly” glories in infirmities or times of weakness and burdens and even finds “pleasure” in them because he discovers that those times are when he is strongest!

Read II Corinthians 11:23-28 and see all that Paul endured while preaching the gospel and ministering to churches. Why did he not quit during those trying times? He looked to the grace of God for his strength and not himself. Christ is the lasting and sustaining strength every person needs to survive hard times in life. Illicit and licit drugs, psychological therapy, a new career or better education can never provide the strength that Christ offers the believer that rests in His power. His grace is always sufficient. We can take all the disappointments, worries, fear and misery we face and weigh them against two words - “My Grace” - and they all disappear.

Three times in Matthew 26:36-44 does God the Son pray to God the Father that the cup of the world’s sin be removed from Him. But God the Son desired to do the will of God the Father and he received that cup. Paul follows the example of God the Son: Three times, he prayed that the thorn be removed from him, but he desired to do the Father’s will and rested in the strength of the Lord. Do you follow Christ’s example?

In Psalm 16:1, David wrote, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.” David did not ask for the problem to be removed, rather, he asks that God would preserve him, or strengthen him during the trial so he could get through it. No wonder David can write that he walks through the valley of the shadow of death in Psalm 23. Like Paul, David did not trust in his own strength. They both rested in the power of Christ.

Are you weak yet? We cannot be strong until we recognize our weakness and find our strength in the grace of God.

John 4: Leave Your Pots at the Well

In John 4, While traveling through Samaria, Jesus stops in Sychar and, wearied, sits on a well to rest. A Samaritan woman comes to the well and Jesus asks her to get him some water from the well with her bucket and utensils. And thus began a conversation that would lead to her conversion. 

There were a couple of things that this woman believed, didn’t believe or was involved in that prevent many today from desiring Christ as their Savior. But this woman, after learning who Christ was and what he could do for her, left those things in her life that prevented her from receiving him. She left those things behind her when she left her pot at the well.

She left her pot of religion at the well.  In v.20-25, we learn that the woman thought highly of religion, but she was still lost.  Many today trust in religion and doing, but do not have Christ in their heart.  Paul wrote in Romans 10:1-2 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  Israel was very religious and zealous in religion, but they did not worship in spirit or truth in their heart.

She left her pot of lust at the well.  Jesus was not afraid to point out to this woman in v.16-18 that she was living with a man that was not her husband.  Jesus cared for her and wanted her to see her need for Christ.  She would only see that need if she could see her sin made plain by God himself.  Jesus had to point out to her that her marriages and relationships were failures.  Her religion taught her nothing about how to have great communication in marriage. Her religion did not teach her how to have meaningful and godly relationships instead of pursuing her lust.  This hit home with the Samaritan as it was this part of their conversation that she remembered most when she got back to town: John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

She left her pot of unbelief at the well.  By the time she gets back to Sychar, it is clear that this woman believed on Jesus Christ as her Savior. She realized that her religion had done nothing for her and her lust only caused more problems.  The living water that is Jesus Christ changed her from the inside out!

Jesus knew the Samaritan woman would be at that well that day. That’s the amazing thing about an omniscient God. The Samaritan woman came to the well simply to get some water. She had come to that well on the outskirts of town countless times before to get water to drink, cook and perhaps wash things. She expected nothing more on this trip to the well. However, on this trip, she would leave her pots at the well.

What pots do you need to leave at the well?  The pot of religion will never be enough to forgive us of our sins, only Christ can do that.  And only Christ can give us meaningful relationships by applying his Word to our lives.  For example, a great marriage is not based on religion, but an understanding of God's Word and application of it to our daily lives, particularly Ephesians 4 and 5.  Do you pursue lust and addiction?  Forsake them and seek Christ!  Leave those pots at the well!

John 3: God So Loved the World

Some may wonder if anyone loves and cares for them.  They think their life has no meaning because no one loves them.  But God loves you!  Consider the love of God:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God loved the world, so he gave us Jesus Christ to die on a cross for us and give eternal life to those that would receive Him. But what does it mean, “God loved the world” ? When God said he loved the world, it means he loves everyone in the world. It is a vast love, but a personal love at the same time. He loves all because He loves each! God loves each and gave Jesus Christ for each person.

And when Jesus looked at the world, he did not observe a sea of humanity, but rather, he saw:
1. A Samaritan woman at a well who needed living water...
2. A young Jewish man named Joseph agonizing over an espoused, but pregnant bride....
3. A woman who spent her entire life savings to cure a disease she had for 12 years....
4. A blind man begging on the Jericho highway...
5. A ruler of the synagogue named Jarius who had a daughter that was sick...
6. A young man that was blind since his birth...
7. A bold Peter that would deny him three times....
8. A thief on a cross that cried out to him...
9. A traitor who would sell out for 30 pieces of silver...
10. Me, a teenager in Goshen Connecticut that was religious, but lost...
11. And he saw you.

To help us understand the personal nature of his love for us, substitute personal pronouns in John 3:14-18:

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That IF I believeth in him I should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved ME, that he gave his only begotten Son, that IF I believeth in him I should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son TO ME to condemn ME; but that I through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 IF I believeth on him I AM NOT condemned: but IF I believeth not I AM condemned already, because I hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Re-read John 3:16. Paul personalized John 3:16 when he wrote Galatians 2:20...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

That’s who God sees when he looks at the world: People that he loves and sent his Son to die for them.