God's Priority

You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. (Amos 3:2)

While I moan over the sin in the world, God is far more concerned about my sin, and the sin of others who are in a relationship with Him. As I read what Amos says to His people, I realize that He wants godliness in us that He can use us to do His will, to make a difference in this fallen world.

How He worked in the lives of those who disobeyed Him then is not very different from the way He works in the lives of His people today.

Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.” Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed. (Amos 3:11–12)

In poetic form, God speaks through Amos to say my defenses and strongholds must come down. What are they? Things of my own strength. Isaiah defines sin as running my own life (Isaiah 53:6), turning to my own way. My own way may not seem sinful yet it cannot do the will of God without His input and His Spirit. How does He deal with it? By failures and trials.

I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name! (Amos 4:11–13)

Eventually, if I don’t listen and repent, my way begins to slide downhill from being a matter of inner motives to sinful actions. In Amos’ day it showed up that way and could do the same in me:

They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. . . . Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? . . . . Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:10–24)

God does not want ritual or the form of worship that is surface only. He wants me and all His people to love and obey Him from the heart, regardless of the cost. If I rely on my wits rather than His Spirit, or think my way will work just fine, I am in darkness and will wind up in trouble until I learn to say and do “not my will but thine be done.”

Jesus, Your instruction to Your people is still the same. Your priority is my holiness and the godliness of all those that You live in because of the marvel of Your salvation and redemption. If I live as You desire, then I am useful as a beacon to those who do not know You or anything about the grace that is freely available to them. This is true Christianity.

 
 

Chasing after Jesus

 

 

READ 1 Timothy

It seems to me that a huge benefit of receiving Christ as a child is learning how to live in God’s kingdom starts early, whereas those of us who were saved as adults have many established habits and ways of thinking that we need to unlearn. However, reading Paul’s first letter to Timothy has me rethinking this notion. Paul’s instructions seem to indicate that even though Timothy had a mom and grandmother who taught him about Christ, this young pastor had much to learn or at least remember in living his own life and in leading other Christians in godly living.

Much of Paul’s letter is about ‘godliness’ — a word that appears nine times. The first one gives Timothy instruction about the attitude of Christian women who at that time were in danger of following a worldly value system that focused on being attractive with costly clothes, jewelry and fancy hairdos. That value system persists even today so it is for my attention! I need to remember that in the kingdom of God, our values include “modesty and self-control” as is “proper for women who profess godliness — with good works.” (1 Timothy 2:10) While being presentable is important, being like Jesus is far more important than outward appearance. Unlearning the temporal and learning what is eternal takes years for some of us!

Our example is Jesus. Paul points to Him as the “mystery of godliness” — not so much about His great love for us (see yesterday’s post) but that He came here to demonstrate that love by being: “manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16) I need to keep my focus on Him, for in Christian circles, that old sinful self is active. With the prompting of the enemy, the philosophies of the world, and the desires of the human heart, believers can stray away to false teaching. Our goal is being transformed into the image of Christ, but neglecting spiritual disciples of confession and plain old obedience will mess with that goal.

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7–8)

This applies to everyone, not just pastors like Timothy. Paul says, “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (1 Timothy 5:4) yet he points out to teachers and church leaders the danger of sliding off their main focus:

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, (1 Timothy 6:3–6)

In reading this as an ordinary person who is growing older and not as active in Christian service as I once was, I know that these words still apply to me. I represent Jesus to my family, friends and neighbors. Even though Timothy isn’t here to teach me what Paul taught him, I can learn from the teaching he received in this letter and remember to “flee these things” that pull me away from Jesus, and “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11) I can also record what I learn for others to read, knowing that we live in a world of needy people who are seeking godliness without realizing it can be found only in Jesus.