Hold firm to God’s goodness…

 

Nearly every day there are news items that make us shake our heads. Why did this leader decide that? How could a politician think people want that? Of course we don’t know enough about all issues to judge them, yet I’ve concluded that those who reach prominence in high places forget, or are ignorant, about how most of the world lives. 

Solomon, with all his flaws, still was considered wise. He wrote many proverbs about life and this one hits my shaking head: 

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. (Proverbs 29:7)

A righteous man is someone declared righteous because of his faith in God. Instead of trusting his own way, he seeks God's will and His way. The wicked man describes anyone who is entirely self-centered and trusts his own ideas, shunning the ways of God. I’ve noticed this is true in my own life. If I have a bee in my bonnet about anything, and that bee is contrary to God's ways, I soon lose any perception of human rights and many other things — because I am thinking only of myself and what I want.

As for the rights of the poor, God honors those who know and care for them: “If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.” (Proverbs 29:14). However. This requires paying attention to God.

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

This is true for rich and poor alike. If anyone cannot see the ways of God or pays no attention to His will or follow His guidance in how to live, they will do their own thing without restraint. We all know people who have very little self-control yet a great deal of self-interest. They completely miss the vision that the Lord has for living under His incredible blessings.

Not only that, sinfulness and selfishness rob me of the ability to be just toward others. As the wise man once wrote. . . .  

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked. (Proverbs 29:27)

If I live the way God desires, those stuck in their selfishness find me odd, even disgusting. They do not understand me and might even hate me. This is described further in the NT, and even in the daily news as Christians are targeted, persecuted, even slaughtered — because of being misunderstood by those blinded by their sin.

PRAY: Dear Father God, You are able to protect Your people but also to open blind eyes and work righteousness in hard hearts. I pray about my own lack of vision, but also for those who need their eyes opened to Your goodness and Your desire for their good. Enable me to remain faithful no matter how I am perceived. Amen.

True Freedom

 

Freedom means different things to different people. We listen to stories of refugees and realize oppression and bondage takes many forms, most of which we have never experienced.

Yesterday, one friend shared that the country she was born in forbid any criticism of government leaders. Those who did and were reported would likely not be seen again. When she moved to Great Britain and heard people speak badly about the Queen, she intensely worried for their safety.

Sometimes slavery is being forced to serve other people. Sometimes it is slavery to bad habits or a way of life. Always it is slavery to that power that holds people from being all that they could be — slavery to sin. When Jesus came, He said:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They (religious leaders) answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31–36)

I’m thinking of what can enslave me in terms of my current life in my part of the world. One is fear, fear of future events, and current threats in political decisions. We just had an election in which the winner has a vague history in ruling a country and the opposition leader lost in his riding and must resign. Talk and promises can sound good, but fear of what happens next could put many in bondage to their fears.

Another threat is aging. A former friend died this month at 103. I can hear her laugh. Will I live that long? Be healthy? I realize that God could call me home anytime. I could be in bondage to concerns about who will be the first in our household to die and how will the remaining person manage? If it is me, will I need to move again? Many questions, but the future is never known or made certain.

I could also be a slave to my I-wants. A big one is wanting to see ALL my family knowing and walking with Jesus. Some do. Some are far from it. Praying daily for them, yet this burden could ruin my freedom to think or do much else.

I could also be a slave to ignorance. We listen to people rant about something they read on social media but didn’t check it out — a total pack of lies. I hear others go on about their problems yet never seem to look for solutions. They enjoy being in the dark? They like to occupy their minds with stuff that is not true? I don’t understand this, but realize I could also be a slave to lies.

Yet Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” The key? “If you abide in my Word… and you will know the truth…” Knowing and believing what God says and sticking to it (abiding) is the key to freedom, freedom from fear, life’s concerns, selfish ideas and habits, and even ignorance. It means reading it, not just as an exercise, but in search for truth that produces trust and takes away fear. Truth that makes me know the folly of worry, the futility of my wants in comparison to the wonderful will of God, and truth that breaks the power of ignorance.

PRAY: Oh Lord Jesus, I am so glad that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life that is offered to me as a gift because of Your amazing grace and mercy. I can be confident, not fearful or worried as I read it, joyful and assured of Your wisdom and care. This isn’t just about me either, but about the state of the world near and far. You are God and those who try to be will eventually discover that they are not. Amen.

From ignorance to holiness

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14–16)

The phrase “passions of your former ignorance” catches my attention. The Greek word translated ‘passions’ means ‘strong, self-indulgent cravings that displace a proper affection for God.’ For most people, this could be a list ranging from over-eating to far worse desires and activities. The word for ‘ignorance’ is simply lack of knowledge or education.

This morning’s newspaper had an article about a young man who died at a party from ingesting an overdose of prescription drugs. I shook my head and said, “How can anyone be so foolish?” Yet this is the ignorance that leads to self-indulgent cravings. In his case, it was a desire for an emotional and physical ‘high’ and his craving was strong enough to override any warning bells that may have gone off in his head.

I cannot claim to be any better. Even as a Christian, I’ve gone against those warning bells a few times. I wanted something, and in itself it was not always an evil something, but God was saying ‘no’ and I was not listening.

The goal of God for His people is to transform us into the image of His Son. That means holiness. The lie is that God wants us healthy, wealthy, and comfortable. If we believe that lie, then as Chambers says in his devotional for today, we will resent the preaching of the gospel. It reveals that no person is holy, and at the same time may stir up a craving for it.

Since that end goal is available through faith in Jesus Christ, why resent the gospel? The only answer is that immature attitude of a spoiled child: ‘I want what I want when I want it.’ Sinners do not want holiness because they do not want their indulgences checked.

As I look back on my ‘former ignorance’ I can see that not all of my passions were evil. I had (and still do) a passion for artistic endeavor, but there came a point where God could see that passion was interfering with my affection for Him. He checked my indulgence and for a long time put my attention only on Him. When that relationship was more deeply established, He allowed me to pick up a paint brush again. When I did, I discovered that I could ‘take it or leave it’ for the craving was replaced with a desire to obey God. Now I can be artistic at His bidding and for His purposes, not simply to satisfy myself. The wonder is that His way is far more satisfying than that never-satisfied passion to serve myself.

Holiness is about purity, but it also means ‘other than human’ which describes God, and ‘set apart for God’ which describes His people. Purity covers the evil indulgences, and being set apart for God covers anything that is not evil but can become a selfish indulgence, such as art, sports, hobbies, etc.

Chambers says holiness means “unsullied walking with the feet, unsullied talking with the tongue, unsullied thinking with the mind—every detail of the life under the scrutiny of God.” It is the way that I can demonstrate that I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

To Live is Christ — living by God’s revelation

If there is a statistical correlation between the prevailing immorality in our culture and the limitations against declarations of biblical truth in schools and many public places, I’m not aware of it. What I do know is that God says there is.

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

In one sense, rules tend to bring out disobedience in the heart. That is, if there is no rule, no one would know that people are doing the wrong thing. However, as soon as a rule or law is in place, they seem to draw a line in the sand, a mark that says, “You can go this far but no farther.”

I’m not a hockey expert, but did notice in the game last night that the referees twice called penalties on boarding, an infraction that is often overlooked. The first call came early in the game, and as a result, there was only one more boarding even though this usually happens far more often.

While the rules in hockey or the rules in society are not the same as “revelation” they illustrate the principle. When people do not know the truth (or consequences) about any matters, we will do whatever comes to mind. As sinners, what comes to mind is usually marked by casting off restraint.

Another thing we noticed at the hockey game was an abundance of large people. Most of them were happily eating junk food and drinking beer. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed my own tendency to “cast off restraint” at the dinner table. I began wondering what God says about keeping myself from getting overweight. Besides the idea that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, the first revelation started with a devotional given at a writer’s conference about sloth or laziness as one of the seven deadly sins. I looked them up; another is gluttony. I’ve never heard a sermon about gluttony. The Bible has lots to say about this particular over-indulgence.

God also revealed to me several other things. One is that I can eat what I want as long as it is received with thanksgiving. I had to ask myself if I could thank God for that extra helping when I’m already full or that snack before bed that takes my carb quota over the limit? His revelations began pinching my lack of restraint.

He also showed me another passage that seems more about self-control, an ability that is from the Holy Spirit, but these verses revealed more . . . 

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Paul was writing about his calling from God to reach others for Christ. He knew that if he did not discipline himself, he would be disqualified from that mission, much like an athlete who fails to do his basic training can be disqualified from the race. Discipline is necessary to winning.

Not only that, discipline has a crossover effect. If I refuse to indulge in one area, it will be easier to say no in other areas. If I’ve exercised self-control with my words or at the dinner table, then self-control in ministry and other more eternal matters will be far easier.

I don’t want a lack of personal discipline to make anything God asks me to do fall by the wayside. Being ‘slim and trim’ can be vanity and certainly is temporal, but God has revealed to me that self-indulgence with food can ruin my ability to serve Him. This revelation is helping me with restraint. It isn’t a law (for I live by grace), but knowing and doing what He says certainly makes me happy, particularly when compared to not knowing and stuffing myself.

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