Confess for Success

⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. - Psalm 51:9-13

     A great closing reminder for a week of looking through Psalms and Proverbs. These verses detail the process of effective service to the Lord. God gives a step-by-step guide for me to follow and I must admit that I don't always follow it. David is praying for forgiveness, mercy, and cleansing after his sin with Bathsheba. He realizes the need for confession and repentance. If I want to be used by God I must learn from David's example and keep my relationship with God clean and unhindered. I must ask for forgiveness from my sinful ways. I must implore the Lord for a cleansing of my heart and for His power to help me remain steadfast in righteousness. I must have my conscience clean, that I might be in tune with the Holy Spirit and His leading. Once I have done my part, God will always do His. 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. After removing the depressing, guilt-inducing mire of sin, I am able to once again experience the joy of the Lord's salvation. I am able to speak with God freely and commune with Him in my heart. This joy is contagious and desirable to those who have never experienced it. Only when I have a clean heart before God will I be used to bring souls to Him. I will be able to teach others the way of salvation and just as David says, sinners will be converted. When I fail to remember this, when I am too lazy to get my heart right, my attempts at spreading the Gospel are just a waste of time. In my own strength I can do nothing, and covered in sin I can only access my own strength. May I keep my heart right before the Lord, and approach the furthering of His kingdom seriously, and with a clean spirit.

Don't Be Stupid

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,but he who hates correction is stupid. - Proverbs 12:1

     As I flipped my Bible open to Proverbs, this verse jumped out at me before I could even turn the page. I find it amazing that one short verse can be so convicting and have so many implications for our lives. The power of the Word is real. I find myself constantly talking to my students about the concepts addressed in this verse. I badger them with all of the usual "old person" advice and add to the misery that is being a teenager. I remind them that instruction and correction never go away and that they must learn to deal with it now if they want to be successful. Each time I give one of these "lectures" I am reminded of my need for the very same lecture. I often want to refuse instruction and correction and do things my way. I have always been a very independent person and this independence leads me to pride and arrogance. I honestly appreciate the concern and advice of others but I insist on solving the problem my way. While this attitude may ultimately only cause more stress and trouble in my life, it becomes even bigger when I have this attitude towards God. I decide that His advice is good advice, but I insist on finding my own solution. So many times I avoid the simple, God-designed plan and tackle the problem in my own strength. This usually just brings frustration as I slowly work my way right back to where I started, confess my arrogance to the Lord, and tackle the problem His way. I could save myself so much effort and pain if I would just humble myself and listen to God from the very beginning. 

     The second part of this verse goes even further and tells me that I should love correction as well. It is one thing to love instruction; loving correction is a whole different issue. It is easy to kindly ignore someone's instruction and advice, but very difficult to kindly ignore someone correcting my mistakes. This is the ultimate test for someone struggling with their pride. Admitting I was wrong and that someone else is right to correct me is one of the hardest things to do. Accepting God's correction can be even more difficult. There is no question that He is right; He's always right. I have no defense when I stand before His correction. This doesn't make it any easier on my pride. I must remember to be humble and accept God's instruction and correction. Proverbs very bluntly tells me that if I do not, I'm stupid. God uses instruction and correction in our lives to help mold us into His image. When I let my pride take over, I am resisting God's work in my life. I must put myself away and let the Potter do His work with the clay. The pot must never tell the Potter how to do His job. As hard as it may be, I pray that when I reach Heaven, my life will not have been one riddled with pride and stupidity, but one characterized by a love for instruction and correction.

My Shepherd

 ¹ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.² He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. ³ He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. ⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. - Psalm 23

     Perhaps the most well-known passage in the entire Bible. This psalm is always a blessing and an encouragement. These six verses address our entire Christian walk. When I became a Christian I became a sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd. Upon joining this flock I received the promise that I would always be cared for and provided for by my Shepherd. I receive the constant blessings of green pasture and still waters. When I go astray He restores me through His marvelous forgiveness. Without the leadership and guidance of my Shepherd I could not walk the path of righteousness. It is through His empowerment that I can live righteously. He empowers me to do so that I may bring glory to His name. When troubles arise I can have peace through Him. Even when something as terrible as death is looming before me, when I am in the darkness and shadows, I have no reason to fear. My Shepherd is with me. When the enemy attacks, my Shepherd will protect. When my enemies surround me I can calmly partake of the blessings set before me as my Shepherd declares me a king and a victor. No matter how rough the path or how hard the task I may rest assured in my Shepherd's goodness and mercy. When my race is run and my course is finished, my real life has only just begun. I will spend eternity with the one who called me to His flock and faithfully guided my path for so many years. Powerful, soothing, incomprehensible truths that the Lord of all creation would tend to a dirty, ungrateful, wandering sheep like me.

He's Listening

¹ A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ² The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. ³ The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. ⁴ A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.- Proverbs 15:1-4

     Passages about the tongue are perhaps some of the most convicting in all of Scripture. Controlling what I say and when I say it is perhaps my greatest downfall and I feel that I am not alone. Something so small and seemingly simple can change so much in a second. Proverbs dispenses some amazing wisdom in these four verses. Verse one teaches us the best response in an argument. I must rise above the shouting and accusing and find a soft answer. I've been on the receiving end of a soft answer and I must say that it does truly turn away wrath! Verse two reminds me to speak wisely. I must keep my mouth from pouring out foolishness. Verse three reminds me to have wholesome, uplifting speech. Perverse and critical speech only tears down and breaks the spirit. The common thread for all of these warnings comes down to one simple character trait: self-control. In an argument, I must keep my cool and control my response. When I want to blab away about nonsense, I must control my tongue to keep it from becoming a fountain of foolishness. When I am tempted to say ungodly things the only way to stop my mouth is to control my lips. If I cannot master self-control I will not master my tongue. 

     In the middle of these verses we find verse three and it says nothing about speech. There is no mention of the mouth or tongue or speaking in verse three. There isn't even any mention of self-control. However, I believe that verse three is included for a reason and I think it is a powerful verse when dealing with the tongue. When I am struggling with self-control, when I am tempted to pour out foolish or hateful words, I must remember that the Lord is there and He is listening. He is watching me and listening to my speech. He is everywhere. When there is an argument at home, He is there. When I gossip on the phone, He is there. When I mutter under my breath, He is there. When I curse and accuse in my mind, He is there. A scary, yet very motivational thought. If the idea of God listening to my mouth doesn't help me keep it clean, I don't know what will. May I never forget that the Lord is always listening and may I strive to have conversation that is pleasing to Him.

Secret Fortress

 ¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.” 

 ³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 ⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge;
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 ⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 

- Psalm 91:1-6

     A great Psalm to meditate upon this morning. When times are dark and perilous and when traps have been laid for our destruction, God is our strength and defense. Verse 4 says that God's truth will be our shield. The truth that He is in control and that He has a plan will give us hope. The truth that He will win the battle gives us strength. The truth that He will not leave us or forsake us gives us comfort. These truths and many, many more all combine to form a defense around us. 

     While thinking about this defense is comforting, I must not forget the foundation of this refuge. Verse 1 tells me I must dwell in the secret place. Most people don't share secrets with strangers. If I am constantly living in sin and neglecting my relationship with God I cannot be in the secret place. The secret place is reserved for those who have their hearts in tune with God. Verse 2 tells me that God is my fortress. Just as secrets are reserved for those with a close relationship, a fortress is for those who are on the same side of a battle. If I am choosing to dabble in Satan's army I cannot expect to run into the fortress of the Lord. There is a constant spiritual battle raging around me. I cannot reside in God's fortress while my actions show defection from His army. Each day I must keep my heart clean and open and walk in unison with my Lord. I must be relying on God and God alone to be my strength. I must be placing my full trust upon Him and living to glorify Him, not my own flesh. When my relationship is strong and I am covered with the armor of God, I will be able to reside in the secret place of my King and fight my battle from His fortress.

Continuous Praise

⁹ So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” - Job 1:9-11

     Getting back to my Old Testament overview, today I am challenged by Satan's accusation of Job. Satan is convinced that the only reason Job serves God is because of the blessing God bestows upon him. Satan claims that if God were to remove these blessings, Job would curse God and cease from worshiping Him. As we know, this is not true of Job. It is true of Job's wife who recommends that Job, "Curse God and die." Job 2:9b The real question is whether or not this is true of me. If you were to ask me if I served God only because He blesses me, I would respond with a resounding, "No!" However, when I truly search my heart, I think my response might not be so noble. How often do I complain when simple things go wrong in my life? I may not be bold enough to shake my fist toward heaven and blame God, but inside I am often thinking that God should have acted differently. I often want God to follow my plan and do what seems best to me. When things don't go my way I accuse God of forgetting me or wish that He would save me from my current trouble. I feel that many times I may be serving God only because things are going well. I've often heard illustrations about not having tea without hot water or some other cliche example, but they prove a valid point. How we respond under pressure is who we really are. I can bless God and praise His name all day long when my life is easy. The true test is how much I'm praising His name when it seems I have nothing left to praise Him for. Job lost it all, but he never lost his faith. May I be a man like Job and praise the Lord just as loud from the valley as I do from the mountaintop.

He Lives!

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. - Colossians 1:18

     Jesus is the vine and He is the Head of the church. We are the branches and the body. Branches cannot survive if the vine is dead. Our bodies would be useless without the head. In the same way, we are nothing without a living Savior. If Christ had died on that cross and then stayed in the grave, our redemption would not be complete. 1 Corinthians 15:14 sums it up nicely: And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Don't bother preaching the Gospel. If Christ did not roll the stone away then there is no Gospel. Don't bother going to church or witnessing or trying to live a righteous life, if Christ is dead you're just wasting your time. Our foundation lies in the resurrection. Everything we believe is useless if those ladies find a body and not empty grave clothes. What separates Christianity from religions around the world? We serve a living God. We trust our salvation to One who is alive and active this very moment. We have our power and being from a God Who is real, not some man whose bones have turned to dust in a sarcophagus. Easter is the day we choose to remember the miracle of Christ's resurrection. It is an amazing time to reflect and be thankful for all our Lord has done. The truth of the matter is that Christians celebrate this miracle every day. Associating yourself with the name Christian is a celebration of the resurrection. Without this monumental day, we have nothing. Let us remember the unfathomable sacrifice and love of our Savior. Let us remember that without His life we have no life of our own. Let us remember that it is through Christ, and Christ alone, that we have redemption, joy, true love, forgiveness, and life forevermore.

In Christ Alone

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

Hallelujah! He lives! Happy Easter, everyone.

Just Reflect

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified^{.   27} Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. ²⁸ And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ²⁹ When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. ³¹ And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.³² Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. ³³ And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, ³⁴ they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

³⁵ Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “ They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

 ³⁶ Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. ³⁷ And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 ³⁸ Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.³⁹ And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ⁴² “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.⁴³ He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. ⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”⁴⁷ Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” ⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, ⁵² and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³ and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴ So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
- Matthew 27

Good Friday

¹⁶ Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. ¹⁷ And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, ¹⁸ and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. 

- Mark 15:16-20

     Always a saddening reminder of the agony Christ went through for a sinner like me. This time of year always makes me slow down and remember just how much Jesus suffered. In moments like this, I think the mockery was more difficult than the physical pain. I cannot even fathom the Creator allowing His creation to spit on Him, beat Him, and mock Him. How difficult that must have been. When I take the time to reflect on my Lord's sufferings, my perspective tends to be where it needs to be. As Easter approaches, let us not forget the sacrifice that was given so many years ago.

     The challenge I receive from this passage is on a whole different level, however. These verses make me look inside and question my view of Jesus. I think I am often caught up with an "image" of Christ that is made up of my own ideals and thoughts. I often become one of these Roman soldiers. I strip Jesus of His true "clothing" and dress Him up in purple robes. I make Him look like someone He is not to suit my own needs or desires. I put a crown of thorns upon Him as I make Him Lord of something He is not. I use Him as a reason for my actions but it is in name only. I hit Him and and cause Him pain through my sinfulness and unfaithfulness. I spit in His face and shame Him as I drag His name through the mud with my selfish, ungodly living. I bow my knee and worship, yet sometimes it is nothing more than a mockery of true worship. I worship because of a sense of duty. I worship in hope of getting some blessing in return. I worship as a show for others. I mock Him with my hypocrisy. And just as He did on that fateful day in the past, my Lord silently stands and takes the punishment. He allows my blasphemous behavior as He patiently works out my redemption. He forgives, and continues His plan to change my heart to be like His. He doesn't use the power at His disposal to strike me down, He uses His power to mold me and shape me. My Lord worked the greatest of all miracles on Good Friday and He hasn't stopped working miracles on this Friday, over two thousand years later.

Betrayal

¹⁷ In the evening He came with the twelve. ¹⁸ Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.” ¹⁹ And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” - Mark 14:17-19

     Reading through the different accounts of Jesus' last week, the disciples are not really at the top of their game during this time frame. They still don't understand what the Messiah will accomplish in the coming days. They fall asleep in Gethsemane and desert the Lord when He is arrested. However, I am amazed by these three short verses in the book of Mark. When Jesus informs them that one of them will betray Him, I expect to see a different response. I think I would be very indignant if Jesus were saying these words to me. These twelve me are Jesus' closest followers and friends. They have lived with the Master throughout His entire ministry. They have helped Him and supported Him. They have witnessed miracles and even taken part in miracles. Now, in this intimate moment, the Object of their devotion is accusing one of them of being a traitor. Yet there is no indignation, no finger-pointing and no pouting disciples. Instead, they are all filled with sorrow and begin to ask if they are the one who will betray the Lord. Despite all of their faults, or perhaps because of their faults, these men realize the capacity for sin in each of their hearts. They trust that Jesus is telling the truth and that they are capable of being the betrayer. It is this attitude I must strive to maintain in my own life. The moment I become too sure of myself, the moment I feel above the ability to betray, is the moment Satan may very well choose to attack. We are all capable of things we never imagined. If not for the Messiah where would I be? It is only by the grace of God that I can be a James and not a Judas. I must always be wary of my own heart and sinful desires. When I become lazy and complacent I may find myself betraying the very One I love and worship. Thirty pieces of silver is a cheap price for the Creator and Savior of mankind. How cheap is my own betrayal of Christ? I must keep my mind on God, my conscience strong, and never lose sight of the depravity lurking within me.

I'm a Thief

³⁹ Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” ⁴⁰ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” ⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” - Luke 23:39-43

     What grand implications from such a seemingly insignificant passage. The life of this thief serves as a powerful reminder to all of us. Reading through the events leading up to Easter has already been challenging to me and has also been a wonderful reminder of what my Savior did for me. In his book, No Wonder the call Him the Savior, Max Lucado points out what this thief means to mankind. Here on a cross, dying by the Savior of the world, is a simple criminal. He is being punished for his wrongdoing and he is aware of his guilt. As far as we know and can assume, he has never done anything for God. In his final moments he has realized that the man dying beside him truly is someone special. He believes that Jesus will be going back to His kingdom and asks the Lord for mercy. Jesus honors his faith and promises to see him in heaven. Think about that. A dirty, worthless sinner. A criminal who is well on his way to death. A man who will never share the Gospel with anyone. A man who will never serve God or tell of Jesus' love. He will never be a missionary or a pastor or father a Christian family. He will never be used by God in any way. He has absolutely nothing to offer, but he doesn't need anything to offer. His offering would be useless even if he wasn't about to die. The glorious point of this whole story is that we have nothing to offer, yet we are offered everything. Jesus promises paradise to a man with nothing. No matter how hard I work I will always be in the same position as this thief. That sounds depressing but it is the most amazing part of God's redemptive plan. I can do nothing to get to heaven. Jesus does it all. No matter how dirty, how sinful, how poor, how rejected, Jesus does it all. When I see myself as the thief I appreciate what my Lord has done. I often get too caught up in my "good works" and find myself in the place of one of the Pharisees standing near the cross. The Lord calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. It isn't pretty. We aren't pretty. But it is in this ugly state that God is able to work His wonders and show His mighty power.

The Plank in my Eye

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. - Mark 14:3-6

     "And they criticized her sharply." What a sad statement. I'm afraid it could apply to me frequently. This woman has made a tremendous sacrifice. She has just anointed Christ with something worth thousands of dollars in our society. She has given up what quite possibly could have been her life savings. She has shown humility and pure worship. Yet the response from those nearby is one of criticism. How often do I struggle with this in my own heart? I criticize my brothers and sisters for their personal walk with God. I pick apart their actions and discuss the validity and sincerity of what they do. I questions the worship of those around me, or accuse them of being fake. First and foremost, why am I even concerned about a walk that is not my own? It is my job to worry about my relationship, not my neighbor's. Second, why am I so critical? Only God can judge the heart and our intentions. Why do I create strife and drama within the body of Christ? Matthew 7:3-4 ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? I need to look at my own predicament first. My human nature is constantly trying to prove that I am good, at the expense of those around me. We are called to be a family; the body of Christ. We are to move and function as one. I feel that the church today is so full of criticism that it cannot function properly. Notice that Jesus reprimands the critical ones and praises the woman. Jesus wants worship, not whining. How often do we shun a neighboring church because they differ on a minor theological issue? Are we not called to be "one" body? Anointing Jesus with expensive oil is pleasing to Him. Selling expensive oil and using the money to help the poor is pleasing to Him as well. There is no need for criticism. It is my prayer that Christians worldwide will start coming together to further the kingdom of God. The criticism and cliques need to stop. We need to stop criticizing and start cooperating. I don't like the thought of standing before the throne, telling my Lord that I wasn't faithful because I was too busy analyzing someone else.

Spring Cleaning

¹⁵ So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹⁶ And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. ¹⁷ Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” - Mark 11:15-17

     If Jesus came into our churches today what would He say about them? A den of _______________. Fill in the blank. Hopefully we would not be a den of thieves, but what would we be a den of? Jesus threw over the tables and seats of those defiling God's house. Would He overthrow the tables of our homecoming dinners? Would He kick over the chairs of members who are inactive? Would He rip coats and ties off of our men and accuse them of show? Would He be pleased to join our worship or would He need to cleanse our temple? A challenging thought. Our churches have become so bogged down with programs and activities that I fear we may be no better than the moneychangers. We have begun making a business out of church. We are so busy "serving" that we don't even know Who we are serving. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with outreach and programs and being active in church. It's when our activity becomes our worship that we have a problem. Church is about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Anything that keeps our focus from that is a table that needs to be overturned. And before anyone gets too busy pointing out the problems in church, the bigger issue is our own temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19a Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit... What needs to be thrown over in your temple? Is the Holy Spirit able to abide in your heart peacefully? What type of "den" are you? Our job starts with allowing Jesus to clean out our temple. Once our temple is clean we can work as a family to clean out our churches and make them the places of worship which God desires. I think a little spring cleaning is needed.

Watch and Pray

³⁷ Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹ Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. ⁴⁰ And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. ⁴¹ Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. - Mark 14:37-41

     It's easy for me to read these verses and get upset with Peter, James, and John. They had such a simple task; watch and pray with Jesus. Can you imagine? These three disciples were singled out by the Savior of the world to be His personal support group during His most trying time. They had the opportunity of a lifetime. No one else ever had this chance and no one else ever will. How do they respond? They sleep! Christ is in agony at this point. Can they not see His heavy heart? Can they not comprehend that He needs them at this moment? Not only once, but three times he finds the disciples asleep. They seem oblivious to the heart of the Master. They seem consumed by their physical desires. They seem to completely ignore the job that needs to be done and instead choose to be lazy and rest. 

     The moment I start fuming and calling these guys out is the very moment when I realize that I am sleeping right next to them. The Savior of the world has personally redeemed me to be His child. He has given me a life and chances that no one else has ever had and that no one else ever will. What am I doing with them? I cannot see my Lord's heavy heart. I do not love what He loves and hate what He hates. I do not have compassion and love for the lost like He has. I often do not comprehend that God needs me. I ignore the task at hand. I reason away my importance or decide that someone else will do it. I choose to sleep and fulfill my physical desires before doing my spiritual duty. I choose to be lazy and do what I want to do. I choose to fill a pew and rest, rather than run the race set before me. I choose to ignore the agony on my Savior's face as millions march on toward hell. I apathetically roll over and pull the covers up a little higher and keep on sleeping. I need to stop dreaming and start doing. I need to stop resting and start running. I need to stop sleeping and start slaving. The Lord's words cut deep.

"Could you not watch one hour?"

Living from Your Deathbed

"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”- Job 1:21b

     The past two weeks have been interesting for me. The Lord gave a wonderful vacation and a time of great relaxation. It was amazing to see the beauty and diversity of God's creation. Unfortunately, part of the diversity of nature includes parasites and I was able to "enjoy" that part for several days after my vacation. Laying in the hospital staring at the ceiling, I had a lot of time to think and reflect. I had a long struggle to keep the right attitude and not become angry. I had moments when I truly questioned if this would be how I died and if so, what had I accomplished all these years? While I have never experienced anything close to the tragedy of Job, this verse kept coming to mind over and over. How can I complain about poor health when any health I have comes from the Lord? Poor health is still better than no health. How easy it was for me to be angry and upset with my condition, but how easily the week before had I looked over God's amazing blessings. It's rare that I stop and thank God for the simple, daily things we all take for granted. My perspective is so far off. Job was able to say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Job 13:15a 

I must remember that everything I have is a gift from the Lord and is His to do with as He pleases.

     I was also challenged by my time in the hospital to start living my life like I'm on my deathbed. I challenge anyone reading this to do the same. If you knew that you would die today, what would you regret not doing? What would you change? Then go out and change it! I asked my students this question yesterday. Surprisingly, over half of my high school students stated that they would regret not being nicer to their parents or not spending more time with their family. I challenged them to start doing those things now. Why is it that we don't see these things from day to day? Why do we never ask ourselves what it is we will regret? How many people would I regret not telling about Jesus? How many lives could I have touched if I had taken the time? How many things that I put off until tomorrow will never happen at all? Start living from your deathbed. If you're not living the way you'd live your final hours, you're not living correctly. These may be your final hours.

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. - Romans 13:11-12

Good Advice

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”
⁷ And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
⁸ But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. - 1 Kings 12:6-8

     Solomon was the wisest king who ever lived. I would like to think that loads of this wisdom seeped into the mind of his children, and that they too were very wise people. Our passage today seems to imply that this idea is merely wishful thinking on my part. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, has now taken the throne after the death of his father. One of his first acts as king is to ask for advice on how to lead the nation. He consults the elders which is a very wise choice. These are the people who have grown in wisdom and consulted Solomon and worked in government for years. They are the first people I would turn to for kingly advice. But this is as far as the wisdom goes. He listens to their advice, which just so happens to be pretty good advice, and then rejects it. Instead, he turns to his young friends and peers to see what they think. As one might imagine, their advice is directly contrary to that of the elders. At this point I want to scream, “Stop!” I want to tell him that he is a fool and should be listening to the elders instead. I have this feeling a lot considering the fact that I teach high school students every day. So often I want to yell at them and tell them to follow their parent’s and teacher’s advice and quit listening to their cute little friends. And the more I want to shout, the more I realize I should be shouting into the mirror. “Listen to God and quit listening to the people around you!” “Quit doing what you want to do and do what you know is wise!” “Quit justifying your desires with words from people who are not qualified on the subject!” I see all of the ways that I forsake the wisdom and counsel of the Lord in order to follow my sinful desires. I am reminded of all of the times I didn’t heed good advice. I am struck by how silly and foolish many of my choices have been in the past. Finally, I am challenged to be wiser in the future. I am challenged to listen to those who have gone before me, and learn from their mistakes rather than my own. I must stay sharp and choose the good advice each and every day. Wisdom is never hereditary.

What God Wants

³⁷ So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. ³⁸ Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 1 Kings 11:37-38

     We come to the point in Solomon’s life where he must face the consequences of his actions. He has turned his back on God and God has now turned His back on him. Many adversaries are raised up against Solomon in his last days as king. One of these adversaries is his own servant Jeroboam, who would later take the kingdom from Solomon’s son. As Jeroboam is told of these coming events, I am reminded of what God desires from us all. In this passage we see God’s promise to Jeroboam. All God wants is someone who will be faithful to Him and His Word. We have all been made kings through the power of Christ’s blood, and God desires to give us daily blessings and a lasting legacy. David achieved this in spite of his many downfalls. Solomon had this for a while but then turned away from God and didn’t look back. Now Jeroboam has the same choice laid before him: Follow God and be happy and blessed or turn away from God and watch your world crumble. This is a common thread throughout the entire Bible. You would think that after all of these examples I would easily choose to follow God every day. Unfortunately, my sin nature has a strong grip and I often turn aside from God’s path. These men’s lives are forever remembered in the pages of this Book, so that I might remember what path I should follow. Now I just need to keep my focus and take my cue from the right guy. If I am faithful to follow, God has amazing things planned for my future.

Jesus Wept

³³ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. ³⁴ And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” ³⁷ And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” - John 11:33-37

     We have an intimate glimpse of the dual nature of Christ, and a touching moment as He handles the loss of a friend. It is a powerful reminder that Jesus became fully man while on Earth. I often neglect this idea in my mind and subconsciously think, "Well, it was different for Jesus, He is God." He is God, but he took on the same trials and emotions that we face every day. We see Him torn inside and weeping. Weeping because Lazarus is dead? I don't believe He is weeping for Lazarus, I believe he is weeping for Mary and for Martha and for the others who are grieving. To see those whom He loves in despair is too much. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Our Savior understands our pain and our temptations and our emotions. He faced them when He walked among us. He is not crying for Lazarus, He already knows that Lazarus will live again. He is crying because those around Him are brokenhearted.

    Even more important is how those around Jesus respond. What is my response to the circumstances I face in my own life? As I read the story of Lazarus, I am struck by the differing responses to what happens. We see the two choices available: Be touched by the Lord's grief and realize His love for Lazarus, or find fault with His lack of action and point an accusing finger. How often do I do this? I cannot understand God's ways. Isaiah 55:8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. I must trust Him and see the love and the mercy that He provides every day. It is not my job to question God's designs or to accuse Him of inaction or negligence. When God provides an intimate moment of beauty in my life I must revel in it rather than revile it. Let me not say, "Look what You could have done!" But rather, "Look how much You love me!"

Psaturday Psalm: Trust

¹ Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.² My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High. ³ Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.⁴ In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? - Psalm 56:1-4

     Many times I feel like I am being "swallowed up." I feel the oppression, the daily issues of social interaction coupled with society's general disdain for the things of God. It seems that I am bombarded from all sides. People I am around each day, the media, education, the internet; each area provides a new forum for Christian bashing and talk of the ignorance of a belief in God. Not that I mind standing up for my beliefs, or sharing the truth about the Lord, but it often becomes tiring and burdensome. It is in these moments that I must remind myself where to put my trust. I must trust in God to open the eyes of the world to His truth. I must trust in God to give me my strength each day. I must trust in God to work out His will and His plan. I must trust in God that my faithfulness will be rewarded as He promised. I must trust in God that nothing that can happen to me on earth really matters. I must trust in God that I cannot change the world, but that He can change the world through me. A short, simple thought, but one that can make a profound difference in my life. May I be able to echo the sentiments of Job during his most trying time, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." - Job 13:15a