Holy Fire

³⁷ Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” ³⁸ Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” - 1 Kings 18:37-39

     Elijah's Mount Carmel showdown has now reached the climax. After the prophets of Baal have screamed and yelled and cut themselves all day with no results, Elijah calmly prays to the Lord. The point I want to emphasize today is another very simple truth. In verse thirty-seven, Elijah prays for the Lord to hear his prayer and show Himself mighty to the people of Israel. The next phrase is humbling, a little bit shocking, and amazing, all at the same time. Elijah also asks God to answer his prayer so that the people may know that the Lord has turned their hearts back to Him. It is through the grace and power of the Lord that we worship and serve. It is not from any special effort on our part. We are constantly drawn away by our fleshly desires. God often needs to send some fire from heaven to wake us up. We fail to see Him and follow Him in the daily monotony. We want signs and wonders before we follow Him. Israel was sidetracked and blinded by idols. God had to work a miracle in their lives. It was not from Israel's desire to turn back to God. It was not from the effort or prophesying of Elijah. The thing that turned Israel back to God, was God himself. It is mind-boggling to think that God not only pursued me and saved me while I was reveling in sin, but He also continues to pursue me and turn me back to Him. May I keep my heart more in tune with God and His will so that He does not have to send the Holy fire to get me back on track.

Believe and Follow

And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 

- 1 Kings 18:21

     My brief, Old Testament overview has now entered the time of Elijah. Elijah's life is full of interesting scenarios and amazing miracles from God. Perhaps the most popular is his showdown with the prophets of Baal on top of Mount Carmel. As I began reading this story it was hard to ignore Elijah's heart-piercing question. He calls Israel out for their hypocrisy and duplicity. He puts their wishy-washy dedication on the spot and they are left with nothing to say. It is a simple question and a challenge. Decide who you truly believe is god and then follow that decision. You can't ride the fence and change your loyalties every time the wind blows. Today's thought is pretty short and simple. Who do I really believe is god? That answer is an easy one for me. If it isn't obvious by now, I believe in Jehovah, the God of the Bible. The easy part stops there and the hard part begins when I judge my life by this decision. Do I act like I believe in God? Does my life consistently give evidence of where my allegiance lies? My mouth says one thing but my actions may often say another. It really is simple. I know who my God is, now I just follow Him. I believe this is one reason why Jesus says to have faith like a child. If a child believes something they will commit wholeheartedly to that belief. I must have faith like a child and simply follow the God I know to be true. Believe and follow, so simple, yet so incredibly hard to do.

Love Your Enemies

Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? - Ezekiel 18:23

      Today's thought branches away from my study in 1 Kings and delves into something that has been weighing heavily on my heart and mind. Yesterday, history was made as Osama bin Laden was finally located and executed, bringing an end to ten years of searching. The immediate response around the world seemed to be one of relief and satisfaction. In the U.S., of course, this response escalated and became one of great excitement and jubilation. The news caused many mixed emotions in my own life, and I have struggled with understanding and maintaining the proper attitude to have as a Christian. In spite of my own questioning, however, I was appalled at many of the responses I viewed from Christians around the world. The gleeful, celebratory responses really rubbed me the wrong way and made me look deep into my own heart. What are we, as Christians, showing the world about Christ?  

 

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:44-45 

 

Are we truly showing a love of our enemy? I am ashamed to say that in ten years of news about Osama I never once prayed for his soul. I never even considered praying that he might find the Truth and turn from his sin. Jesus says that this love and prayer for our enemies shows that I am the child of God. Am I acting like a child of God? Don't get me wrong. Justice was served during that military raid yesterday. God hates evil and rejoices in righteousness. Osama was an evil man who took the lives of thousands of innocent people, and a man who was deserving of punishment for his sins. It is a comforting thought that he will no longer inflict terror upon anyone. The point that many Christians seem to be missing is that Osama's evil and lack of repentance condemned him to eternal torture . How can I celebrate, and take pleasure in, any human being missing Christ and joining the ranks of hell? What does it say about my own heart when I make light of this man's death or make a joke out of these events? If I have become so calloused that I am celebrating someone entering hell then I am no less evil than Osama himself. I am now delighting in the torture and terror of another fellow sinner. I often fail to remember that sin is sin in God's eyes. My daily disobedience is no less reprehensible in the sight of a holy God than Bin Laden's atrocities. I must be careful what I entertain in my heart and mind. 

 

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. - Proverbs 4:23 

 

I must remember that the world is constantly watching what I say and what I do, looking for a reason to reject Christianity. I fear many have given that reason in the last twenty-four hours. How can I speak of forgiveness when I talk about what Osama deserved? How can I speak of mercy when I revel in the damning of a soul? Can I really show Jesus to the world if I'm standing on a grave waving an American flag in celebration? I think my own heart has become cold and calloused. I believe Christians have lost their focus and forgotten Who they represent. I think if we investigated our own hearts with the utmost scrutiny and honesty, we'd be amazed how much they look just like Osama bin Laden's.

No Excuse

 ¹ In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. ² He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. ³ And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 

⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. ¹⁰ And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. ¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did his father David. ¹² And he banished the perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. ¹³ Also he removed Maachah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. And Asa cut down her obscene image and burned it by the Brook Kidron. - 1 Kings 15:1-3, 9-13

 

     Israel's history is an up and down cycle of Godly and absolutly godless kings. Abijam was one of the godless kings who ruled over Judah during the time of the split kingdom. We see that kings before him had turned away from the God-fearing ways of David as well. He led the kingdom into sin and was not loyal to the Lord. Abijam worshiped idols and guided the people into deeper idolatry during his reign. Today's thought isn't about Abijam, however, but rather about his son, Asa. Asa grew up under his father's idolatrous rule. He was no doubt taught about idols, most likely joining his father at the altars of these false gods while he was a child. His grandmother was no example either as she erected her own obscene idols in the kingdom of Judah. This passage gives us no indication of anyone leading Asa in the ways of the Lord. Perhaps he had a friend or another family member who told him of the true God. Perhaps his unmentioned mother raised him in the ways of his ancestor, David. I'm not sure, but what I am sure of is that Asa was surrounded by sin and debauchery. Judah is very far from God; a nation full of idols and temples peddling prostitutes as a part of religious worship. Asa lives in a very dark age with little guidance in the ways that are right. Yet, in spite of all of these stumbling blocks, Asa makes the choice to follow the Lord. He takes the throne and begins cleaning things up. He gets rid of the idols, he kicks the prostitutes out of Judah, and he even removes his own grandmother from her position in the royal family. Quite an impressive feat for a young man with seemingly no righteous advice or guidance in his life. As Christians we have no excuse. It doesn't matter where we come from, who our family is, or how deplorable the world around us has become. We still have a command to do what is right and serve the Lord. Asa could have just given up and resolved that his kingdom was going to march toward hell no matter what. Instead, he refused to complain or whine and did something about it. He didn't hope and pray that things would change, he changed things. It's time that we started changing things in our communities and our countries. It isn't going to happen through complaining or wishing or politics, it's going to happen through action. I started this very blog as a way to wake me up, keep me accountable, and get me moving toward doing something that matters. God has been working in my heart a lot lately about getting active and making a change. Join me in getting off the pew and doing things that matter. It's time that we took a stand, in spite of all odds, and started throwing out some idols. 

 

     

Accused

Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. - Esther 3:8

     In Esther chapter three, we find that Mordecai refuses to obey the king's law and will not bow down to men. This disobedience and rebellion drives Haman to an extreme hatred of Mordecai and all other Jews. In verse eight, we find Haman's accusation of the Jews behavior. He says they are a people whose laws are different from everyone else and that they do not obey the king. Haman exaggerates the part about disobedience and claims that they do not keep the king's laws, implying that they keep none of them. The statement that is important to me is Haman's claim that, "their laws are different from all other people's." Would Haman accuse me of the same thing? If Haman attempted to make a law requiring all Christians to be murdered would anyone come after me? Do I live my daily life in such a way that others see a completely different set of laws? Mordecai and the Jews seemed weird to the people they were living amongst. Their feasts and rituals and the things they believed seemed absurd. Do people see absurdity in my life? I should be faithfully attended church. I should be helping my community constantly. I should be aiming for a higher standard in my daily actions. I should have my temper and my tongue under control. I should show kindness and forgiveness even when undeserved. I should be reflecting Christ like a mirror. What do my neighbors and coworkers see? What do the unsaved think of me? It is my prayer that the Lord will give me the strength to live my life worthy of accusation. Accusation by a world that has no idea what's wrong with me. Accusation by a world that sees something so different they will want to experience it in their own lives.

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.