not wise in my own eyes

Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:7

The warning here is clear: seek God's wisdom, but don't be deceived by your own heart's attempts at wisdom in the process. (see Proverbs 3:5-6 for the context.) The litmus test of wisdom is this: True wisdom leads to the proper worship of God and repentance from sin. It leads a person to fear God and turn away from evil. Anything else is a self-driven false wisdom to be avoided. Do not be wise in your own eyes!

I must see all true wisdom as God's wisdom. Even if I made a good choice, it is only because God's wisdom led me to that choice and not because I'm so great. I must guard my prideful heart from comparing wisdom to anyone but God. His wisdom is always perfect. Mine is broken and flawed.

I must check my pride by realizing only the grace of God to a sinner like me (who does not deserve God's gracious gifts) has resulted in God's wisdom in my choices. God gets the credit... I did not do it!

I am not worthy of the wisdom of God, but I am so very thankful for it. I need His direction for my life, to follow Jesus well, and as I do so, I will have God use me to show others the love of God, and the wisdom of God, in Christ. That is the best life.

I will turn my eyes from my pride as God enables me. I repent of any wisdom that is in my own eyes. I declare now that only the foolishness of the cross is all the wisdom I will ever need.

four parts to faithful ministry

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience.
1 Timothy 1:18-19a

Paul's encouragement to his young protege Timothy has four parts to it worth thinking over. First, Paul appealed to past history. There is this interesting statement regarding "previous prophecies" made about Timothy. Evidently God has revealed some purposes in the young leader. Paul is gently reminding Timothy of these as he begins to fulfill his assignment in the city of Ephesus.

Secondly, Paul warns Timothy that the work of the ministry would be hard. The metaphor chosen to convey this was that of waging war. Ministry wages war on a world system and upon Satan's forces. Timothy needed this reminder. But it is a "good warfare" that results in the salvation of souls and the glory of Jesus Christ.

There were two things to cling to as the warfare battles blazed: faith and a good conscience. Timothy was to believe and trust God. He was to hold fast to the truth of the gospel. He was to trust that God will empower His work in Timothy for His glory. And doing so would confirm the "rightness" of the ministry efforts in Ephesus. It would help him sleep well each night doing with confidence what had been his commission with a good conscience.

Lord,
Thank you for these short pastoral reminders to Timothy. I may not have ever been the gifted young leader that young man was, but the task of ministry today carries with it the same weight. And these encouragements to faithful ministry resonate in me as I anticipate more work in your kingdom today and in my future.
Amen

consumed by consumerism

Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.
Proverbs 1:19

I believe the truth of this proverb. Those who are out to profit by manipulation, greed, and oppression will come to a bitter end. The justice they eventually receive will be costly. From God's view, their lives are consumed by their greed and social injustice. They are eaten up by their unjust actions. Their own sin consumes their souls.

Greediness is all around us. Our society does business counting on it. Retailers are 60 days away from Black Friday and are already stocking up to create a consumer feeding frenzy. Social media shows lifestyles of greed on display for the world... even a greed for attention is consuming people... people become brands that other people aspire to be. Pictures of daily life are advertisements for something more. People are a consumer force to influence, sell to, and gain wealth.

Politicians do little to stop this lifestyle, so don't think government will stop greed! Government is practically the definition of it these days! They make promises to end the unjust gain, but then often use their power to keep themselves in power or to gain personal advantage by their position. Ethics are squishy campaign promises forfeited for personal gain when it is most convenient.

All of this human activity in greed ends badly. It consumes the life of the greedy consumer. Unless I choose to be enamored by the gain of knowing Christ, I too can be a victim of my own greediness for unjust gain.

two reasons to praise

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Psalm 150:2

This simple verse in the final psalm of over-the-top enthusiastic praise calls me to praise the Lord for two very real reasons: 1) what His power has done, and 2) what His character is. Both are important for me to remember and both bring vitality to a heart that will lead it to true worship.

Beginning with a recognition of His mighty deeds, my heart turns to the power that I know in two very real ways: Creation and New Creation. I love seeing God’s power in the world He has made. I see the expansive heavens and marvel at His poser to simply speak them all in to being. Each star in the night sky is a glowing atomic furnace of incredible power, and there are billions of them scattered across an apparently boundless universe. That’s just one facet of His might in creation.

His power in “re-creation” in Christ is also mind-boggling. I have experienced this by faith in the good news that Jesus Christ died for my sin, and rose again giving new life and eternal life to all who believe. This is the spiritual equivalent of those billions of stars shining in the night sky. I have this new life in Christ. I sense it. I know it. I can feel it. It is a mighty deed of new creation.

How and why did God show such mighty work among us? Because He is excellently great. He is not great in a political or popular sense of that word. Rather, God is essentially great as a part of Who God is. He is great in holiness and perfection. That drives all God is and all God does. And that makes God alone my worthy worship.

It’s going to be worth it.

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

Luke 12:37

This is the promise that Jesus makes to those who will live seriously with the gospel and be ready for His return. We are called to work and watch, and to know that faithful gospel service will find us rewarded. The Master returns to serve us in giving reward. But first we must serve faithfully, even as the day turns to night, we must be ready all through the night. We must not forget that we steward our lives for the returning Master and Savior.

I love that Jesus turns the table on the expectation for His return. He returns so that He might reward those who awaited His appearance. Jesus becomes a servant to those committed to serving Him. He should have a feast in His honor, but instead He throws the feast in honor of those faithful to Him. It will be worth it all on that day!

I will continue to live for this blessing. As a servant of Jesus Christ, I have the best job in the world, and I await His return. I hope to give a good account to Him, having brought the gospel to the forefront in my conversations, my convictions, and my carrying on of my life. I want to see the joy on Jesus’ face as he finds me awake in His work. 

praise from the earth

Praise the Lord from the earth,

you great sea creatures and all deeps,

fire and hail, snow and mist,

stormy wind fulfilling his word!

Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

Beasts and all livestock,

creeping things and flying birds!

Psalm 148:7-10

I enjoy listening to this orchestra of praise described in this psalm. It walks through all the wonderful design and beautiful life that God has put upon His earth. And all of the environment and all of its occupants bring praise to their Maker. The beauty of this world calls out to the majesty of God. And one only needs to get just a little wild to soak in this song and join in.

As I meditate on this psalm, sunrise is hitting the foothills of the front range of the Rocky Mountains right before my eyes. The golden hues on the forested rolling range draw my thoughts to praise my Creator. 

God,

Thank You for the life I have and the majesty that calls my soul to the strength and comfort of knowing You. As I view the majesty in front of me, I worship. The creation is not my focus... it points to You. And in You, Lord Jesus, all things come together for Your glory as the apex of all that God has made and done for me. I am thankful my soul can rest in You as I contemplate this world You have made!

Amen

Stuff

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Luke 12:15

I certainly believe these words of Jesus. But I also realize that compared to Him in His earthly ministry, I have just a ridiculous amount of stuff. And my culture wants me to have even more of it! The struggle is real. In fact, the current hot trend of “simplifying” is only a way to covet and value the very best stuff, and doesn’t prevent people from wanting or being obsessed with material things. Tidying up my stuff in neat organizations can still be a form of covetousness!

Jesus used cautionary language when talking about materialism’s deadly lullaby. He warned for us to take care (make effort) and be on guard (stay vigilant) against the constant call of our hearts to want more stuff.

Then Jesus told a story to illustrate the soul-destroying dangers of a heart consumed with a wealth of stuff. A rich man had abundant harvests in his fields. He was pleased with it all. He hatched a plan for his stuff to be ALL of his life. He would build bigger barns, store it all up, sit back, and take it easy. Settled in his plan for wealth to provide, he went to bed dreaming of more stuff and the good life. That night he died. And none of his stuff could stop that.

Jesus said to keep an eternal view on what our hearts treasure (Luke 12:21). We want to know riches that are directed toward God. We want to use the gifts and the means that God has given us for His glory and purposes. We want God, not stuff. We are blessed with what we have so that we can do God’s work in the world, sharing, caring, and finding satisfaction in giving our lives, and our things, away. That is what great life consists of for eternity.

The Lord watches...

The Lord watches over the sojourners;

he upholds the widow and the fatherless,

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

Psalm 146:9

God doesn’t miss the pain of hurting people. It does not escape His notice. In ancient Israel the neediest members of their society were the immigrants, the single moms, and the fatherless families. And there were ruthless people who would take advantage of these people for their own gain. Not much has changed. But God would not stand for this. He would act. He was the advocate for the causes of the poor. He defended them. He upheld and sustained them.

One of the major ways God did this was by providing provisions in the Old Testament Law that demanded that the Israelites provide for the needs of the poor, the immigrants, the widows and orphans. This was done by allowing them to glean from fields. But they could not take advantage of them, and even if a poor person chose to sell themselves as an indentured slave, they could only be utilized in this way for a maximum of seven years. All of them became free citizens on the year of jubilee. It was an equitable and concerned body of law written by God Himself that helped keep the poor fed, clothed, sheltered and led to them becoming productive citizens.

Those who chose to disobey God’s system of social law are called in this psalm - “wicked”. And the promise from God is that those who chose to disadvantage the neediest people were going to come to ruin. God holds a society accountable for lack of fair and concerned actions that assist and lift the lowliest from their extreme poverty. These things were true for Israel. They show us God’s heart and love for humanity. They should move us to look at our own world through His eyes.

I was poor, lost, and helpless to gain life or sustain myself. But Jesus had mercy on me. He lifted me up. He provided all I needed for this life and godliness by His salvation and through His Word. I was a stranger to God, and an enemy. But Jesus by grace embodied love for the lowest. And that is true of every believer. The Lord watches the needy, and those who can care for them. He wants us to love them with His care.

a song in the world

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,

and all your saints shall bless you!

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom

and tell of your power,

Psalm 145:10-11

God deserves our relentless praise for all His great work for us. All creation sings His praises and only the spiritually blinded are truly dead to that realization. I am blessed to be sitting in a mountain cabin as I write this, having already been treated to birdsong in the mountain breeze as I took in a spectacular sunrise. Mule deer walk through the front yard. Chipmunks race with frenetic hunger from trunk to rock to hiding place. A raven croaks his hoarse off-kilter song as doves warble and coo in the pines. All of it a symphony to their Creator.

But this isn’t just a living National Geographic moment. It is a picture of a greater glory... of a kingdom yet to come with songs unbroken in praise, untainted by sin, and unrestrained by a cursed system that is now groaning out its song as it waits for a new heavens and a new earth to be remade.

Today I will walk along forest trails and streamside paths, listening all the more to the song of praise to God. I will let that music pull my soul into the worship. I will place my hope in the God Who sent His Son to redeem me, and this cursed world. I will feel His warmth in the sunshine, and smell God’s nurturing grace in the pine breeze after a mountain shower. And I will remind myself to praise and proclaim my Lord, so as others find life in Christ, they will know the joy of seeing His world as He made it... to sing His great glory!

Courageous hearts tear down idols.

His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

2 Chronicles 17:6

Jehoshaphat was a good king. God blessed him for being faithful to worship Him and the king had a strong, decisive, active faith. He did courageous, faithful actions. He tore down the false worship of idols at every opportunity. He led the nation back to a worship of the Lord.

The text reminds us to take note that courageous faith is more than an inspiring spiritual phrase. Courageous faith takes a stand. Courageous faith is moved to action. Courageous faith uses the means at its disposal to do the right things in worship of God and to remove idolatry that is an affront to a holy God.

Christians today can learn from the courageous faith of King Jehoshaphat. We can worship God faithfully in an idolatrous generation. We can confront our idols, tear them down, remove the worship of them from our lives, and live for Jesus with courage to tell about the good news that Jesus died for sinners, so we might receive God’s grace, mercy, and acceptance. And then we must live out that grace in courageous ways.

It will take courageous faith to worship Jesus from a pure heart in the 21st century. It will take courageous faith to share the gospel with those we live around who are increasingly soaking in a post-Christian and growing anti-Christian cultural stew. But we should not blame the culture alone. It will take courageous faith to tear down the Asherim so firmly rooted in our own churches... the idols of political power, fame and celebrity, programs that are light on scripture and create legalism that quenches the Spirit, pride in our Pharisaical Christian sub-culture, and gross consumeristic demands that twist Christianity to be two parts American Dream and one part customer satisfaction. All these must go in order for true, authentic gospel reforms to be unleashed in Christ’s church. May His church be blessed with some hearts courageous in the ways of the Lord!

Do it for You, Lord.

For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!

In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!

Psalm 143:11

The focus of this prayer for deliverance and safety is not personal pain. The prayer isn’t, “O Lord, end this now so I won’t hurt anymore. I’m so tired of feeling bad. Make me feel good.” No, the prayer is focused on worship. The request is for God to act for HIS name’s sake. The urgent plea is for God to bring deliverance so His name will be great. The motivation is for God’s glory to be shown. It is not selfish. It is a prayer from a heart that desires God to be known and magnified above all.

Selfish prayers are so easy to pray. It is much harder to ask for God’s power and glory to be the focus of what I want. I dare say, I often don’t want it. I want my problems to go away. I want my pain to end. I want my way and I confess that God’s glory for me is a very distant second or third on my list. It is rare that I truly mean to ask God to “do it for You.”

Lord,

Thank You for this humbling reminder to pray that You bring things about in my life... for YOUR name’s sake. I pray that YOUR kingdom come... Your will be done... on earth as it is in heaven. Purge from me my selfish praying. Forgive my sinful motivations that come up even in my prayers. Do what You will, in my life, for Your great glory, Lord Jesus! If removing my trouble brings You glory, then I pray for that. If strengthening me in difficulty is best for Your worship, than I will accept this and pray that YOUR name will be great.

Amen

not destined for wrath

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

In Jesus, the wrath of God cannot be upon me in my sin. I am not destined for wrath, hell, or judgment. I will obtain a salvation that has me living with Jesus right now and for all eternity, covered with the righteousness of the Son of God! Because I am given the holiness of Christ, Who took upon Himself all my sin, I can be encouraged in His righteousness, not discouraged by my struggles with a sin nature that remains. The holiness of Christ is applied to me. I simply turn from sin in my penitent confession, and received the faithful and just forgiveness that cleanses me from all unrighteousness in Jesus!

The Thessalonian Christians, in some eschatological confusion were frightened that they may have to endure future judgment at the Day of the Lord. Paul assures them that at the coming of the Lord they would be with Jesus, not caught in judgment with the rest of the world. At His command, the dead in Christ will rise to be with Jesus. Those alive will also join these past saints in the clouds to always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). We cannot know when this day will come (1 Thessalonians 5:2), but it will be unexpected by the world. This is why Christians live expecting Jesus to call them to Him at any moment (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4).

Lord,

I am grateful that my destiny is to be forever with You, and at Your return, whether I am alive or dead in Christ, I will meet You in the air! I am encouraged!

Amen  

Looking to You

But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!

Psalm 141:8

Looking to You, Lord...

Only to You.

Where else can I go

to find strength to get through?

It is hard sometimes

to make the choice

to live as I ought to...

I must hear Your voice.

So much looks to capture

my attention,

but I must look to You, Lord

for my direction.

The reward of such seeking

is wisdom from You

that leads me to obey

what You want me to do.

Seeking Your Word

to show me Your way,

I’ll trust confidently

as You lead me today.

Looking to You, Lord...

Only to You.

I have found what I need

by looking to You.

strength, salvation, and protection

O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

Psalm 140:7

King David’s praise to the Lord in this snippet from Psalm 140 expresses thanksgiving for God doing three important delivering works. First, God delivered David by being the strength of his salvation. God’s power did the saving. David knew he could not, and did not, save himself. God’s strength is saving strength and He will do what we cannot do.

David also praised God for the salvation that he received. In mind is more than just deliverance from an enemy attack, but also the spiritual state of David’s soul. The Lord had saved Him both physically and spiritually. And this comprehensive understanding was something definitely worth singing about!

And finally, David is grateful for God’s protection. God was David’s “helmet”, covering his head in the day of battle. God did not spare David from the fight. He protected him in the fight. And that is something to keep in mind. Praise the Lord... He shields us in life’s battles, but He does not spare us the fight, but instead gives us the experience of trusting Him as we endure them, so that we may be protected, strengthened, and saved by His hand.

better intercessory prayer

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

Reading the prayers of Paul, I am struck at the rather shallow thinking in my own prayers for other people. When I do manage to get my mind off of my own selfish requests, I often still pray selfishly for others. I pray for them so they might get along with me, or so that I might be happier with them, but I don’t know that I pray with depth if that is all the further I get in intercession.

Paul prayed for God to help the Thessalonian church grow in an overflowing love for each other. He prayed for God to establish them at the heart level (not just externals) in a commitment to blameless holiness so that gospel commitments would keep shining from the believers until Jesus returns. He knew Christianity was a heart matter. He prayed for Christ to rule and change hearts, not just give them good feelings or good things. He prayed for holiness and the Lordship of Christ to rule His church.

This is how I should pray for my own heart. This is how I should pray for my home. This is how I should prayer for my church. Pray deep! Pray for hearts filled with love for Christ, blameless in the pursuit of holiness, ready and eager to meet Jesus at His return!

a glory greater than kings

All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,

for they have heard the words of your mouth,

and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

for great is the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 138:4-5

God’s magnificence outshines the splendor that any earthly kingdom can contain. The Taj Mahal? A convenience store. Buckingham Palace? A lean-to cabin in the woods. All the treasures of The Louvre? Tourist shop trinkets in comparison to the glory of God in Christ. No nation’s wealth, no despot’s power, no treasure of mankind comes close. This is what led David to declare that all the kings of the earth shall sing of the ways of the LORD. Great is God’s glory. And the words of His mouth are to be treasured beyond all measure of precious earthly wealth.

Does my worship of God reflect this value, or am I still chasing the worthless dust of this earth? I live in a place of affluence compared to most people now on this planet. I never worry about a meal, or having a roof over my head, or enjoying healthy, clean water. I have never been homeless, or jobless, or alone. And yet I am tempted to miss the truth that all these things are blessings pointing me to the glory of God Who provides the daily needs that I have.

Lord,

I sing of the value of Your extravagant grace. It is what I will live for. You provide all that I need in this life, and in the next through the mercies of Jesus Christ. I treasure You beyond all. I am not wealthy, but I am not poor. I am not as thankful as I should be, yet You shower good gifts upon me. Forgive my complacency. I have heard Your words. I will sing of Your ways.

Amen

hope, joy, and crown

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

I Thessalonians 2:19-20

Each new morning the pink dawn promises the reward of a new day. And it reminds us that one day, a new day will dawn upon the earth where Jesus will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! At His appearing, Christians will rejoice. And the world system of human designs and Satanic influence will have no more rule over us. It will all be about Jesus in that new glorious light!

Paul expected that day as he encouraged the Thessalonian church. And he knew that on that day he would account to the Lord for them. He was pleased to have them on his report! He knew that Jesus was pleased with the maturity and endurance of a church that had suffered much persecution even as they followed Paul’s apostolic charge to walk in a manner worthy of God Who called them into His own kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12).

And I hope that my life will be encouraging to others who have invested in my Christian walk. I want to bring hope, joy, and a “crown of boasting” to all who have discipled me. Some of those men and women are with Jesus right now. Those who are alive I hope will rejoice with me in Jesus daily over what God has done and is doing with us.

I know personally that investing in the spiritual growth of the people of God is very fulfilling, because disciples making disciples is the church’s only mission. It is joyful, even as it is hard to do. Seeing people follow Jesus is my greatest joy. Helping them do this hard work of gospel change is mutually rewarding... even as I find it hard to change to be like Jesus as well. I hope to stand before Jesus on His dawning rule with many others who will be my hope, joy, and crown!