Category Archives: Mercy

Daniel: Sanity Based Worship

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(Note: This is the 16th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

The Insanity Of Pride

When God fulfilled King Nebuchadnezzar’s prophetic dream (Daniel ch.4) and cut him down to a stub, it was truly an act of grace on God’s part! If God hadn’t stepped in to humble him, Nebuchadnezzar would have continued in the “insanity” of his pride; and, he would have died in the “insanity” of his pride! God’s humbling was the most gracious thing God could do for him! It saved him! For the rest of his days, Nebuchadnezzar bore the scars of being “cut down” to a stub! A new shoot would grow from that stub as God returned the kingdom to him; but, everyone would know that something happened there! The tree had been cut!

Worship Is The Basis For Sanity

Let me make a couple more observations from King Nebuchadnezzar’s story! First, we see that it is “worship” that is the basis for sanity! When we’re full of pride we’re out of touch with reality! But, humility leads us back to God’s Sovereignty & to worship Him, where sanity is based. Sanity is based on the reality of God & experienced when we worship Him! To worship God is our highest calling! It is worship that separates us from the animal kingdom & the rest of creation! Listen to Nebuchadnezzar’s response:  “…at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me.  Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever…” (ch.4:34ff). 

The By-Product Of Worship

When his sanity returned to him, praise & worship were his response! When we worship God we see Him for who He really is & we see ourselves for who we really are! Worship is the path to sanity because it humbles us & it exalts God! And, then, giving witness or testimony is the by-product of our worship! “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, because all His works are true & His ways are just. God is able to humble those who walk in pride!” (ch. 4:37ff). When we give witness to God’s work in our lives, it’s to the praise of His glory! It should be our delight to give Him praise everywhere we go! That is the overriding moral to Nebuchadnezzar’s story— Humble yourself, or God will do it for you! No truth is more fundamental than that— He is God! We are not! We cannot worship God rightly when we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to; when we place ourselves on the throne of our life! If you belong to Him; if you’ve made Jesus your Savior, God will intercept your attempts to rob Him of His glory! He will humble you!

Get That “G” Off Your Chest

If you’ve been trying to wear a big “G” on your chest (“God”) as King Nebuchadnezzar did, I’m going to warn you as Daniel warned him earlier in the chapter:  “Therefore, may my advice seem good to you my king. Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right, and from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.” If only he had listened, he would have avoided 7 years of insanity! That’s my plea to you— Stop the insanity! Confess your sin of pride & ask God’s indwelling Spirit (if you’re a believer!) to help you beat it! Stop trying to play “God” with your life! You’re NOT Him! Tear that big “G” off your chest; and, experience the FREEDOM of letting God run the universe! Let Him run your life; and, lead you in His Sovereign plan! It’s the best decision you can make!

Daniel: The Handwriting’s On The Wall

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(Note: This is the 14th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

The Fingers Of A Man’s Hand

As the 5th chapter of Daniel’s prophetic book opens, the Medo-Persian army has surrounded the great city of Babylon. In his pride, the Babylonian King Belshazzar threw this huge drinking party for all his nobles, because it was believed the visiting army would be unable to penetrate the massive walls of the city.  “At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand that was writing, his face turned pale, and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked together” (vs. 5-6).

The King Is Sobered Up

King Belshazzar was suddenly very sober! After a failed attempt to gain an explanation, from his wise men, the queen mother shows up and encourages the King to seek the prophet Daniel’s counsel.  Now advanced in years, Daniel rehearses the story of Nebuchadnezzar— Belzhazzar’s grandfather— and concludes with this:  “…you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in His hand and who controls the whole course of your life” (v.23).  What a rebuke! Like many in our own day, Belshazzar seemed to think he was entitled to live his life however he wanted with no consequences! Perhaps he thought God would just wink at his sin!

Don’t Ignore God’s Justice & Judgment

There’s a grave danger in over-focusing on God’s love, mercy & grace! We dare not ignore His justice & judgment! We do so at our peril! It is possible to exhaust God’s immense patience! Though 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is “…patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance”;  scripture also teaches us that His patience has limits. The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write a letter to the Church of Galatia and tell them:  “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption…” (6:7-8).

Your Days Are Numbered

So, how did Belshazzar think this would end for him? Was he so deluded that he thought he could live out his life with no regard for the God who created him; and, get away with it? Apparently so! He abused God’s patience; and, God’s judgment was against him— “This is the writing on the wall,” Daniel said, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.  This is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. TEKEL means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient. PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (v.25-28).  Times up, King Belshazzar! God is stripping you of your kingdom!     

When God Speaks We Need To Listen

This whole tragedy was so unnecessary! Belshazzar should have known better! He knew his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar’s “story”! Some 40-50 years earlier, God had revealed— through the Prophet Daniel (ch.2)— that Babylon would be replaced by the Medo-Persian empire— the very army just outside Babylon’s walls!  And it all happened just as God said it would! God’s Word is certain! It’s authoritative! If God says it, you can bank on it! Don’t grow weary over the delay of God’s promise that Jesus will come again! “Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff,” Peter warned (2 Peter 3:3), “living according to their own desires, saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?” When God speaks, please listen!

Daniel: Debunking The American Dream

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(Note: This is the 10th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

Even If He Does Not Rescue Us

I love the response of Daniel’s 3 friends— Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah— when King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they bow down & worship his gold statue; or, face death in the fiery furnace:  “If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the King. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as King to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).  Understand that they didn’t doubt His existence when they expressed those words:  “If the God we serve exists…” The rest of the story confirms their belief in His existence; and they trusted God  to deliver them either by miracle or by death!

Where False Teaching Begins

They trusted God even if it was part of His Sovereign will not to deliver them by a miracle! Their trust in God was not just tied to delivery from the furnace— “Even if He does NOT,” they said, “We won’t bow to your false gods.” By application, we have to be careful that our trust in God is not limited to delivery by miracle! Sadly, the “gospel” being preached in the majority of our American churches is all about “ME”— it’s “MAN-centered”, not “GOD-centered.” “If God doesn’t deliver me from the ‘furnace’ of my bad circumstances,” this false “gospel” preaches, “than He’s not to be trusted!” That’s where false teaching begins— with man’s way!

God Is Always Righteous

The true Gospel of Jesus Christ always begins with GOD! And, it contrasts the holiness of God with unholy mankind! God is always righteous & we’re not! We’re born, into this world under His judgment and wrath; broken, depraved, in need of mercy & grace that is only available to us through Jesus’ atonement for our sin on the cross! The so-called “American Dream” is a perversion of God’s true Gospel! It promotes an entitlement mentality of a bigger & better “YOU”— your “right” to own a home; your “right” to a high-paying job; your “right” to affordable health care; your “right” to be delivered from the “furnace”! The false gospel of the “American Dream” says Jesus came to make us bigger & better— that’s NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He didn’t come to make you a better version of YOU! He came to save you from yourself! To follow Jesus means to take up His cross & crucify SELF; to remove self from the throne of your life, and place Jesus there as your Lord, Savior & King! 

God Is The Treasure We Seek

To His disciples, Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). We don’t just need a little “makeover.” We need to DIE! Our “SELF” needs to be crucified & born again in Christ! That’s the true Gospel! This story wasn’t about the delivery of Daniel’s friends from the furnace! This story is about GOD & His eternal purposes— and, Daniel’s 3 friends were submitted to that whether it meant delivery by miracle or by death! That’s their testimony— having relationship with God was of far greater value to them than life itself! By their willingness to entrust their lives to God’s plan & purpose, rather than their own, they made God the treasure to desire more than anything else!

Daniel & His Faith Community

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(Note: This is the 6th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

Become Part Of A Spiritual Family

I have personally witnessed great spiritual transformation in the lives of believers when they changed one thing– when they began living in the community of faith! When they got involved with other believers; when they joined a Small Group; and, they began to share their lives & do life together, that’s when their spiritual life took off! Look at how Daniel responded when King Nebuchadnezzar, of Babylon, demanded that his wise men & counselors reveal the meaning of his dream; and, what he dreamed. Daniel responded, to the crisis, by taking it to his faith community! “Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter” (Daniel 2:17). Don’t try and wing the Christian life on your own!

Created For Community

God didn’t create to be isolated from others! He created us in His image… He of the triune community! He created us for community with Himself; and, for community with each other! “Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance” (Prov. 11:14) Daniel did more than just hang out with his friends; he prayed with them! He urged “…them to ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men” (Daniel 2:18).  Earlier, in the passage (v.10), the King’s counselors and advisors had told him that he was demanding something, from them, that “…no man on earth could do.” And, they were right! But, Daniel knew that a man fully connected to God, through prayer, could move God to do what “…no man on earth could do” & God responded!

God’s Supernatural Work Among Us

He answered their prayers & did the impossible. He gave Daniel the dream & the interpretation:  “The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night” (2:19).  And, Daniel responded with praise (2:19-23). Praising God is the only appropriate response when we’ve experienced His supernatural work among us! He praised God’s name; or, His character & reputation! He praised God for His wisdom & power; and, for His Sovereignty over the times, the seasons & the nations! He praised God for the gift of wisdom & understanding that He shares with men! He praised God for revealing “hidden things” like dreams; and, for the grace He had personally extended him! Daniel is an excellent tutor or mentor to anyone and everyone whose heart desires to act wisely in any given situation. He didn’t rely on his own wisdom! He didn’t try and fix things himself! He dropped to his knees, and asked God for help & wisdom to do the right thing! And, he waited for God to answer!

How God Uses “Impossible” Situations

Daniel’s story shows us that God uses the “impossible” situations, in life, to expose counterfeits. The Babylonian religion was the idolatrous worship of demons! God is beginning to kick out the props holding up the King’s “faith” in his counterfeit idols. God also uses the “impossible” situations, in life, to introduce Himself— “Here I am, King! I’m the one you’re really looking for!” Daniel answered the King: “No wise man, medium, diviner-priest, or astrologer is able to make known to the King the mystery… but, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (2:27) God also uses the “impossible” situations, in life, to sanctify & grow His disciples! With every obedient step, that Daniel took, he was growing more confident in God! Life is rarely just about YOU! It’s often intertwined with the lives of others!

What Good News Can Do For You

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The Gospel Is An Announcement

The word “Gospel” literally means “good news.” In the original Greek language, it’s often translated as “Herald” or “Evangelist.” When a Greek king won a battle, he would send a “Gospel Herald” all over the kingdom to announce the “good news” of his victory! So, in its purest sense, the Gospel is an “announcement”— the Biblical writers used the word “Gospel” to announce that Jesus has won the battle for our salvation by His atoning death on the cross! The Gospel is the good news, about God’s forgiveness, by Christ’s substitutionary work in our place— “…He became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Cor. 5:21.

Commissioned To Share The Good News

Once we’ve heard & accepted the good news— about Jesus’ payment for sin— we’re commissioned, by Him, to share the good news everywhere we go & to make disciples of Christ from all nations! When we get Jesus’ Gospel right, it’s a message that saves us from our “good works”— “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” Eph 2:8,9.  And, Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us— not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” From my earliest recollections of myself, as a young boy, I remember trying to impress God with my good deeds.

Not From Yourselves

But, Scripture clearly says here that salvation “…is NOT from YOURSELVES…”; it’s “…NOT by (our) works of righteousness…” We can never change our ways enough to sway God! We can never justify ourselves before Him! We’re DEAD in our SIN! That’s why Jesus went to the cross— to pay the price we should have paid! It’s the “good news” of the Gospel that saves us from thinking that our good deeds can save us. When we get Jesus’ Gospel right, it’s a message that saves us from our “guilt”— “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” God says in Hebrews 8:12. 

Saved From Our Guilt

The Psalmist wrote, “…then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, ‘I will confess my sins to the Lord,’ and You forgave my guilt.” Psalm 32:1-5.  The same Gospel that saves us from our good works, saves us from our guilt— when guilt is our motivator, we can never do enough! That’s the unbearable burden of a “performance-driven faith”— when have you done enough? How can you ever know if what you’ve done has met with God’s approval? But the Gospel, of Christ, says we’re saved by GRACE! When we accept this “good news” by faith, He saves us by His grace!

The Gospel Saves Us To Do Good Works

The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write: “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” Eph. 2:10.  Did you see that? Paul says, “…we are HIS creation”; and, it’s in our conversion to Christ that we are “…created…FOR good works”; and, it is God Who prepares us for those good works! His Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts & begins to “rearrange the furniture” of our lives in a way that honors God, and in a way, we could never accomplish by ourselves. These good works don’t save us! They’re the RESULT of our salvation— the RESULT of God’s sanctifying work IN US! When we truly see the beauty & glory of God’s grace in our lives, we will want to do good works out of love for Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Jesus: The Glory Of The Father

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Going To Church For The Wrong Reasons

For much of my life, as a Disciple of Jesus, I went to church for all the wrong reasons. I went to be seen— so everyone would know that I was a faithful, born-again believer! I went to see people— my friends at church! I also went out of duty or obligation— fearing punishment, from God, if I didn’t go! But, all those things left my faith experience empty. There had to be more to church than impressing people & fearing punishment! It’s been a spiritual work in progress for me— I had to move away from “checklist Christianity” or “cultural Christianity” where I did things, like church, so I could check them off my spiritual “to-do list” & be accepted in the church culture!

Pursuing God

Instead, I needed to move toward God and do those things out of love and respect for Him! I had to pursue Him! For me, church became a whole new experience when I began to pursue God— when I began to come to meet HIM; to worship HIM; to experience the glory of His work in HIS church! Here’s what I’m saying:  “Church Is About God!” It’s not about US! Oh, we have to show up; but, we come to make much of HIM! We worship Him together as a community of faith; to praise Him & bring Him glory! And, if HE doesn’t show up, there’s something wrong with our worship! It’s misplaced; or, it’s misguided, isn’t it?

God’s Glory In The Son

And, God reveals His glory through His Son, Jesus. The Apostle John said that when they looked upon Jesus, they “…beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father…” John 1:14. They beheld God’s glory IN JESUS! And, the Father calls for His Son’s praise:  “The Father,…has given all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father.  Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” John 5:22-23.  The Father is offended when we fail to make much of Jesus! He is glorified when Jesus is worshipped & praised:  “So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:10-11.

Making Much Of Jesus

If the Father makes much of Jesus, the Son, then certainly so should we! God honors the church that makes much of Jesus— the church that worships Him; praises Him & glorifies Him. In the same way, God refuses to honor any church that fails to worship Jesus! God, the Father, is outraged by any worship gatherings that fail to honor the Son in the same way they honor the Father.

Jesus: The Exact Expression

In Hebrews 1:3, the writer says that Jesus was “…the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature…” In other words, to “see Jesus is to see the Father.” He said that, by the way, when they asked him to show them the Father! In Colossians 1:15, the Apostle Paul said Jesus “…is the image of the invisible God.” You wanna see what God is like? Look at Jesus! Do you want God to speak to you? Listen to Jesus! He is the radiance of God’s glory! Like the radiance of the sun is inseparable from the sun, you can’t have the Father without the Son! The glory of the Trinity! Don’t ask me to explain it! I cannot! But, we are not commanded to explain all the intricate details about God! How could we? He’s infinite! We will spend all eternity plumbing the depths of God’s holiness, perfection, love, mercy, grace, omniscience, and omnipotence. We will study to know Him deeper for all eternity, and that study will never be exhausted.

Joy In Our Trials

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-Consider It A Great Joy!

In James’ introduction to his epistle, by the same name, the Spirit of God prompts him to write:  “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials” (1:2). Say what? Did he just say that we ought to consider it “joy” whenever we’re facing trials?  Yup, sure did! So, what are some of our natural responses to difficulties and problems? Not very joyful are they? Because of our sinful flesh, our natural response is never going to please God, is it? Our flesh always wants to please our flesh. A spiritual response of “joy” is counter-intuitive for us! It’s NOT natural! It’s God’s work in us!

-An Unavoidable Situation

That phrase, “…whenever you experience various trials…” is interesting.  It literally means that it’s an “unavoidable” situation! It’s not “IF” you will experience trials; but, “WHEN.” In other words, you cannot prevent it! You cannot control the various trials of life. I fear that some of you have gone through life feeling a great sense of guilt. You’ve convinced yourself that the reason you’ve had that crisis in your life is that you’ve done something wrong, and God is getting back at you for it! That He’s out to get you! That’s not the case! That’s not the loving, gracious, merciful God who eagerly forgives our sin when we confess it; and cleanses us for our unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-10). When James uses the word “consider” in that verse, he means for us to make a conscious commitment. We have to make a conscious commitment that whenever trials or tests or troubles come that we’re going to count it “joy” because it means that God is working in us! He’s using us for His purposes!

-God Puts You On Display!

If this becomes a struggle for you, let me offer you some Scripture to put to memory! When you memorize Scripture, you give God’s Holy Spirit the tools He uses to strengthen your faith and correct your walk with God! The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the Church of Corinth:  “But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 2:14-15).  God uses the tests & trials in your life to put you on display! “Here’s Jesus in the flesh,” He tells the unbelieving world. He’s announcing to everyone around you! He wants to show the world, by your response to the testing, that Jesus is more valuable to you than a perfect life without struggles; that you still pursue Him despite your trials! 

-Spiritual Maturity!

James is teaching his readers to let God use the testing to produce spiritual maturity in their life. It’s “…the testing of your faith…” he says in v.3 that produces “endurance.” One of our former members, who’s moved away, runs marathons. A marathon is 26.2 miles. He didn’t just start running marathons one day. In fact, if you ask him how far he could run when he started, he’d tell you he wasn’t able to get past the 1-mile mark. But, he kept running, stretching it out to 5 miles; then 10, 15, and 20. Until he could endure 26.2 miles. That’s what the testing of our faith produces is endurance, James says. When you’re a new believer you get tripped up easily over every little test in life. But, God uses it to build spiritual endurance in us! That’s why we consider it joy! We don’t consider it joy because we enjoy the trials. Rather, we face the trials with a joyful heart because we know that God is using those things to produce spiritual endurance in us. It’s God’s work in us! So, what James is calling for here will require that we crucify our flesh!

The Incarnation Of Jesus Christ!

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-God Writing Himself Into The Story!

A while back I finished a 4-book series of novels in which the author admitted, in the end, that the main character, in the story, was someone very similar to himself as he was growing up. I can see how that could be tempting to a writer. It would be a way of transferring his thoughts, his feelings; and, his opinions into the story; and, expressing them through a character.  I came across a Bible study by Thomas Lancaster, called the Chronicles of the Messiah, in which he described Jesus’ entry into the world from the viewpoint of a writer. Let me read a portion to you: “An author is writing a novel. He creates the settings, situations, stories, and plotlines, and populates his novel with characters. He likes the characters he created so much that he wants to interact with them but he cannot because the novel is his creation. It’s just a story. The characters in the book cannot hear the author; they cannot see him; they cannot experience him because the author completely transcends the words written on a page. What does the author do? He writes himself into the novel as one of the characters, creating a written story-version of himself with which the characters can interact.” Is that not exactly what God has done? He’s written Himself into His story!

-The Word Dwelt Among Us!

“The Word became flesh,” John, the Gospel writer was INSPIRED by God to write, “and, God (the Word) dwelt among us.” From the beginning of creation, God desired to be present with His people. The story begins in Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, with God, Himself, walking in the Garden with Adam; and, then Eve, in community with them. And, the story ends in the book of Revelation, chapter 21, with God tabernacling with humanity for all eternity in the new heavens & the new earth. It says, “He (God) will pitch a tent and live among us.”  And, all of God’s interaction with people in between the start of His story; and, the end of the story reveals God’s great desire to be with us! But, never has God’s desire to interact with us been more indisputable than when He set aside His heavenly robes; and, wrapped Himself in flesh to enter the world He created as Jesus Christ!

-The Absolute Uniqueness Of Jesus!

Never has our world seen anyone else like Jesus. No single person has ever impacted our world like Jesus has. And, because of Jesus’ absolute uniqueness, He is worthy of our love, our worship, our loyalty; and, our devotion. In all the stories of humanity, Jesus’ story is the most unique of all!  God has written Himself into the story of human history as Jesus, the 2nd member of the triune Godhead; and, He has severely & forever changed mankind’s trajectory from death & destruction to life & restoration. In pondering Jesus’ uniqueness, what words come to mind when you think of God as the Scriptures reveal Him in Jesus?

-God’s Character!

How would you describe His character? Do you remember when the disciples observed the way that Jesus prayed; and, they asked Him to teach them how to pray? And, He answered them, “When you pray, pray like this…” And, He went on to outline what we have called “The Lord’s Prayer”; though, He never intended that we would mindlessly repeat those words over & over like some kind of chant. He was giving them a pattern or the way to pray— pray LIKE THIS… And, in Luke ch.11, He says to begin by remembering who you’re talking to: “Father, Your name be honored as holy.” That’s how I begin my prayer time each day. I begin by remembering & praising God for who He is. In Scripture, God’s “name” refers to His character! He is love, mercy, grace, kindness, faithful, transcendent, holy, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent! He’s benevolent, immutable, righteous & just! And, that was the character of God incarnate; or, Jesus in the flesh!

Our Blindness To Spiritual Drift!

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-Drifting Away!

Every so often I see a story, in the news, about someone who had inadvertently drifted out to sea; or, someone wasn’t paying attention as their canoe just drifted downriver toward a falls; and, they barely escaped, with their lives, once they realized that the current was rapidly putting them toward the falls. I remember getting on a blowup raft, on a camping trip, when I was probably in about 5th grade; and, just basking in the warm sun. I was not even aware that I was drifting farther away from the campsite until I came to my senses; and, realized I had drifted too far from shore! I hadn’t yet learned to swim; so, I remember being scared, for my life, as I quickly paddled back to shore.

-How Spiritual Drift Occurs!

By definition, to drift means: “A continuous slow movement from one place to another.” Spiritual drift occurs similarly in our lives! It happens when we slowly move from a place where we’re walking with God; on fire for him; passionate about prayer & reading His word; faithful to the church gatherings & Small Group, to slowly checking out; and, pulling away from the godly influences, of the faith community; and, losing our heart for worship & prayer & God’s word! We become a casualty of spiritual drift!  It never happens overnight! You won’t just wake up one morning; and, suddenly decide to forsake your faith Jesus; or, say, “Hey! I think today would be a great day to start a meth addiction”; or, “Ya know what? I think I’m going to commit adultery with someone today.”

-Where Sin Will Take You!

Big sins are always the sum of many tiny little bad choices! Someone said it like this:  “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay; and, cost you more than you want to pay.” That pretty much says it all. In Scripture, God’s people— the children of Israel— provide a consistent visual of what spiritual drift looks like. In Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, we find the Israelites returning from their Babylonian exile with great enthusiasm & praise for the Lord God. Jerusalem was rebuilt; and, the temple was restored. But, despite the fact they started well, a spiritual drift began to set in. The world’s thinking began to determine their behavior.

-Motives Underlying Religious Activity!

So, God delivers a message, through the Prophet Malachi, to take a fresh approach to the way they were thinking about God; and, to consider the motives underlying their religious activities. And, there’s an application here for us, as well. Our sinful brokenness will always keep us in desperate need of God’s word to confront our spiritual drift. And, it’s God’s word that is our spiritual lifeline. We simply cannot do the spiritual life without it. So, as we consider Israel’s spiritual failure, in the book of Malachi, over the next few posts, we’ll discover that our tendencies are no different! But, there’s hope here; for Israel & us.

-The Hope Of A New Covenant!

The hope that Malachi speaks of is a “new covenant” with God. A covenant that points to God’s great mercy & grace. There is always “good news” with God! Even if you’ve drifted spiritually, He is quick to forgive & restore you to fellowship, with Him, if you humble yourself & confess your sin to Him. But, make no mistake, if you’re a child of His; and, you’ve guilty of spiritual drift, He will confront you over it, as He did Israel, through the Prophet Malachi. God confronts us when we’re skeptical of His love. Israel had become skeptical of God’s love. They had allowed life’s circumstances to jade their thoughts about God’s love for them. How could God love them; and, allow them to be exiled from the land of promise? How could God love them; and, allow Jerusalem to be destroyed; and, the temple to be leveled? They had allowed their circumstances to blind them to God’s faithful love. We’ll look at God’s answer in our next post.

Your Idols Exposed!

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-Are You Aware Of Your Idols?

For the Prophet Jonah, it doesn’t appear that he was aware of his “idols” until God exposed them! He had been a faithful minister of God’s word to his people; and, to his family! But, when God’s Word pointed him in a different direction; and, he was unwilling to go, his idols were exposed— his national pride, his family; and, even his present ministry was more important to him than obedience to God’s will! That’s the definition of an idol! Whenever you section off any part of your life; and, tell God He can’t touch that; or, He can’t have that— your idol has been exposed!

-What’s Your Idol?

Is your job or your home or your kids or grandkids off limits to God? Are you unwilling to let God take them to a foreign field to share the gospel with a foreign people? In your heart, is God free to use your kids; or, grandkids, as He wills? Or, are you demanding that they stay close to home? Are you willing to let God change your job? Are you willing to let Him move you? What if it was God’s strategy to move some of us to a “lesser” part of town? Oh, we couldn’t do that—it’s not “SAFE”! There’s your idol: SAFETY! Or, perhaps, racism might be the underlying idol! There was some of that going on with Jonah. He saw his people (Israel) as better; or, more deserving than the Ninevites, to whom God wanted to send him!

-Fleeing From The Lord’s Presence!

And, so, it says that Jonah determined to “…flee from the Lord’s presence…” (1:3). And, he found a ship to take him! Listen, Satan will always have a “ship” waiting in the harbor, to take you away in the opposite direction from God’s will! But, for Jonah God used a big fish to intersect with His disobedient prophet; and, get him back on course to Ninevah where he preached God’s word; and, the Ninevites repented; and, turned to God. The 3rd chapter, of Jonah, ends with these words:  “Then God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—so God relented from the disaster He had threatened to do to them. And He did not do it” (v.10). 

-Merciful & Compassionate God!

So, Jonah responded to their spiritual revival by shouting praise to God, right? No! In fact, it says, “Jonah was greatly displeased & became furious. He prayed to the Lord: ‘Please, Lord, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that You are a merciful & compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love & One who relents from sending disaster. And now, Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” 4:1-3. Really? That just doesn’t seem possible that a prophet, of God, would become furious with God for saving an entire city! Now, there was an underlying reason for Jonah’s anger! He was prejudiced!

-The Sin Of Prejudice!

For God to make us useful, for His kingdom purposes, He has to unmask all of our prejudices also. Jonah had swallowed some bad doctrine! He believed that God was “FOR” Israel; and, He was “AGAINST” everyone else! All the wicked people, of Ninevah, for example; whom, God intended to save by Jonah’s preaching of the gospel. It’s that scandal of grace! Our prideful flesh wants to believe that the gospel is for “good people”…. like us! Like our nation! Jonah was offended that God would extend grace to a wicked people like Assyria! He was prejudiced against them! We need to beware of the danger of national pride, church! I fear that many, in the American church, have been trekking down that slippery slope over the last 40-some years! The church cannot hold prejudice against any other people group, nation; or, religion; and, remain true to Jesus’ commission to make disciples of every tribe, nation & people group! That’s our calling!