Laziness Has Recognizable Patterns....

Have you ever had smoke get in your eyes? Every time we camp when the fire is burning and it’s cold outside, you tend to draw near the fire for warmth. Inevitably, the closer you get smoke finds it’s way to your eyes. You close them to prevent any more from entering, but it only makes the irritation worse. You rub your eyes hoping to relieve your severely irritated eyes, but only time allows the effects to wear off. The same is true of lazy people. Their laziness irritates an employer. And no matter what the employer does, it doesn’t relieve the painful effects the lazy employee has on the company. The only relief the employer gets is when the lazy employee is gone. The moral to this proverb is laziness has recognizable patterns, and being aware of them, ensures you never allow your own lazy habits to take over your life.

26 Lazy people irritate their employers,like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes. Proverbs 10:26

Fear...

When you read of the blessings for obedience and the punishments for disobedience by God in Leviticus chapter 25, I can’t help but think of this one thing. When we are right with God, He gives us the ability to live and sleep with no cause for fear. When we are not right with God, fear drives every aspect of our lives. Think about how in America today fear drives many people’s lives. The insurance industry exists on fear losing our possessions. The medical industry thrives on fear of getting or being sick or dying. The advertising industry lives off making us discontent with our possessions or the fear of missing out (FOMO). Social media thrives fear of hurting others’ feelings. How about the fear of getting caught when we do something wrong. And of course our Political system lives on the fear of being politically correct. If we stand up for a cause that the Bible says is wrong, we have to deal with the attack on our reputation (fear of not being liked). Fear drives America on a daily basis. But when we are right with God, and we trust Him with our lives, that same fear that drives almost every aspect in America, seems to lose its powerful control of our minds and actions. What a gift!!! It all has to do with being right with God. Perfect love drives out fear.

6 “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. Leviticus 26:6

Missing Small Details...

When you read about Jesus in the Bible it’s so easy to miss small details that reveal huge aspects of His character. Here in Mark chapter 6 we read of “the feeding of the 5000”. It’s so easy to miss the fact that the reason Jesus and the disciples were in a remote place was to get away from the crowds and eat (for they hadn’t eaten in a while). As they pulled up to shore they saw the huge crowd that was waiting there for them. I’m sure Jesus was starving and overwhelmed with frustration, but He had compassion on them. Why? Because they were lost. His desire for them to believe and follow Him overrode His physical hunger, his physical and mental exhaustion, and inability to deal with popularity. To me the ability to handle popularity is huge. He’s the only One I’ve ever witnessed with the ability to not let it go to His head and allow it to corrupt His thinking. These are the little things that if we hurry through the scriptures to check off our “to-do” list for the day, we might miss. Knowing God is sometimes in the small details of a story. Don’t miss them due to lack of focus. As it says of His Word, “it’s alive and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword”. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. It may just be in the details.

30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told Him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and His apostles didn’t even have time to eat.32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 33 But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. 34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.35 Late in the afternoon His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”37 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”38 “How much bread do you have?” He asked. “Go and find out.”They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”39 Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, He kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. 42 They all ate as much as they wanted, 43 and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. 44 A total of 5 ,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves! Mark 6:30-44

Filled with Joy....

What does it mean to have your heart filled with joy? I’m not exactly sure. Maybe it means when God is the center of your life, all the things that tend to dominate our thinking lose their power over us. Maybe all the worries of the world diminish in their ability to paralyze us. Maybe all of the selfish pursuits lose their luster and fall in value. Maybe it’s the security knowing that God has our back. Maybe it’s knowing that being in God’s will is the safest place you can be. Maybe it’s knowing that knowing and pursuing Him is our destiny, which gives us the significance we long to have. And maybe Heaven is a destination we so look forward to that all the struggles in this life seem incomparable to the glory we will see when we stand face to face with Jesus. Maybe the joy that the Bible talks about is the unalterable, guaranteed-to-happen hope we have that can never be taken away. It’s what gets us through the valleys in life and helps us truly cherish the “mountain top” experiences we have. It’s what causes us to rise each morning knowing today is a gift, an opportunity to honor God with our behavior, a chance to point someone to the Savior of the world. Whatever this “Joy” is, I want it. Don’t you?

7 The Lord is my strength and shield.I trust Him with all my heart.He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalms 28:7

Year of Jubilee...

Have you ever heard of the “Year of Jubilee”? It’s a year following 49 years, in which God instituted among His people that returned land back to the original owners, slaves and servants were set free, and debts were forgiven. It was God’s way of replenishing things. It was also His way of making sure that people didn’t take advantage of other Israelites forever. And finally, it reminded people that everything belongs to God, so we should never get too comfortable with our possessions. Just imagine if we instituted this kind of system here in America?

8 “In addition, you must count off seven Sabbath years, seven sets of seven years, adding up to forty-nine years in all. 9 Then on the Day of Atonement in the fiftieth year, blow the ram’s horn loud and long throughout the land. 10 Set this year apart as holy, a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan. 11 This fiftieth year will be a jubilee for you. During that year you must not plant your fields or store away any of the crops that grow on their own, and don’t gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. 12 It will be a jubilee year for you, and you must keep it holy. But you may eat whatever the land produces on its own. 13 In the Year of Jubilee each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors.14 “When you make an agreement with your neighbor to buy or sell property, you must not take advantage of each other. 15 When you buy land from your neighbor, the price you pay must be based on the number of years since the last jubilee. The seller must set the price by taking into account the number of years remaining until the next Year of Jubilee. 16 The more years until the next jubilee, the higher the price; the fewer years, the lower the price. After all, the person selling the land is actually selling you a certain number of harvests. 17 Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. I am the Lord your God.18 “If you want to live securely in the land, follow My decrees and obey My regulations. 19 Then the land will yield large crops, and you will eat your fill and live securely in it. 20 But you might ask, ‘What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’ 21 Be assured that I will send My blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years. 22 When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the large crop of the sixth year. In fact, you will still be eating from that large crop when the new crop is harvested in the ninth year. Redemption of Property 23 “The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to Me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for Me.24 “With every purchase of land you must grant the seller the right to buy it back. Leviticus 25:8-24

39 “If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave. 40 Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee. 41 At that time he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back to the land originally allotted to their ancestors. 42 The people of Israel are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves. 43 Show your fear of God by not treating them harshly. Leviticus 25:39-43

Where to Go to Be Rescued....

Our job as believers is not to rescue anyone. It’s to show people where they can go to be rescued. To introduce them to the One who can save them. Our job is to present the gospel in truth to people. It’s our own story of how He saved us. Some times it’s with our mouth, and some times with our actions; the way we live. It’s up to God and it’s up to hearer to respond. When they don’t respond, we can’t take that as a personal failure. The Bible tells us, when people reject the truth, we are to shake the dust off of our feet and move on. We have to learn, that not all souls will be in Heaven. God is sovereign, and we must learn to trust Him in that.

Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 7 And He called His twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick–no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.10 “Wherever you go,” He said, “stay in the same house until you leave town.11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. Mark 6:6c-13

Two Examples of Unbelief...

Here are two examples of unbelief. First, when exposed to God’s truth, one wants to kill the messenger (due to loving their sinful nature more than accepting truth). And two, listening to God’s truth and allowing it to prick the conscience, but doing nothing about it. These two reactions to God’s word still live on, long after Herod and his wife are no longer here. Do you see these attitudes in our society today? When people who are in the wrong are called out, do you see them fight with death in there eyes? Do you talk with people who listen to truth, yet do nothing? Do you see any of this in your own life? If so, what are you going to do about it? These two types of attitudes cost a man his life, more than once (John the Baptist and Jesus). Harboring hatred will consume you.

14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about Him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why He can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. Mark 6:14-29

The Lost Art of Being Kind...

The lost art of being kind in today’s society has slowly destroyed the moral fabric of our country. People can pretend to be kind, they can put on a show, but it’s not until you deal with the hatred in your heart that kindness will become authentic. As long as you allow it to harbor deep within, you are only lying to yourself. You’re living a fake life. Just imagine what God thinks of those who slander others today? They think they’re cool, but God sees them as a fool. Only God can forgive and regenerate a corrupt heart.

18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar;slandering others makes you a fool. Proverbs 10:18

Our Response to “Does God Care?”...

When people say God doesn’t care, how are we to respond? Why does He allow suffering? Why are there so many poor people on earth? And the questions go on and on. Fact is, He does care, and He does provide. Here He specifically tells Moses to instruct the people on specifically what to do and not do when it comes time to harvest their crops. Not picking up what they dropped and leaving the outer edges of the fields unpicked for the poor and foreigners truly shows God’s heart. He cares for all of us, no matter your financial or social status. 22 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:22

Breaking the Cycle of Pride....

The story of the woman who suffered from constant bleeding displays several points to ponder. First, according to Levitical laws, this woman’s bleeding would have made her unclean. That means she couldn’t present sacrifices in the Temple, touch any of the religious leaders, and had to publicly declare herself unclean as she went out into society (by shouting “Unclean, unclean”). She was an outcast. She was lonely, and certainly felt unworthy from the inability to be forgiven. And on top of all this, she wasn’t allowed to participate in any of the celebrations the Jewish people had. Secondly, she had spent all of her money on doctors, and her condition only got worse. Her hope for healing in life was non-existent. She was desperate. Lastly, in her desperation she did something that probably would have disgraced her even more, when she touched Jesus’ robe. According to Levitical law, when an unclean person touched you, you were made unclean. So by touching Jesus’ robe, she would’ve made Him unclean. Despite all of this, she risked all of this in faith, that Jesus would heal her, and it worked. How often is it that only out of desperation that we come to Jesus? Why does it take extreme circumstances to open the door to seeking God? I can’t fully answer that question, but I know it has something to do with our sinful, rebellious nature. Our pride keeps us well-grounded in it, and it’s not until we get desperate that we are willing to let go and humble ourselves. Instead of waiting for this to happen, why don’t we take this woman’s example and ask God today for spiritual insight. Ask Him for the ability to be honest with ourselves and to be humble. Desperation only gains momentum when pride is allowed to reign in our lives, and when it reaches maximum capacity, the result is always painful.

24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around Him. 25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind Him through the crowd and touched His robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from Him, so He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched My robe?”31 His disciples said to Him, “Look at this crowd pressing around You. How can You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”32 But He kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of Him and told Him what she had done. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mark 5:24-34

The Resources God Gives Us...

The resources God gives us are to enhance our lives. Be it for helping others, or providing for us to be able to do His will. For those who don’t see God as the owner of it all, they will squander the blessings God provides them on sinful behavior. It’s either a grateful, selfless attitude we are to have, or a self-centered, take-for-granted attitude we will have. If we don’t work on it, it’s evident which outlook will enter our lives. And contentment or disappointment will follow.

16 The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,but evil people squander their money on sin. Proverbs 10:16

Waiting It Out....

When you know God is for you, you ask for patience and endurance to wait your circumstance out. He will always walk with you through the trial.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.Be brave and courageous.Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalms 27:14

The Absence of God’s Display of Holiness....

As I read through Leviticus a constant theme appears as God instructs Moses concerning many issues. God clearly tells Moses and the Israelites to not bring shame upon His Holy Name. God says He will display His Holiness among the people. Maybe, here today, in our society, we have brought shame on God’s Holy Name. Maybe that’s why our nation is so divided, and filled with violence, hatred, and shame. We, collectively as a nation, have not honored God, so He has allowed us to reap what we have sown. His display of Holiness has been taken away, to save His reputation with the rest of the world. And no one seems to bat an eye at this. Instead of repenting and making things right with God, collective America looks to the government for a “quick fix”. The government will never be able to fix what’s wrong with our standing with God. It all boils down to honoring God with our behavior, or living our lives without Him. In order to get right with Him it’s gonna cost us something. The government does not discipline like God does. The consequences of what it takes to make ourselves right with God can’t be replicated by our government. That’s what makes God Holy. Which path will you choose today?

31 “You must faithfully keep all My commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord. 32 Do not bring shame on My holy name, for I will display My holiness among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who makes you holy. 33 It was I who rescued you from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 22:31-33

The Great Commission...

The Great Commission simplified. It’s a personal testimony. You can’t witness effectively, if it’s not personal. When it is personal, no one, I mean no one, can justifiably argue with you about it.

1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet Him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles–as he often was–he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw Him, ran to meet Him, and bowed low before Him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are You interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg You, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged Him again and again not to send them to some distant place.11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2 ,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:1-20

A Glimpse of God and Heaven...

If only the world understood this proverb. If only every single human being on the planet would put this concept into practice. Just imagine a world void of hatred and revenge? Just imagine a world where people loved one another like a spouse or mother, father, or sister, or child? Sounds like Heaven, doesn’t it? When we truly love others, and put it into practice, the world gets a glimpse of God and Heaven.

12 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. Proverbs 10:12

An Impersonal God...

For those who say God is an impersonal being, please have them translate this verse for me. Does an impersonal being welcome conversation?

8 My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with Me.”And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalms 27:8

“Don’t Judge Me”...

You hear people say, “Don’t judge me”. It’s become the popular mantra of our day. In essence they are saying, “Leave me alone, and don’t you dare tell me what I can and cannot do”. People who say this are ignorant of how God tells us how to live. If you know someone is behaving in such a way it’s going to hurt them and others, do you say something to them about it? Are you afraid of hurting someone’s feelings? (A big one in today’s society). Do you do anything to stop it? It reminds me of a story of an airline ticket lady, who smelled something fishy about two teen girls flying first class to a place with no luggage. She notified her boss, who then detained the young girls. It just so happened to turn out they were unaware that they were going straight into a human slavery / sex trafficking setup. The airline ticket woman saved the two girls by judging correctly. Jesus never said to never make judgements. He said when we do judge, we need to judge correctly. That means using the standards that God has established. So the next time someone says to you, “don’t judge me”, ask them “do you care about me”? If the answer is yes, then show them how much you care about them by presenting the truth to them in their situation.

15 “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly. Leviticus 19:15

Fear and It’s Two Outcomes....

There are two outcomes of fear. One eventually draws you near, and the other drives you further away. It all depends on how you see it, and the decision you make on how to deal with it. The disciples fear of Jesus eventually turned into a healthy respect because of the amount of time they spent with Him. That’s what a healthy, honest reaction to fear will bring. On the other hand, not cultivating the attitude of humility, fear will close you off to a relationship and ultimately, drive you away from the person. Fearing God, everyone does, will either lead you to a closer relationship when you choose to pursue Him, or it will drive you away because you close your heart off to Him. Each one of us makes that decision in our lives. We live everyday as proof of that decision. It’s never too late to change your mind.

35 As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion. The disciples woke Him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?”39 When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey Him!” Mark 4:35-41

Instant Gratification and Hearing God’s Voice...

We live in a world of instant gratification. A world where we are bombarded by advertisements, texts, instant messaging, and tv shows that cover a lifetime in 22 minutes. We have cliff-notes that help us study without having to read the books, reviews that help us decide if we go see a movie, and product reviews that help us make wiser purchases. We have call-in doctors who diagnose our ailments without being face-to-face, and we can drive our cars to pick up groceries, medicines, fast food, pay bills, and get money without ever leaving the car. We can go on-line, get on a plane, and be in paradise within the day. All of this has created a less acute ability to focus. Our attention spans are about 30 seconds or less now. We will be in a conversation and instantly lose focus with the sound of a text, email, or phone call. All of this has weakened our senses. We wonder why we can’t hear the voice of God. Or why others don’t follow God anymore, because they think His truths are foolish. What we need is to focus; focus on His Word. There’s a signal still being transmitted by God; it’s called truth. It just a matter of being more proactive than reactive. It’s a matter of disciplining yourself to decipher the signal from all the noise. The more we listen, study, and meditate on God’s word the more impact it will have in our lives. The more we train ourselves to see spiritually, the closer to God we will become. Ask Him today, to open your eyes and ears, to tune them to His voice and His Word. Then you will begin to understand more and more as His nearness to you drowns out all the useless and senseless noise.

21 Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. 22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”24 Then He added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given–and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Mark 4:21-25

Developing the Story....

I once read a sign in a teacher’s classroom that has stuck with me ever since. It read, “when you speak the truth, you never have to worry about what you said”. I’ll add to that. “If you speak lies, you’ll spend the rest of your life, developing the story”.

9 People with integrity walk safely,but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall. Proverbs 10:9

The Direction You Are Going...

Two thoughts come to mind when I read this passage in Hebrews Chapter 2. First, believing in God, trusting Him with our life, is a daily, moment by moment process. It involves action on our part. Staying in the “vine” as Jesus said, takes effort. Reading His word, praying, participating in the divine, is a daily practice. Surrounding yourself with fellow believers and speaking truth into the lives of others is necessary for constant growth. You can’t expect to know God by putting your Bible under your pillow at night and waking up closer to Him. You have to be connected. And that takes effort. Not effort to win God’s favor, rather effort to express your love and devotion to Him only (and no one else).

Secondly, God knows everything we do. It’s absurd to think we can do things behind His back. Unfortunately, many people believe they can hide their behavior from Him, or justify their behavior by denying His existence. Justice will be served, it always has been, and always will. God is eternally consistent in dealing with human beings. It’s just Who He is. You can always count on Him to judge rightly. Grace, mercy, and judgement are all there waiting for you. Which will you choose? The way you live your life will be a clear indicator in what direction you are going.

1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus Himself and then delivered to us by those who heard Him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever He chose. Hebrews 2:1-4

Choosing to Trust...

I am guilty of not trusting God. It’s just so much easier to fret, worry, and trust myself, rather than extend faith and put my trust in God. I kick myself all the time when things work out and I don’t give God the credit. It’s crystal clear throughout scripture that God protects, provides, and promotes our well-being. If He says He will do this or that, He will do it. It’s just a matter of me choosing to trust Him or not. I can honestly say, when someone shows me they don’t trust me, I get upset, I feel like I’m being called a liar, and I want to retreat from the situation. When it’s all said and done, God is either a doer of His word, or He’s not. And in my lifetime, I’ve never experienced a time when He contradicted His Word.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation–so why should I be afraid?The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,so why should I tremble?2 When evil people come to devour me,when my enemies and foes attack me,they will stumble and fall.3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,my heart will not be afraid.Even if I am attacked,I will remain confident. Psalms 27:1-3

Imploding From a Heart Without God...

Sexual relations is something God has clearly defined as to what is acceptable and what is not. Today in America, the popular mantra is, “I can do whatever I want, don’t tell me what I can and can’t do”. Yes, in America we have freedoms, but when those freedoms undermine others, it creates conflict. That conflict creates sides that oppose each other. Which eventually leads to those who oppose God, with those that stand for God. Our children are being brought up having to choose a side, and ashamedly I’ll admit, Christians are losing the numbers battle. God’s standards for sexual practices are very clear here in Leviticus. The reasons “why” are not spelled out, other than it is detestable to God, but I’m sure they are legitimate. And the fact that God spells it out here is the only reason that should matter anyway. If God commands us not to do them, it must be for our own good. Take for example divorce. God says He hates divorce. Why? Because it destroys the family. Look at what the “no fault” divorce law has done to our society in the last half-century. People don’t know how to relate any more. Children are more insecure now more than ever. We live in a confused world. Violence and corruption are every where, happening daily. When people try to justify sexual behavior that falls outside the parameters God has set, they are just adding to the problems of society. Abortion is directly due to this sexual freedom attitude society has adopted. How can someone misinterpret “having sex with another man as with a woman, it is a detestable sin”? How can it be seen as okay to have sexual relations with your mother, father, son, or daughter? It’s all crystal clear about what’s acceptable to God and what’s not. Yet society weighs in and prioritized what’s acceptable and what’s not. Think about unborn children. If a woman is pregnant, if she wants the baby, she’s happy and has a party to celebrate. If the woman doesn’t want the child, she kills the baby, and continues on living her self-focused life. Why wouldn’t a woman who doesn’t want a child not do the one thing that creates one? Because we, here in America, want to pleasure ourselves regardless of the consequences. And this we have a very guilty, shame-filled society living life not knowing how to be right with our Maker. This causes some much stress and tension, many are walking time-bombs waiting to explode. And when it does, people want a quick fix by creating a “law” that will fix it. When in reality it’s a personal reality struggle that a law will only temporarily band-aid it. It’s a heart issue (spiritual issue); a heart not right with God. When a society doesn’t fear or respect the Living God, expect that society to slowly implode. All brought on by it’s own doing.

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all My regulations and be careful to obey My decrees, for I am the Lord your God. 5 If you obey My decrees and My regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.6 “You must never have sexual relations with a close relative, for I am the Lord.7 “Do not violate your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.8 “Do not have sexual relations with any of your father’s wives, for this would violate your father.9 “Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s.10 “Do not have sexual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself.11 “Do not have sexual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister.12 “Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister, for she is your father’s close relative.13 “Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.14 “Do not violate your uncle, your father’s brother, by having sexual relations with his wife, for she is your aunt.15 “Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, so you must not have sexual relations with her.16 “Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, for this would violate your brother.17 “Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. And do not take her granddaughter, whether her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives, and this would be a wicked act.18 “While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have sexual relations with her, for they would be rivals.19 “Do not have sexual relations with a woman during her period of menstrual impurity.20 “Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife.21 “Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not bring shame on the name of your God. I am the Lord.22 “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.23 “A man must not defile himself by having sex with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it. This is a perverse act.24 “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways. 25 Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out. 26 You must obey all My decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.27 “All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. 28 So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now. 29 Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel. 30 So obey My instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 18:1-30

God’s Way of Revealing Himself...

This is a common theme throughout scripture: if you want to know God, pursue Him, and He will reveal Himself to you as your heart grows more and more sincere. If you don’t want to know God, He will (slowly) hardened your heart, so that you may never understand even the simplest qualities about Him. He will never force you against your will to love Him. It’s just something He won’t do. He always gives us a choice. It’s what true love does. Regardless of what you choose, He continues to plainly speak truth to those that pursue Him, and the ones that have chosen to live without Him, don’t understand when this Truth is being spoken. These rebels are left in the dark, therefore, to compensate their confusion, they ridicule or degrade those that follow Him, writing His truth off as foolish talk. To me the demands of discipleship is far less a debt than the cost of foolishness.

10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked Him what the parables meant.11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do,they will learn nothing.When they hear what I say,they will not understand.Otherwise, they will turn to Me and be forgiven.’” Mark 4:10-12

The Difference Between Humility and Pride...

The difference between humility and pride is humility promotes listening to instruction, making you wise for heeding guidance. Pride stands in the way of instruction, for it tells you, “you already know this”, and causes you to fall flat on your face. As the saying goes, “pride comes before the fall”.

8 The wise are glad to be instructed,but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. Proverbs 10:8

Walking With Integrity....

When you walk with integrity, it hardens the ground on which you stand.

11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.So redeem me and show me mercy.12 Now I stand on solid ground,and I will publicly praise the Lord. Psalms 26:11-12

The Simple Gospel, Complicating It’s Response...

The Gospel is simple. It’s plainly simple. Yet it’s opposers try to complicate it. Here Jesus clearly tells the religious leaders that if they continue to refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, their sins will not be forgiven and they will end up in Hell. It’s like someone going to a grocery store, filling their basket with food, and when they get to the checkout clerk, expect to get the groceries without paying for them. Without money, how can you expect to take the food home? It doesn’t belong to you. It’s the same way with God. You can’t earn or get Grace. It’s only obtained through Jesus. Any time someone rejects God’s One and Only Way to Eternal Life, it’s sad. The fact that it’s free, it’s spelled out, and offered to all, makes it a no-brainer to accept. However, our pride, and our worldly flesh, wants to reject it. We want to do something so that we can say we earned it. The only sin God won’t forgive, is the sin of not asking Him to forgive you for being a sinner. He won’t force you against your own will to do something you don’t want to do. That is the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. It’s a much bigger problem today than ever before.

20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon He and His disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When His family heard what was happening, they tried to take Him away. “He’s out of His mind,” they said.22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where He gets the power to cast out demons.”23 Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” He asked. 24 “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse.25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive.27 Let Me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger–someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.28 “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven,29 but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.”30 He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.” Mark 3:20-30

A Legalistic Attitude...

It’s really easy to take some of the precepts of the Bible, adopt an attitude, and turn it into a legalistic one. We are all sinners. The foot of the cross is level ground. Just because we don’t hang out with perpetual liars, doesn’t mean we need to use them to compare ourselves with, and adopt a legalistic, superior attitude. Be careful how you go about labeling those that don’t see eye to eye with you. God knows our hearts; He’s more concerned with the condition of it than what we might think about it.

1 Declare me innocent, O Lord,for I have acted with integrity;I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.2 Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.Test my motives and my heart.3 For I am always aware of Your unfailing love,and I have lived according to Your truth.4 I do not spend time with liarsor go along with hypocrites.5 I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,and I refuse to join in with the wicked.6 I wash my hands to declare my innocence.I come to Your altar, O Lord, Psalms 26:1-6

Hardness of heart and the Ability to See...

The hardness of our heart and our ability to see spiritually are directly related. When truth is presented to us and we reject it, it’s because our pride stands in the way, blocking our sight of what we know is right. When we allow truth to pass us by without attempting to jump on the ride, we will always miss out on its fruits. The more we serve ourselves, the weaker our spiritual sight becomes, eventually leading to total blindness. People often wonder why they can’t hear the “voice of God”, maybe it’s due to the hardness of their hearts. It’s directly related to the ability to see, hear, and connect with our Creator.

1 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched Him closely. If He healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse Him of working on the Sabbath.3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then He turned to His critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer Him.5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then He said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Mark 3:1-6

Personal “Likeability”.....

The thing about integrity that we must always remember is that our behavior effects our reputation, but more importantly, our behavior either points people to God or leads them away from Him. Our reputation as a Christian has more to do with God than our own personal “likeability”.

20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them!Do not let me be disgraced, for in You I take refuge.21 May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in You. Psalms 25:20-21