Having To Choose Sides….

Political correctness isn’t anything new. It’s been around since human life existed. Here we have an example of it in 1 Kings chapter 22. Ahab (king of Samaria/Israel) and Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) are talking about restoring a town that was captured by an enemy but now is back in the Israelites hands. Jehoshaphat wanted to consult the Lord before going into battle, but Ahab consults his prophets, but weren’t real prophets. All 400 of them told the king to go into battle for he will be victorious. Jehoshaphat asked if Ahab had any prophets of God to consult, and Ahab told him yes there was one prophet that spoke truth, but he always prophesied bad news for Ahab. So the kings agreed to call the prophet, Micaiah. Micaiah was summoned but he was told to agree with the other 400 prophets. Micaiah swore to only tell what God told him to say. The story continues and builds up in intensity, but the point here is we all have a choice in life. We can either listen to God and follow Him, or we can listen to others and follow them. Fear God or fear man, that’s the dilemma. If we fear man, we become politically correct. If we fear God, we get slapped in the face (like Micaiah did) because being God-centered isn’t politically correct. You will either side with Truth, or stand for what’s popular. God will never be popular in this life, at least not in the righteous sense. So that leaves us standing in the middle having to choose sides. Choose wisely.

Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 5 Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”6 So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400  of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?”They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.”8 The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.” Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab 10 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. 11 One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!”12 All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!”13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”15 When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?”Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!”16 But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?”17 Then Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’ ”18 “Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.”19 Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on His throne with all the armies of heaven around Him, on His right and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’“There were many suggestions, 21 and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’22 “ ‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked.“And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’“ ‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’23 “So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.”24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” he demanded.25 And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”26 “Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash. 27 Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’ ”28 But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!” 1 Kings 22:4-28

One Goodnight’s Rest…

Jesus is the only One that grants true peace of mind and heart. So many people try to medicate, inebriate, or fill up their lives with stuff they think will bring them peace, only to ruin their lives in the pursuit of self. Jesus grants us peace and joy, something the world cannot give. Even though we see plenty of people preaching the “good life”, deep down inside they’d give it all up for one good night’s rest. The facade of fame and fortune looks beautiful on the outside, but the only thing that beauty really does is hide the distress and ugliness of all that goes with the consequences of a life spent pursuing self. Jesus is the only Way to peace. The only way. And He grants if if we just ask. What will it cost? Your willingness to give up the pursuit of the temporary for the completeness of the Eternal.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

You Know God by Seeking Him Out…

Here’s the simplest truth about God and life. If you pursue God with 100% of your heart, you will find, come to know, and grow deeper in relationship to Him. The reason people don’t know God is because they are not looking for Him to begin with. They wouldn’t recognize Him even if He walked right in front of them (which probably has happened). You know God by seeking Him out. When you do that, He reveals Himself to you. Someone may ask, “how do you know which god is real”? I’d answer that with, “if you truly want to know the One and Only God, ask”. He will show up when you seek Him with all of your heart. He will never deny or allow a seeker-sensitive-soul to be deceived with the chance to know Him.

“If you love Me, obey My commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:15-17a

Truth Trumps Opinions….

In today’s society opinions tend to trump truth. If you don’t agree with someone you’re labeled a “hater” of some sort. Whatever happened to free speech? What the liberal, anti-truth people don’t see is that truth trumps opinions, every time. Truth trumps feelings as well. It’s not until you side with truth that what you stand for will actually hold you up. Truth is the rock on which you stand. When the storms of life come, your foundation will get you through it. Apply this concept to your life and watch what happens.

2 Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. Proverbs 18:2

How Do You Handle Humility?

Humility, do we ever really choose it? Is it possible to choose it? I think God distributes doses of humility when we ask for it. And other times He distributes it without our asking when He feels we need it. So the question arises, can we ever choose to be humble? Only when our hearts are right with God. Peter needed a large dose of humility to counter his overwhelming boost of zeal. He and the others expressed that they were ready to die with Jesus, but God knew their hearts, they weren’t ready. God knew they would need to witness all the events to come, be mentored by the risen Lord, and then they would be ready. Peter needed a massive piece of humble pie before he could take on the role of leader in the Church. He got it. Fortunately for him, he was restored by Jesus Himself. Some people won’t allow God to humble them. They spend their entire lives searching for the significance only He can give. How do you handle humility? Do you embrace it, choosing to submit yourself to God, trusting Him with every choice you make. Or do you kick and scream, despising the humiliating circumstances of your bad choices? We know what Peter did. How about we learn from his mistakes, rather than making them on our own. Serving God requires humility. Are you up for the challenge?

31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory, and God will be glorified because of Him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, He will soon give glory to the Son.33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for Me, but you can’t come where I am going.34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are You going?”And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with Me now, but you will follow Me later.”37 “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for You.”38 Jesus answered, “Die for Me? I tell you the truth, Peter–before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me. John 13:31-38

People Pleaser Or A God Pleaser?

Are you a people pleaser or a God pleaser? If you find yourself craving the praise of others, making compromises along the way in order to keep the relationship alive, you know which type of pleaser you are. Following God translates into having fewer friends, and not being popular. It means that your (so-called) friends will want to be around you when things are bad, but abandon you when the party starts. Get used to it, it will never change this side of Heaven. Just know that pleasing God means sleeping well at night, having a peace that alcohol and medication can’t bring, and friendships that are genuine (the ones that we have). These are the treasures the Bible talks about. These are the side-effects of living a life that is pleasing to God. This is the life I have chosen by siding with Truth. How about you?

42 Many people did believe in Him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust Me, you are trusting not only Me, but also God who sent Me. 45 For when you see Me, you are seeing the One who sent Me.46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.47 I will not judge those who hear Me but don’t obey Me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.48 But all who reject Me and My message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.49 I don’t speak on My own authority. The Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.50 And I know His commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells Me to say.” John 12:42-50

Why It’s Even In The Bible….

If you want to read a story that doesn’t make any sense to me, here it is. This 13th chapter of 1 Kings is bizarre and confusing, to the point of questioning why it’s even in the Bible. I’ve been reading the Bible for many decades and this is one of those stories that just doesn’t make any sense to me. First off, we start with an unnamed prophet/man of God. Why isn’t he mentioned by name? He does exactly what God told him to do. A miraculous event happens. He’s told not to eat or drink while in Samaria. And he’s told to go home by a different way. He follows the orders. Then, another older prophet lies to him, telling him that God changed His mind and said it was okay to eat and drink at his home. While they are eating and drinking, God tells the old prophet to tell the man of God that he was going to die because of his disobedience. To further the bizarre”ness” of this story a lion attacks and kills the man of God, leaving him laying on the road. Not only that but the lion and the donkey that he was riding now stand on each side of the man’s body, perfectly content to just sit there. People walk by and see it, then go and report it to the old prophet. He comes, gets the body, and weeps and mourns for man of God. Here we have a man that purposely lies to the man of God, 100% responsible for his death, then mourns for him after he dies. Then to add to the weirdness, the old prophet wants to be buried along side the man of God. The only remote truth I can see in this is “IF GOD TELLS YOU DIRECTLY TO DO SOMETHING, DO IT”. And unless God Himself tells you to not do what He told you to do, don’t listen to people over God especially when it seems contradicting. God wants our obedience more than our sacrifices. He wants our attention on Him, more than our attention on ourselves. Showing God your love is closest administered when we do what He tells us to do. And sometimes we are tested by God with other people (either ill-willed or not), so stay close to God, and you should be able to know the difference. Bizarre story, but it captured my attention, one more time. Did it intrigue you? Who says the Bible is boring?

1 At the Lord’s command, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel, arriving there just as Jeroboam was approaching the altar to burn incense. 2 Then at the Lord’s command, he shouted, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.” 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign to prove his message. He said, “The Lord has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground.”4 When King Jeroboam heard the man of God speaking against the altar at Bethel, he pointed at him and shouted, “Seize that man!” But instantly the king’s hand became paralyzed in that position, and he couldn’t pull it back. 5 At the same time a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out, just as the man of God had predicted in his message from the Lord.6 The king cried out to the man of God, “Please ask the Lord your God to restore my hand again!” So the man of God prayed to the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and he could move it again.7 Then the king said to the man of God, “Come to the palace with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift.”8 But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place. 9 For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’ ” 10 So he left Bethel and went home another way.11 As it happened, there was an old prophet living in Bethel, and his sons came home and told him what the man of God had done in Bethel that day. They also told their father what the man had said to the king. 12 The old prophet asked them, “Which way did he go?” So they showed their father which road the man of God had taken. 13 “Quick, saddle the donkey,” the old man said. So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it.14 Then he rode after the man of God and found him sitting under a great tree. The old prophet asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”“Yes, I am,” he replied.15 Then he said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat some food.”16 “No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. 17 For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’ ”18 But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’ ” But the old man was lying to him. 19 So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home.20 Then while they were sitting at the table, a command from the Lord came to the old prophet. 21 He cried out to the man of God from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: You have defied the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back to this place and ate and drank where He told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.”23 After the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet saddled his own donkey for him, 24 and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 People who passed by saw the body lying in the road and the lion standing beside it, and they went and reported it in Bethel, where the old prophet lived.26 When the prophet heard the report, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the Lord’s command. The Lord has fulfilled His word by causing the lion to attack and kill him.”27 Then the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle a donkey for me.” So they saddled a donkey, 28 and he went out and found the body lying in the road. The donkey and lion were still standing there beside it, for the lion had not eaten the body nor attacked the donkey. 29 So the prophet laid the body of the man of God on the donkey and took it back to the town to mourn over him and bury him. 30 He laid the body in his own grave, crying out in grief, “Oh, my brother!”31 Afterward the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones. 32 For the message the Lord told him to proclaim against the altar in Bethel and against the pagan shrines in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true.”33 But even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from the common people. He appointed anyone who wanted to become a priest for the pagan shrines. 34 This became a great sin and resulted in the utter destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty from the face of the earth. 1 Kings 13:1-34

Get Used To It….

Loving what God loves, called conviction, usually brings ridicule and humiliation from the world. Hating sinful behavior breeds hatred towards us. Our behavior, regardless if we see it or not, influences others (and matters to God). Once we accept these two truths, we won’t find ourselves trying to argue with fools. Get used to it, without becoming bitter.

7 For I endure insults for Your sake;humiliation is written all over my face.8 Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me;they treat me like a stranger. 9 Passion for Your house has consumed me,and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.10 When I weep and fast,they scoff at me.11 When I dress in burlap to show sorrow,they make fun of me.12 I am the favorite topic of town gossip,and all the drunks sing about me. 13 But I keep praying to You, Lord,hoping this time You will show me favor.In Your unfailing love, O God,answer my prayer with Your sure salvation.14 Rescue me from the mud;don’t let me sink any deeper!Save me from those who hate me,and pull me from these deep waters.15 Don’t let the floods overwhelm me,or the deep waters swallow me,or the pit of death devour me. Psalms 69:7-15

Nothing Good Can Come Out Of Fighting God….

God uses people, good or evil, to accomplish His will. He is the One in control, not us. Once we accept this, we find peace, security, and strength in God. It’s God Who places people in leadership roles, and whether they are good or evil, they are serving His purpose. When we fight against them, we are fighting against God Himself. Nothing good can come out of fighting God, unless it’s in His will for us to do so, and that means if we are serving Him, good will follow. If we are serving ourselves, we will suffer greatly. Either way God wins. Why not side with the one Who always promotes Good, and always wins. It just takes a little sacrifice of self to join His side.

Caiaphas did not realize the implications of what he spoke. While he uttered blasphemy against Christ, God parodied his statement into truth (Ps. 76:10). The responsibility for the wicked meaning of his words belonged to Caiaphas, but God’s providence directed the choice of words so as to express the heart of God’s glorious plan of salvation (Acts 4:27,28). He actually was used by God as a prophet because he was the high priest and originally the high priest was the means of God’s will being revealed (2 Sam. ‪15:27‬).

45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow Him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in Him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. 54 As a result, Jesus stopped His public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples. John 11:45-54

Are You Drawing From The Spring Of Life?

Everyone will agree that King Solomon was very wise. Probably the wisest to ever live. Since his wisdom came from God Himself, we probably should listen to what he said. Since the Jews thought they were God’s chosen people, and they were His special possession, they mistakenly took everyone else as heathens. God showed favor to Israel, and to them, it was not possible for God to bless other people who were not Israelites. This mentality still goes on today. It’s one reason why there is so much anti-Semitic attitudes still to out there. It’s hard for me to grasp where the Jews adopted this attitude, but I do understand legalism. And this attitude stems from that (legalism). Pleasing God comes from knowing God. And by knowing God, we are able to trust Him to do in us what we cannot do ourselves. The Israelites were trying to please God, but they were trying to do it from a distance, on their own, and not welcoming God into their hearts. They were trying to be someone they were not, and expecting the benefits as if they were. There are so many passages that show God’s love and attitude towards all people, even in the OT. Here’s one, straight from Solomon’s mouth. The Temple has been built, the ark is inside, and God has filled it with His presence. Solomon is making a speech and asking God to always answer the prayers of those whose hearts cry out to Him, even foreigners (or Gentiles as they called them). If Solomon was given the wisdom of God, and he knew God answers prayers of all those whose hearts are for Him, then why is there still this animosity from Jews, and towards them? Why is there any type of segregated self-important attitudes that breed dissension? We are all equal under Christ. We are all forgiven under Christ. Maybe the reason there is still so much segregation and hostility is just that reason, not everyone is under Christ. If Solomon could know this thousands of years ago, why can’t we know this today? We do have a book that makes it clear. And we do have a Spirit that shows us. Are we listening? Serving God gives us the wisdom to know where we are to draw our strength, significance, our peace, and our contentment from. Are you drawing from the Spring of life. If not, why not?

41 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to Your people Israel will hear of You. They will come from distant lands because of Your name, 42 for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, 43 then hear from heaven where You live, and grant what they ask of You. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear You, just as Your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors Your name. 1 Kings 8:41-43

We Don’t Have To Know Everything….

If I were to ask you “who is the wisest person you know?”, could you answer? Strongest person you know? Most influential? Most kind? The list could go on and on. The point here is when you need an answer, a favor, or some help, do you look for the best person you know to help you get what you need? If you needed a lawyer, would you know who to call? Or even who to call to recommend one? As the late Dr. J Vernon McGee used to say, “Next to knowing, is knowing where to find out”. We can’t expect to live our lives only depending on ourselves to get us through it. Yet we all think like that at times. No man is an island, we can’t do it alone. It’s pride that makes us want to believe we can. Why not fess up and admit (to ourselves) that we are incapable of being self-sufficient. Here’s the take-away from today’s post: we don’t ever have to be self-sufficient when we have God right here ready to meet all of our needs. He is the wisest, most powerful, most influential, strongest, most kind, and loving Person we could ever know. When you have access to Him, it’s just as good as having it yourself. We don’t have to live stressed out, worried about things, wondering how we are going to get this or get through that. We have a loving, graceful, and merciful God, Who is waiting for His prodigals to come home. So in summary, adapting from Dr. McGee’s quote, “We don’t have to know everything, when our best friend is God, the Maker of everything. Knowing and trusting Him is all we need for life”.

27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me,29 for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.30 The Father and I are one.” John 10:27-30

We Were Never Meant To Live This Way….

When you love sin, you can’t expect to live a pain-free, content life. You reap what you sow. If you sow evil, you will reap evil. No one can live a selfish, anti-God life and expect blessings to pour in. Maybe that’s why there are so many mental disorders in our culture today. It’s like drinking poison and expecting it to sustain you. When it finally kills you, the only truth you’ll have to accept is that it was self-inflicted. Living a sinful life (and loving it) opposes love, peace, security, and contentment. They diametrically oppose each other. We were never meant to live this way. 13 If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. Proverbs 17:13

Safer To Stare Death In The Face…

Solomon,the wisest king to ever live tells us that it’s safer to stare death in the face than confront an unrepentant sinner. What does that really mean? It means the heart of every man is self-centered. He will do whatever it takes to justify, preserve, or pretend all in an attempt to to “save face”. He will lie, continue to lie, and sacrifice just about everything he owns to preserve the lie, and thus preserve self. That means when you confront someone with the truth, don’t argue with them. Simply state the truth, ask questions, and move on. Remember we are only to point others to God, it’s His responsibility to open their eyes to see the truth. The only thing more foolish than being a fool, is arguing with one.

12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness. Proverbs 17:12

A Wish Worth Pursuing….

If you could wish for any thing in the world, knowing it would be granted, what would you wish for? Beauty, to be desired by many. Popularity, to be recognized wherever you go. Fame, to be given special treatment because of your accomplishments. Power, the ability to do any thing you want. Money, never having to worry about providing for all in your household, without holding back. Solomon got that opportunity from God Himself. Of all these things, Solomon chose wisdom. This pleased God so much, that God gave him all the rest of the aforementioned stuff. Solomon chose wisdom because he knew he had to lead God’s chosen people. He knew his responsibility was greater than he was capable of delivering. Solomon was honest enough with himself to admit his weaknesses and knew his only chance at success was being dependent upon God. God wants our honesty, but more importantly, he wants our ability to act on our honesty. There’s a huge difference. You can be the most intelligent person in the world, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll always behave properly. It all starts with humility. Even though Solomon started well, he crashed and burned throughout his life, all because he didn’t act on what he knew to be true. Truth matters more than anything else. And when we act on it, following the One Who is Truth, we are granted all the blessings that God intended us to have from the beginning. Now that’s a wish worth pursuing.

1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the Lord and the wall around the city. 2 At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the Lord had not yet been built.3 Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. 4 The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1 ,000 burnt offerings. 5 That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”6 Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love to Your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to You. And You have continued Your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.7 “Now, O Lord my God, You have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of Your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of Yours?”10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing My people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies–12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for–riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow Me and obey My decrees and My commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet. 1 Kings 3:1-15

When We Point Others To God….

Jesus came into this world to render judgement. That meant He was going to take on on the punishment God had stored up for sinners. He was going to be the ultimate sacrifice or atonement for our sins. This judgement, He took on Himself so we could be set free. This truth allows spiritually blind people to be healed, and thus see. While the power of God can restore spiritual sight, those that try to earn their salvation, claiming they see clearly, only fool themselves because without God, no one can see spiritually. It’s pretty simple, those that respond to God’s call are spiritually healed, and thus granted the ability to truly see. Those that pretend to see by practicing religion, trying to earn God’s favor without truly pursuing Him in a relationship, might claim to see spiritually, but will forever remain blind and guilty. So where does that leave us? If we believe, we are healed, and granted a right to be called God’s children. It’s our job to assist God in opening the eyes of all those ignorant of His truth. We help people see that they are blind in need of a Savior to heal them. When we point others to God, we’ve done our job. And no matter how painful and difficult it may be to us, God is always pleased when we turn others’ attention towards Him.

35 When Jesus heard what had happened, He found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”36 The man answered, “Who is He, sir? I want to believe in Him.”37 “You have seen Him,” Jesus said, “and He is speaking to you!”38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment–to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard Him and asked, “Are You saying we’re blind?”41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see. John 9:35-41

It’s That Simple….

There are only two kinds of people on this earth: those that when confronted with the truth accept it, and those that don’t. You either make room in your heart for Jesus, or you don’t. It’s that simple. And there are no other options. God grants each of us this choice. He allows us to choose or reject Him. It’s what true love always does; it never demands it’s own way. There’s no other concept on earth like this. As Joshua stated in the book that bares his name: “Choose today whom you will serve.” Will you serve Satan, yourself, the world, or Jesus? The choice is yours to make.

31 Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do You mean, ‘You will be set free’?”34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill Me because there’s no room in your hearts for My message.38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with My Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”39 “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. 40 Instead, you are trying to kill Me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.41 No, you are imitating your real father.”They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God Himself is our true Father.”42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on My own, but He sent Me. 43 Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear Me!44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe Me!46 Which of you can truthfully accuse Me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe Me?47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:31-47

Who He Is By What He Does….

When you come to experience the God of all existence, you learn Who He is by what He does. He is faithful, full of integrity, pure, just, merciful, gracious, and most of all, loving. For those that put these qualities into practice in their own lives, God rewards them with a bigger capacity to continue to practice them. For those who practice integrity, more integrity is given. For those who are just, more justice is given. For those who love, a bigger capacity to love is given. But for those who oppose these qualities, God shows Himself hostile to them. To the proud He shows humiliation. True prosperity can’t be measured monetarily, at least not all the blessings God gives can be measured fiscally. True prosperity, in which the Bible speaks so much about, is man’s ability to be like God. Practicing His qualities gives us the ability to be like Him. And when we are like Him, we prosper, and so does the world. Being “rich” in our relationship with God is true prosperity. This is the riches Jesus talked about that couldn’t be taken away or destroyed.

26 “To the faithful you show Yourself faithful;to those with integrity you show integrity.27 To the pure you show Yourself pure,but to the wicked you show Yourself hostile.28 You rescue the humble,but Your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.29 O Lord, you are my lamp.The Lord lights up my darkness.30 In Your strength I can crush an army;with my God I can scale any wall. 31 “God’s way is perfect.All the Lord’s promises prove true.He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. 2 Samuel 22:26-31

This Gave Him Confidence…..

One of the greatest comforts in placing our faith and trust in God is that He is never too far away to hear our prayers. David knew this, he knew God would hear his prayers no matter where he was. This gave him confidence to continue fighting, pushing forward through adversity. Think about that for a second. There’s no place we could ever go, the highest mountain top, deepest cave, the deepest part of the ocean with infinite gallons of water squeezing you in, or even the moon, that God couldn’t hear our prayers. Do you know what that means? He is always right there ready to hear our requests. Hopefully, they are not all requests. Hopefully, there’s some gratitude and praise mixed in. God is never more than a breath of your prayer away. We are never alone, even if we “feel” like we are, we are not. That’s real comfort.

7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;yes, I cried to my God for help.He heard me from His sanctuary;my cry reached His ears. 2 Samuel 22:7

Salvation And Heaven…

Salvation and Heaven couldn’t be any clearer than this. Jesus is the Way to God. The only way.

23 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” John 8:23-24

Gives All Believers Part Of Himself…

Here’s a thought: Christianity is different from all other religions. One of the biggest differences is that the God of this world (the God of the Bible) gives all believers part of Himself, the Holy Spirit. No other religion can say this. There are so many other major differences, but this one shows us that God values relationships. He’s a personable Being. He wants us in a relationship with Him. He wants us to know Him. He wants to share this life with us now, and the one to come. This helps us navigate through life, getting instruction from the Author of life. Maybe one reason why some people choose other religions is because they are not relational; they don’t involve getting to know their god. That way, they can do as they please and adapt the rules to their own lifestyle. It’s not personal, so they have room to ad lib. And if they get out of line, there’s no one to hold them accountable. If this is true, that would also mean that there’s no one (God) to share their successes with either, or get instruction from on how to handle a difficult situation. Christianity is a personable, relatable, and real journey. And best of all, it includes having an intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Now that’s different, isn’t it?

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me! 38 Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” 39 (When He said “living water,” He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.) John 7:37-39

Schmoozing The People….

Politics have been going on for centuries. When we see politicians today, promising this and that on tv, it usually turns your stomach because we know it’s full of deceit and selfish ambition. Here is one example of a person, (King David’s son) Absalom, schmoozing the people into believing he really cared about their cases. This just goes to show us the nature of man never changes. Thousands of years later it still goes on. Politics will always be corrupt when men and women leave God out of their agendas. When they ignore truth, seek selfish gain, and make empty promises through lies. Absalom paid the ultimate price with his agenda (trying to overthrow King David’s authority). And so will anyone who goes against the will of God. That’s a guarantee.

1 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 2 He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. 3 Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. 4 I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”5 When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. 6 Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. 2 Samuel 15:1-6

If His Message Doesn’t Offend You…..

When people try to tell you that Jesus was loving, tolerant, and accepting of all people, regardless of their lifestyle, it should be a red flag in the “I don’t read my Bible” department. Jesus offended many people. And if His message doesn’t offend you, maybe you need to open your Bible and get to know Who He really is.

60 Many of His disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”61 Jesus was aware that His disciples were complaining, so He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again?63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.64 But some of you do not believe Me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and He knew who would betray Him.) 65 Then He said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to Me unless the Father gives them to Me.”66 At this point many of His disciples turned away and deserted Him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know You are the Holy One of God.” John 6:60-69

Adversity Drives A Man On….

What most people in America don’t realize about work, specifically facing adversity, is that not being able to put food on your table drives you to find work, and work hard in doing so. Adversity drives a man on, giving him purpose. This concept is what makes America great. When welfare and bad government decisions enable those that can work to stay at home and be provided for, laziness takes over. Why work when you don’t have to? Another Biblical truth passed over in favor of coddling the already corrupt human nature. One more reason “being saved” helps America. With God’s Spirit inside you, you realize laziness is detrimental not only to you, but society as a whole. Having an appetite because you work hard is a good thing, not something we should be ashamed of or see as a burden.

26 It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on. Proverbs 16:26

It Is Our Response To God’s Call….

If you’ve read many of these entries you’re very aware of my call to action of pursuing God. The one thing I may not have made clear about this pursuit is that it is a response to His constant pursuit of us. No one comes to Jesus unless God draws him first (John 6:44). It’s our response to God’s call that starts the salvation process. This all crafted in such a way that brings God the glory, and leaves us grateful, not being able to take credit for something He can only do. God knows what He is doing. He has placed the ball (free gift of grace) in our court. The question is “how will you respond, knowing you can’t take the credit for your salvation”?

14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. 2 Samuel 14:14

Doing Enough To Earn God’s Favor…

Christianity is different from all other religions in many ways. But this is the major difference. All religions are “works based”. That means they require action based on the hope of “doing enough” to “earn” God’s favor. Christianity only requires one work, “to believe in Jesus”. The only action required is faith. All other religions require work to be done in hope of salvation, while Christianity grants salvation based on faith in Jesus, not on works. All the work done in Christianity is because salvation is already granted, and thus, done out of gratitude towards God, not obligation for a chance to be saved. That’s huge. It changes our perspective from trying to meet an obligation in hope of receiving God’s favor to receiving God’s favor and granting us hope to serve out of gratitude to Him. Jesus tells us this in today’s passage. Faith, believing in Jesus, is what saves us. And no matter what people say, it’s God’s way of leveling the playing field, making us all equal. It doesn’t require works in order to gain eternal life. Works are evidence of an already saved life. Believing is hard, but it’s personal, incomparable, and not “works based”. Once you understand God’s Grace, His free gift, trying to be “religious” loses its appeal to your pride. God has it figured out. It’s our job to accept or reject His gift.

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One He has sent.” John 6:28-29

40 For it is My Father’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40

In A World That Tries To Define Us…

God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our weaknesses, our faults, our every thought, good or bad. He knows what we do, what we will do, and how we will do it. He knows our attitudes, positive or negative, our outlook, and our intentions. When we know God, we really get to know ourselves. It’s really the only way to truly know who we really are. In a world that tries to define us in inaccurate ways, sometimes painting us into a corner, we need to be honest with ourselves. And that’s only possible in a right relationship with God. We know our weaknesses, but with God, He uses those to be His strength. Now that’s Good News, isn’t it?

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far? 19 And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, You speak of giving Your servant a lasting dynasty! Do You deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?20 “What more can I say to You? You know what Your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 21 Because of Your promise and according to Your will, You have done all these great things and have made them known to Your servant. 2 Samuel 7:18-21

Isn’t Even In The Same Zip Code….

For all those out there that love to tell true followers of Christ that Jesus hung out with drunks and harlots, translating that every kind of behavior is okay with God, here’s one of many instances where Jesus proves this isn’t true. His reproof of a crippled man proves that His agenda and tolerance isn’t even in the same zip code as those that believe Jesus accepts all kinds of behavior. Stop believing the lies the world tries to put into your head about Jesus. They are simply not true.

13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him. John 5:13-15

He Followed The One Who Healed Him….

I absolutely love stories like these about Jesus and humanity. Here we have a crippled man of 38 years. Jesus heals him, a miraculous sign, and yet the religious leaders tell the man that he is breaking the law of the Sabbath by carrying his mat. The man’s response is classic. It’s one that if you are not in tune, you’ll miss it. He tells the Jewish leaders that Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk. The irony in his words cut deep into the religious leaders pride. “How dare this beggar tell us we are wrong about our religiosity!” It’s clear who the crippled man was to follow. He followed the One Who healed him, not the ones who controlled the community. If breaking the Sabbath law by carrying his mat was seen as wrong, then so be it. Being healed after 38 years of suffering, certainly set the priorities of this man straight. He knew the evidence was on the One Who healed him, so he was not going to disobey God Himself. Being religious always puts man, rules, and self-sufficiency before truth. It’s not until we come in contact with our Maker that we realize we are only healed when He reaches out to us and tells us to stand up and walk. I’d rather obey Jesus Himself than a group of men telling me that what He says is breaking the law. How about you?

1 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people–blind, lame, or paralyzed–lay on the porches.4 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, “Would you like to get well?”7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him. John 5:1-15

The Most Important Things On This Earth…

If I were to list the most important things on this earth, most people would be surprised that none of them are things. First would be people, the soul and spirit of a human being is the most important thing on this earth. Next would be relationships; With God first, then others. Next would be time. Each of us are given 86,400 seconds each day, and it replenishes the next day (but not for all). Next would be wisdom. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, we will continue to make the same ones over and over (it’s called foolishness). Next would be good judgement. Knowing how to decipher truth from lies can make or break you. Lastly, is love: learning to die to self, serve others, and truly live. These are the most important things on this planet. Yet so many of us set them aside in the pursuits of vanity, silver and gold, fame, power, and self-gratification. The most important things in life are not things. We need to always re-evaluate our priorities and pursuits, daily. Never forget this.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! 17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. Proverbs 16:16-17

Only He Can Do It….

It’s our job to point others to God. Our witness, our experience, and our intellect all help us do this. But the one thing we can’t do, is actually make others believe in Him. That’s God’s job. Only He can do it. Never forget this. We have a role in the salvation process, but it’s up to God do the changing. It’s an individual’s response, each done on one’s own, that makes the difference.

39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see Him, they begged Him to stay in their village. So He stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear His message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him ourselves. Now we know that He is indeed the Savior of the world.” John 4:39-42

If We Do Find Wealth….

For those that think God wants everyone to be wealthy, you might change your mind when you read these words of King David. He was a very wealthy, popular, and loved. He tells us that we are to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, for we all are like a puff of wind. And if we do find wealth, we are not to make it the most important pursuit of our life. There’s only one Thing, one Person, that deserves our devoted attention, God Himself. We are to put our hope in Him, and wait patiently on Him. If He sees to it to bless us with wealth, we are to remember and give our attention to the Giver of the gifts, not the gifts themselves. This is one thing David did consistently, and he did it well. How do you fair when it comes to having this kind of insight and attitude?

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,for my hope is in Him.6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,my fortress where I will not be shaken.7 My victory and honor come from God alone.He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.8 O my people, trust in Him at all times.Pour out your heart to Him,for God is our refuge. 9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. 10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. 11 God has spoken plainly,and I have heard it many times:Power, O God, belongs to You;12 unfailing love, O Lord, is Yours.Surely You repay all people according to what they have done Psalms 62:5-12