Sincere…

Sincere…

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ~ Romans 12:8

Today I want us to consider the idea of being sincere. The word “sincere” means to be free of pretense or deceit; not dishonest or hypocritical; proceeding from pure, true, genuine feelings. To be sincere is to be wholehearted; heartfelt; and unfeigned. Does that describe your love for God? Is your love for one another sincere … as the Lord Jesus loves each of us?

When Jesus was tested by the religious rulers, He was questioned: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Quoting Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Quoting Leviticus 19:18) All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Observe that Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God! Do you think the genuineness of your love is unknown to Him who created all things? Is He unable to discern the sincerity of your love for Him? Jesus told His disciples, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15) Was this a mere suggestion or recommendation? “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:9) Consider the implication when Jesus replied to the religious leaders: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.” (John 8:42)

I believe each of us needs to revisit these words: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” (Isaiah 29:13) Jesus said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) And, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

Reader, if you truly desire to be sincere in faith and in love, it will require some honest introspection. As Paul urged the believers in Corinth: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) And to the churches in Galatia he admonished, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps whatever he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8) It is my prayer that you and I will wholeheartedly love and serve the Lord Jesus – for He knows the truth! Therefore, let us rid ourselves of all deceit and hypocrisy.

Have a Blessed Day!

Transparency with God…

Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

At first glance, our Verse of the Day provides us encouragement as Jesus shares how the Father values each one of us. The idiom or metaphor of numbering the hairs on our heads indicates that our Heavenly Father knows us intimately. He is aware of our every problem, every need, every situation … and is concerned about every aspect of our lives. It is reflective of what King David encouraged: “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. (Cf. Psalm 55:22) And Peter recounted this truth when he wrote: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:7)

But what I found challenging is the surrounding context in which our passage is found. I’ll reprint it here for us:

Luke 12:1-12 (NIV)

¹ Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to His disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

⁴“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁸“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

This larger context creates some theological tension for us. First, we are warned about the deception of hypocrisy in our lives. Jesus indicates it will be exposed. Then He shifts to “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more; rather, fear the One who has authority over your eternal destiny. Yes, fear Him!” Then we are assured that God knows us intimately and we are valued, and He encouraged: “Do not be afraid.” Then we are admonished regarding our profession of faith and its impact upon our forgiveness. I mean, there is a lot to consider here. But the question that comes to my mind is whether each one of these “teachings” are directly connected to the other, or if they are simply being presented by Luke as a “list” of teachings that Jesus was communicating to those who gathered to hear Him … similar to how we see various Proverbs being presented.

When I read the commentaries of some notable bible scholars on Luke 12, I could not find a consensus on the question I posed. Some commentators broke out each “discourse” within Luke 12:1-12 as I have outlined them here as separate “small sermons.” The idea is that each topic has its own application as we allow the teachings of Jesus to impact us. Notice how Jesus begins each “topic” with the words: “I tell you.” To me this indicates a separation of thoughts or messages; however, I find here an overall theme of how our relationship with God is to be viewed, understood, and expressed. And, perhaps, that is what our application should be … understanding that our fellowship with God through the Lord Jesus must be based on truth and sincere faith. We do not have to be afraid of our future if we have reverence for God and place our complete trust in Christ Jesus. To me, this is the core message being taught by Jesus. Jesus is affirming that we can trust Him, but we must be humble and honest in our willingness to confess Him as Lord! When tested (and we will be tested), the evidence of sincere faith will be manifested to all. Our true faith will be exposed and will be seen by those around us … as it is already known to God.

So, I think this is an important lesson for us to embrace. The truth will always be exposed in the light. There is no place for hypocrisy with God. We deceive ourselves if we think our hidden sins are not known. We might fool people, but we will never fool God. He knows and sees all things done in secret. And so, perhaps, that is the warning for us to fear God … the One who has authority over our eternity after our physical death here on earth. Our faith is being tested each day … each situation … each choice or decision we make for ourselves. And I believe this passage instructs us to view our relationship with God in this context of truth and light. God knows each of us intimately; and He desires us to know Him intimately as well. I believe it is best to start with complete honesty with God and ourselves. If the Spirit is prompting repentance, then follow through with it. As John advised: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar and His word is not in us.” (Cf. 1 John 1:8-10)

Lord Jesus, thank you for your words that challenge us today. As we consider what you are teaching, I pray each of us will self-examine our hearts and see the truth you have brought to light. May our hearts embrace all you have spoken, and may we put it into practice. In your wonderful, powerful name, I pray. Amen….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. ~ 1 Corinthians 4:5

Look At The Heart…

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Our Verse of the Day captures an observation of human nature that each of us has been guilty of doing: looking at the outward appearance of others. It reminds that any of us can fall into this kind of behavior. We are human. We have natural biases that are filtered through our own life experiences and upbringing. We make assumptions. Draw conclusions. And yet, too often, we do so without full information or facts. It happened to holy men of God like the Prophet Samuel; and it happens to each one of us….

If you have time, I encourage you to read 1 Samuel Chapters 15-16. It records how Saul, the first King of Israel and a person of handsome appearance and stature, was disobedient to God. His rebellion resulted in the rejection of his authority over God’s people; and Saul suffered the loss of his anointing (Cf. 1 Samuel 16:14) The one who appeared “fit” to be king was found lacking in meekness and in his devotion to God. And though he was a man of smaller stature, David – a shepherd boy, would show himself to be a man after God’s own heart as he battled not only the enemies of Israel but his own sinful, human nature.

Samuel had been charged by the Lord to begin the search for a replacement for King Saul. God had rejected Saul because of his disobedience. So, God directed Samuel to the Bethlehem to anoint the new king. We find the story here:

1 Samuel 16:1-13 (NIV)

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So, he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So, he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

As Samuel learned, we should hesitate to make decisions based on outward appearances … based on our own imperfect assessments or generalizations of people … not knowing their inner thoughts and beings. And the lesson here is that God sees people and situations differently than we are able to see them sometimes. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. We would be wise to follow His methodology before we assess and judge and act on flawed determinations.

It is my prayer that each of us will check our hearts … our prejudices … our judgments of others based on their outward appearances. For there is an inner person … an inner being … a soul that God created … that lies within the person in front of you. He or she is unique, valued, and loved by God whether we see it for ourselves or not. Just as we received the merciful love of God, so our Father wants all people to repent and come to a knowledge of the truth. (Cf. 1 Timothy 2:4) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Cf. Romans 3:23) The people we tend to judge and condemn based on appearances are the very people many of us were ourselves at one time. Paul addressed this very issue:

Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV)

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

My friends, we need to remember WHO made us clean … WHO sanctified us … WHO justified us with His own blood of atonement. Jesus did not look on our outward appearance and reject us; rather, He loved us and gave Himself for us. He cleansed our inner hearts and healed our inmost beings! That is how God looks at people! That is how we are supposed to look at people! We need to look beyond the appearances of people and see the inner brokenness that needs to be healed through an authentic, life changing encounter with Jesus! I think that is the lesson the Spirit wants to teach us today….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. ~ Matthew 23:27-28

There Are No Secrets…

Jeremiah 23:24 (NIV)

Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.

Our Verse of the Day is a great reminder of the inescapable presence of God. Through the Prophet Jeremiah, God asks His people some pointed questions which we would be wise to consider: “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. While the context is directed at the false prophets who spoke with a sense of impunity – as though God would not know their misleading words to the people and causing them to go astray from the Truth and the Author of it. I encourage you to read the entire Chapter 23 for the full context. However, the point being made here is that God sees everything that is done whether in light or darkness … whether in the open or in hidden places.

I believe this truth is something that we should consider in our hearts. From the beginning, man has attempted to hide from the presence of God because of our disobedience and knowledge of sin:

Genesis 3:8-11 (NIV)

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Even now, in our generation, we are confronted by the Word of God which declares: “The Lord God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand … any who seek Him. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Cf. Psalm 14:2-3; Psalm 52:2-3) I am reminded of what King David penned from his meditation:

Psalm 139:1-12 (NIV)

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

We have the words of Jesus, the Son of David, who further awakens us to this truth:

Luke 12:1-5 (NIV)

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to His disciples, saying: “First of all, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.

And we have Apostolic confirmation that believers need to be fully aware of our hidden thoughts and conduct … for which we must give account:

Hebrews 12:12-13 (NIV)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

I think that we can see the application outlined for us here. When we realize that the presence of God fills all of creation whether seen or unseen, we should begin to embrace this truth and to acknowledge that our natural inclination has been to hide from God what cannot be hidden. He knows us and everything about us quite intimately! And because of His great love and compassion, God sent His Son to atone for our disobedience and sin. Jesus is our High Priest, and He draws us to Himself … to the right hand of God the Father … to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and help us in our time of need. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Cf. Romans 3:23-24)

My friends, there is nothing hidden from the sight of God. The thoughts and inclinations of our hearts are uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. I encourage us to be honest and truthful before God … to confess our sins … to have them covered by His atoning blood … to become purified from all unrighteousness … and to walk in the light of truth. As Jesus warned, “Be on your guard against hypocrisy because there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” John admonished, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (Cf. John 3:19-21) Indeed, Jesus pronounced woes upon those who lived in hypocrisy. (Cf. Matthew 23) I pray we will heed what the Holy Spirit is impressing upon us today. Let us confess our sins and cleanse our hearts so that we might be instruments for special purposes, made holy and useful to the Master, and prepared to do every good work in these latter days. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:21)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from every sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us. ~ 1 John 1:5-10

Hate Evil … Love Good

Amos 5:14-15 (NIV)

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

Our Verse of the Day continues the call to repentance and to righteousness. In Amos 5 we read his lament about what is going on in Israel at that time in history. There is injustice occurring. The rulers and authorities are oppressing the poor while they maintain exorbitant standards of living for themselves at the expense of the people. In their piety, these self-righteous religious leaders think they have close relationships with God. However, Amos calls them out. He said, “Seek good, not evil, that you may live. THEN, the Lord God Almighty will (in truth) be with you … just as YOU say He is. These self-deceived religious leaders think God is with them, yet Amos exposes their hypocrisy. Said another way, “You say that God is with you, but in truth, He is not and will not be with you unless you seek good and not evil.” In essence, their conduct is labeled evil and religious self-deception has overtaken them….

If you read the remainder of the chapter, God pronounces His judgment of their sinful conduct … just as God has carried out His judgments upon Israel throughout its history. Why? Because of their rebellion and disobedience … because of their hypocrisy. God does not delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices that are nothing more than token worship. God is not with those who merely give Him lip service. God is not with those who offer blemished and defective sacrifices. God is not with those who commit injustice … who oppress the poor or do evil. David said, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) We cannot pretend anything before God and then believe that He is with us. “God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in TRUTH.” (John 4:24) So Amos is calling out religious hypocrisy for what it is. You cannot serve yourself and think that you are serving God….

The application of this Word to our hearts should be evident, but I will state it: God has and will always judge sinful conduct. Rebellion, disobedience, and evil conduct has no place or inheritance in the Kingdom of God … you can be sure! (Cf. 1 Corinthians 6:8-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5) And even James wrote: “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?” (Cf. James 2:5) These verses we have been receiving are wake up calls! They are sent to confront us … to challenge us … to direct us into the way of love. “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law.” (Romans 13:10)

So, I pray we will think deeply about the implications of this prophetic word spoken to Israel because it applies to us today as well … in this moment of history. As the Prophet Micah affirmed: “The Lord does not change!” (Cf. Malachi 3:6) Therefore, let us examine our hearts as God urged His people of old to do. “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. (Cf. Zechariah 1:4)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. ~ Psalm 97:10 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies. ~ Proverbs 8:13 (NLV)

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ~ Romans 12:9

What Are You Afraid Of?

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

I like the message of our Verse of the Day. It speaks to the core of faith and how we experience fellowship with God. Fear of man … fear of people will prove to be a snare. And fear will inhibit and immobilize our faith. I believe faith releases the divine power that we have already been given in Christ Jesus. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) Like the conflict we experience between our flesh and our spirit, so goes our struggle between fear and faith. Whatever transpires in our lives, we need to trust God for the outcomes. God is for us and He has equipped us to accomplish His will for our lives….

I’m reminded of something our Lord Jesus said regarding fear, and I think it might be helpful to revisit it here:

Luke 12:4-12 (NIV)

⁴“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Understand the context here. Jesus has been teaching His disciples and the gathering crowd about the issue of hypocrisy – meaning we appear to be someone outwardly to others, yet inwardly we are someone different and oftentimes opposite. Jesus taught there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. In other words, God knows everything … every thought … every word … every deed ever done in His sight whether other people are aware of the truth or not. We tend to hide our inner persons from others out of fear. Fear of exposing our true inner person … fear of expressing our true nature … fear of exposing our sins … fear of creating disappointment or rejection in relationships. But Jesus asserts, we have the wrong perspective of ourselves and the reality of God’s omnipresence. Perhaps, hypocrites can hide the truth from others … but not from our all-knowing, all-seeing Father who created the universe and everything in it. We might deceive ourselves and essentially lie to others … but we cannot deceive God. (Cf. Job 13:9)

So, Jesus, in a loving way, says that you and I need to have a proper perspective … a spiritual perspective of things. He tells us not to fear other people or what they might think, but to fear God and what He already knows … the One who will judge us based on the truth and not on appearances. And if any of us would give that careful thought, I believe we would agree that we truly need a Savior … an Advocate … to intercede for us on that day when we stand before God. (Cf. Romans 14:10-11) Our Lord Jesus calls us to believe in Him … to enter into an intimate relationship with Him … knowing that He is the only way to the Father. (Cf. John 14:6) We are called to live our lives based on truth … to be transparent with others just as we already are before God … and to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus – who redeems us to walk in the light as He is in the light. (Cf. 1 John 1:7) As the Apostle John wrote in John 3:20-21, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

Here are a few other scriptures to guide your meditation on this matter:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ~ Psalm 56:3-4

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? ~ Psalm 56:10-11

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 17:5

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Calling Out Pride….

2 Corinthians 10:17-18 (NIV)

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

I really like that Paul calls us out regarding our spiritual pride … our Pharisaic tendencies as Christians to boast in ourselves and our “perceived” self-righteousness. The truth of the matter is that we need to remember: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities sweep us away like the wind. (Cf. Isaiah 64:6) The ONLY true righteousness that we have or will over have is IMPUTED to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Cf. Romans 3:23)

Romans 4:1-8; 23-25 (NKJV)

¹ What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather has found according to the flesh? ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness.” ⁴Now to him who works, the wages are not counted according to grace but as debt. ⁵But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: ⁷“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Cf. Psalm 32:1-2)

²³Now it was not written for his sake alone that it (righteousness) was imputed to him, ²⁴but also for us. It (righteousness) shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Jesus is the One who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. (Cf. Galatians 1:4) It is Christ who redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Curse is everyone who hangs on a tree (pole).” (Cf. Galatians 3:13) And it is Christ who rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves. (Cf. Colossians 1:13) It is Jesus who delivers us from the coming wrath of God. (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10) So, indeed, we should only boast in the Lord Jesus and Him alone!

So I pray that we will self-examine for pride in our hearts. I pray that we will humble ourselves before God. “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Cf. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14) As Paul exhorted, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Cf. Romans 12:3) And 1 Peter 5:5 encourages the same attitude: “In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (Cf. Proverbs 3:34) Humbling ourselves before the Lord and one another will keep the tendencies of pride from entering our hearts. And I think the best place to start is the realization that we cannot save or heal ourselves. Only Jesus effectuate salvation for us. He is the only atoning sacrifice the Father will accept to impute His righteousness to our account….

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven … whose sin is covered. Blessed is the one to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Worth More Than Sparrows

Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)

At first glance, our Verse of the Day provides us encouragement as Jesus shares how the Father values each one of us. The idiom or metaphor of numbering the hairs on our heads indicates that the Father knows us intimately. He is aware of our every problem, every need, every situation … and is concerned about every aspect of our lives. As David noted, “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. (Cf. Psalm 55:22) And Peter recounted this truth when he wrote: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:7)

But what I found challenging is the surrounding context in which our passage is found. I’ll reprint it here for us:

Luke 12:1-12 (NIV)

This larger context creates some theological tension for us. First, we are warned about the deception of hypocrisy in our lives. Jesus indicates it will be exposed. Then He shifts to “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more; rather, fear the One who has authority over your eternal destiny. Yes, fear Him!” Then we are assured that God knows us intimately and we are valued, and He encouraged, “Do not be afraid.” Then we are admonished regarding our profession of faith and its determination of our forgiveness. I mean, there is a lot to consider here. The question is whether each one of these “teachings” are connected to the other, or if they are simply being presented by Luke as a “list” of teachings that Jesus was communicating to those who gathered to hear Him … similar to how we see various Proverbs being presented.

When I read some other commentaries on Luke 12, I could not find a consensus on the issue I posed. Some commentators broke out each “discourse” within Luke 12:1-12 as I have outlined them here into separate “small sermons.” The idea is that each topic has its own application as we allow these teachings of Jesus to impact us. Notice how Jesus begins each “topic” with the words: “I tell you.” To me this indicates a separation of thoughts or messages; however, I find here an overall theme of how our relationship with God is to be viewed, understood, and expressed. And, perhaps, that is what our application should be … understanding that our fellowship with God through the Lord Jesus must be based on truth and sincere faith. We do not have to be afraid of our future if we reverence God and place our complete trust in Christ Jesus His Son … whom He sent to reconcile us to Himself. To me, this is the core message being taught by Jesus. Jesus is affirming that we can trust Him, but we must be humble and honest in our willingness to confess Him as Lord! When tested, and we will be tested, the evidence of sincere faith will be manifested to all. Our true faith will be exposed and will be seen by those around us … as it is already known to God.

So this is an important lesson for us to embrace. The truth will always be exposed in the light. There is no place for hypocrisy with God. We deceive ourselves if we think our hidden sins are not known. We might fool people, but we will never fool God. He knows and sees all things done. And so, perhaps, that is the warning for us to fear God … the One who has authority over our eternity after our physical death here on earth. Our faith is being tested each day … each situation … each choice or decision we make for ourselves. So we must view our relationship with God in this context of truth and light. God knows each of us intimately; and He desires us to know Him intimately as well. So honesty is the place to start. If repentance is indicated, then follow through. As John advised: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar and His word is not in us.” (Cf. 1 John 1:8-10)

Lord Jesus, your words challenge us today. As we consider what you are teaching, I pray that each of us will self-examine our hearts and see the truth you have brought to light. I pray we will follow the prayer of David when he confessed the sin that he tried to hide. David was exposed, but he determined to repent and restore His fellowship with you. I pray each of us will find the same honesty and courage to return to you and be reconciled when your Spirit convicts us of hypocrisy and dishonesty. Against you and you alone we sin, and nothing is hidden from your sight. Teach us to fear you, O Lord. Let obedience be our reverence.

Psalm 51:1-12 (NIV)

¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. ²Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ³For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ⁵Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. ⁶Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. ⁷Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. ⁹Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.¹⁰Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

May our hearts embrace the teachings of Jesus. May our hearts repeat these words of David. Yes, may our hearts be sincere so that we will walk in the truth. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen….

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. ~ Psalm 119:14

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Outward Appearances…

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Any of us can fall into this kind of behavior. We are human. We have natural biases that are filtered through our own life experience and upbringing. We make assumptions. Draw conclusions. And yet, too often, we do so without full information or facts. It happens to holy men of God like the Prophet Samuel. It happens to each one of us….

Samuel had been charged by the Lord to begin the search for a replacement for King Saul. God had rejected Saul because of his disobedience. So God directed Samuel to the Bethlehem to anoint the new king. We find the story here:

1 Samuel 16:1-13 (NIV)

¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” ²But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” ⁴Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” ⁵Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. ⁶When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” ⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” ¹²So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” ¹³So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

As Samuel learned, we should hesitate to make decisions based on outward appearances … based on our own imperfect assessments or generalizations of people’s inner thoughts and beings. And the lesson here is that God sees people and situations differently than we are able to see them sometimes. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. We would be wise to follow His methodology before we assess and judge and act on perhaps flawed determinations. But even more, we would be wiser still if we waited upon the Lord in order to discern what He has determined and ordained. We can be too hasty in wanting to move and act on our own decisions when God is wanting us to slow down and wait for Him to provide clarity and wisdom according to His own counsel and purpose. The goal is to use wise judgment, and we need to seek the counsel of the Lord in order to do so….

So what is the application? I hope each of us will check our hearts … our prejudices … our judgments of others based on their outward appearances. For there is an inner person … an inner being … a soul that God created … that lies within that human body in front of you. He or she is unique, valued, and loved by God whether we see it for ourselves or not. Just as we received the merciful love of God, so He wants all people to come to repentance and to a knowledge of the truth. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Cf. Romans 3:23) “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8) The people we tend to judge and condemn based on appearances are the very people many of us were ourselves. Paul addressed this very issue:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)

⁹Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Ephesians 2:1-6 (NIV)

¹ As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Jesus warns us of hypocrisy! He asserted, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Cf. Matthew 23:27-28) We need to remember WHO made us clean … WHO sanctified us … WHO justified us with His own blood of atonement. Jesus did not look on our outward appearance and reject us; rather, He loved us and gave Himself for us. He cleansed our inner hearts and healed our inmost beings! That is how God looks at people! That is how we are supposed to look at people! We need to look at them with hope … and offer the hope of salvation found in Jesus alone. So let us do all we can to look passed the appearances of people and see the inner brokenness that needs Jesus to heal them. I think that is the lesson the Spirit wants to teach us today. Amen….