Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)
23Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."
Monday, February 21, 2005
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Do you know better?
Numbers 22 - Balaam
Luke 10:25-37 - Parable of the Samaritan
Luke 15:11-32 - Parable of the Prodigal Son
Have you ever thought that things in your life, when you look back, should have been different? That you should've known better? When we turn around the bend in a calendar year, it's amazing how many things don't seem to change. People seem to have ways of thinking that don't connect with reality at times.
For example, if you were making an effort to lost weight then running a single circle for 15 feet in a few seconds doesn't make much a difference (a current VISA rewards commercial). Or how about like when I saw a bicyclist riding (yet again, it's common around here for weird reasons) on the wrong side of the street and on the sidewalk to boot. As I only glanced and was about to turn my head away a car just exited from a car wash and KA*BAM! The 19 yr old boy bounced off the car like a rag doll. I almost stopped but he seemed to pick himself up easliy with dignity (so he would'nt lose cool).
In the Scriptures above we see examples from Balaam who was regarded as a Holy man and should've known better but asked God twicet to do what Balak wanted and almost lost his life for it. In the Samaritan parable, we see that not just a Levite but also a Priest who should have the most compassion leave a fellow Isrealite to die in the road and forsake him. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, he leaves his father knowing his deeds are wrong, yet comes only partially to his senses when all is almost lost and comes back to be a servant instead of a Son.
It all really boils down to this: we as a people seem to always deny that at our essence we are lacking. As another associate said once,
"Human depravity is at once the most empirically verifiable reality but also the most philosophically resistant." In short, at our very core we stink. Yet, more and more you'll find many believe that all they have to do is to be "good" and they'll earn the way to heaven. What we really need to do is realize how we need Holiness. To really come to grips of who we are at our nature: if we lie once, we're liars - if we steal once, we're thieves - if we lust in our minds once, we're adulterers, etc.
Romans 1:18-23 (ESV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1:28-2:8
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Romans 2
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The wonderfull side of this is that God in all circumstances, still gives us a second chance. He says "Come, all of you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest". Even while we are still sinners, He has died and paid for our sins. As Romans 10:9-11 exclaims, if we just believe he did die for our sins and raise up to life again, and confess our belief we will be saved.
How long will it be before you decide for Christ? How long will you wait? Don't you know better? Decide for Christ today and ask him into your heart (Rev. 3:20)
Luke 10:25-37 - Parable of the Samaritan
Luke 15:11-32 - Parable of the Prodigal Son
Have you ever thought that things in your life, when you look back, should have been different? That you should've known better? When we turn around the bend in a calendar year, it's amazing how many things don't seem to change. People seem to have ways of thinking that don't connect with reality at times.
For example, if you were making an effort to lost weight then running a single circle for 15 feet in a few seconds doesn't make much a difference (a current VISA rewards commercial). Or how about like when I saw a bicyclist riding (yet again, it's common around here for weird reasons) on the wrong side of the street and on the sidewalk to boot. As I only glanced and was about to turn my head away a car just exited from a car wash and KA*BAM! The 19 yr old boy bounced off the car like a rag doll. I almost stopped but he seemed to pick himself up easliy with dignity (so he would'nt lose cool).
In the Scriptures above we see examples from Balaam who was regarded as a Holy man and should've known better but asked God twicet to do what Balak wanted and almost lost his life for it. In the Samaritan parable, we see that not just a Levite but also a Priest who should have the most compassion leave a fellow Isrealite to die in the road and forsake him. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, he leaves his father knowing his deeds are wrong, yet comes only partially to his senses when all is almost lost and comes back to be a servant instead of a Son.
It all really boils down to this: we as a people seem to always deny that at our essence we are lacking. As another associate said once,
"Human depravity is at once the most empirically verifiable reality but also the most philosophically resistant." In short, at our very core we stink. Yet, more and more you'll find many believe that all they have to do is to be "good" and they'll earn the way to heaven. What we really need to do is realize how we need Holiness. To really come to grips of who we are at our nature: if we lie once, we're liars - if we steal once, we're thieves - if we lust in our minds once, we're adulterers, etc.
Romans 1:18-23 (ESV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1:28-2:8
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Romans 2
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The wonderfull side of this is that God in all circumstances, still gives us a second chance. He says "Come, all of you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest". Even while we are still sinners, He has died and paid for our sins. As Romans 10:9-11 exclaims, if we just believe he did die for our sins and raise up to life again, and confess our belief we will be saved.
How long will it be before you decide for Christ? How long will you wait? Don't you know better? Decide for Christ today and ask him into your heart (Rev. 3:20)
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
A lying thief wrestles with God and finds blessing
Genesis 25-30 and 30-35
Concise commentary and overview of Jacob's life.
Jacob wasn't born in the best of ways. Even in his mother's womb he was struggling with his brother! Upon being born he was given a name that means "He takes by the heel" or "He cheats".
Growing up he was the calm but innocous boy who stayed around the tents while his older brother Esau worked the fields as a skillful hunter. As Jacob admired Esau for his talents, Jacob honed his talent for "grabbing" what wasn't his early on.
Concise commentary and overview of Jacob's life.
Jacob wasn't born in the best of ways. Even in his mother's womb he was struggling with his brother! Upon being born he was given a name that means "He takes by the heel" or "He cheats".
Growing up he was the calm but innocous boy who stayed around the tents while his older brother Esau worked the fields as a skillful hunter. As Jacob admired Esau for his talents, Jacob honed his talent for "grabbing" what wasn't his early on.
Jacob grows up quite different than his older brother Esau and uses his skills against him. He first hustles his brother out of his birthright (Gen 25:29-34), then by the prompting of his mother he lies to his father and steals his brother's blessing (Gen 27). This fumes Esau to the point of wanting to kill Jacob, who then flees to Haran.
On the way he is visited by a dream of a ladder and the Lord God bestowing on him the blessing of Abraham and Isaac. After working for Laban seven years to marry his daughter Rachel, he has to work yet a seven more because of Laban's deception. After departing with Laban, the Lord blesses Jacob not only with many children but much riches and livestock to the chargrin of Laban. Then, the Lord prompts Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and that the Lord will be with him. All this time Jacob knowing that Esau may await with vengence on his mind still obeys the Lord and goes.
Before he gets there he hears his brother has hundreds of men with him, and split his camp just in case of trouble. At night Jacob took all he had except himself over the ford of Jabbok and once alone wrestled with a man; a man, who once not prevailing against Jacob, just touched his hip socket and Jacob's hip was instantly out of joint. Jacob did not let the man go until he blessed him, which the man did and pronounced that Jacob shall be called Israel. The next day Jacob for the first time went ahead of his family and met Esau alone and vulnerable. Esau not only met him warmly, but with tears and gladness.
The point of the story is that if you think you have quite the "rap" sheet, if you struggle with how God could love you or how you could accept Him, see how a man of history of the Hebrew people was blessed in spite of his faults. And with Christ as our propitiation of sins, you too can receive blessing from God now, even now because of the free gift of eternal life through his sacrifice for our sins. There is no more need to struggle. Come, ask for God to forgive you and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to bless you with love and acceptance (Romans 10:9-11)
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