Foolishness and Power

Have you witnessed foolishness? Have you thought something was foolish only to realize later it was not foolish but very wise? Have you been accused of being foolish, yet know that you were making a wise choice? Have you accepted the foolishness of God?

It seems as though we can observe foolishness almost anywhere we look. We see foolishness on the streets, in the department store, in the grocery store, and even in our workplaces. Sometimes the foolishness is on purpose and funny. Other times it is not.

By human notions, God has done a lot of foolish things. Think about. What human would have ever created a giraffe or the platypus? Though we have some creativity, thanks to God’s gift, we just don’t think of such things. Who would have created gnats or flies or mosquitos? We would not have done so for no other reason than not wanting the nuisance. Yet all of them have purpose in God’s plan.

God’s foolishness also included sending Jesus to the cross to be our Savior. We would not put ourselves on a cross to save the world. We might be willing to die for our children or spouse, but not the drug addict, the prostitute, or our enemy. Yet God went to the cross in the form of Jesus, even though we are disobedient children.

Through the cross, God displayed his mighty power. The power to overcome death. The power to completely defeat Satan. The power to bring his straying children back home with him. God displayed a power that we cannot fully fathom. Through his power God has reconciled us to him with a price we can never repay. Thank God for his wonderful grace.

I pray we all accept the foolishness of the cross. I pray we recognize the power of God. I pray each one of us give thanks to God for his awesome power and his wonderful grace. Accept the gift of the cross. Be reconciled to God. Recognize God’s mighty power. Thank God for his amazing grace.

1 Corinthians 1:18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

God’s Temple

How well do you pick up the meaning of analogies, metaphors, riddles, proverbs, or parables? If an analogy is used to get a point across, does it help you to understand? Are there some analogies that are easier for you to understand than others?

Whether we think about it or not, we use analogies quite often. He is faster than a racehorse. She is more beautiful than a rose. A person put in a bad situation can be like a wild animal backed into a corner. A mother protects her children like a hen protecting her chicks.

We also use proverbs quite often. A stitch in time saves nine. Even a rose has its thorns. A penny saved is a penny earned. Actions speak louder than words. All that glitters is not gold. A picture is worth a thousand words. All good things come to an end. Beggars can’t be choosers. Never judge a book by its cover. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. You reap what you sow. The early bird catches the worm. The more, the merrier. You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.

Jesus used these types of sayings in His teachings. Some of them were culturally significant, meaning they made sense to the first century Jews, but may be difficult for us to understand. Some of them we understand more easily. We can understand all of them if we are willing to do a little research and study God’s Word.

Some of the sayings Jesus used had prophetic meaning and were not easily understood. When Jesus was standing in the Temple grounds, He spoke of the temple being destroyed and raising it up in three days. Those around Him thought He was speaking of the building, but He was speaking about Himself.

Give this analogy a moment’s thought. If Jesus’ body was equated to the temple, shouldn’t we consider our bodies a temple? After all, the same Holy Spirit that alighted on Jesus at His baptism is the same Holy Spirit God gives us. Since God is living inside us, just as he lived in the tent of meeting as the Israelites were travelling from Egypt to the promise land, doesn’t that make us a temple? We would do well to consider ourselves a temple of God. It can be a life altering attitude.

I pray we all seek to understand the parables Jesus spoke. I pray we spend time researching them and reading our Bibles. I pray each one of us will think of ourselves as temples of God. Seek to understand Jesus’ parables. Read God’s Word. Think of yourself as a temple. Treat your body as God’s temple.

John 2:19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Attitude of Jesus

What makes you angry? Is your anger based on selfish reasons? Do you get angry when things do not go your way? Do you get angry when you feel someone has wronged a loved one? Is your anger based on God’s Word? Do you get upset when you see people disobeying?

Often anger is based on things not going the way we think they should. This is especially true as children. If a child does not get their way, they get angry. Those reasons for getting angry may carry over into adulthood. In fact, some people will never mature out of it.

As we experience the world, we learn that it is not always wise to get angry. We learn that it isn’t worth the negative impacts anger has on our health to be upset about every little thing that does not go our way. We slough off the little things, letting them go. But anger can be the genesis of grudges. Holding grudges also harms our mental well-being and holds us prisoner.

Jesus got angry. But His anger was not based on selfish reasons. His anger was a righteous anger aimed at those who turned the Temple into a marketplace. Though God required sacrifices prior to Jesus coming to earth, he did not intend for animals to be sold on the temple grounds for those sacrifices. The Temple was to be a place of worship, not a place of business.

Anger is an emotion we all must deal with. Yet, we can learn from Jesus. He set His priorities on the things of God. It was only when God’s commands were disobeyed that He got angry. He knew that anything else was temporary and had no lasting effect. He knew that God’s commands and desires for our life were the only things that had an eternal impact.

Our mental health can be much improved if we set our priorities the same as God. When we realize the things of this earth will not last but only the things of God, we can be far less affected by them. When God becomes our top priority, earthly things do not negatively impact us in the same way, thereby improving our mental health. This is spiritual health having a positive impact on our mental health.

I pray we all seek to have the attitude of Jesus. I pray we make God’s priorities our priorities. I pray each one of us will realize earthly things will go by the wayside and heavenly things will last forever. Make God’s priorities your priorities. Have the attitude of Jesus. Improve your mental health. Improve your spiritual health.

John 2:16  He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”

See God’s Glory

Have you witnessed God’s glory recently? Have you seen the beauty in the rising of the sun? Have you taken sat to watch the squirrels chase one another around a tree? Have you experienced God working in your life? When will you slow down to recognize God’s creation?

Our culture has become one of busyness. We are constantly on the go. If we are not on the go, we are watching television and on our cell phones. We rarely take time to simply observe the wonderful creation of God and see the gloriousness of his character and imagination.

Seriously, take time this week, even for just a few minutes, to step outside to observe the birds. If there is little or no wildlife near your home, go to a park for a few minutes. Don’t do anything. Just sit and watch. Quiet your mind. Leave your cell at home or in your pocket. Say a short prayer, asking God to reveal himself to you. Then relax and observe.

When we think of God’s glory, we often think of a majestic throne and God shining brighter than the sun. Yet, we can see his glory in his creation. Soon, there will be new life springing forth as the weather warms up. The trees will bud. Flowers will bloom. The grass will turn green again. All of it because God created their lifecycle. He set these things in motion to remind us of who he is.

God is everywhere. His creation is all around us. Even if we work in an office all day, there are likely plants in the office. But if there aren’t, we step outside to walk to our vehicles. We drive from our home to our workplace. We have opportunities every day to see the glory of God. We simply need to teach ourselves to see it.

I pray we all open our eyes and see the glory of God. I pray we observe God’s creation. I pray each one of us pause our busy lifestyle to spend some quiet time to notice God’s glory all around us. See God’s glory. Observe God’s creation. Set aside some quiet time. Ask God to reveal himself.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens are telling the glory of God; 

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

False Witness

How many times have you said something false about someone else? That’s a harsh question, isn’t it? Do you think you can remember them all? Do you even think you know every time you have said something false against someone else? How sure are you?

All have said something false about someone else. A significant amount of the time we know we have. In fact, we likely said it on purpose. It may have been out of anger. I may have been said out of hurt. It may have been said to appease our peers.

Unfortunately, there are also times in which we said something false about someone without knowing it. We might wonder how this happens. It’s quite simple. It happens when we repeat something we heard without verifying it. We may trust the person who told us. We may believe they know the truth. But without verifying it, we cannot know for sure.

How do we go about verifying what we heard? There are several ways. If possible, we can ask the subject person about what we heard. If that is not possible, we may be able to ask others who would have firsthand knowledge. However, if we cannot ascertain the truth, the best thing we can do is not repeat it.

If what we have heard is about a person we have no contact with, such as a corporate leader, political leader, or even a church leader, we have other avenues to pursue truth. We can search through credible news sources. We may even be able to request and receive information from the persons’ office.

The bottom line is simple, do not bear false witness against someone else. If we are unsure if it is true, do not repeat it. Otherwise, we are simply spreading rumors. We are gossiping. We are violating God’s commands. In other words, we are willfully sinning.

I pray we all choose to verify what we hear before passing it along. I pray we refuse to bear false witness against our neighbor. I pray each one of us choose to obey God’s commands. Verify what you hear. Stop spreading rumors. Stop gossiping. Do not bear false witness. Obey God’s commands.

Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Worship No Other

We have heard many lessons, sermons, and maybe even one-on-one teachings about idols. We may be at the point of being fed up with them. We have heard all the analogies. We have heard all the don’ts. We may feel we have been bludgeoned with them as much as we can take.

But how seriously have we received the messages we have received about idols? Are we putting those messages into practice? Or do we continue to put people, things, and perhaps nature itself above God? We can only answer for ourselves. No one else.

God warned the Israelites shortly after they left Egypt not to make idols for themselves. He warned them not to put anything or anyone else above him. We might ask why? First, the Israelites were leaving Egypt where Pharoah and his entourage flaunted their opulence. The Egyptians worshiped their gods and had images of them they would bow down to. The Israelites had witnessed it and may have been tempted to follow the Egyptians into worshiping their gods. After all, Pharoah and his officers were rich, and the Israelites were slaves!

So, how does this apply to us today? We may look at people who are rich, or at least better off financially than we are, and choose to be like them. We ask ourselves, “Why should we continue to follow God when the people around us do not and appear to have it all?” We may be just as tempted as the Israelites may have been tempted in Egypt.

So why continue to follow God? He is a jealous God. He wants our undivided worship. He wants us to be wholly devoted to him. He wants to bless us, but he will only do so if we commit ourselves to him. He wants to show his steadfast love for us. He desires for us to worship him with our heart, soul, mind, and body.

I pray we all give up the idols we have in our lives. I pray we put God first in our lives. I pray each one of us will commit ourselves to God and receive the blessings he so desires to bless us with. Know God loves you. Know he is a jealous God. Commit yourself to God. Accept his blessings.

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Pick Up Your Cross

We don’t like the idea of suffering. In fact, many of us will go to extensive lengths not to suffer. We go along with incorrect viewpoints, so we are not ostracized by our friends. Even if we disagree, we stay silent. We may even commit petty crimes to be accepted by others.

Why do we do these things when we know they are wrong? Why are we so averse to suffering or so committed to being accepted by people who clearly do not believe what we believe? Is it because our faith is not as strong as it should be? Is it because we want to be popular?

Jesus tells His disciples that they must pick up their cross and follow Him. He tells us the same today. In the case of the disciples of the first century, some of them did literally have to carry their cross and were crucified. Yet, that is not the case for us today. Our cross is the possibility of being shunned, ostracized, and ridiculed for our belief in Jesus and His Word.

My suspicion is we spend more time reading romance novels than the Bible. We spend more time reading history or fantasy novels or news than the Bible. We spend more time perusing the internet whether shopping or watching videos than reading the Bible. We don’t spend time seeking to understand Jesus’ teaching, yet we want Him to bless us.

Here is what I’ve discovered. The more time I spend in God’s Word, the more I am blessed. My blessings include peace, joy, love, self-awareness, an awareness of God in my life, and seeing others as Jesus sees them. Much of that is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). As I experience those things in my life, I also experience others opposing me because they are thinking of earthly things.

The cross Jesus asks us to carry is one that is in opposition of earthly thought. It is one of seeking to understand and follow His heavenly thought. Our cross is to be countercultural, just like He was. Not simply to be rebellious for rebelliousness’s sake, but to be in sync with the Holy Spirit. Being of the same mind as Jesus will naturally put us at odds with the world.

I pray we all seek to be of the same mind as Jesus. I pray we seek to be in sync with the Holy Spirit. I pray each one of us will pick up our cross and follow Jesus, just as He has asked us to do. Read God’s Word. Seek to know Jesus. Seek to be in sync with the Holy Spirit. Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

Mark 8:34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Just Like Peter

What occupies your thoughts for most of the day? Are your thoughts focused primarily on the immediate task before you? Do you ponder what you will do later in the day? Do you plan your weekend events? Do you think about what God has in store for you?

I will venture to say that most of us are focused on the immediate most of the time. We may think a few days ahead to the weekend. We might plan a vacation a few months ahead of time. We may even set a goal for five or ten years down the line. But we likely don’t think about them much.

Think that’s a harsh statement? Then spend a few moments and try to remember the last time you thought and planned a summer vacation. Now, compare that to how much time you’ve spent this week thinking your daily job, what you are having for dinner, or what you are watching on the television. It doesn’t really compare, does it?

If that is not bad enough, when was the last time you thought about what God desires for you? Most of us spend very little time thinking about. Our prayers are more about what we want and rarely about what God wants. We don’t ask him what he wants us to do. Instead, we tell him what we want to do and ask him to bless it.

Peter was in this same thought process. He had just confessed that Jesus was the Messiah. But his view of the Messiah was an earthly view. His vision was of a king who would run the Romans out of Israel and make Israel a great nation again. So, when Jesus said He was going to be put to death and raise again on the third day, all Peter heard was Jesus was going to die. That was not the vision he had of the Messiah.

Our vision of the Messiah is a little different than Peter’s. Yet, I’m not convinced we truly see Him for who He is. We don’t fully realize what He has done for us nor the promises He has made for us. We are not much different than Peter. We are thinking of earthly things and not heavenly things.

I pray we all spend more time seeking to understand who Jesus is. I pray we spend more time thinking about heavenly things. I pray each one of us will set aside our wants for God’s desires. Seek to know Jesus. Spend time thinking divinely. Ask God what he wants. Seek to fulfill God’s desires.

Mark 8:33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

From Faith to Righteousness

What does righteousness mean to you? What does faith mean to you? Does righteousness include faith? Does faith lead to righteousness? Is righteousness something you can achieve in this life? Are you pursuing righteousness? Have you taken time to ponder these questions?

Righteousness can be a contentious topic to discuss. There are many opinions, and all of them are based on one Scripture or another. However, to fully understand righteousness we need to take a larger view of Scripture. We cannot point to one single passage to fully define it.

We know that God is righteous. That is undisputed. The dispute comes when we start talking about people being righteous. We start dissecting it and identifying different forms of righteousness. We may hear someone say we are viewed as righteous through the blood of Jesus, and that is true. We may hear that we cannot attain righteousness on our own, and that is true.

We wrestle with whether we can become righteous during our lifetime or not. John Wesley believed we could. He lived his entire life striving for it. He believed that through our faith and love for God we could become righteous. Not because we are inherently righteous, but because the closer we grow toward God, the closer we come to being righteous. He believed it was possible to grow close enough to become righteous.

Paul tells us that Abraham’s faith was reckoned or credited to him as righteousness. Does that mean we can be credited with righteousness, too? Sure. But we need to understand that Abraham’s faith was not simply belief in God. He put it into action. He got up and left his home country when God told him to do so. He went where God told him and believed what God told would happen would, indeed, happen. He lived his faith out in real life.

I pray we all believe we can become righteous. I pray we seek to be righteous. I pray each one of us will put our faith into action, living it out in our everyday life. Believe you can be righteous. Seek to be righteous. Strengthen your faith. Put your faith into action.

Romans 4:20-22 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Law Versus Faith

Are you a law-abiding citizen? Are you someone who believes everyone should adhere to the letter of the law? Do you strive to obey the law by dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s? Does that apply to your Christian life as well?

Obeying the law is important. It is especially important that we obey the criminal laws. They make our society safer. And rightfully so, we expect others to obey those laws. We can agree that obeying criminal laws is better for our society.

But what about unwritten laws? We often call them customs and courtesies. They include opening a door for someone else, taking turns at a four-way stop sign, and taking your hat off when you eat. Does it drive us crazy when people don’t do these things? It can if we let it.

The same can be true within the walls of our churches. We can become wrapped around the axel on little traditions. They may include, people not being on time for worship, not liking online meetings, and even members parking in a visitor parking spot. These are good things to follow, but are they worth our stressing out over?

The Apostle Paul makes a bold statement to the church in Rome. He says it is not the law that makes us righteous but our faith. Jesus stated the two most important commands are to love God and love neighbor. If we truly love God as he loves us and we love our neighbor as God does, our faith will grow, and we will seek to do the best we can for one another.

Through our love and faith, we are made righteous. Because Jesus gave His life for us, we become righteous by putting our faith in Him and our faith is demonstrated in our love for Him and one another. Neither the law nor our man-made traditions can make us righteous. It is only our heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ that can make us righteous.

I pray we all put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray we worry less about man-made traditions than loving God and neighbor. I pray each one of us will demonstrate our faith by loving one another. Differentiate between law and faith. Give God your whole heart. Love one another as God loves you.

Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.