The Love of Money

Readings for today: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9, Proverbs 30-31

“Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” (Proverbs‬ ‭30:8-9‬) 

Today demonstrates why it is so good to read the Bible chronologically. Juxtaposing these verses from Proverbs over and against the reign of Solomon provides a striking image for us to reflect on. We tend to think of wealth as a blessing from God. We rejoice when our ship comes in. We are thankful to live in beautiful homes. Drive nice cars. Take nice vacations. Build plenty of wealth to retire on and enjoy the twilight years of life. What we fail to consider are the very real spiritual dangers that accompany such wealth. After all, Jesus wasn’t joking when He said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)

Solomon was fabulously wealthy. During his reign, Israel enjoyed a period of great peace and prosperity. The economy was strong. Unemployment was down. Silver was so plentiful it ceased to hold any value. His annual income was astronomical. 666 talents of gold equals almost 40,000 pounds of gold each year. An ounce of gold on the current market is almost $1,300 dollars. $1300x16x40,000 = $832 million dollars per year! Incredible! No wonder he overlaid everything with gold! No wonder he sat on an ivory throne! But with all that wealth came temptation. The temptation to become self-sufficient. The temptation to become self-reliant. The temptation to forget God as the One from whom all blessings flow. And that’s exactly what happened. Solomon forgot God. Influenced by his foreign wives, he began building shrines to different gods. Trusting in his own strength, he failed to see the danger before it was too late. Unlike his father David, there is no indication in Scripture that Solomon ever repented of his sin. And though he finished his reign in relative peace, the nation would fracture after his son came to the throne. 

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭6:10‬) It is often said that money itself is not evil but only the love of money. This is true. However, I am a sinner. My heart is naturally oriented away from God and toward myself. Because of my fallen condition, when you put a dollar in my hand, I tend to fall in love with it. I almost cannot help myself. The more I have, the more I want. It becomes an almost insatiable appetite. 

Now consider where I live. Douglas County routinely ranks among the wealthiest counties in the country. The average household income is well above six figures. This places us in the top one percent of the world’s wealthiest people. In fact, if you want to find out where you land, head over to “How Rich Am I?” and plug in your income. It will ballpark you against the rest of the world and the results may surprise you. Hopefully, they will humble you because we always have tendency to compare ourselves with those who have more than us not less. And while there are great blessings that come with such wealth, as I said above, there is also great danger. Just like Solomon, we too have a tendency to forget God. We have a tendency to be self-reliant. Self-sufficient. Self-dependent. And this results in high rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, and suicidal ideation because we simply were not designed to bear the burdens of this life without God. So where then can we find hope? If it will be harder for us to get into God’s Kingdom than a camel through the eye of a needle, then what chance do we really have? Thankfully, with God all things are possible! Our only hope is to repent of our natural, selfish greed and turn back to Him. We must give sacrificially and generously of our wealth so that it loosens its grip on us. This is God’s antidote that saves us from falling in love with money.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10

Perspective

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 7-12

It’s never easy to feel under attack. Never easy to have your integrity questioned. Never easy to feel falsely accused or have your reputation trashed or your character assassinated. The last two years have been some of the hardest I’ve experienced in ministry. The amount of pressure on pastors and other ministry leaders has been enormous. And I know we are not alone. Teachers, healthcare workers, first responders, political leaders, basically anyone in the public eye has felt the stress of being caught in the cultural crossfire. COVID, ethnic tension, economic uncertainty, a brutal political season that never seems to end…the list goes on and on. As the pressure increased, families and friendships were torn apart. Tight-knit church families experienced splits. Formerly fruitful business relationships came to an end. People began buckling under the stress, left jobs they once loved, and started over. It’s not been an easy road. If recent polls are correct, almost 40% of pastors have seriously considered leaving ministry altogether due to the pain of the past season. Thankfully, I do not count myself among them though I know many who do. It’s heartbreaking.

Now just because I haven’t considered leaving the ministry doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced pain. I’ve had my integrity questioned. Close friends broke off our relationship due to the choices I made during COVID. Families that I poured my heart and soul into left our church without a word. Brothers and sisters in Christ that I had prayed over, walked alongside during crises, married, baptized, you name it ghosted me and it hurt. In some cases, I heard through the grapevine some of the things they were saying about me in the community. Little of which was true. It didn’t feel good. So what kept me from becoming completely discouraged? What kept me from joining the ranks of those who felt like they needed to pack it in? I think it’s what Solomon shares here in Ecclesiastes.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting…sorrow is better than laughter…the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” (Ecc. 7:2-4) Perspective. This is what has saved me. God’s perspective. Reframing my experience in light of the suffering I have experienced in my own life as well as the incredible suffering I have seen around the world. The reality is I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. I know the way well. Almost fifteen years ago, the shadow of death fell over my marriage and family. The shadow of death fell over my career. My life was in a death spiral of my own making and when I finally hit rock bottom, I found Jesus waiting there for me. Perspective. Once or twice a year, I am blessed to go to Africa. I get to spend time with the persecuted church. I’ve personally met and gotten to know martyrs. The suffering these brothers and sisters endure for the sake of Christ is overwhelming. Still they find joy. Still they experience peace. Perspective. It’s all about perspective.

Many years ago, someone shared a great quote with me from Charles Spurgeon. “If anyone thinks ill of you, do not despair. You are far worse then they could ever imagine!” ;-) I chuckle every time I think of it. It helps me hold onto perspective. The reality is life in this world is hard. Jesus promised as much. In this world we will face trials. In this world we will undergo tribulation. The only thing that gives us hope in the face of all we have suffered is that Jesus has overcome the world.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9, Proverbs 30-31

Immortality

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 1-6

I recently had a conversation with one of my kids where they shared their desire to be remembered. We were walking off the USS Missouri having spent the last couple of hours reading through all the history associated with that particular ship. I think they were deeply impacted by all the stories they read and the life histories of some of the sailors who served and sacrificed and they found themselves drawn to something deeper. A desire for significance. A desire for something more out of this life than the pursuit of pleasure or wealth or fame or influence. It was an interesting conversation on a number of levels. This is a kid who has chased the vanity of pleasure. The vanity of wealth. The vanity of self-indulgence. This is a kid who has come to the end of those things pretty quickly, all things considered, and has discovered the truth of what Solomon shares with us today. “All is vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ecc. 1:14) It is cool to have a front row seat as they grow and mature and think deeply about the meaning of life.

The Book of Ecclesiastes is a challenging read. Solomon pulls no punches as he names the idols of our lives. The pursuit of wisdom and knowledge. The pursuit of self-indulgence and pleasure. The pursuit of living responsibly and hard work. The pursuit of wealth and honor. All these pursuits ultimately end in dust. A generation comes and a generation goes and the hard reality is that all of us are forgotten so quickly. How many of us actually know much about our great-grandparents? How many of us can even recall their names off the tops of our heads? What about our grandparents? How many of us know their stories? It’s sobering to think about how quickly and easily we forget. Surely Solomon is right. Only the earth remains forever. There is no remembrance of former things. There will be no remembrance of later things. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity.

And yet, do we not all long to be remembered? Is there not something deep inside all of us that longs for such recognition? Not out of pride but simply out of desire to not be forgotten? Solomon is clear that God has set eternity in each person’s heart and I believe this longing is a reflection of that truth. When my child tells me they want to be remembered, they are tapping into a longing God has placed deep within them. It’s a good desire, even a godly one. And the glorious truth is when we fear God - which is where Solomon ultimately lands - and we live our lives for Him, all our works follow us. They endure throughout eternity. Though the memories of human beings are short, God’s memory is long. He will not forget what we have done. He will not forget what we have sacrificed. He will not forget what we have accomplished. I love how Revelation 14:13 puts it, “I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”

So back to my conversation with my kid. As we walked off the ship, we talked at length about the people we do remember and why we remember them. Typically, it’s because they’ve made a great sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves. The men and women who served over the years on the USS Missouri gave their lives for the cause of freedom. They fought against tyranny and injustice. The same is true for those who died on the USS Arizona which we visited later that day. The same is true for the martyrs I’ve met and prayed with in the Horn of Africa. Men and women who willingly give their lives to spread the gospel. And the same is true for me. It is highly unlikely I will be asked to become a martyr for my faith. At the same time, does not Christ command me to lay my life down daily for His sake? In this way, are not all Christians called to a life of sacrifice to a cause greater than ourselves? The cause of the Kingdom?

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 7-12

The Impact of Godly Leadership

Readings for today: Proverbs 27-29

I remember vividly staring at my ballot in 2020. I had done my research on each candidate. Studied each party platform. Read through all the ballot initiatives. And I found myself deeply conflicted. I remember thinking to myself, “This is the best we can do? 330 million people in the United States and this is the best we can come up with? Where are the godly leaders? Those who pursue righteousness and justice? Those who love mercy and walk in humility? Those who think not of themselves but have a heart to serve?” Perhaps it is my natural cynicism speaking but I get tired of picking the “lesser of two evils.” I get tired of electing leaders who I know will not be up to the task. I get tired of exercising my right to vote and then “groaning” for the next several years under the rule of the “wicked.” Please hear my heart. I am not asking for perfect leaders. There is no such thing this side of heaven. I am simply asking for leaders who have a heart for God. Leaders who reflect the character of God. Leaders who listen to God and seek His wisdom in the decisions they make. Sadly, they are few and far between.

Such has always been the case. Even in Israel. Why else do we see the same proverbs repeated over and over again in different forms? “An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.” (Proverbs‬ ‭29:27)‬‬ “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs‬ ‭29:2‬) “When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.” (Proverbs‬ ‭28:12) Solomon understands the impact of righteousness on a nation. He understands Israel’s greatest need is godly leadership. Leaders who go hard after God are a community’s most precious resource. This is true at all levels of society. It starts in the home with godly parents. It extends into the local community with godly business leaders. Churches need godly pastors. All levels of government need godly politicians. (Just the fact that you probably think “godly politician” is an oxymoron is telling.) When our leaders are righteous, we rejoice in triumph and great glory. When our leaders are unrighteous, we groan and hide ourselves. This is simply the natural way of things. ‬‬‬

So what do we do? First, we pray. We ask God to raise up godly leaders in the next generation to send to places like the White House, the United States Congress, the governor’s mansion and state courthouse, even our local town council. Second, we get to work. We raise up godly children and grandchildren. We make disciples who make disciples in the church. We get involved in our communities and hold our leaders accountable. We cling to righteousness ourselves even as we demand it from others. Finally, we vote. We get involved. We advocate for righteous public policy. We run for office. We flood the open government positions with godly men and women who will use their influence to chart a more righteous course. In short, we do all we can to make a difference for Jesus in our world.

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 1-6

Define the Relationship

Readings for today: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

There comes a point in time in all relationships where you have to sit down and define the boundaries. You have to talk through expectations and conditions and terms. You have to spell out what is in bounds and what is out of bounds. My wife and I went out on our first date on November 9th, 1993. We talked for hours at a 24 hour diner over coffee. We shared testimonies. We shared our hopes and dreams for the future. We had instant chemistry and connection. As we were driving home, I felt it necessary to clarify some things. I told Kristi we should date for six weeks and then re-evaluate to see how we were feeling. If we felt like things were going well, we’d get serious. If not, we’d part ways. To show you what kind of fool I was at the time, I actually said to her, “If we part ways, let’s not try to be friends. I have enough friends.” Can you imagine? Thankfully, Kristi was already learning to tune me out! Ha! One week later, I fell in love with her and the rest is history. So much for my grand plan!

As I mentioned above, all relationships need definition. All relationships need boundaries if they are to thrive. This includes our relationship with God. Listen again to how He defines things for Solomon. “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.” (1 Kings‬ ‭9:3-9‬)‬ God leaves nothing to the imagination. He is very clear with Solomon. Walk faithfully and you will be blessed. Walk unfaithfully and you will be cursed. These are the conditions of the covenant God first made with his father, David. And tragically, Solomon fails to live up to them. The result is national division and civil war. ‬

What about us? We live under the “new covenant” established in Christ’s blood. The relationship we have with God is decidedly one-sided. He sets the conditions but He also bears the consequences. He too wants us to walk in faithfulness but He has chosen never to reject us even when we are unfaithful. Instead, He takes the punishment we deserve. He accepts the wages of our sin. Therefore, instead of “everyone passing by” being astonished at our ruin, they gaze upon the Crucified One in astonishment at His great love. Does this mean we get to live without boundaries? Does this mean we can ignore His expectations? Dismiss His commands? Absolutely not. There are natural consequences for sin that we must bear. There are natural repercussions for sin that ripple out to those around us. God will never break His promise to us. He will never abandon His covenant with His people. He will never walk out on the relationship but He will – in His steadfast lovingkindness and patience – bear with us when we suffer for our transgressions. Do not take God’s love for granted. Do not presume upon His grace. Heed the warning He gives to King Solomon and commit your way to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Give God the Praise He Deserves

Readings for today: Psalms 146-150

I love these final Psalms. They extol the greatness of God. I can imagine all of Israel gathered at the Temple singing them at the top of their lungs. Wave after wave of sound ascending to the heavens. Their hearts on fire. Their passion for God enflamed. Their love for Him crescendoing. Their worship overwhelming the senses. It’s a powerful thing to witness. 

As many of you know, I get the privilege of traveling to the Horn of Africa a couple of times a year. I love worshipping with my African brothers and sisters. Worship for them is a whole body experience. Dancing. Swaying. Clapping. They sing without any sense of self-conscious pride. No insecurities at all. No worries about the number of verses or choruses on repeat. No debates over personal preference. They simply sing from their hearts. Their joy is palpable. They love singing together. They love being together. They love worshipping before the Lord. It is powerful.  

Like Israel, they praise the God “who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” (Psalms‬ ‭146:7-9‬) They recount God’s goodness. They praise God’s greatness. They sing about God’s provision. God’s protection. God’s miraculous healing. God’s deliverance from evil. 

Like Israel, they praise the God who “determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure...He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry...He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes...He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.” (Psalms‬ ‭147:4-5, 8-9, 16, 18‬) During the rainy season they experience the tangible blessing of abundant water flowing, bringing life to their dry land. Flowers bloom. Crops flourish. Herds increase. The grasslands become rich and full and green. 

Like Israel, they know when they praise their God, they are joining their voices with the heavens and the earth. The heavenly host and the saints who have gone before them. They join the great cloud of witnesses around the throne of God to give Him the worship due His Holy Name. “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!” (‭Psalms‬ ‭148:1-4‬) 

I hope and pray for the day when our churches in the West can abandon themselves to worship in the way Israel once did! I hope and pray for the day when we can put aside all pretense and pride and self-consciousness and insecurity and consumeristic thoughts and attitudes and worship God like our African brothers and sisters! I long for the day when we would come face to face with our God. Honor Him for who He is. Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Give Him the praise He deserves. The worship He demands. Fall on our faces before His throne, casting all our crowns before Him. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

Revival

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. ‭7:14‬)

What will it take to win our nation to Christ? I’ve spent countless hours praying over and pondering this question. I’ve traveled the world and asked this same question of believers in different countries, some far more hostile to the gospel than my own. I’ve watched different Christians in different places use different methods as they sought to win their nation for Jesus. Some use politics. Some use social protest. Some seek to leverage wealth and power. Some seek to build a platform and become an influencer.

The most effective method by far happens to be the most ancient. The most biblical. Plant churches. Evangelize the lost. Serve the world with humility, sacrificial love, and an abundance of grace. The time I spent in Ethiopia recently only reinforced this truth for me. As we meet with indigenous denominational leader after indigenous denominational leader, we hear the same thing. They each love their nation. They have a passion to see their people come to Christ. They are united in their efforts to reach the lost. So what are they doing? They are praying fervently. They are sending church planters to some of the hardest to reach areas of their country. Regions where warfare has recently raged. Regions where there is famine and potential starvation. Regions where there is tribal unrest. No hardship is too great. No suffering too much to endure. They ”count everything as loss when compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ” and they are winning a nation to Him as a result.

Imagine what could happen if the US church would rediscover a similar passion? Imagine what could happen if believers in the US developed a passion for evangelism? Committed their time and resources and energies to planting churches in neighborhoods where there is no gospel presence? Imagine if we could put aside our denominational differences? Humbly repent of our sin? Imagine if instead of seeking to dominate, we instead sought to serve? After all, it is God’s steadfast love - “hesed” in the original Hebrew - that leads to repentance and revival.

Do you pray for revival? Revival in God’s Church? Revival in our nation? Revival in your own heart? For years now, this verse from 2 Chronicles has been lifted up as the model prayer for revival. So how do we put it into practice? We humble ourselves. Before the Lord. Before each other. Before the world. We are broken people. We are sinful people. We have no right to claim any moral high ground. We ask God to continue His sanctifying work in us. We beg the Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to understand the mind of Christ. We seek God’s face. We stop believing the world revolves around us. We stop treating God like some on-call, cosmic concierge whose only purpose for existence is to meet our emotional needs. We stop treating worship like a consumer product and instead give God the worship He deserves in the way He demands. And finally, we turn from our wicked ways. We come clean. We confess. We repent. We make ourselves vulnerable and transparent before God, before each other, and before the world. Most importantly, we do these things authentically with no other agenda than to come clean before our Heavenly Father.  

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 146-150

A Model Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Kings 7-8, Psalms 11

The prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the Temple is one of my favorites in all of Scripture. It’s serves as a great model for us as we think about our own prayer life. It begins with an ascription of praise for who God is and a recognition that He is utterly transcendent. 

"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:23‬) Solomon acknowledges the greatness of God. His majesty. His glory. His splendor. He is not just one among many gods. He is alone is the true God of the heavens and the earth. He is also a God defined by faithfulness. Eternal loyalty. Steadfast love for His covenant people who are the humble recipients of His blessing. This attitude is truly the starting point of prayer. Prayer must begin with an understanding of who God is and who we are. We are not the same. We are not on the same level. God is the shepherd and we are the sheep. God is the potter and we are the clay. God is the king and we are his servants. Prayer place us in a humble position before the Lord. This is the ONLY posture one can take when they come before God in prayer. 

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:27-28‬) As we come humbly before the Lord, we are assured of His promise to hear us. To listen. To attend to our prayers. God hears every word. Every cry. He sees every tear. He knows the secret thoughts of our hearts and He delights when we bring those before Him openly and honestly. Solomon makes it clear that the Temple’s primary purpose is to serve as a house for prayer. A place where Israel can come before God and lay their requests before Him. 

God not only listens to our requests, He also hears our confession. Throughout this prayer, Solomon acknowledges the inescapable reality of sin. It is ubiquitous. It is endemic. It is simply part of who we are as God’s people. So when a man or woman sins. When God’s people sin collectively. Whether against neighbor or friend. Through systems of oppression or abuse. When Israel suffers defeat at the hands of their enemies or the rains are shut up in the heavens or famine strikes the land. In those moments, if Israel will humble themselves and pray and seek God’s face, God promises to hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. He promises to “hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:39‬)

God will do all these things in such a way as to make His name great upon the earth. Even in Solomon’s prayer, there is a missional, outward-facing component. "Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:41-43) God desires to fill the earth with His glory. Israel is called to serve this very purpose. In the way Israel orders her life and faithfully serves her Lord, she will be a witness to the nations and to all of creation of the steadfast love of God. 

You can see why I love this prayer so much! As I said above, it is a great model for us to follow in our own lives as we ponder and reflect on our relationship with God. Because of Christ, Christians have access to the Father in ways Solomon, in all his wisdom, could never have imagined! Because Christ sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us continually, the door is always open. The way to the Holy of Holies always clear. We have a standing invitation to come before our Heavenly Father with the blessed assurance He will always listen. When you pray, pray with this eternal promise firmly fixed in your mind and heart. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136

Building God’s House

Readings for today: 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

“Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:12-13)

We recently remodeled our sanctuary. It was a big project. It required a significant investment of time, energy, and resources. The process from beginning to end spanned a couple of years. It required a design team, architect, construction firm, A/V integrators, and scores of volunteers. As we prayerfully sought God’s will for the space, we recognized that it would be so easy to give into the temptation to follow current cultural trends. Eliminate everything distinctive about our worship space. Get rid of key elements like the cross or the table or the baptismal font so we didn’t offend non-believers. At the same time, we also recognized our need to “translate” our worship experience for the next generation. A generation of digital natives. A generation who will seamlessly interact online and in person. As much as we might wish it were otherwise, livestream worship is now a required feature for any church seeking to reach the lost in their community. It is the new “front door” of the church. All of these factors came into play as we came before the Lord in prayer. More than anything else, we wanted the new space to reflect the glory and wonder and beauty and majesty of God. We wanted to make sure that the worship that took place in our space aligned with His revealed will for His people. For we want God to come and dwell with us. We want God to come and meet with us. We want God to root and establish us for many generations to come. It’s a huge ask and yet we believe with all our hearts that it is God’s desire for us.

Solomon believed the same. He knew the magnitude of what he was building. How in the world could any house built with human hands contain the Lord of the universe? How in the world could all the wealth of such a house reflect the fullness of God’s glory? How in the world could any one man - even if he were the richest king on earth - accomplish such a significant project? Listen to how he describes the nature of his work, “The house I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build Him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except as a place to make offerings before Him?” (2 Chronicles 2:5-6) Clearly, Solomon was humbled by the work he was being called to do. He was daunted by the great task his father David had left to him. And yet he trusted God was with Him. He trusted God to guide Him and provide for Him. He knew the Lord loved His people and desired to dwell among them. As God had already declared so many times before, “He would be their God, they would be His people.”

In a very real sense, all of us are engaged in the work of building God a house. We are building for glory or for ruin in the way we choose to live our lives. If we walk in God’s ways and live according to His commands and love His Word, He will establish us. He will come to dwell with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. If we invite Him into our homes, into our families, and into our work; He promises to do great things in and through us. He promises to help us build lives that are strong and secure. Lives that can withstand any storm that may come because they are founded on the rock that is Jesus Christ. Is this daunting? Yes. Is it humbling to think that God would be that interested in how we conduct ourselves day to day? You bet. It’s a huge task. One that will require all our focus and time and attention and resources if we are to be successful. But is this not our chief end? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever? As such, it will be worth every effort we expend.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 7-8, Psalms 11

Pride

Readings for today: Proverbs 21-24

“Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin…"Scoffer" is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.” (Prov.‬ ‭21:4, 24‬) ‬‬‬

There is no greater sin than pride. Pride lies at the root of all sin. It was pride caused Satan to fall from grace and glory when the heavens were young. It was pride that caused Adam and Eve to reject God’s command and go their own way. Cain’s pride was wounded so he killed Abel. It was Joseph’s pride that got him in trouble with his brothers. In his pride, Moses thought he could deliver Israel without God. Saul, in his pride, refused to make right sacrifices. David’s pride caused him to number Israel so he could see how powerful he was. Solomon, in his pride, thought he could worship lots of different gods and still remain faithful to Yahweh. Over and over again in the Scriptures, we see pride creep up in God’s people with devastating effect.

Pride is still our greatest sin. Pride makes us think we know best how to live our lives. Pride makes us think we can stand in judgment over God’s Word and determine what is relevant. Pride makes us think we are like God, discerning good from evil. But how’s that working out? When we look at the world around us, is it not pride that is the root cause of the violence? The suffering? The pain? Is it not the pride of nations that causes them to go to war? Is it not the pride of privilege that causes some to look down on others? Is it not the pride of wealth that causes us to accumulate more and more while others go without? Is it not pride that drives our decision-making on a daily basis? We do what’s best for us first without a thought for others. Haughty. Proud. Wicked. Scoffer. Arrogant. These are the labels God uses for us when we fall into this trap.

So what’s the answer? Humility. Not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. Or less of ourselves than we ought. But simply thinking of ourselves less. When we think of ourselves “less.” When we consider others before we consider ourselves. When we have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus who – though He was God – did not consider His prerogatives as God something to hold onto. We begin to become humble. We take on the form of a servant. We begin to look like Jesus. And humility comes with its own reward. “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Prov. 22:4‬) God blesses the humble. God blesses those who put Him first. Who put others first. He grants them His favor and they often find the very things they were chasing so hard after coming into their life. The difference, of course, is that these things no longer have any hold on us because Christ now has the tighter grip.

So are you a humble person? Are you the kind of person who needs compliments? Needs to be told how good you are? Are you the kind of person who hates compliments? Hates it when you are recognized for something you did? Both are signs of pride, friends. Are you the kind of person who receives rebuke? Correction? Critique? Or do you grow resentful and angry? Are you the kind of person who crumbles at the first sign of disapproval? All are signs of pride, friends. God wants you to think of yourself less. The truly humble person accepts honor and praise for the things they do well because they recognize God has blessed them. The truly humble person is generous with praise of others. Looks for opportunities to build others up. To spread the praise while taking responsibility for any failures. The truly humble person rejects any attempt of the enemy to make them feel worthless, afraid, or of less value in the eyes of God. A truly humble person is free because they do not live for praise nor in fear of praise. So are you a humble person? Pray for God to show you the way.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

The Power of Words

Readings for today: Proverbs 17-20

Words are powerful. They can be used to bless and build up. They can be used to comfort and encourage. They can be used to inspire and motivate. Sadly they can also be used to curse and tear down. They can be used to wound and discourage. They can be used to shame and condemn. The old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” simply doesn’t pass muster. We’ve all been hurt by the things someone has said or left unsaid. We all carry deep wounds from things that were said to us as young children or young adults by those in authority in our lives. At the same time, we also can recall vivid memories when words were shared with us that left a positive impression. Words that healed or uplifted or perhaps even changed the course of our lives.

Today’s reading carries a strong warning to us to watch how we use our words. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov. 18:21) Normally when I read this verse and the many others like it that are sprinkled throughout the Scriptures, I think of rash words. Words said in anger. Words said in frustration. Words intended to hurt. Words used as weapons. Words said in ignorance. And I do believe these are exactly the kind of words Solomon is referring to when he writes things like, “A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” However, serving in an alternative cultural context recently reminded me of yet another layer of meaning.

When I am preparing for one of my trips, I usually have a few people ask me how I will communicate. They ask if the local church planters I train speak English. They do not. They ask me if I have learned to speak any of the local languages like Oromifa or Amharic. I have not with the exception of a few words like “hello” and “thank you.” They then ask about the interpreter and what that experience is like. It isn’t always easy. The challenge for the interpreter is not only communicate the words being spoken but the meaning being conveyed as well, all at the same emotional level as the original speaker. Whew! The best interpreters are able to do all three but it is a monumental challenge! My friend Behailu is one of the most brilliant I have met as are many of the other interpreters I’ve been blessed to have along the way.

The other thing I learn through this process is to confront my self-centeredness. When people ask about the translation process, I used to say, “They don’t speak English so I use an interpreter.” It’s a subtle but important nuance as basically I am saying “they” are lacking because “they” don’t speak my language so I must “help” them by getting an interpreter. Do you see how I’ve centered myself? The better and more humble way to put it would be to say, “I don’t speak Amharic or Oromifa so I need an interpreter.” This puts the focus back on my weakness as a monolingual American. Does that make sense?

Both my use of language and my self-centeredness can make or break a cross-cultural relationship. It’s only by the grace of God that my “mouth hasn’t invited a beating” on any number of occasions where I was culturally insensitive. And because I teach things like theology and leadership, I have marveled that my ignorance of local customs, lingual nuances, etc. doesn’t get more in the way. Again, all credit is due to the Holy Spirit as well as to the brilliance of the translators I get to work with when I am overseas.

The key to harnessing the power of the tongue is to bring every thought captive to Christ. To run every thought. Every emotion. Every idea we have through the grid that is Christ and ask ourselves if it honors Him. Chances are high that we are truly seeking to honor Christ with our lips, we will not speak careless words. We will not cling to our cultural privilege. We will not center ourselves but rather center Christ in our relationships. We will not throw gasoline on the fire of a conflict but instead use gentle words to turn away wrath. We will speak positive words to bring hope. Loving words to ward off hate. You see, the power of the tongue works both ways. It can be used for good as much as evil. It can uplift as much as it tears down. In my experience, simply using my words to bless others makes a huge impact. How can you use your words today to bring about the blessing of God in someone’s life?

Readings for tomorrow: None

Righteousness

Readings for today: Proverbs 13-16

I’ve been thinking a lot about righteousness the last few weeks especially as word went around that the Southern Baptist Church would release their long-awaited report on sexual abuse in the church. Commissioned last summer by delegates to their annual meeting, the independent investigation covers a twenty year period during which top denominational leaders suppressed abuse claims, rejected reform efforts, and dismissed victims and their families. Hundreds of abusers were identified, including past presidents, and yet it seems clear the leadership was more interested in avoiding liability rather than pursuing justice. Investigators interviewed 330 people, including 22 accusers, and were given access to literal mounds of data including email correspondence from survivors and denominational leaders. Tragically, the pattern that emerges is all too common. At least in my experience. Leaders close ranks, trying to protect the reputations of their friends as well as the institutions they lead. They are highly suspicious of any accusation and are more than willing to give abusers the benefit of the doubt. They refuse to be transparent about their practices and often try to operate in secret so they can control the flow of information. Perhaps most egregiously, they attack and blame the victims and their families in an effort to avoid accountability. None of this is unique to the Southern Baptists. The Roman Catholic Church is still attempting to redress their own hideous past as are many non-denominational evangelical churches whose leaders turned a blind eye to horrific abuse in their midst. Of course, the secular world has their own issues as well. Consider the abuse scandals that plague Hollywood or Washington D.C. or many corporate board rooms across America. It seems almost ubiquitous.

When will we ever learn? Our ways simply are not God’s ways. Our ways are naturally corrupted by selfishness and greed which is why they always lead to death. (Prov. 14:12) Our ways seem right in our own eyes but God is constantly judging the intentions of our hearts. (Prov. 16:12) Do we somehow think God is blind to our sin? Do we think we can actually hide our wrongdoing from Him? What foolishness! (Prov. 15:3) No, the way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. (Prov. 15:9) His evil will become his undoing. (Prov. 14:32) In fact, the Lord refuses to have any association with wickedness and evil. (Prov. 15:29) He will not bless sin or abuse or lies or oppression. These things become a reproach and a shame to any church, organization, or nation who tolerates them. (Prov. 14:34)

So why do we keep falling into this trap? Why do these abuse cycles seem forever on repeat? When human beings abandon righteousness for the sake of power or greed or influence or a platform, they seemingly can justify just about anything. Our ability to sin is exceeded only by our ability to rationalize away such sin. The reality is we tend to tolerate certain levels of sin in our lives because to root them out would compromise our position or our lifestyle or our reputation and we simply refuse to let that happen. We circle the wagons. Retreat behind bureaucracy. Weaponize our policies and procedures. Lock down in self-protection mode. That’s why God says, “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues (or power or platform or influence) with injustice.” We simply cannot have it both ways.

Read through today’s chapters again. Take a look at how Solomon describes the life of the righteous. It’s a life of peace and security. A life of honesty and transparency. A life of beauty and wisdom. A life that blesses others and is blessed by God. My prayer for all of us today is that we would hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God above all other worldly things.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 17-20

The Integrated Life

Readings for today: Proverbs 9-12

“Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Prov. ‭12:25‬)‬‬‬

I know so many who struggle with anxiety. They are young and old. They are male and female. They are black, white, and brown. They are rich and poor. Gay, straight, and bi. They come from all different backgrounds and life experiences. No one is immune. Many studies have been done attempting to pinpoint the source but the reality is there are a multiplicity of factors involved. For example, consider the factor of isolation. Despite tools like social media, people report feeling more disconnected than ever. Fewer and fewer report having a good friend. Someone they can call at 2AM if they have a need. This feeling of isolation leads to busyness as people fill up their schedules with all kinds of activities, longing to connect. But the opposite happens. The busier we become, the harder it is for us to connect and the more isolated we feel. Add to this all the stress we carry from our jobs, families, health, finances, etc. and it’s actually not hard to see why we are so anxious.

Anxiety in a person’s heart does indeed weigh them down. Saps them of their strength. Wears them out. Impacts their physical health. Their mental acuity. Their emotional stability. It hits every system in the body until we are debilitated. Unable to function on some level. So what’s the answer? Walking in integrity. “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Prov. ‭10:9‬) Now, at first blush, that may seem strange. Doesn’t integrity have to do with honesty? Are you suggesting if we just tell the truth, we’ll all be okay? Certainly that’s part of it. But integrity has a deeper meaning as well. Just as buildings have a “structural integrity” so do human beings. Strong lives are built on strong foundations. They are built on strong, godly habits that keep us secure. When we walk in integrity with the Lord, He becomes our stronghold. Our refuge. Our fortress. And then we are able to put aside all anxious thoughts because we’ve made Christ the foundation of our lives. When we build our daily lives around godly rhythms, Christ promises we will experience a peace that passes all understanding. ‬‬‬

So what are some of those godly rhythms? What does it mean to live with integrity before the Lord? It starts with humility. Humble submission to Christ. Surrendering to His Lordship over our lives. On this foundation, we layer daily prayer and reflection in the Scriptures. We layer in weekly worship with our church family. We layer in regular intentional time with a few Christian friends. We layer in service to others. Giving ourselves away for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Spiritual disciplines such as these become the four walls of a spiritual house that is strong and firm and secure because it is built with the Lord.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 13-16

Temptation

Readings for today: Proverbs 5-8

It begins with a thought. An attraction. A second glance. Something forbidden catches our attention and the enemy is right there. He’s a smooth talker. Delighting in leading us astray. We take our eyes off of Jesus. The horizon shrinks to the immediate. We give no thought as to where this leads. We only feel the desire growing within us. If we could take a step back, we know where it will go. Nowhere. A dead end. So a battle ensues. A fight within. A struggle between life and death.

When Solomon describes the temptress, he’s not just talking about sex. He’s describing in great detail what takes place within the heart of every human being as they wrestle with sin. Our battle with sin is not rational. It doesn’t take place in the mind so much as in the heart. The seat of our desires. And it is extremely difficult to resist. It’s why Solomon encourages his son to stay as far away as possible. To avoid any situation where temptation may arise. “Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house…” (Prov. 5:8) Instead, he encourages him to focus on what he already has. What God has already given him. “Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.” (Prov. 5:15)

Unfortunately, we do not take Solomon’s words to heart. We believe we can fly close to the sun. We believe we can walk right up to the edge without going over. “Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?” (Prov.‬ ‭6:27-28‬) Over and over again, I have seen this happen. Not just in my life but in the lives of so many I love and serve as pastor. Mistakes are made. Betrayals. Brokenness. And every time we talk it through. Trace it back. Untangle the mess. It begins with this attitude that we are somehow much stronger than we think. And that’s why Solomon says, “He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.” (Prov. ‭5:23‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬

Resisting sin is part and parcel of the Christian life. The ancients called it the “mortification of the flesh.” Paul talks about putting to death his fleshly desires. What does this look like in your life? And do you resist in faith or in your own strength? Friends, we cannot white-knuckle our sobriety. The only way to defeat temptation is to look to Christ. To focus all our attention and all our love and all our devotion on Him. When His love fills our hearts, there is no room for anything else.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 9-12

Living with Wisdom

Readings for today: Proverbs 1-4

Our world suffers from an acute lack of wisdom. Where wisdom is lacking, there can be no righteousness. No justice. No equity. No understanding. No discretion. No learning. No guidance. Instead, we are like a rudderless ship on the ocean. Completely at the mercy of the wind and waves. We are like a hiker in the wilderness without a compass. Lost and aimlessly wandering. We are like a plane flying through a deep fog with no guidance system. We have no idea if we are right side up or upside down. The results are devastating. A dramatic rise in anxiety and fear, violence and suffering, hate and outrage. We are like a raw nerve, lashing out at anything and everything that touches us.

The Bible is clear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. If we want wisdom and insight and knowledge and understanding, we must turn to the Lord. Only God can teach us the meaning of righteousness and justice and equity. Only God can bring about peace and rest and satisfaction and fulfillment. Only God can save us from our sin. The harsh reality is we are our own worst enemy. We create so much of our own suffering. We are prone to violence. We are vulnerable to greed. We run towards evil. We selfishly pursue our own ends.

And yet wisdom still cries aloud in the streets! She raises her voice in the public square. She preaches at the gates of the city. Constantly calling us to repent. Calling us to humble ourselves before God. Calling us to fear the Lord. Those who turn aside to listen soon find themselves filled with the Holy Spirit. They find comfort for their anxious hearts. They find rest for their weary souls. This is the promise of God for those who will return to Him. If we receive God’s Word and treasure His commands, we will dwell secure. We will walk in God’s favor. We will be blessed beyond all measure.

Friends, God is generous. He gives wisdom to all who would ask, holding nothing back. He makes Himself a shield to the upright. He guards them as they walk the paths of justice. He watches over the ways of His saints. He is with them in the valley of the shadow. He prepares a feast for them in the presence of even their fiercest enemies. He makes their cup to overflow. This is what God wants for your life if you will simply commit your way to Him!

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 5-8

Desperate for God

Readings for today: Song of Solomon 5:2-7:13, 8:14, Psalms 45

Two Fridays ago, I helped lead a commissioning service for 330 church planters in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. These men and women are headed out to three different regions of their country where they will preach the gospel and plant churches in unreached villages. They know they will face significant persecution. Their lives will be threatened. They will endure incredible hardship and poverty. Some of them will even give their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God. And yet, as we prayed over them, they wept at the privilege of being counted worthy to share in the sufferings of Christ. As each group returned to their seats after the prayer time, they burst out in spontaneous, joyous singing. Their hearts are pure so I know they will see God. They hunger and thirst for righteousness so I know the Spirit will fill them. They will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake so I know they will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

What is the secret to such deep and abiding faith? Desperation for God. These men and women exhibit a devotion to God that is awe-inspiring. They have nothing and yet have everything. Everyday is filled with hardship, suffering, and pain and yet they keep their eyes on Jesus. The challenges they face are enormous and overwhelming and yet they trust God is on their side. It’s incredible. It reminds me of the desperation we read about in today’s reading out of the Song of Solomon. The woman searching the streets at night for her beloved. She too endured beatings and bruisings. She too endured suffering and shame. And yet she should could not get the vision of her beloved out of her mind or off her heart.

“My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. His eyes are like doves besides streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires. His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend…” (Song of Solomon 5:10-16)

Is this your vision of God? Is this how you see and understand your beautiful Savior, Jesus Christ? Does the vision of Jesus fire your devotion? Capture your attention? Fill your dreams? Is He your supreme treasure? Is He your most precious thought? Do you consider your relationship with Him to be the most special in your life? Is it hard to wait to spend time with Him? Do you find yourself longing for worship each week? Does serving Him bring you great joy? Are you excited to share Him with others? A lot depends on how you answer these questions. If your answer is “yes” to them all, praise God! Your life is marked by a desperation for Jesus that only He can fill and the great news of the gospel is that He will indeed satisfy every longing of your heart! If your answer is “no” or “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure”, then I encourage you to turn to prayer. Fall on your knees before the One who loves you most and ask Him to give you a deeper hunger and a greater thirst for righteousness. Confess those things that distract you or draw your attention away from Christ. Lay them at His feet. Empty yourself of anything that would compete for your love for Jesus and let Him fill you with His grace in return.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 1-4

Sex and God

Readings for today: Song of Solomon 1:1-5:1

The Song of Solomon is one of the most difficult and least understood books in all of Scripture. It’s one we tend to avoid in our sex-saturated culture. The language is far too intimate. The imagery too graphic. We won’t let ourselves picture it much less reflect on how the Spirit might speak to us through it. We flip through the pages as fast as we can to get to the end so we can avoid any embarrassment.  

But what is the book about? The love of a man for a woman? The love of God for His church? Perhaps both? Are we comfortable thinking about our relationship with God in sexual terms? Or is that a bridge too far? I firmly believe the Bible is inviting us to approach God in the most intimate of ways. The language of the Song is meant to arouse. Meant to touch the deepest places of our hearts. Meant to draw us into intimate embrace with the Father.  

Our inability to embrace this book only reveals how corrupt our understanding of human sexuality has become. We see it as dirty yet pleasurable. Something to be enjoyed and yet something to be feared. Our culture boasts of sexual freedom and yet is shocked when such unfettered freedom leads to abuse and violence. If there’s anything the #MeToo movement has taught us is that our sexual appetites are almost impossible to satisfy. Sexuality without restraint is actually destructive and traumatic.  

And yet, sex is God’s creation. Sexuality is something He instilled within each of us. We are created as sexual beings and when the Bible talks about “knowing” another person, it often uses the most sexually intimate of terms. The same is true for “knowing” God. God designed sex to be the ultimate experience of “knowing.” A way for us to express our deepest affections. Our deepest emotions. Our deepest vulnerabilities. All within the safety of the covenant bonds of marriage between a man and a woman. All within the safety of the covenant bond we share with Jesus.  

So is it possible to see the Song of Solomon as a prayer? As a way to express the deepest desires of our hearts to God? As a way for us to ask for deeper intimacy with Him? Or does our broken human experience of sexuality warp our thinking? Corrupt how we understand this most powerful and primal of drives? Does it poison this well and thus prevent us from fully grasping the depth of relationship God desires to have with us? There’s a reason Christ calls the church His “bride.” There’s a reason God so often refers to Himself in the Old Testament as a “husband” and Israel as his “wife.” Marriage is the place where a man and a woman become “one flesh” before the Lord and it is designed to point beyond itself to something even greater...the “oneness” God desires to have with His people for all eternity.  

Readings for tomorrow: None

Wisdom vs. Foolishness

Readings for today: Psalms 119:89-76

A few years ago I read a book that helped me parse the difference between wisdom and foolishness. Wisdom, according to the author, is when we see the truth and adjust our lives accordingly. Foolishness, on the other hand, is when we demand that truth adjust to our reality. To put it another way, wise people will meet the demands of life while foolish people will demand that life meet their demands. Wise people receive feedback when it is given. They own their own performance, mistakes, and issues and take responsibility without externalizing blame or giving excuses. Foolish people become defensive very quickly when confronted. They refuse to own their own shortcomings and often externalize by blaming those around them. Wise people listen. Fools dismiss or ignore. 

Are you a wise person or a fool? How do you know? Well, how do you feel as you read the words from Psalm 119? What happens internally when you consider the demands of God’s Law? Are you the kind of person who embraces God’s commandments, however imperfectly? Are they your delight? Do you find yourself seeking to bend your life in submission to what God has revealed in His Word? Or are you the kind of person who resists God’s laws? Dismisses them? Ignores them? Rationalizes away your sin? When you read or engage God’s Word, do you seek to bend it to your will? Your life? Your desires? Or do you seek to submit your life to Him? Are you a wise person or a fool? 

The Psalmist is clearly wise...

“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life...”

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day...”

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

“Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”

“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭119:93, 97, 103-105, 111, 160‬)

The Psalmist loves God’s Word. Loves God’s Law. Loves God’s commands. The Psalmist seeks to do all he can to adjust his life to God’s Will. To live his life under God’s sovereign rule and authority. He makes no excuses for his sin. He doesn’t hide his shortcomings. He faces his failures honestly and transparently.

Sadly, so many in our culture today are fools. Even more tragically, they sit in our pews and attend our worship services. As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:2, they have a “zeal for God but not according to knowledge.” They love God but not in the way He deserves or demands. Instead, they “do what is right in their own eyes.” They bend God’s truth to their reality. They seek to make God’s Word null and void either through outright rejection or simple ignorance. They refuse to submit their lives to His will. As a result, they live lives of quiet desperation. They are not evil people. They do not have bad intentions. They simply are misguided. As Paul says in Romans 1, “Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools...” (Romans‬ ‭1:21-22‬)

Let me be the first to say this all too often describes me! On some level. At certain seasons. In particular circumstances throughout the course of my life, I have tried to bend God’s will to my own. I have tried to rationalize away my sin. I have tried to twist and turn God’s Law to make it fit my life. To no avail. I have thrown myself against the will of God so many times until I finally broke. Finally surrendered. And with that surrender has come wisdom. Not perfection. Wisdom. Self-knowledge. Self-understanding. Seeing myself for who I truly am, warts and all. And learning to trust God’s ways above my ways. God’s thoughts more than my thoughts. God’s will more than my feelings. This is what it means to be wise, friends. The fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom!

Readings for tomorrow: Song of Solomon 1:1-5:1

Ask and You Shall Receive

Readings for today: 1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." (1 Kings‬ ‭3:5‬)

Put yourself in Solomon’s shoes as you read today. You have a glorious vision of God. He literally bends the heavens to come down and enter your dreams as you sleep. He says to you, “What shall I give to you?” “What is it you want?” “Tell me your heart’s desire and I will make it happen.” What would you say? What would you ask for?

Don’t let yourself respond too quickly. Take a moment. Let the Spirit search your heart as you ponder and reflect. As you think, let me encourage you to get in touch with your deepest fears. We all have them. Secret fears we harbor in our hearts that we spend a lifetime running from or protecting ourselves from. So much of how we choose to live our lives is in response to primordial fears we all carry inside. Fear of failure. Fear of not having enough. Fear of being unsafe. Fears for our children or our children’s children. Fear of insignificance. Fear of disease. Fear of death. What do you think Solomon was afraid of? As a young man, he had just inherited a powerful kingdom in the Middle East. (Not the safest or calmest place in the world, especially back then!) He was surrounded by powerful neighbors with powerful armies. He faced enemies both at home and abroad. As fabulous as his wealth was, it was fleeting in the ancient world. It could be here today and gone tomorrow. There was no FDIC to guarantee his money. His people were looking to him for guidance and wisdom. What if he failed? What if he couldn’t live up to his father’s incredible legacy? All eyes turned to him as he ascended the throne. Would he be able to hold it? Would he preside over a period of peace and prosperity or would the nation crumble under his leadership? What if famines struck? What if the rains didn’t come? What if harvests failed? Plagues struck his livestock? So much responsibility at such a young age! 

I imagine Solomon’s dreams were often filled with anxiety and fear. The pressure to perform had to be enormous. So when the Lord came to him with this question - “What shall I give to you?” - Solomon responds from the depths of his heart. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” ‭(1 Kings‬ ‭3:9‬) Centuries later, a man named James would encourage God’s people to pray a similar prayer. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James‬ ‭1:5‬) It’s a potent prayer. Transcending time and place and circumstance. Solomon is clearly not simply focused on the present or even the short-term. He knows the challenges he will face. He knows the years will weigh heavy. He knows there will be trials and tribulations and struggles and heartache. He knows all of this and so he asks for divine wisdom to make good decisions for the sake of God’s people. How selfless! How humble! How insightful! 

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches His disciples, saying, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬) Isn’t that amazing? Essentially, Jesus is asking his disciples the same question He once asked Solomon. What is it you want? Ask and I will give it to you! Seek it out and I will show it to you! Be persistant in prayer and I will open the door for you. I will let you into my presence. I will answer all your questions. I will meet all your needs. I will give you what your heart desires. 

Wait a minute, you say! That cannot be true! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers that were never answered! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers that just seemed to bounce off the ceiling! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers and gotten the silent treatment - so we thought - from the Lord. So what’s really going on here? What’s Jesus really saying? 

Jesus is no genie. We are not given a magic lamp. Expressing to God our deepest desires and deepest needs is not the same as making three wishes! God probes the deepest recesses of our hearts. Psalm 42:7 describes it like this, “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.” The Apostle Paul says it like this in Romans 8:26-27, “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” This is why Paul can say with confidence that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! Because God responds to the deepest needs of the human heart. The needs we can’t give voice to. The needs we don’t want to admit to. The needs we are most afraid to express. 

The most amazing thing about Solomon is that he’s in touch with his needs. He knows he is weak. He knows he is young. He knows he is immature. He knows he is unable to carry the burden that has been placed on his shoulders. He acknowledges all of this and his prayer therefore comes from that deep place within as he asks for divine wisdom to bear up under the challenges that will come. Are you in touch with your deepest needs? Have you spent time reflecting on your fears? Have you come face to face with your failures? Do you acknowledge your weakness and insignificance and are you willing to bring it before God? This, friends, is prayer. Humble. Heartfelt. Authentic. Real. Honest to goodness prayer. And such prayers God will never dismiss or despise!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 119:89-176

Jesus is Better

Readings for today: Psalms 119:1-88

The way of Jesus is better. His ways are better than our ways. His thoughts are better than our thoughts. His wisdom is deeper. His knowledge is higher. His understanding unsearchable. He knows what is good for us. He blazed the trail of righteousness. He paved the narrow road that leads to salvation. Why in the world would we not want to follow Him? Why try to make our own way? Do we actually believe we know better than God? Are we actually so foolish as to think we can make our way in this world on our own?

Psalm 119 is a song of praise for the commandments of the Lord. It’s a declaration of love for the law of God. A promise of fidelity to the ways of God. At first, it may sound strange to our ears. We who have been saved by grace tend to dismiss God’s law as irrelevant to our lives. We who fear any form of works-righteousness tend to practice avoidance when it comes to God’s commands. We don’t want to play the Pharisee or be accused of legalism so we swing the pendulum to the other extreme and simply ignore what God has to say in His Word. The result is an impoverished life with God. An impotent life with God. A life that lacks any kind of spiritual power or vitality or lasting joy or enduring peace.

One cannot reasonably expect to experience God when we are constantly trying to avoid Him. One cannot reasonably expect to receive the blessings of God when we refuse to submit our lives to Him. One cannot reasonably expect to inherit the promises of God when we will not listen or obey Him. There is only one path to peace. There is only one way to dwell in safety and security in this world. There is only one road that leads us back to our eternal home and it is the one Jesus Himself walked for us. Jesus loved the law of God. Jesus kept His Father’s commands. Jesus lived a sinless and blameless life and He said anyone who would come after Him must do the same. Anyone who would love Him must keep His commands. Friends, this isn’t about earning God’s favor or buying God’s blessings or working to achieve our own salvation. Rather it is about trusting God. It’s about submitting our lives to Him. It’s about surrendering our will to His will and letting Him be our guide.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalms 72