We may give up on God, but He never gives up on us

We may give up on God, but He never gives up on us

If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. – 2 Timothy 2:13

Jeremiah 1:4-10

 4 The LORD gave me this message:

 5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

 6 “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”

 7 The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.

 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

 9 Then the LORD reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!”

 10 “Today, I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”

It is well-known that Dr. Billy Graham became a Christian in Charlotte, N.C., in 1934 during a meeting led by Dr. Mordecai Ham. However, it is not well-known that a group of laymen, including W.F. Graham, Billy’s father, and T.W. Wilson, Sr., father of Graham’s associate evangelist, Grady, were responsible for the campaign.

Mordecai Fowler Ham (1877-1961) was one of the most well-known preachers of the American south of his day. More than 300,000 people were converted in his crusade-type meetings. Dr. Ham’s version adds some interesting details.

Dr. Ham relates: Two young high school boys attended our meeting. They thought everything I said was directed their way, so they decided to take seats in the choir, where I couldn’t point my finger at them. They didn’t pretend to be singers, but they wanted to be behind me. One night a man spoke to them during the invitation and said, “‘Come on; let’s go up front.” Billy and Grady both went to the altar. Billy accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and became a child of the King. Grady dedicated his life to Christian service.

Billy didn’t like being told that he was lost and going to hell. He got out as soon as possible and said, “I am through,” but he was miserable all night and the next day and admitted, “I couldn’t get there soon enough the next night!”

I recall telling Billy and Grady to sit in the preachers’ section after coming forward. Billy sat there for two months. In Billy Graham’s thinking, at that time, his hero was Babe Ruth. Our meeting changed his hero from Babe Ruth to Jesus Christ. The Father was directing everything that took place during the meeting. There was no earthly explanation for what occurred (billygraham.org).

Mordecai Ham was converted when a young man. He felt the stirrings of a call to preach, but he resisted surrendering. Having watched his father and grandfather barely scrape by fueled his personal ambition. He was determined to make a personal fortune first. He attended a local college, studied law, and soon found early business success.

In 1899 his life was radically changed when he watched his grandfather die. At that moment, a mantle of sorts was passed from grandfather to grandson. Ham later referred to the experience: “Seeing him die did more than anything else to convince me of the reality of Christian experience” (billygraham.org).

There is something about fallen DNA. We often say no before we say yes. So it was with Billy Graham, Mordecai Ham, Jeremiah the prophet, and many children of the King.

REFLECT & PRAY

“When God calls, He equips us with what is needed to carry out the assigned task. For Jeremiah, it was the promise of God’s presence and deliverance from any threatening situation that the reluctant prophet needed to hear” (Huey).

Father thank You that You have called me to serve You. Like Jeremiah and so many others, I have resisted You. Thank You for not giving up on me!

INSIGHT

When the Father selects someone to serve Him as a prophet, He calls them into His service. Many of the prophets’ calls are recorded in Scripture. Among them are the calls of Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Amos, etc. Jeremiah would have been well aware of those called to be among the Father’s servants. When the Father approached Jeremiah as a young man, he felt that he could never measure up to the likes of Isaiah or Moses. They were giants in Jeremiah’s eyes, the rock stars of his day. Jeremiah’s response boils down to, “Who me, I can’t do it!”

“Jeremiah hesitated as he looked at the work before him and the wickedness around him, and when he looked at the weakness within himself, Jeremiah was certain that he wasn’t the man for the job” (Wiersbe).

The Father was undeterred. He had chosen wisely. He could see the end from the beginning and was well aware of the struggles that Jeremiah would face and his ultimate success. He could see through Jeremiah’s lame excuse of being too young. He knew Jeremiah’s real problem. It was unspoken fear.

The Father assures Jeremiah that his mission was already mapped out. The Father would provide all the content of His spokesman’s messages. But more importantly, the Father promises Jeremiah His immediate presence in his life; He will be with him no matter what. “God’s reply demolishes both the given reason, inability, and the real reason, fear. The call is anchored in who God is” (Martens).

Jeremiah faced tremendous opposition and persecution. More than once, he broke down. He wanted to throw in the towel. He wished he could give up his call.

Jeremiah 15:15-18

 15 Then I said, “LORD, you know what’s happening to me. Please step in and help me. Punish my persecutors! Please give me time; don’t let me die young. It’s for your sake that I am suffering.

 16 When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.

 17 I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I was filled with indignation at their sins.

 18 Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry.”

Jeremiah was a conflicted man. He is almost schizophrenic. He’s a man of faith but also of fear. He is a man of courage but also great sadness and deep inner conflict. Of course, he blames God.

Jeremiah 20:7-9

 7 O LORD, you misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me.

 8 When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the LORD have made me a household joke.

 9 But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!

But ultimately, Jeremiah regained his composure and stood resolved, confident, and even joyful. Why? He knows the Father. Jeremiah also knows that the Father tests his children to approve them and give them confidence. The Father searched Jeremiah’s deepest thoughts and secrets. He wanted Jeremiah to recognize that He knew everything about him, and it didn’t matter. He was the Father’s chosen servant, and Jeremiah was under the Father’s protection.

Regardless, Jeremiah was so downcast that he literally wished he had never been born.

Jeremiah 20:18 Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame.

The Father’s response is classic. And stands His words of encouragement for all children of the King for all time.

Jeremiah 15:19-21

 19 This is how the LORD responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!”

 20 “They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

 21 “Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.”

The Father assures Jeremiah once again of Who is standing with him. But the Father is also beside him.

Jeremiah 20:11-13

 11 But the LORD stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him, my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

 12 O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, you test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.

 13 Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors.

The word of God is like an unquenchable fire within the hearts and souls, the deepest recesses of His servants, the prophets. They cannot, not speak His message!

What burns within you?

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© Dr. H 2022

Hearing from God

Hearing from God

I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. – Nehemiah 2:12

John 10:27-29

 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,

 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

21st-century research suggests that good communication is often the foundation of a good relationship. Good communication enhances relationships. But it is not a panacea. Dr. John Gottman, a clinical psychologist and the founder of the Gottman Institute, has observed that a couple’s communication pattern can predict a successful relationship and marriage. (Gottman, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work).

The epicenter of our Christian experience is intended to be our personal relationship with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. All children of the King are invited to know and experience the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Any barriers or chasms between them and us have been eliminated through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ begins we hear His voice and respond in faith by coming to Him.

John 10:27-28

 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.

However, “hearing the word from God” is often inherently cause for concern. Why is this so? There are many competing voices in the spiritual world. How can we be sure that the voice we hear is indeed from the Father?

1 John 4:1  Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because there are many false prophets in the world.

Regrettably, we have more than our share of “enlightened masters,” gurus, and the new super spirituality of the church of Oprah. When we seek to hear from the Father, we must make sure that it’s His voice we are hearing and not our own thoughts or someone else’s ideas.

So how can we know when God is speaking? We have clear and concise guidelines. “God’s voice is always consistent with His Word. Any message must agree with what the Lord has already said in the Scriptures. His voice is quiet. God speaks to our hearts through His Holy Spirit in an inaudible but compelling way. The Lord speaks clearly. If we’ll tune our hearts to Him by setting aside time to read His Word and listen for His Spirit to speak, He will give us clear guidance” (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

Psalms 37:5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

Father I long to hear your voice and follow. Keep my heart open and responsive. Remind me not to draw attention to myself but rather to you.

INSIGHT

Some definitions are helpful.

Inspiration – In modern English, we use the term “inspiration” in two entirely different ways. First, “inspired” has the sense Of being “fired up,” motivated. People are inspired, and this type of inspiration moves or animates our minds, emotions, or wills. Biblical inspiration is quite different.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

Paul teaches that the Scriptures are the inspired work or product of God. Paul focuses on the Bible, which is inspired, not the Father’s people used to write it.

The Greek word translated as inspired is theopneustos. Theopneustos literally means inspired by God or God-breathed. Theopneustos is made up of theos – God + pneo – to breathe.

Illumination – There are times when we read the Scriptures that “God speaks to us.” It is as though what we read was written just for us at that moment in our lives. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. He came to help us to understand the Scriptures.

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

Revelation – Revelation is “God’s disclosure of Himself.” In a technical sense, revelation is disclosing information not previously known or known only to God. The Bible is the revelation of God to man, par excellence.

2 Peter 1:20-21

 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,

 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

There is a common thread for each revelation found in the Scriptures, regardless of the means or method by which it came. It was a personal communication from the Father to the individual that received it. The nature of this personal interaction between the Father and people is explained and defined in a rather unlikely place, the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man with a mission, a calling from God to restore the defenses of Jerusalem and boost the morale of the returning exiles. Nehemiah writes,

Nehemiah 2:12 I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem.

Nehemiah states that the Father laid/put on his heart what He wanted him to do. The Father was directing or guiding his path in a very specific fashion. This is the essential core, the baseline, of what it means to listen to God. The Father wishes to communicate with us. When He does, He places thoughts, ideas, feelings, and even plans into our minds and hearts.

“Nehemiah felt that God had put into his heart what he had planned . . . He felt that he was led by God to what he was to do. God ‘had inspired’ (GNT) him, ‘was prompting’ (NEB) him, or ‘had put the thoughts into his heart about what he should do” (UBS).

This verse provides the what and the Who, but not the how. “What my God had put in my heart is a translation that veils the process by which an inspired plan was developing in Nehemiah’s mind” (Schoville).

“The immediacy of the action expressed by a present participle, ‘what my God was prompting me to do.’ He was forming the plan in his mind as he went, convinced that his thoughts were being framed by God” (Williamson).

The Hebrew word translated as laid or put is nathan. Nathan primarily means to give, put, set, or set up. Nathan marks the act, which sets something in motion.

To complete the task of rebuilding would take extraordinary leadership, confidence, and determination. “Nehemiah was to face many problems and much opposition, but his sense of divine direction would give him confidence. He was humbly aware that it was God who had entrusted the project to him and would give him the wisdom by which it would be accomplished (Breneman).”  

What does this imply? “This suggests that God leads people step-by-step as they respond in obedience to earlier directions. He guides them as they understand the circumstances and face the dilemmas of each new challenge” (Smith).

When we “hear from God,” we run the not-so-subtle enticement to draw attention to ourselves and not to the Father who was behind the message. Nehemiah, however, stipulates quite clearly that “the project was not his. It was from God and ‘for Jerusalem’ – not from Nehemiah nor for his prestige” (Kidner).

To hear from the Father and follow Him requires a soft and open heart.

Hebrews 4:7 Today, when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

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© Dr. H 2022

Caring enough to confront

Caring enough to confront

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. – Proverbs 27:6

Proverbs 27:4-9

 4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.

 5 An open rebuke is better than hidden love!

 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

 9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Dr. David Augsburger’s Caring Enough to Confront unfolds the art of peacemaking. It covers significant issues such as dealing with blame and prejudice, building trust, and handling anger and frustration. He recognizes that conflict is simply a part of human interaction.

Trying to avoid or gloss over contentious issues provides no healing and allows things to fester and grow out of proportion. Bringing matters into the open is essential. No one can control how people respond to us, but we can control how we respond to them.

Dr. Augsburger “challenges readers to keep in mind that the important issue is not what the conflict is about, but instead how the conflict is handled.” He lays out how children of the King can confront with compassion and resolve issues in a healthy and healing way. The goal is a Win-Win outcome. Deeper, loving care and relationships are often the result.

Paul wrote the Corinthians a stern letter and had mixed feelings. He did what was right and necessary. But it was undoubtedly a bit painful for him because he sincerely loved them. But he cared enough to confront and demonstrate his love. The result was beautiful. The Corinthians repented and made things right.

2 Corinthians 7:8-9

 8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.

 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so we did not harm you in any way.

Paul was very concerned about the immoral behavior that was occurring in Corinth. The time had come for a harsh word of rebuke. “The last thing Paul wished was to rebuke. He did it only because he felt compelled to do so and took no pleasure whatever in inflicting pain. . .. Paul’s sole object in giving rebuke was to enable people to be what they ought to be. By his rebuke, he wished the Corinthians to see just how serious he was in his concern for them, in spite of their disobedience and their troublemaking.”

“Such a course might, for the moment, cause pain, but its ultimate purpose was not the pain; it was not to knock them down, but to lift them up; it was not to discourage them, but to encourage them; it was not simply to eradicate the evil, but to make the good grow” (Barclay).

REFLECT & PRAY

Jonah had severely misplaced priorities. He cared more about plants than people. The Father cares more about people regardless of their sins or failures. The Lord Jesus Christ died for people, not plants or animals.

Father encourage me to care enough to confront others with love and encourage them to do what is right.

INSIGHT

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Henry Blackaby remarks, “It is possible to be too gentle with your friends. When a friend is under deep conviction by the Holy Spirit, do you try to give comfort? Don’t ever try to ease the discomfort of someone whom the Holy Spirit is making uncomfortable . . .! You are not acting in true friendship if you condone disobedience or even if you look the other way. Kisses are far more pleasant than wounds, yet they can be even more devastating if they lull your friend into being comfortable with sin.

In our attempt to appease our friends and our reluctance to share a word from God, we can actually cause great harm. If we see our friends in danger and do not warn them . . .. Are you a friend of such integrity that you would risk wounding your friends in order to deter them from their sin?” (Experiencing God Day-by-Day, May 12).

The Greek word translated as downcast, depressed, discouraged, or downhearted is tapeinos. This word could be translatedas lowly or low in spirit and typically refers to the humble demeanor of people (Luke 14:11; James 4:10).

Paul had been hammered by various external troubles as well as internal distress. “The term has been rendered ‘low in spirit’ (NAB); ‘distressed’ (NJB); ‘depressed’ (Phillips); ‘dejected’ (Moffatt)” (UBS).

Here Paul describes his emotional state of sadness, even depression, due to his concerns for the Corinthians.

“At any time, the Father may bring dissonance into our lives. When it happens, it is not pleasant. But the Father is following an eternal blueprint worked out before He established the foundations of the Earth. We do not know all the factors as to why He does this; however, there is one thing that we do know, ‘the Father is too good to do wrong and He is too wise to make a mistake’” (Richison).

On the other hand, due to our fallen DNA, we are all too capable of making one mistake after another. But thank God. He has given us the ability to make choices. The goal is to make better and better choices as we grow wiser and closer to the Father.

Deuteronomy 30:19 Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live!

When our lives are out of harmony with the Father, we are out of tune. Our lives are in discord. We do not have music but noise in our souls. When we return to the Father and walk with Him, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs flood our hearts (Ephesians 5:19) (Richison).

In His dealings with us, He desires that the emotional struggles we experience be but temporary. We should purpose to glean the lessons He is teaching us, and experience His gentle and delightful comfort and encouragement.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.

 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

Jonah provides an Old Testament example for children of the King to consider and learn from. He was called to be a prophet and submit to the Father. But he utterly refused. He made a poor choice, an abysmal choice, and tried to run away as far as possible. We all know the story. The Father located him and used a biological submarine transportation system, a.k.a. the great fish or whale. Jonah repented and became compliant and obedient. But he was still given to anger and depression. He was so downcast he wanted to die.

Jonah 4:1-3

 1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.

 2 So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

 3 Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

The Father’s confrontation with swift and direct. He had only one question.

Jonah 4:4 The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

The Father asks the same question of every child of the King. Is it right to be angry?

“A Jonah lurks in every Christian heart, whispering his insidious message of smug prejudice, empty traditionalism, and exclusive solidarity. And we grasp the message of the book only when we eliminate the Jonah within us” (Leslie Allen).

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your lives.

Haggai 2:19 Yet from this day on, I will bless you.

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© Dr. H 2022

Sin sharks ∙

Sin sharks ∙

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. – Numbers 32:23

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Job 34:21 For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do.

There is a common shark stereotype that sharks have almost a supernatural ability to sniff out even the smallest drop of blood and find their “prey” from many miles away. This stereotype is fostered and promoted by “shark attack” movies.

Indeed, sharks have a strong sense of smell. They can detect small amounts of chemicals (including blood) in the water. They often rely on their sense of smell to hunt and find prey. But their sensitivity does not stretch over vast distances. Some sharks can detect smells at about one part per 10 billion. One part per 10 billion is roughly equivalent to one drop of blood in a backyard swimming pool.

Oceans are far larger than swimming pools. There is little chance that a shark could smell a drop of blood in an ocean from a mile away.

However, when sharks detect a smell, they “are extremely good at picking up on the smallest molecules to direct them to prey sources,” says Mike Price, Curator at Sea World San Diego.

On land and in the ocean, molecules that produce smells disperse over long distances and become diluted. Sharks need only one or two molecules of potential prey to be able to locate their source. In particular, when they encounter blood molecules in the water, they have an extraordinary ability to find the origin of the blood.

There is also a great deal of misunderstanding regarding Numbers 32:23.

Numbers 32:23 Your sin will find you out.

It is often interpreted to mean that you cannot get away with sin. Instead, your sin will be found out and exposed. Secrets thought hidden will be uncovered and revealed. Consider the story of Moses when he “secretly” killed the Egyptian (Exodus 2:14). It soon became public knowledge. Or David’s “private” sin with Bathsheba and his effort to cover it up (2 Samuel 11:1-17). It was front-page news in heaven and soon made the headlines of the Jerusalem Post, circa 3000 BC. And so it remains until this day.

While our dirty laundry is often dug up and disclosed, it is not always the case in this life “There are a great many sinners who get by with their sins and are never found out by anyone else” (McGee).

The phrase “Be sure your sin will find you out” is often used in evangelistic appeals, and it can have that application (Wiersbe). Upon closer inspection, “That is not what it says at all” (McGee).

If that interpretation is incorrect, what does it mean?

The original intent was to admonish the Father’s people to keep their commitments (Wiersbe). When a promise is not kept, it is a sin before the Father. To ferret out its primary meaning, it is necessary to examine the context.

In this passage, the wording is striking. Sin is personified. It is as though it becomes a sentient being on a mission. Your sin will find you out. When someone sins, the sin itself becomes like a private investigator. It seeks to find out “who done it.”

And ironically, sin is also the prey that is sought out. Our personal sin shark detects our blood (sin) in the water. It will track us down and find us out. In other words, an act of sin becomes like a shark on the hunt.

“Sin is a tireless pursuer when it comes to seek it’s just payment: like a shark that smells blood, it will never leave a wounded swimmer alone. It comes on relentlessly, seeking its wages . . .” (Duguid and Hughes).

Our sin has destructive outcomes. It becomes our own worst enemy. It is as though sin itself emits an aroma. And at the same time, sin becomes a determined hunter. It detects its own scent, and it will ruthlessly pursue the sinner responsible.

REFLECT & PRAY

Sin has unavoidable and unintended collateral damage. It is best to stay out of those sin shark-infested waters.

Father thank You are the God who sees me (Genesis 16:13). You that You know everything all the time. We cannot hide from You, nor should we wish to.

INSIGHT

What is the context and meaning of the passage? It has to do with following through on commitments and keeping promises. All the tribes of Israel were responsible for being involved in conquering the promised land. Two tribes of Israel, Reuben and Gad, proposed a slight modification to the plan.

“The tribes of Reuben and Gad were herdsmen and requested permission to settle east of the Jordan where the land was especially suited to pasturing flocks and herds” (Wiersbe). They wanted approval to build pens for their livestock and fortified towns for their wives and children on the east side of the Jordan. They would then lead the rest of the 12 tribes in the battle. After the conquest, they would return and live on the land they selected (Numbers 32:16-19).

Moses accepted their proposal but sternly admonished them to keep their promises. If they failed to do so, it was a sin. But their sin is not just between them, the rest of the 12 tribes, and Moses. It would be a sin against the Father Himself.

Numbers 32:23 But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

The Father misses nothing. He sees everything all the time. When we commit Him, He knows if we are keeping it.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

“There will come that time when the chickens come home to roost. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). I don’t care who you are, or where you are, how you are, or when you are, your sins will find you out. In the way that you sin, that is the way it is going to come home to you some time. That is the meaning of this statement, ‘Be sure your sin will find you out’” (McGee).

Of course, the Father’s awareness and omniscience are like a sword that cuts both ways.

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 5-5-2

© Dr. H 2022

                                      

The extra thing ∙

The extra thing ∙

He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. – Luke 6:31

Luke 6:31-36

 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

 32 If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!

 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!

 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

 35 Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Comparing ourselves to others seems to be part of our human DNA. It makes a lot of sense. It helps us determine if we are fitting in, doing well, and finding out where we stand in the pecking order. Comparing ourselves with others may often boost our self-esteem, but it is not always in our best interest.

The Father’s standard for children of the King is not being just as good as everyone else or even a little bit better. The Father’s standard for His family is to be much better than ordinary in our actions, thoughts, and moral values. The Father’s ethical and moral code involves “the extra thing” (Stanley).

The Lord Jesus Christ “described the common ways of sensible conduct and then dismissed them with the question, ‘What special grace is in that?’ [Or, more colloquially, ‘why should you get credit for that?’] So often, people claim to be just as good as their neighbors. Very likely they are. But the question of Jesus is, ‘How much better are you than the ordinary person?’” (Barclay)

What is the standard by which our conduct is to be judged? “It is not our neighbors with whom we must compare ourselves; we may well stand that comparison very adequately; it is God with whom we must compare ourselves, and in that comparison, we are all in default” (Barclay).

The question each of us must ask ourselves is challenging. How do I measure up to the Father and what He is truly like? There is never really any contest when He is our standard is there? The Father is always perfect in all His ways, thoughts, emotions, and actions. We, on the other hand, not so much.

Why is the standard so high for the children of the King? The Father dreams that each child of the King aspires to grow to spiritual maturity and become like Him wherever possible. We are to take on His character and communicable attributes: love, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and mercy, to name a few.

We are to love our enemies and seek their highest good. That is precisely what the Father did for us.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The golden rule goes far beyond reciprocity. Even sinful, wicked, “normal” people practice reciprocity to some degree or another.

REFLECT & PRAY

We are most like the Father when we act like the Father. We should reflect the profound inner transformation constantly underway within our minds and spirits.

Father thank You that You are kind and merciful. You chose not to give me what I deserve. But instead, You showered me with grace and provided me with things I could never have earned or obtained by my own effort.

INSIGHT

The kind of love that the Father requires of children of the King is selfless love. We are to love those that hate us, scorn us, despise us, use us, and seek to do us harm. Many of us were like that towards the Father before we met Him and were adopted into His Forever Family. Many of us hated the very thought of God and wanted to stay as far away from Him as possible.

Mercy is not simply feeling pity; it means acting with compassion. Instead of just sympathizing with us, the Father did something about our desperate condition. He sent His Son to save us from sin and its horrendous consequences. We are to demonstrate the Father’s kindness to others despite their treatment of us (Barclay).

How is it possible for us to even imagine trying to live like this? The Scriptures do not teach that living out our faith is hard. Rather, it is impossible without supernatural enablement. Without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within, we are simply unable to achieve the extra thing.

Being merciful to those who do not deserve it is contrary to our natural inclinations. Our fallen DNA screams out against it. It is possible only through the power of God’s Spirit within us. What we naturally want is justice. To extend mercy seems to say the offense against us was not very bad – but this is a misunderstanding of the word mercy. Because where no wrong has been committed, there is no need for mercy.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

The essence of mercy is not merely refraining from giving people what they have coming to them. Instead, it is, doing good to or for them.

When you are merciful, you give others what the Father has given to you. And aren’t you glad that He does not immediately deal out retribution for every sin you commit? So remember, the Father wants you to trust Him with all your hurts. And He also wants you to treat others (even your enemies) as you want to be treated – with mercy (Stanley).

Charles Stanley, whom I greatly admire, has often said, “Look your best, do your best, be your best” (Stanley). That is very hard. But in light of Luke 6:31-36, what the Father is asking is even more challenging. “Look His best, do His best, be His best.”

Luke 6:36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

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© Dr. H 2022