God Does Not Give Up On Us

It isn’t very far into 1 Kings 16 that we are reminded that God, in spite of Israel’s evil kings, does not give up on His people. Even though the people of Israel blindly followed the evil practices of their kings, God did not give up on them. And, Israel’s kings were evil.

(By the way, when I use the name “Israel” in reference to this time in history, I’m referring to the 10 northern tribes that broke away from the unified kingdom. Judah remained separate and actually had a few good kings mixed in with some evil ones.)

So, even though God does not give up and He will keep His promises, He will hold each world leader and each individual accountable to adhering to the Scriptures. The people during this time had to rely on their “learned” leaders, those with access to the Holy Scrolls, for their information. They were slowly indoctrinated into the worship of idols. They were told that various practices were in keeping with what God wanted. They had no idea they were worshiping idols. These extra-Biblical practices and rituals led them to believing they were still worshiping Yahweh God. However, they were as I said above,  reliant upon the leaders to tell them what was what. They did not have access to the Holy Scrolls and even if they did, many would not have been able to read them.

There’s a warning to us in this passage. Yes, our governmental leaders and even our church leaders may slowly incorporate non-Biblical concepts, ideas, policies, practices and rituals into our spiritual lives. God will hold them responsible for those sins. However, before we jump too fast into blaming our leaders, let’s look at ourselves. We do not have the excuse of not having the Sacred Scrolls available for us to read and adhere to. We will be held responsible for knowing and following the Scriptures on an individual basis. We will also be held accountable for not objecting to the misuses of power and prestige and the pulpit. We should not be condemning each other since no one is without fault of disobeying some portion of Scripture, but we should hold our leaders and ourselves accountable to the basics – even just to Ten Commandments.

Let’s review the Ten Commandments. My hope is that we will take a serious and thorough inventory of ourselves as we look at these commandments. How are we doing? How are our leaders doing?

1.     You should have no others gods before Me.

2.     You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.

3.     You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

4.     Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

5.     Honor your father and your mother.

6.     You shall not murder.

7.     You shall not commit adultery.

8.     You shall not steal.

9.     You shall not give false testimony.

10.  You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, servants, or animals.

One last word. You cannot know whether you are following God or human leaders unless you are daily and thoroughly reading and studying His Word. Our leaders, religious or political, can be just as wrong as the evil kings of Israel. (In Acts 17:11 the Bereans were upheld as the example for all of us: “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”)

1 Kings 14: Two Short Ideas

This chapter covers more about the decline of the northern tribes of Ephraim-Israel under Jeroboam’s leadership as the people just followed along. One side note the commentator brought up was about how mankind was made in such a way that they looked to leaders to guide them. The whole book of Judges records the consistent problems Israel had without a designated (God-anointed) leader.

According to the commentator, Judges shows we need a “king.” As a follow up to that idea we have the two books of Kings to show us that not any king will do. We need the Lord’s idea of a king. Kings need to serve the people instead of forcing the people to serve the king’s needs, desires, or coffers. We saw, starting in 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, that the God-appointed kings struggled to be servants of the people. Other characteristics of the right type of king are justice, love, power, mercy, kindness, and appropriate severity when called for. Are there truly any such good and godly leaders or nations left on earth? I’d say no, but that doesn’t mean we have to go along with what our leaders say. Appropriate opposition, based on Biblical principles, is needed, but let’s not fool ourselves. No matter what changes are made, no single person or nation will live up to God’s standards.

Starting in 1 Kings 14:21, the focus switches from the northern kingdom to the country called Judah, which is still ruled by Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. In verse 22, it says,

Judah did what was evil from ADONAI’s perspective; they made him angry because of their sins, which were worse than any their ancestors had committed.

In other words, they did not fare any better than Ephraim-Israel. Again, poor and ungodly leadership would lead to destruction there as it did in the north. In 2 Chronicles 12:1, 14 there’s further description of Rehoboam:

But in time, after Rechav‘am [Rehoboam] had consolidated his rulership and had become strong, he, and with him all Isra’el, abandoned the Torah of Adonai. . . He did what was evil, because he had not set his heart on seeking Adonai.

A key problem, maybe the most important problem, is that Rehoboam had decided not to follow the Scriptures. His grandfather, David, had this problem also, but David did not abandon (renounce allegiance to God). David did not use his freewill to walk away from God and become eternally separated from God. The wording in 1 Kings 14 is different and indicates that Rehoboam, without much struggle, gave God the heave-ho.

Again, even the people who still followed the true God in Judah, and I’m not sure there were many of them, did not hold Rehoboam accountable. Likely, the people did not know the Torah since the leaders usually were responsible for proclaiming it, and Rehoboam’s “priests” and leaders weren’t doing that. The ritualistic practices of the people were not even seen as wrong. They probably thought they were actually honoring God.

How can we avoid the decline into evil? We are without excuse because we have God’s commands all written out for us. God doesn’t necessarily hold those who have not had the chance to know the “law” accountable for their sins. Romans 4:15 (in the Amplified Bible) says, “ For the Law results in [God’s] wrath [against sin], but where there is no law, there is no violation [of it either].” There are people groups in the world that have not heard the gospel, and there are people who do not understand the Word because they are not yet saved in Christ. I can’t say for sure, but I think God will take that into account when He judges people at the end of time. It’s like a child; until they’ve been told what is bad, to blame them (and punish them) is cruel. But, once explanation has been given, there should be appropriate consequences, and when we come before Jesus on the judgment seat, we will also have consequences for our sins.

The best way to prevent harsh judgment is to know, truly study, God’s Word and obey it. This is the only way any kind of change can happen in our world or leadership.

1st and 2nd Kings

 

Today my Bible study partner (Kris) and I began (actually continued) studying about the Kings of Israel (and Judah). Last week we left 2^nd Samuel with David still being David, a man who runs hot and cold towards God – just like we do at times. As we start 1^st Kings, we review some key insights from 1^st and 2^nd Samuel. And we take a look at the overarching theme of the two books of Kings.

A key reminder is that originally the books now titled 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, and 1^st and 2^nd Kings were one very large book. The divisions were made over time. Even as Christ came on the scene, these books were grouped together. Josephus (an early New Testament theologian) indicated that the Old Testament contained only 26 books versus today’s 39. This is not because there were books added over time, but because several books were originally grouped together (For instance, all minor prophets were in one book, Nehemiah and Lamentations were one book, Judges and Ruth were one book).

Also, we are reminded that the now 4 history books we are studying tell us about 3 different groups of people that ruled Israel: 1. Prophets, 2. Kings, and 3. High Priests. This is significant because these seemingly unimportant distinctions were all leading to one person. Jesus embodies all three roles. He’s the only one who does. He is prophet, king and high priest. That will be made totally clear during His rule on earth when He returns. Yet, it is also true now.

Looking forward to 1^st and 2^nd Kings, one commentator (from the NavPress Lifechange Study of Kings) summed up the focus of these two books, and much of Scripture actually. It said that 1^st and 2^nd Kings systematically dismantled Israel’s confidence in everything but the omnipotent mercy and patience of God. So, as we study these books we are going to look for incidences where this is shown. We made post-it notes to move from our notes from one chapter to the next with the following question on it to remind us to do so: “Where is God dismantling Israel’s confidence [in their beliefs, behaviors, and themselves] and showing His omnipotent mercy and patience?” I will be pointing out those things as I write my blog articles going forward. At least that’s the plan right now.

I hope you continue on this journey through the history of Israel with me. I’m looking forward to seeing how these books all tie together and why they were originally one book.

Hearts vs. God's Will

In Samuel 7 we see David’s good heart and desire to glorify God. But it’s misguided.

He desired to build a house for God since his own palace was so very much nicer than the tent the Ark (and supposedly, God) was in. He thought God’s house ought to be more glorious than his own. There are a couple of problems with that. When David told his friend and prophet, Nathan what he planned in his heart to do, Nathan responded, “Good, do everything that is in your heart, for ADONAI is with you” (vs. 3, CJB).

David and Nathan made an assumption that whatever was in David’s heart was okay with God. “But that same night the word of ADONAI came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David that this is what ADONAI  says:. . .” (vs. 4). God goes on to explain a myriad of things to Nathan and David, which basically says He doesn’t want David to build Him a house, even as David thought it was what God wanted. In 1 Kings 8:18 we are told a little more about this from Solomon, David’s son’s, vantage point: “but ADONAI said to David my father, ‘Although it was in your heart to build a house for my name, and you did well that it was in your heart . . .”

The caution for us: when we think we are getting some kind of message from God in our hearts we should know it can’t be trusted. Jeremiah 17:9 (and other passages tell us not to trust our hearts): “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (NASB). We should not confuse God’s will for what we feel or think in our hearts. When making decisions, we need to have much stronger backing for them than just what we feel or think. The truth we need is found in God’s revealed will – the Bible. Sometimes the Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what to do, but we should still not confuse our feelings or thoughts on a matter as God’s will for us.

Also, David had come to believe that, just like the other Middle Eastern nations, God was actually living in that tent – that He was confined to the tent. David missed the point that He was everywhere and could move about as He wished, but God reviewed that truth with David in verses 5-7:

Go and tell my servant David that this is what ADONAI says: “You are going to build me a house to live in? Since the day I brought the people of Isra’el out of Egypt until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I traveled in a tent and a tabernacle. Every where I traveled with all the people of Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?’”

We, likewise, need to know our God is not confined to a building, a place, or to one nation. He can be everywhere at once. He goes with us wherever we go. Psalm 139:5 tells us, “You have hemmed me in both behind and in front and laid your hand on me.” He’s not confined to church on Sundays. We need to remember He is with us and act as His emissaries throughout the week wherever we are.

Know It

Hypocrisy. King David did not always do things according to the Laws of God. Saul was mutilated after his death. The Philistines cut off his head and strung his body up outside the walls of a chief city (1 Samuel 31:9). This upset David. Mutilating people after their deaths was not customarily done (especially to kings). Yet, in 2 Samuel 4, we see David ordering the hands and feet of Ishbosheth's killers cut off and hanging what was left of their bodies by the pool at Hebron (2 Samuel 4:12). Ishbosheth was the son of Saul and designated leader of the northern tribes of Israel. So David was playing fast and loose with the Laws God had given His people so many years ago.

This is another example of the people corrupting the Old Testament Laws. The people, including David, no longer knew what the Law said. They had forgotten it and had not passed it down to their children. They were violating it in many ways – just as Christians often do today.

Why does this happen? People are just not immersed in the Word of God. They don’t even know what it says so they can’t tell if they are following it or not. Unfortunately, my experiences indicate that this is especially true for those calling themselves Christians. Many mainline denominations have decided to interpret certain passages of Scripture so that they are convinced it can and does mesh with current cultural biases. Individuals rely on others to teach them what the Word of God says without investigating Scripture for themselves.

In a separate study of God’s Word I’m doing with a friend from my church, there are examples of ways to investigate God’s Word as individual people. (Early Christians were commended for searching the Scriptures to see whether what the preachers were preaching was in line with Scripture (Acts 17:10-11). It’s not just something we can do; it’s something we should be doing. I’m going to briefly look at the suggested ways for getting into and understanding God’s Word found in the NavPress Bearing Fruit in God’s Family.

1.     Paraphrase a verse or passage. Start by looking at various translations of the Bible. Some of my favorites are the New International Version, the New American Standard Bible, the Complete Jewish Bible, the Amplified Bible, the New Living Translation, and the paraphrase, The Message. You can find all these translations at https://www.biblegateway.com/After reading the same verse(s) in a few translations (not necessarily all the ones mentioned above), write the verse(s) out using your own words or borrowing bits and pieces from the various translations until you truly understand what it’s saying.

2.     Questions to be asked. Ask who, what, when, where, why, and how questions of the passage. Also note questions that come to your mind as you read the verse(s) through a few times (possibly also referring to a variety of translations).

3.     Pray through the verse or passage. Look at each phrase or sentence and pray about how it applies to your life and your life circumstances.

4.     Emphasize each word separately as you read through the passage several times. Each word is there for a reason (2 Timothy 3:16). Determine what is the significance of each key word (don’t be fooled; even the word “in” could be significant).

5.     Cross-References. Find them by using a concordance or use Google. What you are looking for are verses that say similar things to the verse you are looking at. You are looking for other verses in Scripture that support the basic concept. You may be surprised how many there are for each verse. I recently used this technique for John 14:21 and found at least 5 Old and New Testament passages that support the concept of keeping God’s Words. (Look up John 14:21 to see what I’m talking about).

6.     Applications to be made. This is a key to true spiritual growth. What specific and measurable step can you take based on the truth(s) in a particular passage. I recommend attempting to make an application for each passage you look at each day. Make it something you can do in one day. For instance, for Philippians 4:6, an application might be to pray each day for a week being careful to give thanksgiving for what has already happened and the promised (yet unseen) answers to come.

Try one of these techniques today. I suggest choosing a different one each day this week and use it in a passage of Scripture you are reading (or should be reading). As a side note, another helpful aid is a little booklet called Woven Writing by Cassie Showerman. This booklet can be purchased at https://godshapedmom.com/shop/ I am using its suggestions and gaining new insight into familiar and not-so-familiar passages of Scripture. Many of the suggestions in this booklet use the same techniques I outlined above.

Not Straying From True Obedience

Abner’s folly was starting a fight (2 Samuel 2; see last week’s article). But that wasn’t the end of the story. During the chase across the countryside, Abner killed one of Joab’s brothers, in self-defense on the field of battle. This set into motion a scenario in which Joab perverted the Torah law to accomplish his own agenda.

Joab’s brother, Asahel, pursued Abner, and even when Abner stopped running and yelled to Asahel to stop because he (Abner) did not want to have to kill him, Asahel kept coming after Abner. Asahel is described as “fleet-footed as a gazelle in an open field” (2 Samuel 2:18) so Asahel was sure to catch up to Abner. Abner, after warning Asahel to stop, used Asahel’s own speed and carelessness to stab him and Asahel fell dead. When Joab found out, he became filled with blood lust and determined to avenge Asahel’s death. That’s the background needed to get to my point from 2 Samuel 3.

In chapter 3, through a series of events, Abner approaches David with the proposition of becoming allies. David agrees to talk it over with Abner in Hebron (David’s headquarters at this time). During this meeting, either by design or by happenstance, Joab is out on a raid. When Joab returns to Hebron, with all kinds of plunder to give to David, he was feeling pretty good about his position in David’s court. Then he hears of the agreement, treaty, David made with Abner in his absence. Joab becomes enraged and rails at David. Joab then sends messengers to chase Abner down (Abner was not far from Hebron at this time) to ask Abner to come and meet with him. It’s important to note at this point that Hebron was one of the Levite sanctuary cities set up in the Torah (Old Testament Law) for those who had committed manslaughter or an accidental killing. Death in a battle would come under this category.

Joab lured Abner to just outside the city. Between the outer and inner gates of Hebron to be exact. So close to sanctuary, but not actually in it. Joab took action and killed Abner for the death of his brother. Or that’s the excuse he used. There were two problems with this excuse. First, Joab claimed it was according to the Law that he avenged his brother’s death; however, the Law made exceptions for those killing in battle or in self-defense so Abner should not have been eligible for avenge killing. Second, Joab was also experiencing some jealousy and self-centered fear that Abner, with his treaty with David, would replace him as second in command in David’s kingdom. Generally speaking, it was the top military man in a Middle Eastern nation that was considered next in line should something happen to the king.

Basically, Joab twisted the Scriptures to his desires. Now we can ridicule Joab for doing this, but we need to be careful. I, for one, have misapplied Scripture to fit my desires. I didn’t necessarily do it knowingly, but the way I interpreted Scripture at various points in my life, led me to deviate from God’s plans. For instance, I do not always remember to turn away from temptations or acknowledge God’s way as being better. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” How many times do I allow myself to watch unwholesome television or movies? How many times do I excuse it as harmless fun? And, how many times even when I am convicted by going ahead and participating in viewing things that are in bad taste or contrary to God’s guidelines and fail to be truly repentant of it and do something different instead, do I do it anyway? I often say, perverting the intent of God’s Word, “Well God will forgive me, and cleanse me from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9)?

I could give other examples in my life that I’ve not handled accurately the Word of truth. I think, if you’re honest, you could think of some in your own life as well. Joab paid a price (which comes out in the following chapters of 2 Samuel), and there will be a price for us to pay, also, if we do not repent and work hard at applying the Word of God accurately to our lives.

Accurately Handling the Word of God

Some thoughts from 1 Samuel 24. I know I’ve missed sharing from 1 Samuel for a few weeks, but I felt there were more important things to talk about at those times. Today I get back to my 1 Samuel study.

In chapter 24 we find the familiar story of David cutting off the edge of Saul’s robe while Saul was “relieving” himself in a cave David was currently hiding in. Perfect opportunity to end Saul’s reign was at hand. That’s exactly what David’s men told him to do. They even said it was God’s will by attempting to quote what God had told David.

1 Samuel 24:4 tells us what the men were thinking.

The men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’”

David’s men interpret that promise to David as a warrant/command for David to destroy Saul. It was a great opportunity; however, not every opportunity is from God. And, what David seemed to think was good in this situation was to cut off Saul’s hem but spare his life. Even doing that bothered David’s conscience because doing that was an assault on Saul’s dignity and position (verse 5). In verse 6, David explains to his men his remorse:

So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.”

David was not a typical man seeking to ascend to the throne. He was committed to letting God determine the path and would not take anything as serious as killing a reigning, anointed by God king into his own hands. That was the sign that this was a different kind of kingdom – not at all like the kingdoms around them where the standard was for eliminating kings to gain the throne or eliminating possible contenders for the throne. David’s kingdom (because it was God’s kingdom) would be much different – one that relied on the one true God to rule and determine the leadership.

Side notes done, let me tell you what my application is from the first part where David’s men purported to know that God told David to take advantage of this opportunity to kill Saul and begin his rule over Israel. It’s quite simple really. I need to be careful to handle the Word of God carefully – not stretching it’s meaning or diminishing it. We are told this same thing in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” For me, that means studying the Word, consulting commentators about the Word, talking with my Bible study partner about the Word we are studying, and, most of all, praying about how the Word applies to my life (and then doing as I’m instructed).

What does “accurately handling the word of truth” mean for you?

Historical Patterns

As I studied 1 Samuel 11, I didn’t have any great insights leading to practical application for me. The notes I referenced, Tom Bradford’sTorah Class, told readers of the historical books to be looking for patterns that occur over time and throughout the books of the Bible.

His thoughts were that things and events in Scripture do not happen in isolation. The events in Scripture build upon one another. I think we should have started our study of these historical books in the book of Judges, but even then there are links and patterns dating even further back in history.

For instance, 1 Samuel 11:6-7 give us an account of the way Saul called all the people of Israel together – by cutting apart two oxen and sending parts to each of the tribes with the message to all the able-bodied warriors to meet Saul in Bezek. The purpose was to form an army strong enough to go out against the army of Ammon who had severely threatened a town in Benjamin.

It’s kind of gruesome; however, it was not done in isolation. It actually had occurred before where the individual cut up was a man’s concubine who had been murdered by the people. In that situation, the tribes were gathered together to avenge those who did this wrong to the woman. Here, in 1 Samuel, Saul is reminding the tribes of this incident and asking them to come defend the city where that man had lived, kind of as pay back. (See Judges 19-21 for the background and beginning of this pattern.)

There are many more examples of events that happened in this chapter that can be seen as a pattern throughout the history of Israel. Without the help of the commentators, they are sometimes hard to see. I think, as we do our daily reading of the Bible, we need to take into account the whole picture. This is why Bible reading is as important as daily excursions into individual passages or chapters (Quiet Times), and deep and devoted time spent in Bible study. We need the overview. We need to watching for patterns and repeated commands so we don’t see each event and situation in isolation from the rest of Scripture. If you are not currently doing an “overview” type of reading the Bible, just start somewhere, keep track of where you’ve been, and look for the patterns.

Salvation Before the Law

    1 Samuel 10 gives the account of how Saul was both privately and publicly announced as king of Israel. Part of Samuel’s conversation with Saul in private included a series of events that would happen to confirm to Saul that Samuel’s message was from God. These prophecies immediately occurred and, hopefully, confirmed to Saul that he was designated by God to be the first king of Israel, although Saul was initially not very excited about the idea.

     Samuel gathered all the tribes of Israel so God could reveal the anointing of Saul to them. After a process of elimination, Saul was the “chosen” one, however, Saul could not be found. He was hiding with the baggage. We are not told why he was doing this; it could be from humility, fear, reluctance, or something completely different.

Before the choosing process occurred, the Lord spoke to the people through Samuel. “Thus says, the Lord, The God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘NO, but set a king over us!” (1 Samuel 10:18-19).

     The point I want to look at comes from the description God gave for what He did for the people: “delivered” and later, “delivers.” Some translations use the words “saved” and “saves.” This is an account of God’s salvation being freely offered to the people of Israel. The same salvation He offers to us. Notice, God said He saved them before they had one word of the Law. The Laws is not, then or now, the means of salvation. Salvation is a choice God makes and provides a way for us to access it through faith.

     This is an important truth for every person on this earth. Following the precepts and statutes of the Old Testament saves no one. That is not the purpose of the Old Testament, even the first five books, the Law. Romans 3:20 tells us the purpose of the Law: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” The Old Testament account here of the words of God reveals the same truth to us. This is the message of all of Scripture. This is the truth from the beginning of time. 

     Whether a Jew or Gentile we are saved apart from the Laws God gave Moses. It’s been salvation then Law since the beginning of time. Therefore, we should not expect people to follow the Laws (of society or of God) before they are saved. Obedience to the Law only becomes possible after being saved. Let me say it again: it is not the Law that saves us. It’s God’s grace and mercy and power.

Examine the Word

The next part of 1 Samuel I studied is chapter 6 where the Philistines decided to send the Ark of God back to the Israelites because of the illness and death the Ark had brought upon them. The leaders decided to consult their priests and diviners (verse 2) and asked them how to go about doing so. The plan included two untrained cows hitched to a previously unused cart (verse 7), and a guilt offering of gold (verse 8).

The Philistines were still not sure it was Israel’s God of the Ark that had caused all the trouble in their cities, so they were testing God to see if He could/would bring the cart into Israel even with no rider. Also the cows were untrained to pull a cart and they had calves at home they would be tempted to turn back for. They were trying to determine if the illnesses were just a coincidence and not related to the Ark.

The cart went true without going to the right or the left and arrived in Beth-shemesh safely. Beth-shemesh was one of the 48 cities allotted to the Levites (Joshua 21:16). That’s important to note and a key element of my thoughts for today. The city had a large proportion of the Levites, those appointed priests to minister to God in Israel. Yet, Israel or its priests were not following God’s system very closely. While the Ark was in Beth-shemesh God “struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord” (verse 19). This was strictly forbidden; only the Levites from the family of Kohath were supposed to touch the Ark or carry it. However, it appears that the Levites in this city did not know the laws and statutes, nor did they bother to consult the Scriptures. They asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?” They sent messengers to another town asking them to come down and get the Ark.

My application: Consult God’s Word when I want to know what God’s will is for my life. I do not know everything God has commanded us, so I am comparable to the Levites in Beth-shemesh in that regard. However, I do know God has rules to follow and I can verify what those rules are by studying and consulting His Word. A good practice for all of us to follow.

Scripture Memory

God’s Word tells us to hide His Word in our hearts. That could mean many things; however, for me it simply means memorizing Scripture. There are lots of reasons for doing this and many ways to attempt to do it. I’d like to share my thoughts on the matter.

First, why memorize? I don’t know any other way to have Scripture readily available to me than to have it in my mind. When Jesus was out in the desert alone for 40 days, He did not have the scrolls of written Scripture with Him. Yet, when Satan made his attacks on Jesus, Jesus quoted Scripture, like wielding a sword, to fight off the attacks. If Jesus is our example, we need to have Scripture readily available to us to fight off the attacks that are used against us to throw us off track in our life in Christ.

Also, having Scripture memorized is vital in accurately sharing the Word with others. It’s God’s Word that creates change in people – no matter how elegant one’s speech might be. I want my conversations, especially with those who don’t yet know Christ, to be filled with the truth. I’m not saying that I need to go around quoting Scripture to everyone all the time. What I’m saying is that when conversations turn spiritual in nature, I want to be saying only that which God would approve of. Having His Word foremost in my mind, I am more likely to do that.

Those are just two reasons; there are more. So, why is it so hard to memorize Scripture? I hear that question often when I’m trying to suggest to someone that they give it a try. I was introduced to a Scripture memory plan a long time ago, and I still use this plan today to memorize and review Scripture. I suggest trying it for yourself if you are just starting out on this aspect of your Christian walk or are having trouble memorizing Scripture.

First assign the verse a topic (topic ideas). Right now I’m working on a set of verses that give me assurances of different aspects of the Christian life. The first topic is “Assurance of Salvation.” The corresponding verse is 1 John 5:11-12. So to start memorizing it, I start by memorizing the topic and the reference. Once I’ve repeated those aspects several times, I ADD the first phrase of the verse and repeat until I can say the topic, reference, and first phrase aloud without making a mistake. Then I repeat the process adding a second phrase of the verse. Each time I review I start at the beginning with the topic and reference, then the parts of the verse I have memorized, adding phrases one at a time until it’s firmly established in my mind. I conclude with saying the reference again.

There are several key points to this process. For further explanation go to the discipleship tools web site of the Navigators. Another key thing for me has been writing the verse (with the topic and the reference before and after) on cards (I’m currently using mini flashcards on a ring available at Amazon). Having the verses on cards allows me to carry them in my purse or in my pocket so I can pull them out and review often. Repetition and review are keys to getting the verses firmly planted in our minds. I like to say that over-learning them is good. They become second nature like reciting your phone number or your address. When’s the last time you forgot your address?

I’ve found this system to work and the memorized verses have stayed with me. I can’t say I remember word for word every verse I’ve memorized, but as I work through the Assurance verses again with a friend, I’m amazed at how easily the verses come to mind and how little “re-learning” I have to do.

Several links are highlighted above for resources to some of the concepts included in this article.

Be Anxious for Nothing, Part 3

This week finishes up my study of Philippians 4:4-9. There  are just a few quotes from the book to highlight this week. Some of them were very convicting to me and they might challenge you also.

“Are you expecting God to move but not asking Him to do so?” One of the questions in this section asked to whom do you go to when you hear bad news? I listed several close friends and family, and my therapist. Guess who I left out?! God. I realized it’s not my first thought when I am facing a trial or hardship. That’s not the way it should be. I was convicted to seek Him first, to bring my needs and fears to God first. I often call someone and ask them to pray for me before I actually pray myself. God wants us to go to Him. He clearly stated that in Philippians 4:6: “. . . in everything with supplication and thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God . . .” My goal for this week is to turn to God FIRST this week (and hopefully from now on)with my prayers, then ask for others to pray with me.

“Often our view of our problems looms larger than our view of God. How cn you start the day in a way that places the source of your anxiety in proper perspective relative to God’s magnanimous power?” The reading suggested prayerfully and praisefully reading Psalm 8 and Psalm 121. These Psalms identify who God is, what He’s already done, and who we are in relationship to God. Psalm 8:3-5 tells us about these things:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!

When I meditate and contemplate the truths in these verses, my problems get put into perspective. The God who made everything has high regard for us. In view of this I am greatly encouraged by giving praise to Him every morning and throughout the day. I think it puts my day into perspective.

“Our assignment is not fruitfulness but faithfulness.” So, why do you do the things you do? Whether it’s your job, your sports, or your walk with God we are looking for results. Results are the product of our labors. However, God wants us to focus on the process not the product when it comes to our relationship with Him. It’s our job to faithfully cling to the vine (read John 15). As we hold on to the vine, God may cause growth and fruit. What He wants from us is to sit at His feet and take in everything about Him and learn from Him (Luke 10:39-42; Martha and Mary’s examples). Being busy for God is not the same thing as knowing God and having a relationship with God. If we are faithful, fruit might happen (most likely will happen), but it’s God causing that, not our efforts.

Anxiety lessens when we recognize God is near and that He is big enough to deal with every need we could possibly have. We just have to give praise and thanksgiving and take everything to Him knowing He can and will meet our every need. I’ve found a lot of peace through this study. I hope you can also gain some.

Using Our Gifts, Acts 21:10-11

Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing all I can for God and for furthering His message of love and salvation. Scripture tells us that we all have received gifts of the Holy Spirit to be used for the building up of the body. We find a list of spiritual gifts and their overall purpose in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11:

⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

The purpose: for the common good. It is clear that not everyone is given the same gift. Each is given a gift that they may be part of the edification of the church. In Acts 21:10-11, we see one example of one man’s giftedness.

As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

I came to question whether or not I was using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given me. Here’s a man, Agabus, exercising the gift of prophecy. Basically he proclaimed the truth already told to Paul, that he would suffer many trials in his work for Christ. This is not a new prediction in the sense that it’s something no one’s ever heard before. God gave this message to Agabus to prepare Paul for the specifics of what was to come. So, what is the definition of a modern day prophet? In looking at various sources the most simple, and I believe very accurate, description said, “I think in over-simplistic terms, you could say a prophet is a truth teller.” Agabus was certainly that.

Back to the question of whether or not I am using the gifts God gave me . . . through various people and various gifts of the spirit inventories, I’ve been called a modern day prophet. My first impulse is to run and hide. Telling the truth to people who don’t necessarily want to hear it can be a rough job. However, another way to look at it, is that I’m just repeating the truth of Scripture as the Holy Spirit leads. I don’t usually know when I’m doing it. I just share from what God’s been showing me, and somehow it ends up being the truth someone in the “audience” needed to hear. So, in a way, as was pointed out to me by a friend, I am using that gift through this blog and through the notes I send to people via snail mail and technology. So, running and hiding is not really an option the Holy Spirit has given me.

I may also have other gifts (we all usually have at least a couple), but this one scares me the most. It’s a big responsibility to regularly/always tell the truth. Fortunately for me, I have a truth-guide. I have the Word of God. If I’m just saying what the Word says, I’m assured of telling the truth. I have to be careful to accurately handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and I need to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance as what to share. Like I said, I often don’t even know when I’m doing it. That’s all the work of the Holy Spirit. I don’t set out to preach specific messages to specific people. I let God make all those arrangements.

What are your spiritual gifts and are you open to using them for God’s glory and for the building up of the church? Just something to think about.

Restore Hearts and Minds: Acts 11:19-30

Acts continues to record the spread of the message of Christ. In Acts 11:19-30, Luke, the writer of Acts, gives an account of the conversion of Gentiles in Antioch. The first witnesses to the Antioch Gentiles came from Hellenistic Jewish believers from Cyprus and Cyrene. It specifically says that while others who were dispersed from Jerusalem preached only to the Jews, “there were some of them . . . who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.” [vs. 20]

The Jerusalem Church heard about these conversions and sent Barnabas to check things out. “Then when he had come and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord.” [vs. 23]

My first question to myself is, “Do I encourage others in the faith to have resolute hearts and to stay true to the Lord?” But then the second question I had was, “Am I resolute in heart and mind to the Lord?” That question caused me to wonder what my life should look like if I’m to be resolute of heart and mind. And, what sets me apart from the general population that makes it obvious to others that I am true to the Lord Jesus?

Barnabas’ encouragement to the Antioch believers is also an encouragement to us. We should have resolute hearts and should do everything as Jesus would have us do to remain true to the teachings of Jesus. Some manuscripts translate “to encourage” as “to exhort” or “to plead with.” It has a sense of urgency to it. It is something we are to be about on a regular, daily or moment to moment, basis. Our lives should be set apart by our zeal for doing the right things (according to Jesus’ teachings and according to the Word of God).

I’m challenged today by Barnabas’ example and by the exhortation to be resolute in heart and mind in serving Jesus. How can I be an encourager today and how can I keep Jesus’ teachings before me at all times? This will take some thought and prayer, but it is something I must do.

Acts 7: Stephen's Sermon

I’ve just started my study of Acts 7 and have only gotten through a couple of verses. However, I did read the whole chapter (verses 1 – 60) to get a feel for what Luke was going to tell us in Acts 7. Basically, Luke gave an account of Stephen’s sermon before the Sanhedrin after Stephen was publicly accused of blasphemy in four ways (Acts 6:11, 14). The accusations were partially true, but warped the intent of Stephen’s preaching.

The four blasphemes are listed as such:

1.  Blasphemed Moses by making Christ greater thn Moses.

2.  Blasphemed God by exalting Christ greater than the temple or the law.

3.  Blasphemed the temple by saying that Christ would destroy it.

4.  Blasphemed the law by sying that Christ had abolished the law and made a new covenant.

Did Stephen defend himself regarding these charges? No he didn’t. Instead of going on the defense Stephen went on the offense. His sermon to the Sanhedrin by telling them “you are doing just as your fathers did.” What did the “fathers” do? First a side note, when the New Testament preachers (and the Old Testament, too) refer to the “fathers” they are saying “those who came before you in the faith” i.e. the patriarchs. The basic point of Stephen’s speech is highlighted in the Ryrie Study Bible in the footnotes like this: “Stephen recited the privileges of the nation Israel and their rejection of God’s messengers; then he laid blame for the slaying of Jesus squarely on his hearers.”

Stephen quoted Scripture (Old Testament) and recounted several of the foundational stories of Israel’s forefathers. I will be interested in exploring those passages more carefully in the coming weeks. He started right off in verse 2 discussing the calling of Abraham (before there was the covenant, the law, or the temple). He started with the foundational beliefs of Jewish history.

I’m not sure starting off with Jewish history would be beneficial today with the populations I regularly come in contact with; as a matter of fact, I think it would turn modern Americans off and cause them to discount the message as something for the Jews but not for them. However, I am challenged to use appropriate Scripture as I interact with people, especially those passages (mostly in the New Testament) that explain the human condition without Christ leading to the passages that promote Christ as the Savior of everyone.

I’m sure more will be revealed to me as I continue the study in Acts 7. I’m looking forward to what will be revealed and how I can apply the concepts to my own life.

The Scale is Not God

Each day I get a short devotion in my email from an organization called FINDINGbalance. The balance they are specifically addressing surrounds issues of weight loss, food, body image, and mostly, God and His Word. I need that in my life for so many reasons.

I struggle with food – either eating too much or eating too little. I don’t have a healthy balance many days. However, focusing too much attention on the food issues is also not living a balanced life. I like the way the FINDINGbalance devotions always lead me back to focusing on my Creator God and His plans for me. His most basic plan is that I focus on Him each and every day, that He be taking up the most space in my head. Not my last meal or my next meal. Not how much exercise I did or plan to do.

Today’s Scripture for the devotion is 1 Corinthians 8:5-6: “For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods, and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” [NASB] This passage of Scripture reminds me (and I do need reminding) that there is nothing else in this world that is the one true God. It reminds me that there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ. I tend to make certain things my gods and lords. I let them dictate how I will act and think. However, nothing should be doing that except the one and only true God. Everything I do should be dictated by His Scriptures. The Scriptures direct me to do many things, but not once does it say, “Feel bad about yourself and call yourself names because you are overweight.”

When I make the scale my god, I do feel bad about myself and call myself names. I choose to behave in ways that show I place more value in what the scale says about me than what God says about me. What God sa

ys about me is not determined by a number on a scale. He says He made me, that He formed “my inward parts” and weave[d] me in my mother’s womb.” God’s Word goes on to say, I’m “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that His works are “wonderful.” (Psalm 139:13, 14) He made me just as I am.

I’m not saying that I should just forget about trying to eat healthy and lose some weight. God also said we are His temple (1Corinthians 6:19) and therefore, I should do what I can to take care of His temple. I just need to live and think as though I’m serving God and not as though I’m serving the numbers on the scale. My attention should be on doing the things of God, which includes healthy eating, but not obsessing over my last or next meal. If I focus on living a healthy lifestyle, God will be pleased . . . and I might lose some weight in the process.

Exercise

I’ve been working on riding a stationary bike since Christmas. I started slow and for a small amount of time. I realized I was not very fit at the time and needed to start slow. However, as time has passed I’ve been able to increase the speed, time, distance, and resistance level. It took a daily commitment to getting on that bike. As time went on it became less of a chore and more a part of the routine of my days. It became a habit. A healthy habit.

I also found that healthy habits are easier to break than unhealthy habits. This week I discovered how quickly I can forget all about the healthy habit, even with the bike sitting right in front of me as I enter my office each morning. It kind of snowballed. Miss one day, and it’s easier to miss the next day, and the next, and the next. Fortunately, I only made a snowball and not a whole snowman. Today I got back on the bike, but I’d lost a little ground and had to pedal slower than I had been doing. I still went the same amount of time, but the overall speed was slower and I didn’t go as far.

There are other healthy habits we need to develop in our lives. The habits of an obedient Christian take as much effort to keep as riding the bike. And, just like with the bike, if I miss one day, missing the following days becomes easier, too. The disciplines of a Christian should include daily time in the Word of God and prayer. Our spiritual muscles depend on those healthy habits as much as our physical muscles need the daily exercise. Gaining knowledge of the Word on a regular basis allows us to grow and change into the person Christ wants us to be. Prayer keeps us connected to God.

I’m thankful that I have accountability in following the Christian disciplines. There are people in my life who will ask me what I got out of the Bible for the day. They also expect me to tell them how I’m applying the truths learned. There are people who expect me to be praying for them daily. I’ve told them I will pray and I need to be a person of my word. These daily disciplines keep me spiritually fit and the more I do them, the greater benefit I get from them.

I might want to consider finding a person or people to hold me accountable to my physical discipline of riding the bike. As I think about it, accountability might be the difference between my easily breaking a physical habit and keeping my spiritual disciplines. That is something for me to think about, but thinking about it won’t translate into action unless I apply it to my life.