Proverbs 11:23 - My desire

Proverbs 11:23 

The desire of the righteous is only good.

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 

Message: My desire

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.

What the Lord is Saying: The contrast between the righteous and the wicked continue. As I am reading and thinking about the righteous person I see a person that is God-fearing and seeks to do good throughout life. This is a person that wants to live in accordance to God's will. It is a life that is lived reflecting God's character and reflecting His commandments. It is knowing what to do and then also doing it. As I read and study the Bible and read of the different individuals lives, the common thread are those that trust God, believe God is real, understand that God must be in our lives and that now for us living on this earth, we are to walk in the way of God and the way His Son Jesus prescribed. At this time of Proverbs, the name of Jesus was not clear, but His mission and the providence of covering sin was known. Sin was a reality and in the life of those with God sin can only be cleansed by way of blood. And yet our lives must be lived in the best way possible. A Christian wants therefore to align their life with God's purposes which will then result in outcomes that are beneficial and constructive. 

Thus, at this time, the mission is the same in the life of the righteous person during Old Testament times or the time of Solomon (930 BC) as it is in the time of Christ (1,000 years later) with the mission about living in a righteous way, trusting God, walking in His ways, looking to him for guidance and direction, trusting in Him. The transaction of covering sin was found in the temple, annually, through an offering offered by the priest. This was needed annually. But later when Jesus came sin would be covered once for all.

For this lesson and this Proverb today the focus seems to be on desire. The righteous are those that do good. The God-fearing person is good as God's commandments and ways are being followed. But the focus here for me is primarily on desire. The righteous person following God has a desire to pursue righteous living and in return good. Desire is my inner longing. It is my aspiration. 

The Hebrew word here is transliterated from the Hebrew into the English letters as ta'avah. This Hebrew words derived from the word avah which means to incline toward. Desire is appetite. It is longing, craving. Thus, desire can be that which we seek. As such, to bridge these ideas is to say that in life I am to crave or desire or incline myself towards and seek after righteous ways. I have a choice each day in my activities.  

The contrasting word here is the expectation of the wicked. It might seems harsh but the wicked are those that are not of God. It seems like today in our world, we typecast most people as being good and among all of those good people, some are really spiritual, some have a belief in God, but some are not believing in God but still wanting to live good lives. It is only a small minority in life that we would call wicked and yet it seems possible in life or in the eyes of God that the number of people that belong in the wicked realm is perhaps much more. The people that really are defining each day and decision about God and choosing things that please him in their actions at all times seems to be less and less. I mean, I suppose it is hard to say but just listening to all of these people in the court room and hearing their excuses and desire to get out of service, just seems like many of those are not going to church. In other words, the wicked here are probably made up of a lot of people we would not necessarily brand as wicked. But in God's eyes they are wicked. 

Do the wicked expect wrath? Is that what this verse is saying? Other translations have the word as hope instead of expectation. Maybe this is a simple contrast in those following God have good and those not following God will receive wrath. This is the outcome we believe are for those that do not follow God. I have read in other places that the only way a person comes to the knowledge of God is by God's mercy. So there are many that do not receive that mercy and clearly are in the way of the wicked. 

This week I have been serving on a jury and it has been unsettling at times to see people shuffle in out a court and see the outcomes that are resulting in their decisions. It is hard to see that way of life in many ways. I am wondering if they have these desires for good or for wrath. There is always hope people can turn and be reformed. But for many simply being caught in that situation is not a good sign. In life, we are not simply to seek after that which is good. The writer here never seems to be saying only this, rather the writer is extolling the person that is righteous or seeking after the ways of God. This is the person we are to emulate. We first must be this person and then seek after good and not evil. Don't return to the old man that is spoken of in 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

Prayer: God, you are to be praised. And you are to be feared. Your ways are not man's ways. I pray and hope that man would embrace You as God and Lord. It is hard to see and watch other outcomes in life. Of those that are choosing not You. Many are trying to live their life without you at the forefront. You are not simply a force, but life in abundance. You are the fullness of all. Help me to help others know you and see you as Lord. Show me how I can move myself towards those that do not know You or need to know You. And as I live, let my desire then always be towards that which is good. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Proverbs 10:24 - Fear of Being Found Out

Proverbs 10:24

What the wicked fears will come upon him,

and the desire of the righteous will be granted. 

Message: Fear of Being Found Out

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God. 

What the Lord is Saying: As I read through and study these Proverbs one by one, it is amazing the writer had the need to repeat some of these ideas over and over and yet in only slightly different ways. Each one with a slight variation. The contrast here once again is the wicked and the righteous and the differing outcomes of the two. I suppose in life or at least theater it seems there is this big contrast of good and evil, bad guys and good guys. We went to see Superman recently and his big nemesis is Lex Luthor. Lex wants to be in power and what is interesting is the way he appears to be a good guy by many, but eventually people discover the real truth of him. There was this slight deception and once it comes out everyone sees him for the rotten person he is really. And so this contrast continues - wicked and righteous. 

The wicked person here has fears. The wicked person does have a conscience and so even though they are acting wickedly there is a concern possibly of being found out or exposed for what really lies at the heart of the person. The wicked person hopes that no one will notice. The wicked hope that they can get away with it, that they won't be found out. And often the wicked will also seeks to find as many people that will corroborate what they are doing, to help justify their deceit. We do this with sin. We run to it and yet we are nervous of being exposed. I see this on a small scale at work. At times, I will go to the internet to search for something personal during work ours. I will think it is harmless, and yet it amazes me how when someone comes in the office to ask me a question, I will try to cover up that I am doing something personal. I will feel bad at that which I am doing. I will have been found it. 

The righteous person here seeks the will of God. The verse in Matthew 7:7-8 that many people like to claim is "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." It is the righteous though that can claim this verse. And this verse is speaking more of the bare necessities of life rather than simply desiring things that may be against the will of God. 

Prayer: O God, guard me from my sin and how I often escape in that direction, pleasing my eye or my momentary need and yet knowing that I could be exposed. Keep me far from the evil. Help me instead to submit and surrender to You and accept what You provide. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 17:24 - Christ's Desire For Us

John 17:24

24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Message: Christ's Desire for Us

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus continues to address the Father in this prayer. I was wondering the other day "how is that we have this prayer?". In other words, how is that we get to read this? That God would have John know these words from Jesus and His prayer and that it would be related to us. I think the only explanation that makes sense is Jesus told the disciples about this incident. They spent much time together and He obviously wanted these words, this prayer, to be recorded and knew the recording of Scripture was going to happen - so we can see that these are words He wants us to know. He wants us to know that He has prayed for us, that He desires His children, His followers to Know God and to know God loves and cares for us. Therefore, these words must be important to Jesus - he must have wanted these words preserved. 

The instructions we receive from God

Remember, what we have in our Bible is not a play by play or a movie script. It is not everything that is going on, but what is mentioned I believe is what we need to know. It provides us with principles and I believe with the Holy Spirit as our guide and let's acknowledge today the Holy Spirit is present with us and guiding us into our understanding of truth. As we read the Bible we have direct instructions and we also have principles to apply to our lives. 

When I was finishing college, I would often ask the question - what does God want me to do with my life? It was like I wanted a writing on the wall experience or lightning bolt to come down and tell me what to do. I've always remembered a sermon message that Norm Boshoff gave about knowing the will of God and his point in that message was God gives us boundaries or parameters and tells us to stay within those parameters. Sometimes we don't get clear instructions, but sometimes we do. But we know we need to stay within those parameters. 

When I finished college, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and there was a Bible teacher I loved in Denton and I would listen to his messages. I was active at the time in sharing my faith and that teacher had gone to Dallas Theological. I had another close friend looking into Southwest Seminary in Fort Worth and also Golden Gate Seminary outside of San Francisco. I started the application process to DTS but as I did I prayed and waited on God because I wasn't sure. As I did my sense from God that He was saying to me - the peace that He was giving me at the time was - I don't want you to be paid full-time ministry - rather I want you to be an active lay person. So I think again often with scripture and our personal time with God what is important is that we are regularly going to God and talking to him about life and what is going on and asking His direction, waiting for His peace that surpasses all understanding. 

I desire/I want

Getting into this text, Jesus says, "Father, I desire." This is the reality of most of our prayers, our desire. When coming to pray, we desire to ask God for something, for Him to do something. And Jesus was no different in His prayer. When I look at prayer requests that are made in church, it seems the biggest desire people have is health related needs. Beyond that, it is job and work, and often children's decisions and jobs and work. And there is prayer for people to come to know Jesus as Lord. It is interesting to me that this is how we pray. I think there is an acknowledgement there that God is the one that takes care of our needs. But I think we are also acknowledging what is important to us. And what we want God to do in our life. And I wonder if this is what God believes is number one in life. 

I have seen that Jesus is also using this prayer to explain truths and to speak and tell God what He has done. And overall that has been a big reminder to me of the importance of praying in this way. Is what Jesus desires what we desire for one another? Is our desire for truth, for people to know God, foremost on our lips when we pray? Other versions of this verse state, "I will" or "I want" but it takes on the same meaning I believe for it expresses what Jesus wants for us.

I have been looking at Psalm 89 this week and its words and how it is a prayer of claiming the promises of God. The Psalm begins, "I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever." The Psalm mentions God's faithfulness, Thy wonders, no one is comparable, no one like the Lord, greatly feared, awesome, rules, stills the waves, scatters enemies, heavens are His, strong, mighty, exalted, righteous, just, blessed are those who know Him. This reminds me of the importance of acknowledging this. We do this in our singing each week - praising God. But this is more than thanking Him for how he has impacted us, we are also to praise Him simply for Who He Is and what He has done and continues to do. Chris Tomlin's song "Faithful" is a great song. 

We are His Gift

He speaks that his desire is for the benefactors of the gospel, "I desire that they also, whom You have given Me." Once again, we see the gift we are to Jesus. I believe God loves the world. Like John 3:16 says, I think we know that God loves the world clearly. Everything in scripture I believe points to this love He has. But I also believe within that world, there are gifts or called ones. Verse 20 is interesting for it transitions from his talk prior to verse 20 and Jesus says, "I do not ask in behalf of these alone (v. 6-19 was his disciples), but for those also who believe in Me through their word." So I think those that believe in Jesus are the gifts. He loves everyone but we who believe are His gifts. 

I get lost at times thinking about this, for maybe in my life that desire to be wanted has been a big one for me. I remember standing in the courtyard at school, elementary school, and having that need to be wanted, to be included, to not be chosen last when they are picking sides to play kickball. I wanted to be seen by my teacher. And for me, at least, it continued throughout growing up years. 

When I was in college and even beyond, I felt a need to fabricate the truth of me, to change stories of myself, to twist the truth. I couldn't believe that people would want me as I was. I had red hair which few had, I was skinny. I wasn't a good student and struggled. When I looked at me I often did not like what I saw. So I felt like I had to change something about myself, to make me sound more impressive, or unique or different. For me, it took going through a book called the Search for Significance to help me really believe I could be wanted and ultimately that it is God who accepts me. 

One of my favorite songs is by Benny Hester, "Nobody Knows Me Like You." The lyrics will say, "though some know me well, nobody knows me like you." 

We are valuable to Him

There is a beauty in scripture and in these words for Jesus is telling in many different ways the value we are to Him. But this value didn't start with Jesus. One thing Jesus is doing continually in His words is to point us back to God and to know to us the special relationship we have with God. These ideas have been expressed to us throughout scripture. God's desire for Adam and Eve. Abraham's extreme love for Isaac. Saul and David's commitment to one another. Job's love for God despite trials. Solomon's love for wisdom and his great love for the value of living. Even the minor prophets, often sent to a people that didn't want anything to do with them or God and yet they desired the best for them. And now Jesus and his extreme love for us that then gets passed to the disciples, Paul and throughout the ages in the church. 

I can't help but think in our world today that this is what people are struggling with often. That there is a need to change themselves - so that they will see themselves as valuable and others will also. Oh that people could see that they are a gift - that who they are, who God created them, is a gift and they have value and worth as they are and they don't need to change themselves. They don't need to make up a lie or make them out to be something they are not. 

To Be With Him

And His specific prayer is that they may "be with Me where I am." His desire is for us to be with Him. (1) He desires us; (2) we are a gift and (3) He wants us to be with Him. This is the creator of the world and He wants us to be with Him. There is always something special when someone reaches out to you. One of my favorite stories of this is when there is a huge crowd of people and Jesus says, "someone touched me."  Luke 8:42-46. "the multitudes were pressing against Him." "a woman touched the fringe of His cloak." "Who touched me?" 

He wants me to be beside him. To sit next to him. To be near him. 

I remember John 14:2-3 and Jesus says, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also." 

In several earlier instances of John, Jesus actually told people that where he was going or was, they could not come. John 7:34 - "You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” John 13:33, "Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’" The King James says, "‘Whither I go ye cannot come.’ But shortly after this is the statement in verse 36, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow later." So what we have here in these first statements are temporary words, but there will be a permanent state later of where He is, we are there. But in those words of verse 33 is something interesting - I think there is a sorrow that Jesus is communicating that He must leave, though temporarily. 

In Jesus, we know we have someone transformative and we see it often in people's reactions to Him, but we also see it in His reaction to us. And I think in these words from Jesus of not being able to with Him we have words of sorrow. Everything Jesus has done up to this point is showing us an extreme love for people. The thing about Jesus is no one has loved like Him and no one will love like Him. And this impacts us. 

In Psalm 23, we have those words, the Lord is My Shepherd. There is a closeness we have with Jesus that is different from anyone else. He is Mine. But, I want you to think also of something - His closeness and desire for us. 

One of the things I love about a church is seeing people experience God and I must tell you, I am a watcher. I'm impacted by people and how they experience God. Debra is one of those people I love to watch. I sit behind her in church. And to watch her worship is such a sweet joy. She puts all of herself into worshipping. There are several people, I love to watch their expressions (our neighbor up the street; there is another man, near her that attends at times). It is another reason I like a choir. I like to watch the choir and see people worshipping God directly. There is an encouragement I see here. I am not very expressive in my worship. Sometimes I can be, but I am more reserved, but that doesn't mean I am not impacted by those that are. That extreme love is just so awe inspiring to watch. Dave McKinney is one I've enjoyed watching. I was at his house and saw his desk - with His Bible in the center and commentaries to the side - and then to hear him speak on June 10th here in this class and simply share about the wonderful name of Jesus and that extreme love and impact in what Jesus has done for him. 

Have you gone through the love languages book. I love this book only because it validates maybe the people we already knew, but it gives a recognition. Look it's no secret that I like touch. Now, I'm not fond of anyone's touch, so please don't feel a need to come up and hug me, but I do desire touch. And I have this habit of touching people on the shoulder. My wife's love language is not touch. Her love language is me asking her to go out to eat. Her fondest memory is going to Dairy Queen Sunday afternoon or evening. 

So where is this closeness with Jesus?

John 1:12 - to them He gave the right to become children of God. - The closeness of your child. 

John 1:14 - Dwelt among us - He is near and with us. 

The disciples see Jesus and follow Him in Chapter 2.

No wine at the wedding and Jesus meets the need with the best wine ever. 

And we see His love for the Father in cleansing the temple of those using it to sell things. 

To Be born again; to use the language akin to a mother bearing a child - God sent Jesus to save us. 

To the woman at the well, he speaks of water given that will produce no thirst again - eternal life. Healing the son of the royal official. Healing the paralytic man at the pool, afflicted 38 years.

Walking on the water, with the storms and darkness all around you, He says, 'Don't be afraid. It is I." 

And yet in our Bible, there is a presence of God that is separate. Psalm 24:3, "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?" There is a respect that God deserves. We cannot see Him, but His love lives in us. Jesus is in Us. We cannot go with Jesus as He goes to God, but we will be with Him and see His glory.  

Why? "so that they may see My glory" realizing that this glory "You have given Me." Why? "for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."

Glory continues to be mentioned by Jesus. The Glory of God is something Jesus wants to show us and deliver to us. This is glory given by God to Jesus. What kind of glory is this? 

John 17:5 - "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."  and now here "Before the foundation of the world." This is the glory that existed before the world. 

You know I don't know what this is completely, but one thing I know is Jesus wants to share with me. I love sharing. I am a fan of potluck. We have a mini potluck every morning in the form of goodies that get shared with us. the "Yum Yum" of the morning. I grew up at Heights Baptist Church and my memory is every Sunday night we had a potluck. My guess is we had a Sunday night service. Maybe. I don't know, but what I do know is we had a potluck. And I loved them. Coming together as a group and sharing food made by one another was a thrill for me. It was that sharing. And going to share food with internationals. Each one bringing food from their own country. 

And all I really know for sure here is Jesus wants to share something extremely valuable with me. 

Summary: Jesus desires through this prayer for us to be with Him, where He is at and to experience His glory, given by the Father to Him. 

Promise: God wants His people in His Presence, where we will be blessed forever.

Prayer: Lord, it has taken me weeks to get through this message, though you and I know my faithfulness in getting through this lesson has not been consistent each day. Traveling some as well as other days recovering from that travel and then also Lord, I admit, just a struggle at times to stay with this. But, I think now this is a lesson that may be a center point for the lesson I will teach on July 9 at Sunday School. Lord God, I thank you for your son Jesus and His prayer here and what it continues to teach me about your love for me, and your desire for me to be with you always but also how great You are and how you are to be praised in my life. Thank you for your love for me and wanting me as your child and desiring me to be with You. And to experience your glory. I don't really know what that means completely, but what I do know is you have a desire for me. You want me. Help me to know this always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 13:2-11 - The Cleansing We Need

John 13:2-11

2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.

5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Message: The Cleansing We Need

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: As I learned in the previous lesson and verse, the text is leading us up to the Passover. But first, feet washing by Jesus of the disciples. 

There are bookends of similar ideas for this text - Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. In verse 2 it says it is the devil that places that into the heart of Judas. But that placement had already occurred. Judas was on the scene here at the Passover already with the notion that he was not all in...and yet he was still in the room, still walking with the disciples, but still not all in. For Judas he had a love of money and so his heart was inclined in that direction and Satan then takes him all the way down the path to betrayal. What starts the betrayal - desire. Desires are not bad, but the problem here with Judas is his desire for money got him sidetracked from what matters most. Like the Rich Young Ruler who wanted eternal life, but could not give up his desire for money. 

I have wondered why Judas in betraying Jesus was necessary. But Judas is part of the process of Jesus being handed over to authorities to then be crucified (Mark 14:44-46). Despite Judas choosing that path, the path was necessary for what Jesus would accomplish. So there is seemingly free will, a choice by Judas, yet led by Satan and yet this choice is in the plan of Jesus going to the cross. There remains a tension, a question it would seem between free will and God's sovereignty. It remains a perplexing piece of life - whether we have in fact have free will. Remains hard for me to reconcile. Proverbs 16:33 - "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." Every moment gives the appearance we do, but then in outcomes I just don't know. Somehow there seems to be a connection between the two otherwise are we not all robots? I mean, why would we have so many commands in our Bible which give the suggestion we have a choice? [There are scientists and philosophers throughout history that don't believe we have free will; there are atheists identify with this as well calling it determinism. And yet throughout life we are held accountable to our choices, and this is agreed despite how one holds to this notion of will.]

Well, in continuing on in this passage Jesus is washing the disciples feet. Jesus has been showing His love - mostly in communicating to people that He and the Father are one, that the Father gives the Son a mission and salvation is found in God, found in Jesus. God is one. Jesus and God are one. And along the way He heals people and saves them from physical death and storms to exemplify His power to all. And yet He remains a servant. While King He is also servant. And so in washing their feet, He goes to the level of the common servant, washing people's feet before entering a home. Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He reminds me of the importance of serving others. 

And Jesus connects himself to these disciples through the washing. 

But also here is a lesson of the need for regularly cleaning. "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Jesus is surrendering Himself to the disciple, becoming low, becoming a servant. And then man (the disciples) yield to the will of the servant. This was the problem of Judas as he did not want to submit himself to the Lord. Peter initially did not want to either, but in hearing Jesus' words he was compelled and agreed. Judas had his feet washed, but his whole self had not been cleansed. Jesus points out that not all are clean before Him, completely clean, completely forgiven. The act of being forgiven is accepting the sacrifice of Jesus. 

This here is an example of faith. Jesus is showing his cards and showing his desire to cleanse people from their sin, but we must yield and surrender to Jesus and allow our feet to be washed. And so there is faith. There is trust. And it is through that act of surrendering that I become whole. 

And so there are two surrenders. Jesus sacrifices Himself and His position, but the disciple surrenders and allows himself to be washed, to be cleansed, realizing that the cleansing by Jesus is the best cleansing. The only cleansing we really need.

Summary: Most of the disciples surrendered themselves to the Servant King, Jesus, but one was unwilling to surrender himself and remained firm in his desire. 

Promise: From Tabletalk, I like this reminder -- When we are converted, we are decisively cleansed (our whole body) from sin such that we enjoy salvation permanently. Yet, Christians continue to sin and need cleansing of that sin (our feet).

Prayer: Lord, these words that I travel through continually are a joy to travel through and you continue to teach and illuminate me and challenge my thinking. I am forever trying to understand this world that you have placed me in and how I fit here and how you have designed things. I surrender to You and pray that I would continually do this each day. Thank you for making me clean and stain free before You. But don't let me get ahead of myself and not see that I need that forgiveness each day as I continue to sin and go in selfish directions. Cleanse people. And give us understanding continually of the work that You are doing in making people clean. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

Titus 2:11 - Is Grace Cooperative

Titus 2:11 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

Message: Is Grace Cooperative?

Time: Paul is the author, written in AD 63. Paul went with Titus to the island of Crete and evangelized there before Paul left Titus there in a position of leadership. The book speaks of living right as guided by Truth.

What the Lord is Saying:

The issue: How free is the human will after the fall of Adam.

Humans beings are free to make choices. But our freedom is limited by our desires. Freedom is doing what we most want to do. Apart from God's grace, the only thing that we want to do is sin. In order to do what is truly good and pleasing to God, grace must change our hearts. It is only the regenerate person that understands the things of God.

I go back to an idea that I have been focusing on: the horizontal and the vertical. The horizontal is our life lived with one another and the life I live for myself. In this life there is freedom: each day there are choices to engage in good acts and bad acts as they relate to man's relationship to man. Much good has been done by men and women on this horizontal level. We should not ever diminish these acts. But there is the vertical - man's relationship with God. Without God's grace there is no vertical, only a horizontal. Grace brings the vertical into my life because sin removed the vertical. Without grace, I will only live on the horizontal. With grace, I can carry out the things of God. Thus, today's text states in Titus 2:11 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. Salvation is a God thing and it is needed to make me right vertically, right with God.

The debate that I have been looking at is - can man get to God on his own or must God intervene? And is this intervention completely by God or is man involved?

RC Sproul Message - Is Grace Cooperative - In this message RC Sproul begins his lecture by reciting a quote by Joseph Arminius in which he upholds the lost condition of man following Adam's sin or his sin and mentions that the only way man can be brought to salvation is through the act of grace into that person's life. He mentions that Arminius began as a pure Calvinist and Augustinian but then he got wrapped up in a debate with someone and in that process began to move further and further away from the reformed doctrine.

Early on he speaks of preventing grace and prevenient grace. "Pre" means before and "venient" - coming before so this is 'grace that comes before something." Grace comes before conversion. There are also those who look at internal grace and external grace. External grace is something that happens outside of ourselves, outside of our soul. Internal grace would be something that God does inside of us. For Arminius, grace is not limited to an external operation of the Holy Spirit, but also God's internal operation. However, he then goes to say that all persons have their own will and can refuse the call of the Holy Spirit. So even though it is internal (God doing something inside of us), it is not irresistible. He says the grace of regeneration is sufficient to convert. It is all a person needs to be liberated from spiritual bondage. The grace is enough. But it is not inherently efficient as it does not always affect conversion or regeneration. Thus, prevenient grace or grace that comes before man's choice to then choose whether or not he wants that grace.

Calvin however speaks that the calling of God is effectual. Here the Spirit effects what it intends and thus, it cannot be rejected. Thus, grace is internal and effectual. But for Arminius it is internal but can be rejected. Arminius says that if man does not submit to the grace, the fault lies with man. Pelagius would though deny this for Pelagius believes that God does not have to help a person be saved. But Arminius says that God does have to help, but man can reject. Arminius seeks to not make God accountable to people rejecting Him whereby with Calvin the onus is completely on God as to man being saved or not saved. While Arminius believes that the rejecting by man means that the fault rests on him, he also does not believe that the acceptance of man does not rest on man being virtuous. To believe this would mean that man has something to boast about and this would contradict what Paul says in Ephesians 2:9.

Arminius gave a famous example of a rich man coming to a beggar to offer him a gift. The beggar does nothing to earn the gift, and to receive it simply reaches out his had to accept the gift. But the beggar can also not reach out his hand and therefore be content in his position of being poor. Billy Graham even stated that God does 99% and man does 1% whereby reformers would say that for the drowning man, the person would drown and then God would pull him out of the water and resuscitate him to life.

After Arminius died in 1609, some of his disciples in the Synod of Dort were called upon to consider the five articles of Remonstrance. It was in response to these five articles that we received the five points of Calvinism.

[I was thinking of this question - most of the proof text I think about Calvinist thought, namely whether man is involved at all in salvation, comes from Paul's writings (and also Hebrews). Is it possible that Augustine and Calvin concluded their points on man having no place in saving man from Paul alone or is that line of thinking consistent throughout the Bible? Stated another way, is Jesus a Calvinist? Is God and the Old Testament writers Calvinist? This is a side-note question of mine. Some people have made the assertion that if we only follow the red letters or Jesus' words then we won't come to the conclusion of grace alone.]

RC Sproul Message - Born to Sin - In this message RC Sproul begins speaking about Jonathan Edwards and his book, Freedom of the Will, written in 1754. That book is very theological and philosophical and technical. It was written after Edwards had been removed from his church in Northampton and began a ministry to the Indians at Stockbridge (both in Massachusetts).

Edwards deals with the question - "What is the will anyway?" Philosophers often looked at the mind, the affections, and the will OR the mind, the heart, and the will. Edwards felt it was important to distinguish between the mind or thinking and the will or choosing. He says they are interrelated. In analyzing the will, the making of human decisions or choices, he looked first at the law of causality. Causality is every effect must have a cause. Thus, he analyzed human choices as effects with causes. The choices we make are made for a reason and the mind supplies the reason. Thus, the choices we make are what we deem to be good for us, though, Edwards use of the word good isn't necessarily morality, but rather good is what is pleasing to us. Thus, the good is what is most pleasing to me, at this moment, and to choose what I want. Thus, this is the role of desire in the making of choices. The mind deems a particular action to be good and pleasing to us. For example, when one is hungry, those hunger pains alert the mind and then the mind through choosing decides to eat, in order to meet the need of hunger, in order to please himself.

Edwards states that all choices are caused by something. They don't just happen. And what causes choices are inclinations. Thus, choices are motivated or driven by inclinations. Edwards understood that as humans we are complex. At times, we have very complex desires and motives within our lives. Paul reverberates this idea in Romans 7:19 - For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do. What Paul seems to be saying that in him are competing desires and competing inclinations. In Christ is the desire to always do those things that honor God, but in his flesh is desires contrary to the Spirit and sometimes I follow these desires. Edwards might say to Paul that at the time of your choice to sin, you have a stronger desire to not do what is pleasing to God than you have in yourself to please God. Thus, there is a conflict of inclinations. Thus, Edwards states that we always choose according to the strongest inclination at the moment.

This is not determinism which is being controlled by external forces that coerce us, such as our environment and place in which we live and grow up. Atheists believe in determinism, meaning we are a product of our environment. What Edwards is focused on instead is self-determination in which the choices we make are determined by us. What Edwards is getting at is our choices are determined by us and my desires and what my mind deems to be most good for me at the moment. There is a desire continuum we have. Some desires are strong while others are mild. Thus freedom is the power to choose according to your inclinations.

For example, the doctor may recommend and I may agree that I need to lose 30 pounds as losing pounds has a myriad of positive outcomes. But, my desire to lose those pounds varies from moment to moment. After eating a thanksgiving meal I have no desires to eat more and want to lose pounds, but when I am hungry and a chocolate sundae is presented before me, my desire for that sundae is greater than my desire to lose weight. Thus, the desire continuum. We have different degrees of desires, but without an inclination there wouldn't be a choice is what Edwards argues.

Yet, Edwards is arguing with pagan philosophers and even other theologians which might say that the will is not indifferent, but has a prior bent, disposition or inclination. To be really free it would have an equal means to go to the right or the left. Edwards says an indifferent choice is an irrational concept. If I choose one thing over another for no other reason whatsoever, like choosing which way to go at a fork in the road with no reason to choose either way, how would that have any moral significance. Intent is essential to a moral decision, to a voluntary act. To be a moral decision, there has to be a reason or intent. But he says the idea of an indifferent choice is a nonsensical concept.

What Edwards is most famous for is his distinction between our natural ability and our moral ability. This is similar to Augustinian's distinction between free will and liberty. Edwards says, "We have the natural ability to make choices." We have natural ability that is not coerced by outside forces. What we lack, according to Edwards, is the moral ability to choose the things of God. Because in the fall, we lost our disposition, our desire, our inclination for God. We don't choose God because we don't want him. We cannot choose what we do not want. We have no natural inclination for the things of God until the Holy Spirit creates that in our soul. Thus back to the vertical, Edwards is stating that we lack, on our own, the ability to see that God is what we need the most in our lives, and in turn meets us on the vertical, on our own. The only way our heart is inclined to the things of God is God coming to us and once God comes, we cannot resist Him. Thus, grace is not cooperative.

Summary: On the horizontal, man is capable of making choices, based upon his inclinations and desires. The problem is that apart from grace, we only desires the things of this world, the things that do not save us, that are not of salvation, that therefore are not of God. To do the things of God, God must intervene in our lives and this intervention is not resisting. If God calls us, we will respond.

Promise: Paul says that the grace of God has brought salvation to all people, thus God has saved all sorts of people. The gospel must be preached to all people.

Prayer: Father, your word is alive and true. I seek truth. Even as I spend time talking to people that are coming from a myriad of faiths, I want to make sure that the truth of who you are and how salvation happens or how I am made to be free from sin happens. Guide me into truth always. Thank you for saving me and making me whole and giving me new life. I live now in obedience to You and I do not want that to ever be muddy or unclear. You are my God and I am yours. You love me and in response I love You and others and want You to be in the life of all others I am near. Save. Save people. Keep on saving people. 

Mark 10:41-44 - The Greatness of Service

Mark 10:41-44
41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.

Message: The Greatness of Service

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface -After Jesus has communicated that he is headed to die, be mocked, spit on, and scourged, two of his disciples, James and John, come to him and hearing that he will rise again, perhaps pressured as well by their mother, ask if they can sit at his right and left in glory. Jesus immediately shows them that they have no idea what they are asking.

Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. The rest of the disciples didn't agree with what James and John had said to Jesus. That is good. And yet Jesus never said that personal greatness was wrong. It was simply that James and John had misunderstood the role of what it means to sit on right and left of Jesus in glory, and at that moment, perhaps they shouldn't have just been thinking of themselves. But the disciples felt that there was something was wrong in James and John only looking out for themselves and seeking to advance themselves. Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them - Jesus will now use this as an opportunity to teach them about motives and the importance of serving others. Clearly James and John had a motivation of seeking their own and desiring greatness. Jesus will now show them the greatness is (also) found in serving others. 

He begins with - You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Jesus clarifies here what personal greatness means to the believer in Christ or the follower of Jesus. The other disciples, yes they were mad that James and John brought up their own personal greatness desire, but again Jesus will use that situation to describe what greatness means. Here, he takes a moment to talk about the rulers of the Gentiles. In their ruling activity, they use their greatness in order to achieve power over others. Thus, the problem isn't their greatness, the problem is their motivation. Jesus often speaks of what motivates us.

But it is not this way among you. The follower of Jesus is different. This is probably one of the harder things for many people to do and that is make a change in their life based upon their new commitment. When a person follows Jesus their life is now supposed to be different. I experienced when I trusted in Christ on August 10, 1982, one month shy of my 15th birthday. After I prayed I felt this surge of "I can do anything" now. I was elated. I rushed to tell my dad at his office. I can still remember his office, the one on Indian School, and walking into the corner office and his remark was, "Your mother will be so happy." In that moment, I thought all would be different. A difference did result. While a new life began to take shape there were still remnants of my old sinful life that remained. Overall, a person who is in Christ take on the way of Christ, the way of love.  

but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. Here is the calling card of the Christian: service. Service is often contrary to the way we are trained. Generally, when I think of servants I think of mom's. As the God ordained helper I see them as servants. They serve our families in a way that is distinct and different than the father. Traditionally the father provides while the mother serves. The mother is often in the background, treating others as more important than themselves. Here lies one of the marks of the Christian that Jesus shows is the opposite way of what the world treats as important.

and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. From Ligonier, "Greatness in the kingdom of God comes by submitting ourselves to one another, by looking for what we can give and not for what we can gain." This idea of being a slave to another person has taken on so much disdain in our culture. Slavery, rightfully so, was in a harmful manner a business transaction in which one man's life is purchased and that man becomes a servant to the one that purchased him. Thus, the person had no means to define his own value to the world. The problem was how this was viewed and when people were forced into this way of life. This is different from the words of Jesus. He says, "whoever wishes to be first." There is an idea that greatness is not found in lording your position over others, but instead it is fund by being a servant and becoming a servant to others.

Summary - Jesus turns the tables on the disciples and James and John by helping them see that this desire to be great is not wrong, unless that desire is motivated only for personal exaltation and glory. He shifts the gears and talks about the idea that greatness is not found in lording your position over others or in using your power to make yourself great, but greatness first and foremost is found in being a servant and even the stronger idea of being a slave. It is denying your own way of life in order to meet the needs of others. Jesus would do this soon on the cross. He would be mocked, spit on and scourged as he took on the punishment of all sinners. It was only something that God could do, but a Man had to experience it.

Promise: I should be asking over and over, "what can I do for others," not "what can I do for myself."

Prayer: O Jesus, re-shape me daily into the idea that my life means more when I serve others. I realize that if we all took on that approach all needs would be met. I thank you for showing me these truths continually, for giving me a wife that serves me. You gave me a wonderful mom that served me. Thank you for those shining examples in life. Give me the courage and wisdom to continue serving others. I want this to be my desire, my goal. I want to let you define in me what it means to be first. 

Mark 4:18-20 - The Thorns and the Harvest

Mark 4:18-20
18 And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

Message: The Thorns and the Harvest

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Now I look at the next 2 surfaces:
3. Among the thorns
these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
4. The Good Soil
they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

3. The second surface received a temporary message and then when hard times came, the message faded from their lives. Here, the distraction is in the form of the worries and pressures of the world. In addition, there is the quest for riches above all and the overall desire for other things to the point that it is unfruitful.

I remember a friend making a comment once that he went to church, followed the Lord, but good things didn't happen to him. He didn't get the Christian wife, he didn't get the good job, religion didn't merit the results he had in mind. And he sort of punted the faith. We live in such a world of comparison where our eyes are constantly viewing what our friends have, our other family members, and we often get distracted. I get distracted. I have been provided everything I need and yet, all too often, I act like it isn't enough. Because others have something I think I must have it. Money isn't the key to happiness, but it sure is nice to have plenty of it. There is that deceitfulness of having lots, of riches. Do my desires for other things prevent me sometimes from seeking God and His word and telling others about him? Do I ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit because I am more concerned about other things?

The temptations of the world are compelling. They are most attractive. I am often thinking of my correspondence with James Lumbuku in Tororo Uganda. His life is about survival, working hard, and ministry. They have a simple goal often and that is to not go hungry and yet they often have long periods of starvation (months). They live in a hot climate and yet they are farmers, again, for the purpose of survival. I just checked and on this January 14, 2018 day it is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. There crops are basic - corn, potatoes. Perhaps these two items can somewhat make it in the heat. He has real struggles and yet he is so focused on ministry. He is a pastor, a shepherd of his flock, so that would make sense. As I listen to his stories, I am at times compelled to give him money. He desires to get his children through school. One of his children is a Compassion funded child. While they struggle for survival, they are rich in love and mercy toward one another and the temptations of the world don't even seem plausible.

4. They hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Something different has happened now - these hear the word and accept it. The turning point is acceptance. They receive it into their lives and make it a part of themselves. By accepting it, something happens, they bear fruit. It is automatic, it happens. If the plant is watered appropriately and receives the nourishment it needs, there is no more effort, but waiting to see the fruit. This last surface is rather simple, actually.

Promise: The result from the word landing on good soil and being received is a harvest. None of us can anticipate the size of the harvest that will be produced, but a harvest will come. We may not even see the result in our lifetime. But, fruit is inevitable. It will come.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the clarity of your message. Thank you for calling people to yourself. It is thrilling to see the harvest take place and the way it does multiply. Continue to change hearts and uproot soil so that many more can come to accept your truths.

Proverbs 11:23 - The Fulfillment of Righteous Desire

Proverbs 11:23
The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

Message: The Fulfillment of Righteous Desire

Time:  King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: 

It's interesting to read Solomon's words and wonder overall what his worldview was regarding orthodoxy, sovereignty, divine election, and/or Calvinistic type principles. This verse is interesting as it showcases absolute language.

The desire of the righteous is only good. That is an absolute statement. Naturally, the righteous only desire good. That makes sense. If we choose righteousness then our desire is to do good. I struggle sometimes with the absolute statements in the Bible because they speak of a behavior that we don't have obviously all the time, but yet represent an ideal. I guess, in that vain, I am a realist. I suppose what I see is most people sit in between the two. They present to the world through their visible actions often righteousness and yet inside I think we all struggle with being wicked. But, maybe that is just something I see in myself, as a man. I don't know if I see this in my wife or think she struggles with this.

Often, its not that we are wicked, but that we are not as righteous as we could be. But, the aim in this verse is to do good and desire to do good towards people. Perhaps the proverb is saying more that the result of being righteous is having done good and having that peace while the result of being wicked is wrath and disfavor with self, ending their own wrath and ruin.

Conversely, the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 

Promise: Guard my heart. God will reward good deeds not wickedness. Wickedness instead receives wrath.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be a righteous person and to desire righteousness at all times in my life and the lives of others. Train me in this.

Proverbs 7:21-27 - The Gatekeeper of Death

Proverbs 7:21-27
With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.
Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as fetters to the discipline of a fool,
Until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it his life.

Now therefore, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths.
For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

Message:  The Gatekeeper of Death

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Background
For me, the crux of the first 20 verses of Proverbs 7 is the pleading from a father to his son to treasure the commandments that he is passing along. Treasure the words of the sage, of the Father God. Stay close to them. Adhere to  them in your life, for only then will you be able to withstand the temptations that will be present in this life. And temptations will be many. But, the sexual temptations, or the carrying away of ourselves to abandon our principles will be the strongest. We can't even give them a moment. The door opens when we allow ourselves to be in a dangerous environment. For the young boy, it is walking down the road of the adulteress, where she lives. There are other ways to get to our destination, so we should not even go there. 

The Problem
These remaining verses catapult the encounter and we get to witness first hand what is in store for the person that gets pulled away. I must admit, as a man, these verses resonate with me because I am pulled away too easily, it would seem. The clothing manufacturers have continued to make clothing that simply show off too much of a woman. I struggle with my eyes and it is a struggle when people are bending over in front of you or wearing short dresses. I'm captivated by my wife, but would prefer it in the privacy of my own home. It's really a horrible thing for the man to live with for it is everywhere. And the phone makes it worse. It is too easily accessible. Thus, the title of this message: the gatekeeper of death.

Studying this passage
Verse 21 begins "with her many persuasions." Again, these to me are not just verbal, but they are visual persuasions. They could be a glance, an alluring look, but most likely they are the way a person carries oneself. 'Many persuasions' also speaks to the many different ways we are confronted with this. The temptation now shows itself in so many different ways. But also in these verses is the inference that the person is reluctant because "she entices" and "she seduces." Thus, even in these verses, one could apply I Corinthians 10:13 in that there is a way out when the temptation presents itself.

And then the striking words of verse 22 "suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to slaughter." The road to death is set. The man is walking it. He is captivated, and yet, his life will never be the same. The visual expression of an ox going to slaughter is such an assault; it is such a picture of what the sin does to us. It because a drug that overtakes all of our senses. The ox is obviously not realizing his destination. The ox is being led somewhere that it is thought will only yield good outcomes. The "slaughter" represents the end, not the journey. But "he does not know it is his life." He is consumed with the moment, not the end. The consequences or results of this act are not overtaken by the momentary high.

And so the chapter ends the way it begins. There are words from the wise one to the son, "Listen to me" and "pay attention." Here is the reason: "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways" and "do not stray into her paths." In these words is the idea I think of 1 Corinthians 10:13 and it is "don't go there." Don't put yourself in a position that is hard to come back from. Once the ox is on the way to the slaughter, it is too late. I must think about this in my life. For instance, I just realized that when I am down on life, or angry, then it is not good to have my phone with me and so, like going to bed - don't bring it to bed. Leave it in the other room. 

At the end of this passage is more ammunition. It is the father building the case. He hopes that the son would simply listen to his words. He would hope that this is compelling enough. But, he also then shows the son the results of the sinful lifestyle. This paints the picture of any addiction in our lives.

For many are the victims she has cast down, 
and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, 
descending to the chambers of death.

The language is final. They are victims. They are numerous. This is a problem many have. They are slain - again death. Her house is on the trek to death. Her house is lower than any person really wants to go. It should be clear, but instead deception has taken over. 

Promise: The foolish young man who heeds the call of the adulteress will find nothing but destruction in her arms.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I need help in this. I am not strong. I am too easily lured away. Once the sin starts, it just continues to be a problem. I'm embarrassed as to what this sin has done to me over the years. To think that I can be so easily enticed. Lord, place a hedge around me. I need your protection. Give me strength. Give me rest today. Lord, I want to be free. I hate the feeling of being a slave to it. I want to follow you. Help me Lord. 

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 - Joy and Judgment

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
⁹ Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. ¹⁰ So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.

Message:  Joy and Judgment

Time: The Book of Ecclesiastes does not directly identify its author. The conventional belief is that the author is indeed Solomon. The book was likely written towards the end of Solomon's reign, approximately 935 B.C. It is a book of perspective whereby the speaker reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking happiness in worldly things. Most every form of worldly pleasure is explored by the Preacher, and none of it gives him a sense of meaning. He accepts that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God and advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.

What the Lord is Saying: I don't know what it is about these Spring months of the year, but I notice my time in the Word really seems to diminish as compared to the Fall and Winter months. I continue to walk through chapter 11 of Ecclesiastes. Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 11 spoke of serving and giving our all to serve. But we can't secure ourselves from zero failures. We must remember God is in control. We can trust God for outcomes. We are not all-knowing creatures, we come to God with humility anchored in the fact that He knows it all. And - rejoice in the years of life that I have and do not focus on the years of life after the grave. The days of darkness, as in the days of life, will be many. Both type of days are futile or unpredictable. In review:

1. Do my best
2. Life is unpredictable
3. God knows it all, not man. 
4. Rejoice in the years of life that I have

These are the themes I have seen thus far. Now as I look at verse 9 and 10, I see Joy and Judgment. 

First Glance
To the young man, as you age and grow - rejoice. Allow your heart to be pleasant, especially as you prepare to be a man. Follow the impulses of your heart and desires of your eyes, yet know that God will judge you for your actions. 

Now, that is an odd sort of verse there. Be pleasant; follow the impulses of your heart. Follow the desires of your eyes. Yet, know God will judge you for your actions. Remove grief and anger, put away pain. Childhood and old age are fleeting (passing swiftly). 

Clarification
Solomon speaks to young man, as I have seen. Young men are the most impressionable people. Plus, they are hit with the greatest of temptations in life. I am dealing with that right now, as I watch my youngest son, Derek, in those years. He is 16. My oldest retreated more to his world, of computers, but I know still struggled with different demons. He has such a strong inclination toward things that are out there, different from mom and dad, and is thus, so against restraint and counsel. This is why these words are so important, because of the position the young man is in.

But, I am a little vexed by these words. The preacher states be of good cheer, follow your heart, follow the desires of your eyes - but know this - God will bring you to judgment for all these things.

Again, backing up, looking at the context, I see words that encourage enjoyment in each day. Verse 8 - if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all. But he also says in verse 6 - Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening. Enjoy, but work hard. The reality is that days of darkness, for they will be many.

How does this all fit together? Rejoice in your days; work hard; do not be idle; there will be days of darkness, yet follow your heart realizing you will be judged.

Again, I think the subject matter is a little vexing and perhaps intended to be a little puzzling. The Preacher here continues to cover a lot of ground, a lot of thoughts. But he concludes his writing with these words in chapter 12, verse 13-14: The conclusion, when all has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. Yes, we are to pursue life and consider all that it offers as it states in verse 9 - follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes; but, as we do, we must realize that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. Thus, I feel the conclusion in this is to be careful. If God will bring us into judgement for all these things, then I am to have sound judgment. 

My last son sleeps now in our house. He is 16 and as I think about this words I think about some of the things he is experimenting with in life. I think of things I experimented with in life as well. And I wonder, the experience is not the problem, but rather it is the indulgence in that experience that is often the problem. We can learn much from these experiences. My hope and desire with my children has not been to just put them in a box and restrict their enjoyment and choices to things, but it is to allow them to make choices, but then to see that with those choices there are consequences. I guess I just didn't realize it was my job always to show them consequences. I was hoping for natural ones. And yet, I must remember, God has given each person a conscience, the ability to understand good and evil. That conscience always has the ability to draw him back in.

Promise: I'm continually reminded of these words -- "Be Careful." I think that is a sentiment I find int the Book of Numbers and it applies here as well.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the truths of Your Word. Help me to be more anchored in those truths, in all seasons of the year. I pray that me and my family are always doing in our best in whatever activities we are involved in. Remind us that we can always trust you, even though life is unpredictable. You know it all. Help us to enjoy our days, rejoicing that each day is a gift from you. Lord, in the world we have many choices as to how to live our lives. I pray Lord that we all, me, my family, friends and others, choose you. What a wonderful world this would be, if this was so, for all. Yet, the reality and the truth is many choose alternate ways. For my children, help them in their choices, sometimes trying out new things, looking to see if life has enjoyment in these things and through it all, help them to conclude that you are the author of life. Help them to return to you. Help them to return to truth. It is easy for me to sit in judgment, but what concerns me the most is not trying things out, but it is indulging in those things, to the point that it hampers life. Lord, make us wise and wise followers of You.

Jesus Calling: November 3

Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that as a reminder to communicate with Me. This practice has several benefits. The first is obvious: Talking with Me blesses you and strengthens our relationship. Another benefit is that disappointments, instead of dragging you down, are transformed into opportunities for good. This transformation removes the sting from difficult circumstances, making it possible to be joyful in the midst of adversity.
     Begin by practicing this discipline in all the little disappointments of daily life. It is often these minor setbacks that draw you away from My Presence. When you reframe setbacks as opportunities, you find that you gain much more than you have lost. It is only after much training that you can accept major losses in this positive way. But it is possible to attain the perspective of the apostle Paul, who wrote: Compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, I consider everything I once treasured to be as insignificant as rubbish. 

Colossians 4:2
English Standard Version
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Philippians 3:7-8
English Standard Version
⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

My Prayer
Lord, I want to be a person that talks to people, talks to you, to people, to you - back and forth. I want my talk to you to just naturally outflow of me throughout my day, constantly consulting you, sharing with you; I don't want to get too caught up in the moment so that I can be joyful in the midst of adversity. Lord, I want to train myself daily to be Godly and respond to situations in a manner that will always glorify You. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.