Proverbs 11:2 - Understand Your Limits

Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes, then comes dishonor

But with the humble is wisdom. 

Message: Understand your limits

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: This is the first time that pride is mentioned. This verse compares pride and humility. 

Pride seems to be a problem as this verse mentions, for with it comes dishonor. There is a connotation of pride in our world today that doesn't seem to be wrong, such as me saying "I am proud of my children" which seems to be an admission that I am glad that my children are mine. It is a word which shows that I am extremely glad with a deep level of satisfaction for having an association with a person or cause. 

But traditionally, pride or being prideful is a vice. And more specifically in religious traditions, it is competing with reliance and dependence on God. With God as creator, we serve Him and surrender to Him and His ways. We are guided by His principles and in life, he is the one to receive glory for anything that is accomplished including my work. Without God in the picture, it seems like life shifts to personal achievement as well as societal achievement. Its focus is more on community being served and guiding our principles. 

I have been reading a book on life and more specifically life in my later years. I am 58 and so with the kids gone from the home and myself past my prime of productivity, I am looking at these later years and figuring out my purpose. Chapter 3 of this book is "Kick your success addiction" and primarily is focusing attention on workaholism. The book mentions that "work, which is a source of meaning and purpose, becomes workaholism, which hurts our relationships." Saint Augustine observed that "pride lurks even in good works in order to destroy them." Success is fine and part of excellence but somewhere along the way it becomes an addiction in our life. 

I know I struggle with pride. I have gifts that I think the Lord has given me and it seems it is important to not be tempted to think too highly of myself and in the process get my focus off of God. As years have gone by and as I have done things, often driven to do those things, I start seeing myself as the one that needs to do things. This mostly occurs at work, in the work I do and work assignments. 

In this verse, the writer states that pride produces dishonor. NIV says disgrace, shame (KJV). From the internet, "Luke 14:11 says, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted". This verse emphasizes a principle of spiritual humility, suggesting that those who seek honor for themselves through pride will be brought low, while those who are humble will ultimately be lifted up by God." Thus, God will humble every person. 

Thus, this verse is framing the unhealthy version of pride or the kind of pride that inflates the view of oneself. The dishonor or shame is the result of this unhealthy or inflated view of oneself. The problem seems to be when the scale is tipped and a person moves from confidence to overconfidence. The overconfident person takes unnecessary risks because they think they cannot fail. A student thinks they can't fail, so in turn, they don't study. A person who has great confidence in their driving might cause themselves to take risks on the road and result in getting a ticket which is showing them at fault. The person starts out thinking they can't fail, but this could produce failure. The failure is the dishonor or shame of now being seen as a foolish person.

I get this way at times, thinking I can do things that sometime are beyond my ability. That time I worked on Pamela's car and changing a tire and then forgot to tighten the lug nuts once the car was on the ground. And the wheel came off and I looked foolish. I felt like a bad person, a failure. And it all started with "I can do this" even though I am not a mechanic. 

The contrast here is the humble person. This is the person with a quiet confidence. It is a person that understands their limits. This is the person knows when they can handle something and knows when they need to shift the responsibility to another person. The humble person still acts but acts within reason and this is the person then which is seen as wise. This person knows when to give where credit where credit is due. 

Prayer: O God, help me to be that person that understands my limits. You have gifted everyone differently and often it is better when the right person does the task at hand. Help my overconfidence. I suppose I have that tendency to think, "I got this" but I can be a strong person that trusts in others and ultimately trusts in You. Help me understand me. And live within my constraints. 

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

My Utmost for His Highest - June 22nd - The Undeviating Test

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. - Matthew 7:2

    This statement is not a haphazard guess, it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give, it is measured to you again. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus says that the basis of life is retribution — “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the defects in others, remember that will be exactly the measure given to you. Life serves back in the coin you pay. This law works from God’s throne downwards (cf. Psalm 18:25-26).

    Romans 2:1 applies it in a still more definite way, and says that the one who criticises another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act, He looks at the possibility. We do not believe the statements of the Bible to begin with. For instance, do we believe this statement, that the things we criticise in others we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy and fraud and unreality in others is because they are all in our own hearts. The great characteristic of a saint is humility — “Yes, all those things and other evils would have been manifested in me but for the grace of God, therefore I have no right to judge.”

    Jesus says — “Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1)”; if you do judge, it will be measured to you exactly as you have judged. Who of us would dare to stand before God and say — “My God, judge me as I have judged my fellow men?” We have judged our fellow men as sinners; if God should judge us like that we would be in hell. God judges us through the marvellous Atonement of Jesus Christ.

 - From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition

Jeremiah 13

I was very much moved by this passage from Jeremiah 13 because it amazes me, though I suppose it should not, when I see how relevant the word of God is to the time of today. As I read these words and study them I am amazed that they are so relevant to today. As a reminder, I have been working on reading the Bible daily, - following the M'Cheyne Reading Plan "Secret." Yet, I struggle and fail often. It takes time for me to study and my time gets displaced often. But, I am thankful for coming back to the Word. Today I read from Jeremiah 13 and I have prepared this outline based upon my thoughts from Enduring Word.

TWO WARNING SIGNS

The Sign of the Linen Sash

Hiding the linen sash - verses 1-5

• Lord tells Jeremiah - Get a sash (decorative belt) and put it around your waist (1)
• Sash was a priestly garment for High Priest and Regular Priest - a sign of dignity and nobility
• Go to Euphrates (not sure if this was actual journey or vision) for if it would have been a 3 month journey that would have alarmed people of Anaathoth (4)
• Hide the sash in a rock (4)
• The direction of the Euphrates was where Babylon would be coming from to destroy Judah

Finding the Decayed, Useless Sash - verses 6-7

• Go to the Euphrates and retrieve the sash (6)
• It was still there, but had deteriorated and was ruined, good for nothing (7)

Ruining the Pride of the People - verses 8-11

• In the same manner of the sash, the pride of Judah and Jerusalem will be ruined (9)
• These people would be taken to the Euphrates and beyond
• 3 main sins of Judah (10)
• Refuse to hear God's words (Not reading His Word)
• Follow the dictates of their hearts (trusted in themselves, looked to self instead of the Lord)
• Walked after other gods to serve them (trusting in themselves, they were led to idolatry)
• As the sash clings to a man, so we are to cling to God
• But they would not listen (11)

The Sign of the Wine Bottle

Every bottle filled with wine - verse 12

• Every bottle shall be filled with wine echoes the proverb - Everything will fulfill its purpose

The people of Judah drunk and destroyed - verses 13-14

• Wine breaks people and God's rebellious people would be in a state of stupor and stupidity, drunk with wine (13)
• The people would be dashed against one another (fighting among themselves - we are really seeing this today like never before) (14)

How to Respond to God's warnings

Humble yourself and give glory to the Lord - verses 15-16

• We are told of the biggest problem we have for not listening to God - our pride (15)
• "For the Lord has spoken" - as he speaks we have a choice on how we will respond - yea or nay
• Thus, give glory to God before darkness is all we know (16)

The price to be paid for not heeding God's warnings - verses 17-20

• Jeremiah didn't merely observe, he experienced weeping and tears because judgment was coming (17)
• And so he keeps pleading "humble yourselves" (18)
• It should begin with the leaders - King and Queen (18)
• The invaders are coming for the beautiful sheep (20)

The guilt of those whom the Lord punishes - verses 21-23

• When the punishment actually happens, the people were incredulous that such calamities had overtaken them (21), just as a woman in labor would exclaim "Why have these things come upon me?" (21,22)
• Them (enemies) are taught to be lords (chieftans) over them (21)
• Your skirts have been removed (22)
• Judah commits spiritual adulteries and they would be terribly and tragically violated by their conquerors
• "Lift up the skirt" is a euphemism for sexual attack both here and elsewhere in the OT
• Can the Ethiopian change his skin or leopard his spots? (23)
• God changes/transforms the nature of man

The determination of the Lord to scatter His people - verse 24-25

• Their lot was to be scattered across the Babylonian empires (24)
• And because you have forgotten Me and trusted in Falsehood (25)

The exposed shame of God's people - verses 26-27

• For not humbling oneself, a greater shame results (26)
• The Lord exclaims that they still are not clean (27)

Promise: In this chapter is the promise that the primary sins of Judah can also be sins of our day and they are not reading God's word, trusting in ourselves and in turn trusting in idolatry.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the truth of your word and showing me continually the importance of listening to you and keeping my focus on You. Not on You means it will be on me and I will find fulfillment instead with me. Lord, I pray that I will humble myself and I would get out of the way from what you are teaching me and accept it.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 - Humility of Understanding

Ecclesiastes 11:5
Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Message:  Humility of Understanding

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: Ecclesiastes 11 began with the message that time is short and I need to do my best each day and give my best. And life is unpredictable; as we do our best and be responsible we can trust God for his outcomes. Now, verse 5 has these words: Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. 

Now, it seems like we are in the age of knowledge. I often think about right now and our lifestyles. Their is an influx of entertainment, recreation, activity, choices -- and all of these things have one thing in common: more knowledge. With more knowledge we have more choices and more options for our time. It is actually mesmerizing. 

Yet, this knowledge does not mean we have greater wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" and Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Knowledge and wisdom are found by fearing the Lord or letting God define in our lives these virtues. In God is true morality. In life, morality is blurred. Life is constantly in motion, but we need to remember where we have come from. Religion is often seen as tradition which then flies in the face of now, when knowledge is erasing tradition.

This verse would not be a popular verse of today because it states that we do not know the activity of God. In God, there is mystery, which causes us to trust. Mystery is not what we like as it is being erased with knowledge. We would much rather say that people get what they deserve (i.e. karma). Often, the only time God is brought up is when we are at a stage of helplessness or not understanding and to me, this occurs often, in the realm of sickness. In sickness, we don't see why things have occurred the way they have and so at those moments, we continue to pray and ask God for his mercy.

Creation testifies always of God's handiwork. This verse states 3 ideas:

1. We do not know the path of the wind (or spirit in other translations)
2. We do not know how bones work in the womb of a pregnant woman
3. We do no know the activity of God who makes all things.  

Man does not understand the breath of life, how it begins, when it begins, nor how it ends or when it ends. On a side note, it is interesting the obsession we have now with robots, for man desires to have control over something and so the creation of a robot is more in that control. The body is often self healing, yet sometimes it isn't. There is definite mystery in how one body works, while another does not. We do not know how bones work. And we do not understand God. Evil is present. Weather disasters it seem have increased. Man introduces these ideas of climate change or global warming as the answer to increases in natural disasters. Yet, God's timing could be a wake-up to us that he is real, that he is real and still present in lives today. And those events are startling ways in which he attempts to get our attention.

Job 11:7-9 Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.
Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.

Promise: The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Life begins with Him and knowing Him. Get to know the character of God more than the ways and means of man.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for not seeing and acknowledging You. We love our progress and our advancement. More and more we are leaning on our own understanding and with greater knowledge we become more independent of our creator. Even in our worship, we want to achieve an altered state of being in Your Presence. Bring us back to You Lord. Remind us you are the author of life. Remind us that you are in control. Remind us that you are present. Remind us continually that we need you. Lord, keep us couched in wonder and amazement, and keep reminding us we are not in control, but You are in control. You define life. Guard me Lord so that I am defined by You.

Psalm 45:1-9 - The Divine and Davidic Throne

Psalm 45:1-9 

My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, In Your splendor and Your majesty! And in Your majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Your right hand teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under You; Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows. All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad. Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

Message: The Divine and Davidic Throne

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

This Psalm is a love song, written for the celebration of marriage between king and queen, though in the NASB (above) God is recognized throughout this Psalm as the ultimately the God who appoints kings.

This Psalm is also a hard Psalm. I am struggling a little with it, not real sure what I am supposed to get out of it. I have been looking at it for the past couple of days now and I'm not real sure about it.

This is a King or a monarchy that follows the Lord: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Again, something I have struggled with or rather, found challenging, as I read these Psalms is how my prayer life often doesn't praise God or acknowledge God for who He is. My prayers are all about supplication and requests and needs versus praise and being satisfied for who God is and what He has done.

In a way, this is a Psalm that praises the King that we have in the King of Kings. He is fair. He is upright. His reign is forever and ever. He anoints people and gives His power to them. Grace is on His lips. He blesses earthly kings. He is full of splendor and majesty. People bow down before Him.

Lord, I want to serve You and speak to You through my prayers in a way that honors You correctly. Forgive me for simply coming to you with requests and what I need and not starting out singing your praises. Lord, you are the King of Kings. You are fair. You are upright. Your reign is forever and ever. You anoint people and give them power. Grace is on Your Lips. You bless us and all earthly kings. You are full of splendor and majesty and we bow down before you. You are great indeed.

Promise: Look for leaders that humbly serve God and His people. 

Jesus Calling: October 21

To live in My Presence consistently, you must expose and expel your rebellious tendencies. When something interferes with your plans or desires, you tend to resent the interference. Try to become aware of each resentment, however petty it may seem. Don't push those unpleasant feelings down; instead, let them come to the surface where you can deal with them. Ask My Spirit to increase your awareness of resentful feelings. Bring them boldly into the Light of My Presence, so that I can free you from them.
     The ultimate solution to rebellious tendencies is submission to My authority over you. Intellectually you rejoice in My sovereignty, without which the world would be a terrifying place. But when My sovereign will encroaches on your little domain of control, you often react with telltale resentment.
     The best response to losses or thwarted hopes is praise: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Remember that all good things--your possessions, your family and friends, your health and abilities, your time--are gifts from Me. Instead of feeling entitled to all these blessings, respond to them with gratitude. Be prepared to let go of anything I take from you, but never let go of My hand!

Psalm 139:23-24
English Standard Version

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

I Peter 5:6
English Standard Version

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Job 1:21
New King James Version

And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

My Prayer
Lord, help me to not simply follow You according to my terms. At times, there will be unwelcome situations that come into my life, so that you may teach me something. Help me to not rebel because I don't think at the time it is something I want. Help me to have the response of Job: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Lord, I want to humble myself under your mighty hand and allow you to Search me, O God. Try me and know my mind and if there be any wicked way in me, pull me to the rock that is higher than I.   

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.

Jesus Calling: September 17

You will not find My Peace by engaging in excessive planning: attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. That is a commonly practiced form of unbelief. When your mind spins with multiple plans, Peace may sometimes seem to be within your grasp; yet it always eludes you, but when you think you have prepared for all possibilities, something unexpected pops up and throws things into confusion.
     I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me. Bring Me all your needs, your hopes and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace. 

I Peter 5:6-7
English Standard Version

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Verse Thoughts
Humbling myself means that I do not place myself above others. I am to submit myself to him and let him lift me up. If afflicted, I do not murmur; if corrected, I accept it. I wait for his timing to lift me to a high place. 

Proverbs 16:9
English Standard Version

The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.

Verse Thoughts
Do I need to plan? Yes. Do I need to prepare? Yes. But this doesn't mean troubles and difficulties will be averted. And am I willing to change my plans, if the Lord is leading me in a new direction? 
 
Psalm 37:5
New King James Version

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

Verse Thoughts
Why do I commit m way to Him? Because he will, either way, he will work out my life in the way He deems appropriate, so why not start by surrendering my will to him rather than fighting with him.

My Prayer
Lord, I notice too often the world in which I live, the media often, spends much time analyzing the "what if" of life. And if I am not careful, I mirror this approach to my own life. Help me to understand how I am to prepare and plan. Speak to me Holy Spirit throughout my day to confirm His will on my life. I want to trust in You alone, Lord, even when it hurts. Thank you for caring for me and help me to not start at my circumstances to the point that I forget this.

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.

Romans 14:19 - Peace and Mutual Upbuilding

Romans 14:19 - So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Message: Building others up

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:

So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding of one another. - Amplified

So then we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that helps strengthen one another. - Living Bible

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. - New King James Version

For me, the overriding theme I see from this text is having a concern for others. It is a willingness to put aside my own momentary desires or wants in order to build up another person.

The beginning of verse 19 has the same thought in mind in each translation with the phrases, "let us pursue" or "we must always aim" or "let us definitely aim or eagerly pursue". Thus, this isn't a statement of, oh by the way. The overriding thought of the believer in his relations to one another is to seek peace. This is something that is definitive and means I must make a special effort.

Philippians 2:3 says, "do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves."

I do not think that this means we cannot disagree. I also do not think that this context means unity in thought. Right now, in my life, I am in in a state of personal sacrifice as I raise my children. Their needs are greater than mine own. However, This does not mean I give them everything they want. But I am the parent, the authority, often the strong person, and I need to behave in such a way that I am aiming for eagerly pursuing peace in our relationship. This presents a challenge. It is a daily struggle. I have a need to provide for my family and do those things that are best for them and it is hard to navigate between what they want and what I think is best. I tend to err on the side of giving them what they want which is often at the expense of my own desires. I hope that I am making the right decision but I also think I get too focused on thinking there is only one right decision. I guess I just hope that by giving them what they want I am not harming them.

Well, back to the passage.

I think it is somewhat of a given that I am going to do what's best for myself. And so it is necessary to be reminded that I am to build up others. One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 4:29, which to me says we are to not tear down others with our words, but edify them, or bring them up. 

Warren Wiersbe says that our desire is not to get everyone to agree with us, but to pursue peace. Don't cause others to stumble, but help them to grow and mature in Christ. 

One of the things I liked about attending a small church was the building up that takes place among different age groups. And yet small churches don't always yield this. I attended a small church and people lived in a rural area and were accustomed to being to themselves and not opening up or sharing much. So, the small church didn't guarantee community. 

I've noticed that some churches have two different services, catering to different likes of worship styles. The problem is this manufactures separation rather than community. It may not be the intent, but it is tragic that we cannot compromise.
 
Promise: If I desire to focus on others and everyone does this, then each person's needs will be met.

Jesus Calling: May 22

     When things don't go as you would like, accept the situation immediately. If you indulge in feelings of regret, they can easily spill over the line into resentment. Remember that I am sovereign over your circumstances, and humble yourself under My mighty hand. Rejoice in what I am doing in your life, even though it is beyond your understanding.
     I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Me you have everything you need, both for this life and for the life to come. Don't let the impact of the world shatter your thinking or draw you away from focusing on Me. The ultimate challenge is to keep fixing your eyes on Me, no matter what is going on around you. When I am central in your thinking, you are able to view circumstances from My perspective. 

I Peter 5:6
English Standard Version

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 

John 14:6
English Standard Version

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

My Prayer (2018)
Lord, I am trained in this world to think often that only good things are to happen to me. That whatever I like is supposed to then be the straight path. Re-train me Lord. Keep my eyes focused on You. I am reminded of the words you spoke to Solomon as recorded in Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." What a wonderful promise. As I don't lean on my own understanding, but instead Trust You, my path is straight. This does not mean my path will be easy, because you have shown me that sometimes calamity and suffering are part of a straight path. It is through trials that you often get my attention. I'm heading later today to see Bobby, who had his 3rd cancer surgery in the past 2 years and he's not even 45 years old. I thank you for Him. He is a light to my life and so many others. His only desire through this process is to walk with you. Yes, sometimes he struggles to understand but he isn't adverse to this being an opportunity to grow stronger in his walk with you. He's willing to do whatever to be more in step with You. Give him strength today and me strength as I spend time with him. Thank you for being with us both every step of our lives.

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.

Jesus Calling: May 13

     Thank Me in the midst of the crucible. When things seem all wrong, look for growth opportunities. Especially, look for areas where you need to let go, leaving your cares in My able hands. Do you trust Me to orchestrate your life events as I choose, or are you still trying to make things go according to your will? If you keep trying to carry out your intentions while I am leading you in another direction, you deify your desires.
     Be on the lookout for what I am doing in your life. Worship Me by living close to Me, thanking Me in all circumstances. 

I Peter 5:6-7
English Standard Version

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Verse Thoughts
One of the evidences of lack of submission and humility is impatience with God in his work of humbling believers. He exalts us at the proper time. While I wait, I come before him with humility. I wait for his timing. Christians are to cast (to throw something on something) all of their discontent, discouragement, despair, and suffering on the Lord, and trust him for knowing what he's doing with their lives. Along with submission (I Peter 5:5) and humility (5-6), trust in God is the third attitude necessary for victorious Christian living. 
 
I Thessalonians 5:18
English Standard Version

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Verse Thoughts
Thanklessness is a trait of unbelievers.  The first thing those that know God do when they begin to reject and replace God in their life is not giving thanks (Romans 1:21). To be grateful is a command and God's will in my life. 

My Prayer
Lord, too often I am not thankful. Teach me and remind me to be thankful, even in circumstances where my first instinct is not to be thankful. I want to trust You even though I don't see a way out. 

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.

Romans 12:3-5 - The Sober Judgment of the Members

Romans 12:3-5 - ³ For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. ⁴ For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Message: Our response to being transformed: A sound mind

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Don't think more highly of oneself
Because of grace, and because I have a renewed mind, I am to realize that my condition in Christ is not due to my own special doing. Grace is a gift. Ephesians 2:8 says, "it is by grace you have been saved." Now here in Romans 12:3 is a similar message, "for through the grace given to me." Therefore, I need to be very careful not to think of myself, and my position in Christ, as something that I have earned or even deserve. Paul previously spoke out against the Jewish people. Paul spoke against the Jews declaration that it was their heritage or their lineage or their circumcision or their handling of the Scriptures, that then gave them some sort of special exemption before God. That because of these things anything God prescribed they did not necessarily have to adhere to. Yes, they were God's chosen people but this did not mean that they did not have to submit and surrender to Him. 

This is a very difficult practice in life. I think it is very difficult for the Christian to see himself as higher than others either in the faith or out of the faith. As Christians, we are called to live in the world and yet not be of the world. The world sees this and sees how we separate ourselves from the world and therefore, they think we are making ourselves out to be better than anything in the world. 

I think this is such a hard line to draw. Take the issue of homosexuality. The Christian, evangelical church has clearly put forth that homosexuality is a sin. Much has been made of this because the focus of homosexual activists is to conform people to the view that homosexuality is not only okay, but people are born like this. And therefore, any message that is contrary to this is viewed as narrow. And then when the Christian states disagreement in this, they are said to be judging these people. And there is also the feeling that the Christian sees there way as superior. And then suddenly the Christian looks at themselves as more highly positioned than those that don't agree with their ways. 

With the issue of homosexuality there are huge problems on both sides of the fence.  

I was speaking to my atheist friend recently and thought that my focus and position before him should be expressed that I don't believe I am any better than him. I need to believe and think that I don't think of myself as being any better than him. Sure, I might think I am better off for eternity, but I can't for a moment let it seep in that I think I am more of a person than he is.  

A measure of faith
Now this is interesting because I wonder if we do think that faith is something we bring to the table with God. That I am saved by my faith through the grace of God. And therefore, God is somehow waiting for me to have faith in him. I think that is an application of this verse. God has allotted to each a measure of faith. He provides us with the faith that we need. He allows the temptation, but also provides the way out. He is the hand of providence in our life. In no way does he only have a certain amount of faith and I get one piece, but rather faith is allotted or given to me. 

But, also faith has been given, now what will I do with it? And what stands out about me is the influence of faith on my minds. I am so quick to judge myself by the tangible things I have. I often thing, "Wow, I am glad God has placed me here rather than there." Is that because I feel blessed here and I wouldn't feel blessed if he had placed me in a hut in Africa with no running water, toilet, or refrigerator? Therefore, is my faith really in God or is it more in the creature comforts that I find all around me. Do I really have a faith in things? 

So faith has been measured to me, but what have I done with it? How is that I really live by faith? 

Members of the Body of Christ
Paul takes this message of being no better than anyone else and presents the Body of Christ. And i should see that what he is saying is no one person in the Body is better or more of a significant part than another member. I believe I have sometimes placed certain people like a lead pastor or elder above others in the church, but the body, whether it be a nursery worker, a person maintaining the church, a greeter, a teacher, all carry some level within the Body of Christ.  In addition, "we are members one of another" and so there is a connection between all of us and what we are doing in the Body. 

Sometimes I think the church really struggles with this as it differentiates between the work of paid staff and non-paid staff. Paid staff becomes the leaders that direct the flock and the non-paid staff become the support. There is just a danger in having ourselves look no different from the world where the ones getting made are making the decisions for the ones not getting paid. 

As in many areas of scripture, we need to "be careful." We must be careful in how we apply this scripture, making sure the application is not just a mirror of the application in our worldly professions. 

Promise: There are no disctinctions when it comes to our signifcance in the church and before God (Galatians 3:27-29) - Tabletalk, September 10, 2014
 

Jesus Calling: March 3

    I love you for who you are, not for what you do. Many voices vie for control of your mind, especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Ask My Spirit to give you this discernment. Many of My children run around in circles, trying to obey the various voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented, frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap. Walk closely with Me each moment, listening for My directives and enjoying My Companionship. Refuse to let other voices tie you up in knots. My sheep know My voice and follow Me wherever I lead. 

Ephesians 4:1-6
English Standard Version
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

John 10:4
English Standard Version
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

This does remind me of what I've been reading in Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. These books often speak of Israel's faithfulness and God does not welcome their actions of disobedience, but His gracious acts are because of who He is. It's not that He looks past the sin, but His goodness is greater than we could ever know. It's a great reminder of His love for us.

I need to pray and lean on the Spirit for His guidance. Walk closely with the Lord each day. The Lord is before us and we follow Him. Not because of what we see, but because of what we hear. We know His voice.

Walk. Walk in a way that mirrors what God has done for me. Be humble because He is humble. Be gentle towards others because He has been gentle towards Me. Have patience with myself and other people. Why? Because He has been patient with me. Come alongside one another in Love. Why? Because God's Spirit is in us and wants us to be united. There is oneness in Christ, in God, in faith -- so there must be oneness in each other. The oneness isn't a command because of anything but our position in Christ.

My Prayer
Lord, give me the strength each day to stand firm in Christ. I pray that I would practice humility, gentleness, patience, and a love community.

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

Daniel 5

Message: The Handwriting on the Wall

Time: 20 years after Daniel 4 (according to some sources). King Belshazzar is now over Babylon (though there were other kings since Nebuchadnezzar's departure from the throne). Belshazzar was co-king with King Nabonidus.

What the Lord is Saying: While King Belshazzar and his company was drinking wine, praising their idols, suddenly he saw a human hand writing on the wall of the king's palace. The king was frightened by this. He couldn't read what was written. He asked his astrologers and fortune-tellers, but they did not know. Belshazzar's wife knew of Daniel's interpreting power and wanted the King to call him to interpret this message. King Belshazzar verifies that Daniel is who everyone says he is and then the king promises Daniel to be the 3rd highest ruler of the kingdom is he is successful in understanding what was written. But, Daniel tells him to keep it, he will tell him what it means at no charge.

Daniel tells Belshazzar that it was God that gave Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, majesty, glory and honor. When this happened, Nebuchadnezzar used it to be great among people, killing those he wanted to kill and sparing those he wanted to spare. Then God brought him down from his throne and stripped him of his glory, living as an animal in the field, until he saw that God was the ruler of the all. And then he tells Belshazzar how he knew this and yet he is not humble.

So God has given you a message. "Your reign is short-lived; it has come to an end." "Your ways have been weighed and they don't measure up." "Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Upon declaring this, Belshazzar made Daniel the 3rd highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night, Belshazzar was killed, giving Darius the Mede (62) the kingdom.

Promise: Once again, man will be humbled; God will reign.

Daniel 4

Message: Nebuchadnezzar recounts the work that the "Most High God" has done for him. 

Time: King Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562BC). It is difficult to assign a specific date as their is no internal evidence from the Bible to identify a date. John MacArthur stated that Daniel 4 occurred 25-30 years after Daniel 3 and the fiery furnace. Daniel was about 45 to 50 years of age at this time.

What the Lord is Saying: It is interesting that in King Nebuchadnezzar's words he proclaims the greatness of God and his signs and wonders, yet we don't see that King Neb. is necessarily a Christian because God only became great to him after he saw miracles. He called God chief of the holy gods so he believed there was more than 1 god. In this telling, Nebuchadnezzar recounts the dream and what he remembers. And then recounts Daniel's interpretation. 

And then Nebuchadnezzar speaks as to the fulfillment of the dream, talking about what occurred 12 months later. After he saw that he ruled over all, a voice from heaven told him that it would be taken from him. And he will live in the fields with wild animals, eating like a cow, until he learns that God's sovereign control is over all.

And yet now Nebuchadnezzar offers a praise and worship of the Lord most High.

His rule and kingdom is eternal.
No one can compare with Him.
He does as he determines.
No one can stop Him or say to Him, "Why are you doing this?"
God's acts are just and true.
He humbles the proud.

This chapter is a chapter of contrast. King Nebuchadnezzar's empire was great. It was large and his power immense over many kingdoms. He had every reason to be puffed up with pride. Daniel in his interpretation asked Nebuchadnezzar to repent, stating that this is what would set him free (4:27).

Promise: Everyone, no matter the stature or position, will be humbled. But, that humility won't be what saves them.