CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN

^{[All quotes are from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted.]}

^{I Kings 11:1-5} King Solomon was obsessed with women. Pharaoh’s daughter was only the first of the many foreign women he loved—Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite. He took them from the surrounding pagan nations of which God had clearly warned Israel, “You must not marry them; they’ll seduce you into infatuations with their gods.” Solomon fell in love with them anyway, refusing to give them up. He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines—a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God. As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn’t stay true to his God as his father David had done. Solomon took up with Ashtoreth, the whore goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites.

 

^6-8 Solomon openly defied God; he did not follow in his father David’s footsteps. He went on to build a sacred shrine to Chemosh, the horrible god of Moab, and to Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites, on a hill just east of Jerusalem. He built similar shrines for all his foreign wives, who then polluted the countryside with the smoke and stench of their sacrifices.

 

^9-10 God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God’s orders.

 

^11-13 God said to Solomon, “Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I’m going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else. But out of respect for your father David I won’t do it in your lifetime. It’s your son who will pay—I’ll rip it right out of his grasp. Even then I won’t take it all; I’ll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem.”

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Clearly, Solomon disregarded God and chose the pleasures of sinful behavior instead. He put his love for women above his love for God! He willfully disobeyed and disregarded the God of his father, David!

AND THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES!  The nation of Israel would be divided as a direct result of Solomon’s sinful behavior! Yet, out of respect for David, God promised that Solomon’s heir would retain control over one of the twelve tribes. 

This was God’s declaration, and the following chapters give the details of these promised results. 

Let’s be clear: God is willing to forgive sin! He is not willing that any should perish! [II Peter 3:9]

However, we must often deal with the consequences of our sin!

This fact has been evident from the very beginning!

When Eve and Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God cast them out of the Garden – never to be allowed to return!

Now we can assume that forgiveness was an option, although we have no record of them ever pursuing it. But it is clear that the consequences of their sin were real and had a dynamic impact on the rest of their lives!

^{Genesis 3:22} …God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they’d been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of-Life.

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There are plenty of other examples of Biblical characters who had to suffer the consequences of their sin.

§  Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of his anger with the Israelites.

§  Samson’s remarkable, God-enabled strength allowed him to do incredible things, but his love for foreign women was his downfall and eventually brought about his premature death.

§  The children of Israel were chronic rebels and God eventually allowed them to be captured and carried away by the Assyrians and the Babylonians.

§  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in a short period of time on the night of Jesus’ trial. Although forgiven, imagine the reaction Peter had for the rest of his life when he heard a rooster crow!

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However, even though we may frequently suffer the consequences of our sin, God has promised us resources to assist us with the friction that these consequences create.

Consider Hebrews 4:14-16 [NASB]

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Never underestimate the power of God’s mercy and grace!

Jesus was tempted just as we are! He understands the power of our opposition! And He does not leave us without resources!

RECEIVING MERCY

The Hebrew word for mercy, chesed, signifies lovingkindness and covenant loyalty. God’s mercy is not earned; it is freely given out of His lovingkindness, even when people are unworthy or faithless.

RECEIVING GRACE

God’s grace is fundamentally His benevolence, love, and mercy extended to people who do not deserve it [that's us!]. It is not earned by human effort or good works but is a free gift from God, reflecting His loving character and generosity (Ephesians 2:8-9).

NOW – the above verse from Hebrews tells us that “…we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

As a result of this,…let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

SUMMARY

Even when we have sinned and are dealing with the consequences of our sin, we can still have hope because of the immeasurable goodness of a God who sympathizes with our weakness and – in spite of our sinful thoughts, words, actions – stands ready to offer us His lovingkindness [mercy] and patience [grace] to enable us to recover and restore His kingship in our lives! 

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Thanks be to God for His lovingkindness and faithfulness in rescuing us from the powerful influence of sin in our lives!

 

God sees us!

God understands our weakness!

God forgives us!

God restores us!

 

AND,

God offers us mercy and grace as we deal with the consequences of the dreadful impact of our sinfulness!

 

MAY GOD’S NAME BE FOREVER PRAISED!

AMEN!

ALL THE DISCIPLES CUT AND RAN!

In John 13-16, we find Jesus giving His final teaching message to His apostles (minus Judas). Much of what He shares in this late evening session is new information that He has not mentioned before! There seems to be an urgency in His delivery as He recognizes that this is His final lesson before His crucifixion!

He concludes this teaching time by emphasizing the fact that He came into this world directly from His Father! We celebrated that a little over two months ago! Now, however, Jesus wants them to understand that He will soon be returning to His Father!

Here are His words: [John 16:28 All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted]

"First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."

The response of the eleven is noteworthy:

"His disciples said, 'Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk - no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything - it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God.'"
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Words are easily spoken! As we read this, we breathe a sigh of relief! "Ahhh, they finally GET IT!"

And then Jesus continues to speak and our assurance wilts:

"Do you finally believe?"

"In fact, you're about to make a run for it - saving your own skins and abandoning me." [vs. 31-32]

Jesus knows that in a very short time, He will be arrested in the very garden where they are talking. He also knows that in that moment, His followers will flee into the darkness to save their lives - LEAVING JESUS TO BE ARRESTED!!!

But before this happens, Jesus prays very specifically for the apostles. It's an intimate prayer! It's opening words are:

"Father, it's time."

Jesus surrenders Himself to His Father! His heart breaks with compassion! He prays for His followers, even "those also who believe in Me through their word" - THAT'S US!
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John does not tell us about the apostles fleeing into the darkness that night - perhaps he was too ashamed to admit it?

Matthew, however, does admit it [26:56]: "Then all the disciples cut and ran."

So does another younger man who has apparently been quietly following them - eavesdropping on these precious teaching moments. We can deduce that his name was John Mark - who later associated closely with Peter and gave us the Gospel of Mark [probably the first gospel to be written].

Without identifying himself, he tells his story in his own gospel account: [Mark 14:50-52]

"All the disciples cut and ran. A young man was following along. All he had on was a bedsheet. Some of the men grabbed him but he got away, running off naked, leaving them holding the sheet."

JESUS KNEW ALL ALONG THAT THEY WOULD ABANDON HIM! And yet, He loved them and prayed for them!
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That's grace! Amazing grace!

Thank Him today for His patience with you!

We have all denied Him at one point or another!

We have all failed Him or refused to obey His commandments.

We have all chosen sin over obedience!

And yet - HE LOVES US STILL!

Thanks be to God, our gracious Lord, and the Holy Spirit! Amen!

JUST AS I AM

The hymn by this name was for decades, the traditional ‘Invitation Hymn’ of the evangelical church in America.

Having been raised in a conservative, Wesleyan church, it was used to invite people [typically] to come forward to an altar where they would kneel and pray to receive Christ into their lives.

IT’S HISTORY:

At the age of 32 [1821], Charlotte Elliott [of London, England] suffered a serious illness that left her a semi-invalid for the rest of her life. Within a year she went through a spiritual crisis and confessed to the Swiss evangelist Henri A. Cesar Malan that she did not know how to come to Christ. He answered, "Come to him just as you are." Thinking back on that experience twelve years later, in 1834, she wrote a poem titled: “Just as I Am" as a statement of her faith.

The original tune, "Woodworth", was written by William B. Bradbury, and was published in 1849. The "Woodworth" tune was first used for another hymn and then Thomas Hastings adapted Bradbury's tune for "Just as I Am" years later.

Just as I am - without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - though toss'd about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

This song became an altar call song in the Billy Graham crusades in the latter half of the twentieth century. Graham used the title of the hymn as the title of his 1997 book - Just as I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham.

 

MY MEMORIES

This hymn was traditionally used at almost every revival meeting in my home church and also at ‘Camp Meeting’ every July.

There were others, of course, but this was the one most commonly used.

It’s powerful words and alluring tune had an influential impact on those who sang it.

Growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, we teens came to make a bit of fun of this hymn. Evangelists were famous for saying – as they extended the ‘altar call’ – let’s just sing one more verse.

Sometimes – to a teenager – it seemed that these ‘invitation appeals’ went on forever! I must confess that we snickered in the back of the sanctuary and made guestimates of how many more times we’d “sing another verse”!

The end of the service at Camp Meeting was filled with drama.

Sometimes, old ‘Harvey’ would let loose with his famous “Wooohooo”. It tickled us to see people jump when he did it!

There were a few little old ladies who would occasionally take off across the front of the sanctuary waving a hankie, crying and shouting “Glory to God!”

Occasionally, the district superintendent or evangelist would walk the aisles of the tabernacle and extend a personal invitation to come forward and pray! Even some of the older ‘saints’ would sometimes slip into the pew with someone and ask if they’d like to go forward to pray.

Sometimes we’d sing three or four ‘invitation hymns’ in a row. This part of the service could easily go on for half-an-hour or more. 

You may be thinking that I’m being cynical, but hey, we were teens! Just remember that there were a lot of times that we went forward during those altar calls and began the process of cementing our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. During many of those services we felt the drawing of the Holy Spirit and responded. 

Actually, I’m writing this blog because sixty years later I get up every morning and spend hours reading and studying the Bible. It is my favorite time of the day – long before most people have even begun to stir. I never tire of this practice. I’m always finding new thoughts and perspectives.

Just today I was reading II Samuel 7 [in The Message Bible] where God initiates a covenant with David through his prophet, Nathan. It’s a pretty attention-getting passage:

[God speaking to Nathan] “So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I’m making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth...  Finally, I’m going to give you peace from all your enemies.

“Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He [Solomon] will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule permanently. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I’ll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I’m keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid.”

Nathan gave David a complete and accurate account of everything he heard and saw in the vision.

King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: “Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? But that’s nothing compared to what’s coming, for you’ve also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master God! What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am.

[II Samuel 7:8-20 TM]

Now I’m well aware that this was not in Charlotte Elliot’s mind when she wrote her poem!  I’m not suggesting that this was the source material for this great hymn!

However, at the same time I couldn’t read these words without noticing them! 

David – King David – is overwhelmed with the honor that God is bestowing on him. “Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured.”

David was well aware of his humanity. Just three chapters later, we’ll find him sinning with Bathsheba!

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It’s a pretty incredible message for all of us!

God knows us just as we are! He knows our weakness and our frailty. He knows that we’re “Prone to wander – prone to leave the God I love”.*  Yet still He accepts us, redeems us, and provides for us far beyond what we deserve!

That – my friends – is AMAZING GRACE!

 

*  From the hymn: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

ABUSING GRACE - GUILTY!

We used to call it backsliding. That term comforted us because it made it seem like it was something that happened outside of our will and decision. That was, of course, never the case! We just don’t like to take responsibility for our missteps! Such a kind word – missteps. It doesn’t sound bad at all. We’ were just walking along and suddenly – we misstepped!

It was an accident! We didn’t mean to do it! It just sort of happened.

But, in reality, it was an act of our will! We can use all the user-friendly language we want to make it sound innocuous – but it was sheer rebellion in most cases.

I knew what I was doing! Sometimes I even thought it through so thoroughly that I knew I was defying God, but – after all – I could always seek His forgiveness and kick in the I John 1:9 caveat! [Paraphrase: If I confess my sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.]

Voila! I’m clean again! Assured of Heaven!

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For those few of us who can admit that we’ve actually had thought processes like this, what a horrible presumption! How dare we try to 'play' God! Do we think He isn’t aware of this game? Do we think He isn’t all that concerned about our dalliance with sin? [Imagine God saying] “It’s ok, Hal. I see what you’re doing here and it really doesn’t bother Me that you’re playing frivolously with my grace!”

ARE YOU KIDDING?

God doesn’t like it when we play with His grace!

What a great time to reflect on the corruption and fickleness of the Old Testament children of Israel.

Their unfaithfulness and persistent rebellion is notorious!  Remember that God eventually had His own Temple destroyed by the Babylonians and watched as His people were carried away to Babylon – where they resided for the next seventy years!  All this took place after years of warnings from God’s prophets!

This is the whole story of the Old Testament: a rebellious people whose story ended without any authentic resolution! Their sinfulness triggered the end of the Old Covenant and revealed the need for a New Covenant!

But we think we can repeat the behavior of the Israelites and God will be okay with that!

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We know this! God loves and rewards FAITHFULNESS!

That’s why He was so pleased with Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David [despite his well-known flaws], Samuel, and a whole host of prophets – even including some kings of Judah!

God is looking for those who will be faithful – not those who manipulate His grace!

Why not just stop it? Stop what?

How about this sin – repent, sin – repent, sin – repent, sin – repent pattern that has dominated your adult life for far too long!

Lay a firm foundation!

Consecrate yourself to a commitment!

Change your patterns!

Resolve to be God’s man or woman!

Conquer sin instead of playing with it!

It likely begins with a prayer like the following:

Kind and gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

I’ve abused Your grace!

I’ve done it over and over – beyond counting!

It’s become a pattern in my life!

I know this displeases You!

I’m sorry!

Genuinely sorry!

But today – You’ve gotten my attention!

I want to be done with this atrocious behavior.

I don’t want to plan to sin…

or deliberately abuse Your wonderful grace!

I want to be an example of faithfulness.

I want to please You!

I know that I’ll always need forgiveness.

All of us do!

But I want to stop these thought-through,

fully aware of what I am doing,

playful flirtations with SIN!

I’ve disappointed You!

I’ve hurt You!

I’ve tried to use You!

I can do better.

I want to do better.

I plan to do better,

Though Your grace and help!

May my life and light shine for You!

AMEN! 

"Oh No!" I sinned, but I didn't intend to!

Part of my reading for this morning was Hebrews 9. It's a lengthy chapter and - to be honest - I fell asleep four or five times while reading it. Needless to say, it is NOT an exciting chapter. It compares the 'Old Covenant' to the 'New Covenant', comparing their similarities and noting their significant differences. Don't get me wrong, it's essential truth and vital for the established believer to understand; however, it is not action-oriented or memorable.

HOWEVER, there is always something new to be observed or learned - right?

While talking about the 'Old Covenant' the author writes:

But only the high priest could go into the second room, and he did that only once a year. He could never enter the inner room without taking blood with him, which he offered to God for himself and for sins the people did without knowing they did them. 

[All quotes from the NCV unless otherwise noted.]

Did you catch it?

The high priest entered the inner room [the Holy Place] only once a year and when he did so, he offered God blood to cover his own sins and the sins the people did without knowing they did them.

God had covered all of the bases - even in the 'Old Covenant'.  

God knew the weaknesses of humanity. He knew that people would end up sinning inadvertently. He knew that they would mindlessly, without thinking, unintentionally, while distracted and on automatic-pilot - say, do or think things that would be displeasing to Him!

So - once-a-year, God provided for a way to cover sins that fell in this category! Imagine the general feeling of relief felt by the people on the Day of Atonement! A clean slate!

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But, what about those of us who live under the 'New Covenant'?

Have similar provisions been made for our unintentional, mindless sins?

There is much that could be said on this topic, but let me try to distill some basic truth.

1. First and foremost is the reality of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life!

In John 16:8-11, Jesus teaches that part of the Holy Spirit’s role is to convict the world of sin.

I Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” [NKJV].  Therefore, believers have the Holy Spirit living within them!

So, when we sin inadvertently, the Holy Spirit – living within us – is able to immediately make us aware that we have violated God’s holy ways.

That’s when we fall back on the believer’s bar of soap:

I John 1:9 [NIV]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

This describes what many Christ-followers have come to refer to as ‘walking with God’! He is always with us – no matter where we are! His grace is available to us 24/7!!!!!!

But, theologians believe there is even more…

2.    They use a theological term to describe it – Prevenient Grace!

It has been put forward by many noted theologians, but has become a hallmark of Wesleyan theology. Simply put, it is considered the grace that goes before!

I have friends that would be far abler to describe this in deep terms, but I’ll try to give a simple explanation:

It represents a firm belief in the prevalence of God’s grace!  Consequently, His grace is so persistent that it even goes before us!

One example would be the discussion about the age of accountability. At what point does a child become responsible for his/her sin? And, if there is an age when they do become accountable for their sin, what about the sins they commit before they reach that age?

I don’t care to discuss these questions here, but simply use them to give us a basis for understanding prevenient grace!

The grace that goes before [prevenient grace] is a way of understanding how God can accept a child who sins without knowing fully or understanding fully that it is displeasing to God!  It is a manifold expression of the goodness and kindness of God! 

If we can accept this plausible situation, then it is also a small step for us to believe that God’s marvelous grace also may go before us in cases of inadvertent sins! 

These might be represented as times when our guard is down, when we’re overly weary and depleted, when we’re depressed, when we’re remarkably stressed, etc., etc..

Is it so hard to believe that our amazing God would care so much for us that He would create a special provision for those who follow Him closely and seriously?

Is it a stretch to think that – out of His great love for us – He would create a caveat of grace that would go before us to secure our commitment of faithfulness to Him?

The fourth verse of the most famous hymn of all time [Amazing Grace] seems to speak of this kind of grace:

The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

It seems perfectly fitting to me that the depths of His measureless grace are so designed to go ahead of His most committed and faithful followers to protect them from the effects of incidental sins.

If He made provision for them in His ‘Old Covenant’, wouldn’t He likewise make provision for them in His ‘New Covenant’?

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Kind and Gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Thank You for manifesting Your amazing, marvelous, generous, free, abundant, prevenient, wonderful, matchless grace!

How like You to make such a provision for us!

We don’t want to take advantage of Your grace!

However, we are SO THANKFUL for it!

Where would we be without it?

We don’t deserve it – we’re well aware of that!

It is clearly a gift You provide for us as a result of Your benevolence and love!

Our part seems to be two-fold:

First to be grateful for Your provision!

Second, to not take unhealthy advantage of Your provision!

Help us in both of these areas, Gracious God –

That we might honor Your purposes and enter into Your eternal rewards!

AMEN.

A CREATIVE WAY TO MAKE GOD ANGRY

It's an odd thought, huh?  

I noticed something this morning while reading Hosea 8.  Here's what I read:   [All references are from The Voice Bible unless otherwise noted.]

"Because Ephraim [Israel] paid tribute money to other nations [Assyria] instead of depending on Me, I'm going to gather them up and send them into exile..."  [v.10]   

Three verses later we see just how angry and disappointed God is:

"I am not pleased with them.  I'll remember their guilt and punish their sins:  they'll return to slavery in Egypt."  [v.13]

Hmmmmm...God wants us to depend on Him!  

When we turn to other sources for deliverance and/or protection, He is not pleased with us!   He is so not pleased with us that He punishes us?  

So much for the age of independence! 

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So, do you depend on God?

Do you turn to Him first when things are falling apart?

Have you turned your financial distress over to God?  Seriously!

How about the problems you're having with your teens?  

Or, your dissatisfaction with life?

Or, your chronic depression?

Maybe you should turn to God with your addiction issues?

Perhaps your marriage is disappointing - or failing.  Have you considered depending on God?

Maybe your child is dealing with gender confusion.  Do you suppose the God who made him/her might be able to help?

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Ever kind and ever-loving God,

Forgive us for being so independent - it seems to be the American way.  By my persistence in turning in every direction but Yours for help, I've revealed my lack of faith in You!  

Can You forgive me?  Will You forgive me?  I'm truly so sorry!  

Because of my stubbornness, my situation has become worse!  I am more desperate now than I was before!  But You've got my attention!  I realize that You've been watching all along - how embarrassing for me!  You've been standing ready to release Your resources, wisdom, peace, grace, direction, and help all along and I've been obstinately ignoring You!  I weep with regret!  

I open myself to You and Your endless creativity and resources, Lord!  That's right - I want You to be the Lord of my life!  I trust You!  I yield to Your ways!  I lean on You - right now!  

By Your unfathomable grace - please come to my aid!  And help me to NEVER be stubborn again!

For the Kingdom's sake, Amen

GOD'S FAVOR

When we speak of God's favor, we are not saying that God plays favorites!  Rather, we are talking about a person who chooses to live deliberately in such a way that is pleasing to God.  By exhibiting this faithfulness to God, He responds with favor in their lives - or, we might say, by blessing them!

God honors those who are intentionally faithful in living their lives in a way that is pleasing to Him!  

Do you want the favor and blessing of God in your life?  Live an honorable life heeding the scripture and regarding the principles and guidelines He has laid out so plainly for us in His Word!  

Joseph's storyline may be the best illustration of this in the Bible.

He is an innocent boy who is a bit too self-focused when his brothers fake his death and sell him to a group of traders heading for Egypt.  When they arrive, Joseph is sold to a man named Potiphar who oversees the Pharoah's household.  

As it turned out, GOD was with Joseph and things went very well with him.  He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master.  His master recognized that GOD was with him, saw that GOD was working for good in everything he did.  [Genesis 39:2-3  TM]

This is a picture of the favor of God!

Many are familiar with this story.  Potiphar's wife tries repeatedly to seduce Joseph, but he stands strong seeking to honor Potiphar and God!  Eventually, she grabs him by the coat and insists that he sleep with her.  He leaves his coat in her hand and runs from the house.  Jilted, she screams and claims that he tried to rape her.  Potiphar comes quickly and is naturally furious - believing his wife's report.  He places Joseph in the jail that holds the king's prisoners.  

But there in jail GOD was still with Joseph:  He reached out in kindness to him;  he put him on good terms with the head jailer.  The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners - he ended up managing the whole operation.  The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because GOD was with him;  whatever he did GOD made sure it worked out for the best.   [Genesis 39:21-23  TM]

Wouldn't you like to have that kind of favor working in your life?

Joseph's life is not the only example of God's favor;  there are many others.  When's the last time you read Psalm 1?

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.

They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper.

But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly.

For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom.   [TLB}

APOSTLE PAUL CHALLENGES US

 Reading II Corinthians 6:1-13 yesterday was an inspiring experience.  I’m copying it here in case you’d like to review it:

6 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For he says,

‘In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.’

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s hardships

³ We put no stumbling-block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

¹¹ We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹² We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. ¹³ As a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts also.

Paul opens with an exhortation to not receive God’s grace in vain.  I believe he also talks about this in I Corinthians 15:10, where he refers to doing so as wasted grace.  The Apostle wants us to maximize our faith as he clearly sought to do in his life!  After all, God has gone to great depths to pursue us, redeem us and empower us;  we should, therefore, seek to be all we can be for Him and His Kingdom! 

Yet, ‘losing our first love’ [Revelation 2:4] is so common.  In speaking to the Laodicean church [Revelation 3:16] Jesus indicates how repugnant lukewarm followers were to Him!  Then He goes on – in both passages – to demand repentance and to speak of rebukes and disciplines for those who continue to waste the grace of God. 

It makes you wonder how much of the pain and opposition we face is really God-initiated to try to bring us to repentance?  He – far more than the apostle Paul – wants us to MAXIMIZE our faith.  Doing so will bring us great blessings of peace, joy and in some cases, plenty. 

So, according to Paul’s admonition, how do we fully implement God’s great grace?

By staying faithful to God:

·        By exercising endurance in difficult times including trouble, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments – even riots.  Enduring hard work, sleepless nights – even hunger.

·        By maintaining purity, understanding, patience and kindness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as an expression of sincere love!  Through truthful speech and manifesting the power of God using the weapons of righteousness in our right hand and in the left! 

·        In times of honor and dishonor, bad report and good report – always being genuine, regardless of how others treat us.  Feeling, at times, like we might die – but pressing on toward eternal life in Christ!

·        Pushing forward through times of persecution and great sorrow;  even poverty, if necessary – knowing that ultimately we will gain a great reward that will last for all eternity! 

You surely see that this runs counter to what we hear and see in our culture.  This is the theology of a servant – to exist to serve and bless others.  This requires a CONSTANT denying of oneself while prioritizing the needs of those God brings us into contact with on a daily basis. Doing so will earn a great reward as well as an eternity of purpose, peace and joy!  It will be worth it all!  

Kind and Gracious Lord,

The only thing we feel that we’re good at is falling short of Your expectations for us.  Once again, we appeal to You for forgiveness and the strength to do better!

Your Call is a call to go beyond ourselves:  our wants and desires – and to be servants of those you cause us to interface with daily. 

Your patience with us amazes us!  You should have washed Your hands of us long ago, but You persevere in seeking to perfect us.  We have experienced no love greater than Yours!

So, we pray:

Make me a servant, humble and meek;

Lord, let me lift up those who are weak;

And may the prayer of my heart always be:

Make me a servant, make me a servant,

Make me a servant today.*

Amen.

*   [song by Kelly Willard]

LEARNING THE HARD WAY

II Chronicles 33 tells us about Manasseh's life.

His father, Hezekiah, had been King of Judah for twenty-nine years.  Hezekiah had been a good, God-serving king!

Manasseh became king when he was twelve years old.  That means he was born when his dad was forty-two years old.  Although we have no details, Manasseh chose to rebel against his father's values - and therefore against God.

The Bible describes him as follows:
v.2  -  ...it was an evil reign, for he encouraged his people to worship the idols of the heathen nations...
v.9  -  ...Manasseh encouraged the people...to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land.

But here's the critical line: 
v.10  -  Warnings from the Lord were ignored by both Manasseh and his people.

So:
v.11  -  ...God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains and carted him away to Babylon.