Monthly Archives: June 2023

That They May See

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2 Kings 5-7

O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see. (2 Kings 6:20)

Are you praying this prayer every day? Our society has been blinded by the darkness of sin. But do we understand that our “society” is made up of individuals: men and women, boys and girls, people of all ages with eternal souls?

O Lord, open the eyes of the bearded man pretending to be a woman, the child being mutilated in the name of choice, the doctor, the parents, the angry teenager and self-absorbed thirty-something. Open the eyes of legislators, teachers, pastors, and professors. Open the eyes of the people in my family and neighborhood.

Elisha didn’t pray for the army. He prayed for the people who made up the army. I think Satan doesn’t want us to pray for the hearts of individuals. We are more removed from the issue if we pray for society, or the Church, or government, or education.

But do you pray for child’s teacher by name? The mayor of your town? Your state’s governor, Senators, Representatives by name? Do you pray that God will open the eyes of Joe Biden?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t pray for the Church or society or the world. But let’s not stop there. Let’s make it personal and, like Elijah pray for the individuals who make up those groups, too.

O Lord, open the eyes of these men and woman that they may see.

Worse Case Scenario

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1 Kings 18

Obadiah cracked me up today. Elijah had told him to go to King Ahab and tell the king that Elijah was in town. Now, Obadiah knew Ahab was determined to kill God’s prophets. He knew Elijah had just made the prophets of Baal look ridiculous. Elijah’s presence wouldn’t be welcomed by Ahab.

Then Obadiah began to ramble, thinking of the worse case scenario.

“If I do this, what if God decides to transport you away? I tell Ahab you are here, he comes to kill you and you’re gone. He’s going to be furious. He’ll look at me and think I lied. Then he’ll kill me instead. I’ve loved you, Elijah. I love God. I saved 100 prophets Ahab wanted dead. Now you ask me to go and tell him you are here. He’ll kill me.”

I laugh because I can imagine Obadiah’s panic and I relate. Many times my first reaction is to think of all the things that could go wrong. But here’s the difference:

Obadiah went to Ahab with Elijah’s message. Obadiah obeyed.

I have been known on more than one occasion to lie in bed at night and go over every worse case scenario concerning something God is asking me to do. I can see the failure in front of my eyes, rehearse the lines, and know for sure the sorry outcome in my mind. Then in the morning, I can go on my merry way, ignoring God’s call.

Obadiah obeyed. His fears didn’t come true. And that’s the lesson I believe God would have me learn today.

How Can I Help?

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2 Chronicles 10

The history of God in Old Testament Israel emphasizes how things can drastically change from one generation to the next. There just is no guarantee that when the older generation passes the torch, the younger generation will carry on with the same values, even if they are raised by God-loving and God-fearing parents.

We talked about that in Sunday School yesterday. Parents do their best. But their children choose for themselves what they will believe and how they will live their lives.

So what do we do? Is there an expiration date on parenting?

“My kid’s 18. I can relax now.”

If you’re a parent, you know that’s not true. If your parents are alive, you know that’s not true for them, either. You never stop being the parent.

But what about the Church? Does there come a time when we who are retired from our jobs and might not have the energy we once had, are free to just sit back and observe, put our feet up and let things fall as they may? I sure hope not.

And I don’t believe that’s what God intends, according to Scripture.

Rehoboam went to the old timers who had counseled his father Solomon for advice. They gave sound advice to the young king. But Rehoboam rejected it, and Israel suffered for it.

Two things about this:

  1. Rehoboam went to them. Where do we want our young people going for advice? Do they know they can come to us? How do they know that? Maybe it’s up to us to connect with them in ways they’ll know they can trust us, and want to get our spin on things. Sure maybe they, like Rehoboam, won’t take the advice. But maybe they will.
  2. The advisors told Rehoboam the truth. It wasn’t what he wanted to hear. But the advisors didn’t change the message just to please the king.

I don’t know about you, but I think if the next generation is that which is portrayed in the news, we are fighting a losing battle. But then I look around at the young people in my church, in the neighborhood where I live, in my own family, and I realize THEY are the next generation.

I’m not ready to throw up my hands and say there is no hope. I see hope in their eyes. The question I’m asking myself today is:

How can I help?

Don’t Make The Same Mistake

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1 Kings 13

Once again I am reminded how dangerous it is to believe everything you hear. The prophet heard from a man claiming to be a prophet, that God had changed His mind. The prophet believed what the man claiming to be a prophet said. And the prophet died.

There are many people claiming to be what they are not: experts, authorities, messengers of truth. But they are nothing more than evil liars, knowingly and unknowingly.

They speak convincingly about gender issues, about loving America, about when life begins, systemic racism, Marxism and socialism, and about how foolish you have to be to believe the Bible.

They even re-write the Bible to defend their depravity. They take over our pulpits and classrooms. They flaunt their sin, demanding everyone bow at their altar of sin. They hijack our stores, our TV shows, our news media, and our government. Then they persecute those who dare to speak against their agenda.

The prophet we read about today made a fatal error. He didn’t go to God to find the Truth. He simply accepted what was told him.

Don’t make the same mistake. Yes, the voices are loud. Yes, they can sound convincing and make you think you’ve been wrong all along. That’s why you have got to go to God for the Truth.

Read the Bible for yourself, asking God to reveal Truth. Then read it again. Study it. Dig deeper. Pray over it. Don’t take my word, or the word of your pastor for it. Don’t listen to the TV preacher or read your favorite “Christian” author. READ GOD’S OWN WORDS.

God IS Truth. He lovingly provided the tangible access to the Truth in the Scriptures He inspired. Why would you believe anything or anyone else?

The prophet died because he simply believed what he was told. Don’t make the same mistake.

Guard Your Steps

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Ecclesiastes 5

Guard your steps when you go into the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifices of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. (5:1)

Verses like these make me question the popular notion that we should be inviting unsaved people to church. Do we cause them to do evil without their knowledge? Worship is reserved for God’s children, according to Scripture, isn’t it?

But his verse is also a warning to believers. I’m not sure Christians are generally reminded to prepare to meet God in worship. Oh, we’re told to sing, smile, and clap. “Give God a hand.” But I’m pretty sure the Bible declares those things the sacrifices of fools when coming from unrepentant hearts. And Scripture is clear that God does not accept worship from unrepentant hearts, no matter how loud we sing.

So the next time you have the privilege of gathering together with other believers to worship God, guard your steps. Instead of catching up with your friends, take time to sit quietly and allow God to speak to you about your heart’s condition. Confess sin. Surrender to Him. Offer your worship of Him from a cleansed and pure heart. We need to be reminded that if we don’t, according to Scripture, we are doing evil. I’m pretty sure none of us want to offer Him the sacrifices of fools.

He not only deserves our worship, He demands we worship Him according to His rules. I’m just suggesting we guard our steps when we go into His house.

Material For A Vessel

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Proverbs 25-29

Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel.” (Proverbs 25:4)

Dear Lord, take away the dross from my life. Burn and beat out the sin within me so that I can be a useful vessel in Your hands. I want nothing more than to be filled with Your Spirit and poured out in any way You can be glorified. So do what you need to do, Lord, to make me material for a vessel of Your choosing.

We Can Do Better

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Proverbs 7-12

Reading these proverbs today served to remind me how far removed our present society is from wisdom and righteousness. Whether it’s the false gospel being preached in some churches, the liberal left’s platform, the anti-Christ “woke” agenda, the LGBTQ abomination, the evil transgenderism attack on innocent children, we live in a world controlled by Satan.

I know some will say God’s in control. But I’m not sure we understand what that means.

Often in Scripture we see where God, in His sovereignty, gave up His control when men’s heart turned to evil. Make no mistake about it, it’s NOT God’s will that any child or adult, mutilate his or her body to pretend to change genders. It is NOT God’s will that there is rioting, murder, hatred, in our government, in our streets, and in our homes. Those things happen when we step OUTSIDE of God’s will.

That is the sovereignty of God. It offends me, and I believe it offends God when well-meaning Christians say God’s will will always be done in the world. Look around. Is this the God you know?

If God’s will is always done, then it was kind of ridiculous for Jesus to teach us to pray: “Thy will be done.” How unnecessary for Him to pray in the garden, “Thy will be done.” If for no other reason, Jesus’ prayers help me understand that God’s will isn’t a given.

Do we want God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven? Then we need to CHOOSE to obey Him. It’s our disobedience that results in Him giving us over to our sinful nature. That is a repeated truth in His Word.

Read Proverbs. Hear God explain over and over what wisdom is and where it comes from. Let Him tell you about righteousness and the consequences of rejecting righteousness. Choose wisdom. Choose obedience. Choose God’s will, and lovingly yet firmly stand up against sin that is so obviously controlling our society.

Your voice matters. Do you still think abortion is a matter of a woman’s control over her body? Do you still shop at Target? Do you still pay for Disney+, vacation at Disney World? Do you drink Bud Lite and buy Ford? Why?

Why participate in their blatant sin against God? Does that sound wise according to Scripture?

Come on, Church. We can do better. THAT’S God’s will.