“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭10‬ ‭

Redeemed ambition is one of the outward evidences of an inward spiritual change. We are born with a natural drive to prosper and succeed. Some have this drive more than others but all have it. We use the term ambition, dreams, drive and it's fundamental to how God created us. Unredeemed human ambition without exception is self-centered even in it's benign and outwardly altruistic forms. The western economic system of capitalism and the attendant pseudo-christian social order is based on a combination of cooperation and competition, or "coopetition", where we join others, or enlist others, or pay others, to help us fulfill our dreams. We are simply using others to fulfill ourselves.  

This is the underlying unspoken assumption in every family, employment, educational experience, social club; everything, no matter how altruistic on the surface is subject to how it's working for us. Every member of the Elect when they come to Christ see God as a means of achieving their own goal of a happy, prosperous life. We love God but it is a mercenary love meaning we love Him as long as the Lord helps us to progress and be satisfied according to our measure of progress and satisfaction. We are in the Lord's army as long as "we", meaning me, are (is) winning and we will silently begin to pursue other worldly options when we are not. We know this by our reaction of shock and disbelief when we appear to not be "winning". One day we are on cloud nine because we feel like we are "winning", the next we wonder if God doesn't love us anymore or maybe we don't want to love God anymore because we had a bad day, meaning we feel that are not "winning".

The more mature may have a longer timeframe, maybe annual or decadal but they are likewise keenly aware of whether God is coming through for them on the pursuit of their goals. Mercenary love for God is an embarrassing reality until God makes a shift in our heart and mind. In our text, The sons of Korah capture the heart and mindset shift in a simple relative value statement "One day in your courts is better than a thousand [elsewhere]” (1:1000). The next is also a comparative to show their ambition "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God" where my job description is that of a menial servant who welcomes others to God's house. The doorkeeper owns nothing and does nothing of significance for one day but He has the privilege of presence; the doorkeeper gets to dwell with God all day. This is all the more poignant because Korah, their patriarch, was judged and destroyed by God because of his selfish ambition to take over the Aaronic priesthood instead of being content with His Levitical priestly role as a keeper of the tabernacle; the place where Israel was to meet with GodHol. These Psalmists would not be alive if their ancestors, the actual sons of Korah, had not separated from the wicked tent of their father.

These sons would rather serve others and get nothing for themselves if they gain the presence of God. The sons of Korah are making a bad choice from a mercenary point of view but exactly the right choice, the only choice, once God has changed our heart and God's presence is the most important thing to us by far. May we find great satisfaction and reward in the presence of the Lord in all that we do today.

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him." Hebrews 11:6 "To turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight always, not sometimes. God brings us into circumstances in order to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make its object real."  Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Oct 30

The Lord is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and He takes great delight in building our faith via the word of God and the exercising of our faith. Without physical exercise, there is no growth in physical muscle and without spiritual exercise there is no growth in the spiritual muscle of faith. Chambers is entirely correct when he says "to turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight always, not sometimes". Paul told young Pastor Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12).  A sedentary Christian is a weak Christian, one who is satisfied with growing in head knowledge without the struggle it takes to grow in heart knowledge.  

Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most inspiring stories of turning childhood physical frailty into robust physical and intellectual strength through exercise and hard work, gave a speech in 1910 entitled "The man in the arena".  In it he said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with dust and sweat; who strives valiantly; who errs and may fall again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming.” It is in the fiery fight that the refined gold of faith is found (1 Peter 4:12-13) and God has ordained it to be so. Are we laboring or lounging in our faith? The answer is predictive of our future.  

Jesus said to the self-satisfied lukewarm Laodicean Christians, "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous [energetic in action] and repent [of your lethargy]. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Revelation 3:18-21) Each correction given to the seven churches in Revelation was different but the pathway to repent was the same; "He who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on My throne". May the Lord strengthen our hearts to continue in the fight of faith that we might overcome every obstacle today.

"Many people do deliberately choose to be God’s workers, but they have nothing in them of God’s mighty grace, nothing of his mighty word. Unless we have the right things in our minds intellectually and the right things in our hearts affectionately, we will be useless to God...“I have chosen you.” Keep that note of greatness in your creed. It is not that you have got God, but that He has got you."  Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Oct 25

Chambers has described well the difference between someone who God has chosen versus someone who has chosen God. When God choses us, we are not our own any longer but we have been bought with a price, and our sole purpose is to "glorify God in our bodies" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. His work, becomes our work. If He doesn't enable us with the "right things in our minds intellectually and the right things in our hearts affectionately, then we are quite literally "useless to God". Useless is a shocking word; it is a  expansive word without equivocation. It's not that we are less effective, or less productive which would be a more polite, but incorrect way to say it.  

Useless is the right word even if it feels at first demeaning. It somehow becomes comforting after the initial shock because now we are "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) and not just people who chose to follow Christ who are trying their best to get other people saved and hopefully keep them saved. We are those who are walking with the Lord Jesus Christ in the victorious train of His captives (2 Corinthians 2:14), calling others who are also chosen to join us, to surrender all in order to find salvation in Him, until we all reach that heavenly city prepared in advance for His people, the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). May we rejoice that Christ has chosen us and now leads us in triumph by His grace in all we do today.

"Instead of God being on the side of our prejudices, he is deliberately wiping them out. It’s part of our moral education to have our prejudices pierced straight through by his providence." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, October 23

Chambers puts a finger on an important work God is doing in our lives to teach us how to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. He correctly uses the term prejudice because his writings (circa early 1900's) predate decades of cultural conditioning to make the word prejudice synonymous with racism - it's not. The word prejudice comes from the Latin term praeiudicium, meaning "prior judgment," which combines prae (before) and iudicium (judgment). Prejudice is prejudging so I will use that word to side-step our prejudice on the word prejudice. Prejudging stems from a basic human need to categorize and make quick judgments, often due to discomfort with ambiguity and uncertainty. Our previous experiences help us understand and interact with new people and adapt to new circumstances. We prejudge everyday, all day and it is healthy to do so.

The problem with prejudging is our lack of self-awareness and when it is accompanied by bitterness or fear toward a group of people or certain situations because of a painful past experience. Some prejudge strong male authority figures because of a bad experience with their father or a absent father growing up. Rarely does this type of prejudging get much exposure but it's actually far more debilitating than a racial prejudice simply because strong men are everywhere, often in leadership positions because of their God-given temperament and calling. Others have prejudices to close, interconnected relationships because of a high need for control in an attempt to avoid painful experiences or rejection from the past. Some people may have negative attitudes towards churches for "fear of being hurt", often based on only a few bad experiences many years ago. It is impossible to have close relationships without being hurt but we proceed knowing the rewards far outweigh the risks.

The Lord puts his finger on a particular area we are prejudging when it becomes detrimental to our spiritual growth. The Lord said to the prophet Samuel when he looked favorably on Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, as the future king. "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The Bible gives us insight into Samuel's thoughts as he was prejudging. His thought process went something like this: Israel's current King Saul was tall, most heathen kings were tall (term "king-sized" describes a real phenomenon), therefore the Lord would naturally choose the tallest of Jesse's sons. It was a reasonable conclusion but completely wrong in this circumstance. God chose the smallest, youngest and least significant son - David.  Walking in the Spirt means we must be willing to look beyond our past experiences, the very basis of prejudging, and hear what the Lord is saying right now about what we are experiencing. What areas of prejudging is God pointing out in you? May the Lord give us courage to be led by the Spirit of God that we live as full sons of God (Romans 8:14)

“Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬-‭3‬

Agrippa II, known as Marcus Julius Agrippa II  son of  Agrippa the Great or Herod Agrippa and great grandson of Herod the Great (mentioned in the birth of Christ (Matthew 2) Agrippa had both a Jewish and Roman identity which enabled him to intercede on behalf of the Jews with the Roman authorities and gave some Jews a hope for the restoration of an independent Jewish kingdom.

Paul is giving his salvation testimony but he is also legally testifying to the most important leader in Judea along with other leaders and dignitaries. Paul is in the prime of his ministerial life (in his 60's), and carries within him the spiritual DNA of the New Testament Church. Sometimes it's hard to understand why God would choose to imprison such a prolific church planter, worker of miracles, mentor to leaders, brilliant theologian, and arguably one of the greatest men who ever lived. The Roman legal process became Paul's platform to preach the gospel to the Elite, their administration and their military. Acts 26 captures a poignant example of preaching the gospel to Jewish and Roman leaders, and describes the legal means to reach the Emperor himself. As much as the gospel is to the poor (Luke 4:18, Matthew 11:5, Luke 6:20), God cares about the wealthy and ruling class.  

Not many of the elite are able to humble themselves in order to receive Jesus as Savior (1 Corinthians 1:26-30), but the Lord has chosen that the gospel be preached to everyone regardless of their receptivity to demonstrate his mercy and  justice. The Bible does record the Lord calling the Elect from amongst the elite. Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin (Matthew 15:43) who provided Jesus' burial tomb. Zacchaeus, the tax collector repented and made restitution after encountering Jesus (Luke 19:1-10). Lydia, a wealthy seller of purple goods, was noted for her faith and hospitality towards the early church in her large home (Acts 16:14-40). And there are others. Paul's legal troubles  provided an all-expenses paid trip to Rome while preaching the gospel to leaders and dignitaries that he would not otherwise be able to reach. Prison also required Paul to write lengthy letters to churches and leaders he was mentoring which is why we have two-thirds of the New Testament Bible. May we see every occasion, good and bad, as an opportunity to give glory to God that some might be saved.

And he called for two centurions, saying, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;
and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor." Acts 23:23-24

In Acts 23:23-35 Paul is transferred from Jerusalem to Caesarea after a plot to kill him is uncovered. I love how the sovereignty of God uses adverse circumstances to advance the Gospel. Despite being imprisoned, Paul continues to witness to Roman authorities, fulfilling his mission to bring the message of Christ to Gentile leaders that he would otherwise have had no opportunity to reach. Paul is given an escort fit for a king - riding on a horse under the protection of 470 Roman soldiers, all courtesy of the Roman government. Caesarea was a prominent city that served as the Roman administrative capital of Judea. Herod's Judgment Hall, also known as the Praetorium, was a place where Roman officials conducted legal proceedings. As far as Roman prisons go, this was top-of-the-line. Paul was untouchable by the Jews while he was given a platform to share the gospel with the most prominent Roman and Jewish leaders. What difficult circumstances are we experiencing that are actually tremendous opportunities for advancement in disguise?

We pray for the Lord to save our lost loved ones or some other significant advancement, but the unspoken condition is that we want the Lord do it in a way that is comfortable to our flesh and makes sense to our way of thinking. God purchased through the death of Christ unconditional access to our lives and He aims to use it for His glory (1 Cor 6:19-20). God is always good, but the process often doesn't feel good or look good. May the Lord open our spiritual eyes that we may see the hand of God through everything (the good, the bad and the ugly) in our lives.

“Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”“And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.”‭‭ II Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬

Here we see an extraordinary battle of wills between a rebellious and wicked King Ahaziah and the man of God, the prophet Elijah who speaks the true word of the Lord. Elijah has covertly intercepted the King's emissaries who have gone to inquire of Baal-Zebub (literally Lord of the Flies, which translates to Lord of filth and death) the god of Ekron (Philistine city whose name means "uprooting" or "extermination") whether Ahaziah will recover. The name Baal-Zebub is a play on words with the idol's real name Baal “zebul” (prince, exalted one). The intended irony is Ahaziah asking a god of death about whether he will live.  

Ahaziah was raised with idolatry imported into Northern Israel by his Sidonian mother, Queen Jezebel. Elijah answers the King's question, "Will I recover?" with a "No!" and gives the answer to a question Azariah was not asking, the reason he will not recover (..."because [you think] there is no God in Israel so you decided to inquire of Baal-Zebub").  There is a subtle invitation to repent in providing the reason as Ahaziah would have recalled his father Ahab's repentance and the resulting mercy received after the very same Elijah condemned Ahab for executing Naboth to steal his vineyard (1 Kings 21). Ahaziah was born after Ahab's repentance and therefore was a child of that mercy. Sadly, the invitation was ignored.  Ahaziah obviously knew where to find Elijah, the one who he could have inquired of the Lord, because he later sent a commander with fifty men to him. The entire interaction is based on respect for a foreign idol and utter disrespect for the Lord, first by the King and then his captains.  

The Lord showed mercy to the third captain precisely because he demonstrated proper respect and humility in approaching Elijah. Here again we see how the Lord cares very deeply who we seek for wisdom regarding the future, how we do it and why we do it.  The underlying question is, "If the Lord is God, why are you treating Him and His chosen messenger with such disrespect?" The fear of the Lord is always connected to a fear of His messengers throughout the Old Testament (Genesis 18, Numbers 12), and into the New Testament (Acts 5:1-11, Acts 8:9, Acts 13:6-11).  We find with the mercy extended to the last captain that the issue is not with a vengeful Elijah but rather an "angel of the Lord" who is guiding Elijah's every response. God despises those who disrespect Him and His messengers and we would do well to reflect on this in our lives. We live in a nation that is irreverent and disrespectful of authority and this attitude has seeped into the Church. May we grow in the fear of the Lord as we near the day of His return,

“And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.” 
I Kings‬ ‭20‬:‭41‬-‭43‬

Ahab is considered the most wicked King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel while Manasseh is considered the most wicked king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  Ahab's reign is tragic in that God repeatedly sent prophets to this wicked King to enable him to have significant military victories, miraculous rain to end three years of drought, prophetic guidance along with multiple opportunities to repent. All these outpourings of grace never had a lasting influence. One of the reasons Ahab grew to be so wicked was all the Lord's corrections were met with worldly sorrow not godly sorrow.  

The Apostle Paul gives the distinction between these two types of sorrow "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter." (2 Cor 7:10-11).  The Bible is clear that there is a sorrowful emotional response in both cases but only godly sorrow produces a vehement public desire to see justice done. In other words, tears and sorrow are not enough, godly sorrow produces swift action that cares only that the sin is put right and cares little for decorum and reputation. Ahab was known for his sulky, sullen response when corrected or rebuffed (1 Kings 20:43, 1 Kings 21:4). Worldly sorrow is focused on the painful natural consequences of lost resources or diminished prospects while godly sorrow is focused on the painful spiritual consequences of a damaged relationship with the Lord and His people.  

Worldly sorrow produces slow spiritual death while godly sorrow produces growing spiritual life from the very same misdeeds. Ahab was trapped in a downward spiral leading to death because he reacted to every God-given opportunity to repent with lots of emotion but not lots of godly action. May the Lord give us a tender heart that is eager to see His justice done in everything we do today.

“Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.”‭‭ I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭17‬-‭18‬

Here is the classic "blame the messenger" or actually blame-shifting, as Ahab frames Elijah as the troubler of Israel rather than the one who is simply declaring God's judgment against Ahab's idolatry. Blame-shifting is an evasive tactic where someone redirects responsibility for their actions onto another person in an attempt to make the target feel guilty or ashamed. Blame-shifting feels so effortless to us because it is part of the fallen nature, yet it is extremely dangerous as it stops all true repentance. It turns the rightful pain of conviction into anger toward others.  

The first blame-shifting is found immediately after the fall with Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the serpent (devil) for their rebellion. The truth is Adam, Eve and the serpent were all guilty in different ways and each received their rightful judgment. Blame-shifting runs rampant in our world such that there's a hardening of hearts against repentance. Children blame their parents, spouses blame each other, students-parents blame their teachers, citizens blame their government, and (God forbid) congregations blame their pastors. The world is quite literally self-deceived by blame-shifting and we only become part of the problem when we try to make excuses for the sins of others. Elijah was having none of Ahab's evasive blame-shifting and correctly called Ahab the real troubler (literally one who brings disaster) of Israel by pointing directly to his idolatry. Elijah was demonstrating true (agape) love to Ahab and to Israel but I'm sure it didn't feel that way. He pointed to the only path to repentance and an end to the economic disaster caused by drought.

Proverbs 28:13 warns, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."  James 1:13-14 says don't try to blame God (or His Elect) for your sin  "Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." It is helpful to rate ourselves (1-10) on the tendency of blame-shifting and other forms of excuse-making and then take steps to walk in the light of God's word (1 John 1:7-9). Blame-shifting stalls our spiritual growth and the only solution is to accept reality and repent. May the Lord help us walk in the light as He is in the light and the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin.

“And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their Lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.” Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!”” ‭‭I Kings‬ ‭12‬:‭26‬-‭28‬
Jeroboam’s reign began with energy and opportunity. He had a significant promise from God through the prophet Ahijah: "that if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you" (1 Kings 11:38). Jeroboam had a God-given promise, just like David (!!!), to build a dynastic kingdom and yet fear crept into his heart and led to idolatry.

Fear is a primitive emotion hardwired into the human brain and is like an alarm system constantly scanning our environment for potential threats. Emotions are intended by our creator to make life rich and vibrant and they play a key role in our memory. A healthy dose of fear is a sign of maturity; without it we remain childish - a danger to ourselves and others. God wants us to have simple childlike faith (Matthew 18:3), not childish recklessness (James 1:19-20, 1 Cor 10:13). Fear can destroy a legitimate calling from God by choosing to trust in ourselves instead of the Lord. In this text, Jeroboam correctly identifies a real potential threat in the Jewish religious requirement for all men to travel to Jerusalem three times a year for joyous celebrations called feasts (Passover, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) (Exodus 23:14-17). Biblical history has shown that Israel is notoriously capricious with their leaders - one minute loyal and the next rebellious, ready to kill them (Ex 17:4, Num 14:4, 1 Sam 30:3-6, 2 Sam 15).

The threat of a slow rebellion caused by religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem is real but it's a test for Jeroboam to have faith in the promise of the Lord. Five words are the hinge to success or failure: "Therefore the king asked advice" Jeroboam knows Abijah the prophet who gave the original (unsolicited) prophetic word, is available because later he will send his wife in disguise to seek his counsel regarding his seriously ill child (1 Kings 14:1-3) but here he just "asked advice" of those nearby, likely people who were close friends and family. As a rule, wise counsel is extremely rare and takes effort to seek out. Foolish counsel is plentiful and we don't need to seek it out because it is readily volunteered without our asking. The buddy at work or the fellow spectator at a sportsball event is all-to-ready to offer advice on life's most delicate decisions if we give them ear (or even if we don't!).

In Christian circles, the danger of unwise counsel is even more pronounced because the opportunity for close contact is greater than for those outside the church. There is also an illusion of wisdom that goes with more Bible knowledge (Colossiana 2:23, Mark 7:6-8) or years in the faith but these are very different, albeit related things. Bible knowledge and church experience does not necessarily lead to wisdom. We need a rock-solid process on life's important decisions that should always include a trusted spiritual (ideally prophetic) voice and a requirement for deliberate (means act of weighing and examining, root word in deliberation), prayerful thinking. Jeroboam made a fatal mistake of seeking counsel from the wrong places in a time of fear and it doomed his reign and Israel to destruction. May the Lord help us grow into better decision-makers who walk by faith and not fear today.

“And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭22‬

Ahimaaz son of the high priest Zakok is a picture of enthusiasm unbridled by wisdom and discretion. Ahimaaz was successful as a messenger between Hushai and King David and he brought critical military intelligence about the inner counsel of the rebel Absalom (2 Samuel 17:15-22). Undoubtably, David rewarded the young man handsomely for his good service. Now Ahimaaz wants to run to bring news that is neither welcomed nor will gain him a reward. Joab rightfully chose a foreigner, a Cushite (Modern Sudan), to bring the good news of victory along with the bad that Absalom was dead. Ahimaaz's exuberance to use his outstanding ability to run and buoyed by his earlier success as a courier ignores Joab's guidance as he outruns the Cushite.  

Ben Franklin wisely wrote "Presumption first blinds a man, then sets him a running."  Surprisingly, Ahimaaz gives David news of the military victory but pretends not to know about what happened to Absalom despite Joab directly informing him that Absalom was dead. Presumption always leads to other vices, here lying to a man who is well known for his abilities to discern right from wrong (1 Samuel 25:32, 2 Samuel 14:17, 2 Samuel 18:12) and will most certainly later learn of the deception from his men. We are encouraged to be "zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14) but not to have "zeal without knowledge" that leads to carnal works (Romans 10:2). The first is energized by the Holy Spirit and the second by the flesh; wise counsel helps separate one from the other. May we join with David to pray  "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression." (Psalm 19:13)

"And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”‭‭ Acts‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬

Here is the simple Gospel, how we are saved, how we are healed and how we receive all things from God. "And His name, through faith in His name" is the reason but bystanders always want to credit some human ability. Peter addresses their wrong conclusion "why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" (Acts 3:12).  Re-directing the credit and praise toward Christ is important for the Elect to do, because people are desperate for something and someone to believe in. People will quickly put their faith in God's representative, the preacher of God's Kingdom or the agent of miracles instead of the Source of the miracles. If we order a gift for a loved one from an online retailer and have it delivered to their house, it's not the delivery guy who is the source of the gift, nor should he get any credit at all. The delivery guy is just doing the job he has been hired to do. It is the giver of the gift that gets all the credit and all the gratitude.  

Jesus made this point very clear to his disciples. "So likewise you, when you have done all those things (works of the Kingdom) which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ” (Luke 17:10)   We only say "look at us" to gain people's attention, to create a platform to preach about Jesus and His wonderful name. If the Elect leave this important point unaddressed, people will put their faith in them. It is not based on the Elect's power or godliness but in the name of Jesus, in His power and godliness that all miracles are possible. We passionately pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14) because it does impact the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives but we don't credit our holiness (Peter says godliness) for a miracle.

Otherwise, it subtly puts the attention back on human effort and can become a source of elitism and pride.  If God can use an unclean animal like a donkey (Leviticus 11) to get his message across to the disobedient prophet  Baalam (Numbers 22:21-39), He can use anyone, including the non-Elect to proclaim His Kingdom and perform miracles. We give all glory and honor to the Lord because we know that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights"  (James 1:17).  May the Lord help us give Him glory in all that we do today.

“And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭24‬

Here we see an extraordinary example of God leading David by using a sign. It is extraordinary because it is an unusual sign, "hear the sound of marching" with no similar sign given in Israel's history. It was also extraordinary in that the signal to attack is a very important and time sensitive directive. Normally the signal to attack is the sole prerogative of the field commander (here it is David) because timing is often the key to success or failure in battle (Joshua 8:21, Nehemiah 4:20, Judges 7:20). The Lord was making it clear to everyone that He was the ultimate commander of the armies of Israel that their faith would be in God and not in their new highly successful king. King Saul wanted everyone to look to him after his battle with the Amalekites so that he would get all the glory; the Lord was helping David not fall into the same trap.  

This was likely very humbling for David to have to tell his hardened troops who were putting their lives on the line against a much larger army that they had to wait for some unusual sign from the Lord. It also took great faith. Yet humility and faith are the very thing that attracts the presence of the Holy Spirit and sets the stage for the miraculous.  "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). May the Lord guide us into great victory in everything we do today.

“So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.”‭‭ I Samuel‬ ‭26‬:‭12

God gives Saul into David's hand, this time in a far more expansive way than in the time in the cave (1 Sam 24). In the cave, Saul was personally embarrassed because he was caught off guard but he still had the aide of his senses and his fighting men. There is nothing more frightening than awakening from a deep sleep to sudden, unexpected danger. Even the most hardened warrior instinctively recognizes their complete helplessness during sleep.  God humiliates not only Saul but his entire fighting force of three thousand men as they see their lives flash before their eyes when they realize how close they all came to death.    David particularly singles out Abner, the commander of his army, suggesting that he is part of those advising Saul to pursue David to eliminate the threat to the future of his kingdom.  This is supported by the fact that it is Abner who immediately installs Saul's son Ish-bothsheth on the throne after Jonathan and Saul are both killed in battle (1 Samuel 31).

Abner was Saul's near relative so he and his family would have traditionally been executed by any new King outside Saul's family as a way to establish their reign. Fear is a powerful motivator. It likes to masquerade as rational, but it never is. Humans process powerful emotions like fear in a different part of the brain than rational thinking so the presence of fear makes us quite literally not in our right mind. Fear is the devil's most powerful weapon for this reason.

Faith is the Elect's only means to conquer fear and the only grounds to make wise decisions. David promised covenant love to Saul's son Jonathan and he is in all things a covenant-keeping man. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in [covenant] love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment". The next part of the verse leaves no ambiguity about what fear does in the human heart. "But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." The Lord gives David the ability to demonstrate to everyone that Saul and Abner have nothing to fear nor anyone in Saul's family. The Lord also makes it clear that David is His anointed King and protected by His covenant love. May we walk by faith today knowing that the Lord's perfect love casts out fear.

“Then he [King Saul] also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭22‬-‭23‬

This text shows the Holy Spirit can overwhelm and ultimately control anyone at any time, friend or foe. Saul comes with murderous intent to destroy David before he can become king and before the birth of his son Solomon, the rightful heir of the messianic line of Christ. Saul's intentions are not only thwarted but he also prophesies, publicly declares the will of the Lord to everyone at the great well of Sechu, such that it became a proverb throughout Israel. "Is Saul also amongst the prophets?” (1 Samuel 19:24) is a way of expressing astonishment when a person acts in a way that is completely contrary to their known character; likely similar to our english sayings, "will wonders never cease?" or "you could have knocked me over with a feather”.  

The Bible doesn't say what Saul prophesied but it would be a poetic justice if Saul prophesied that David would be king, and that before Samuel and David as a moment of divine encouragement. The great well of Sechu is a significant landmark on the route between Saul's residence in Gibeah and the home of the prophet Samuel in Ramah. It is described as a cistern, a public place where there were people constantly coming and going and the place where Saul sought information about Samuel and David. The name Sechu means defense or bough (covering) and is linked to the Hebrew root sacha, meaning to worship or express intimacy.

The Lord is our protector and our covering in times of danger, when evil appears to be in ascendancy. The End Times is described as a time of great darkness, the height of Satan’s power but he is no match for Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. The devil and anyone aligned with him can do nothing that has not already been ordained for them.  May we rest under the shadow (bough) of the Almighty (Psalms 91:1) as our great Keeper watches over all that we do today.

“David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭39‬ 

The word "tested" refers to David's lack of experience with the armor and weapons which Saul gave him, indicating that he had not practiced or trained with them before attempting to wear them. This lack of familiarity made it difficult for him to move effectively in the armor. David's attempt to wear the armor showed humility and respect for his leader but it also showed that that it was too cumbersome for him. David went to battle without armor on the outside but he was fully protected by his spiritual armor on the inside. “Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” ‭‭(I Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭45‬). God has given us His spiritual armor and invites us to "put on the full armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11).  

The same Hebrew word translated here for testing of physical armor is also used in the context of the spiritual testing of faith (Deuteronomy 8:2, Exodus 15:25, Psalms 66:10). The tests that God prepares for us are not just meant to build character but also to build skill in using our spiritual armor and weapons. This can only be done in the midst of real combat. Soldiers consistently train with their armor and their weapons so that they stay in a state of combat readiness. If we’ve.never had a real fight, then we will never gain the skill and confidence (faith) in our spiritual armor and sword. If we are undergoing rigorous training (fighting lions and bears), then we can know that God is preparing us for victory in a future important battle (defeating Goliath). May the Lord give us renewed strength today that we might be able to "stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).

“When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ 

We see again the power of emotional and physical pressure can cause a return to places of perceived comfort or safety remembered from our past. These are not just physical (substance, diversions) but also includes emotionally or psychologically safe places. The word “distressed” or “hard pressed” is from the Hebrew word (tsar lo) which means “narrow/tight ” or "in a tight situation.” It comes from the root (tsarar), meaning to be in straits or under pressure. The people of Israel first sought refuge in caves and built up the strongholds during the time of the Midianite oppression (Judges 6:2) and now the people were returning to familiar patterns of behavior.  

The Highway of Holiness has many of these narrow places designed by God to draw us toward him but there is always a danger to return to the sinful strongholds of the past.  "Because narrow (Greek stene, root of stenosis) is the gate and difficult (make narrow by pressure; pressed upon)  is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Mat 7:4). 

Psalm 118:5 "I called on the LORD in distress (Tsar lo); The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place (spacious place NIV, set me free NLT).  Prayer doesn't always change our physical circumstances but prayer does always change us in the midst of our circumstances if we prevail and not give up. May we call on the name of the Lord in the midst of all our places of distress today.

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah” Psalms‬ ‭66‬:‭5‬, ‭7‬

We live in a world that constantly saps our spiritual strength with a bombardment of news of the worldly power. We hear of a political or financial leader who did this or is threaten to do that. This is inevitable as we live in a fallen world. An important part of building our faith is regularly feeding our souls with the great works of the Lord. We do this by reading the Word of God to remind ourselves of the Lord's amazing exploits of the past. We also feed our faith by reflecting on what God is doing in and through our lives today. God is doing amazing things every week if we will pause to look, listen and learn.

Listen to the testimonies of the saints around us, look into the things He is doing in our own lives, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in the midst of our readings. Celebrate all that the Lord is doing or has promised to do for us.

"Come and see the works of the God" is an invitation that we must RSVP in order to grow in faithin the midst of His works. May we join with the Psalmist to declare "The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad." (Ps 126:3)

“And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭17‬-‭19‬, ‭25‬-‭26‬

What a surprisingly gracious question, "What things?" Jesus was intimately acquainted with the most significant event in human history and it just happened yesterday; talk about a raw experience. Yet He asks two disciples who are far less knowledgable, far less connected than He is to share what they knew and understood. He cares about how they are thinking and feeling about it. He asks them not because he doesn't know what happened or even what they will say but so they will continue further through the learning process.  

Talking about an experience helps us learn by encouraging reflection, critical analysis and discussion, which deepen understanding, not only of the experience, but also about ourselves. We identify what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve; making our life experiences more meaningful and helping us synthesize the experience with what we already know. Synthesis is one of the highest forms of learning where we integrate information from multiple sources to create new understanding and connections. Sadly, most people don't actively make time for synthesis to integrate their current experiences with those from the past. This is one of the many values of daily devotions where we read, reflect, write and pour out of our hearts in prayer toward God. We are actively engaging in the learning process and gaining benefit from the carefully crafted life experiences the Lord has sovereignly given to us.

Prayer doesn't change the immutable, unchanging God. He will never love us more or know more about us, but prayer does change us. God designed prayer as a connection point of finite with the infinite, of weakness connecting with strength, to grow intellectually and spiritually, and to release the power and favor of God into our lives. May the Lord help us to pause, read, reflect and pray through what we are experiencing in our lives today.

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”” John‬ ‭9‬:‭35‬-‭37‬, ‭39‬

The account of the man born blind shows the clear difference between natural eyes and spiritual eyes, those who claim to see spiritual things and those who are supernaturally enabled to actually see. The man born blind had never physically seen Jesus nor physically heard Jesus preach about the Kingdom of God. The blind man received a healing miracle for his blind eyes and more importantly, he received a miracle of sight for his spiritual eyes that he was ready for this moment when he would gain a fuller spiritual understanding of what happened to him.  

This one of the rare incidents where the Holy Spirit has Jesus actively seek out someone rather than a divine appointment in the course of his journey. It's still a supernatural encounter because Jerusalem is filled with travelers for the Passover where an estimated 150,000 people converge on about 30,000 residents and the formerly blind man is thoroughly engaged by the Pharisees' indictment and curious friends. The Pharisees excommunicated the blind man for challenging their assertion that Jesus was a sinner as they searched for a hidden catch, some kind of deception that would enable them to condemn this notable miracle. It is important to understand that the Lord will always include some kind of obstacle, a hurdle that only those who have spiritual eyes of faith can walk over but will make those who are spiritually blind stumble. It doesn't take much to physically stumble, a pebble in the right spot will do; it's the same in the spiritual.  

In this case, the obstacle is that Jesus healed the blind man on the sabbath, something He had a habit of doing (7 recorded times in the gospels). Jesus tells us these obstacles are part of God's judgment baked into the gospel "that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind” (v39). The moment Jesus reveals Himself, the formerly blind man believes and confesses him as Messiah. Every time someone accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior it is a miracle that was prearranged and preordained. The Elect have the privilege to share the simple gospel and the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of new birth. There's no need for intense debate.  I usually just verbally kick the pebble aside by identifying their objection and then invite people to get past it to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  A simple reveal is all that's needed and an invitation to release their faith.  May the Lord open the eyes of the blind amongst our family and friends today.

“And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”” John‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬-‭5‬  

There is something within man that seeks meaning in his suffering. We seek meaning in our own suffering and we are apt to make judgments on the meaning of suffering in others.  Victor Frankl, the Jewish survivor of Nazi prison camps, suggests a reason in his book Man's Search For Meaning: “Suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds meaning.”  So man relentlessly searches for meaning in his suffering in order to find value in the midst of the pain and loss. The problem arises when man comes to the wrong conclusion about suffering. The disciples expressed a judgment about a man born blind based on the prevailing cultural attitude that besetting diseases like congenital blindness were divine punishment for personal sin.  

Note the "either or" statement which implies the only possible cause would be found with human sin. The disciples were right in some sense in that all sickness and disease is the result of Adam's sin in the garden which released millennia of devastation in God's perfect created order. And it also true that personal sin can lead to devastating diseases, including congenital diseases (e.g.  STD, parental drug abuse, negligent pre-natal care). Jesus redirects the disciples' focus away from cause and onto the underlying motivation for their curiosity which is man's search for meaning. Cause and meaning are not the same thing.  The glory of God was not the cause of the blindness but the glory of God was the hidden meaning and purpose behind the blindness. The healing of the man born blind was preordained to be an important sign pointing to Jesus as Messiah. The ensuing ruckus amongst the religious leaders is an indicator of the importance of this seemingly insignificant man's healing. The value is further amplified by the benefit to hundreds of millions of people who will be further convinced about the claims of Christ because of his healing miracle.  

Naomi in the book of Ruth makes the all too common mistake of conflating cause with meaning as she struggled to process the death of her husband and two sons. “Don’t call me Naomi, [pleasant]” she told them. “Call me Mara, [bitter] because the Almighty [Shaddai, the all-sufficient one] has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted [the Hebrew means testified against] me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."  (Ruth 1:20-21). We know God didn't testify against Naomi but the works of God would soon be manifest in her tragedy and she too would be privileged to be an important part of the story of Jesus the Messiah. We all have tragedies that we struggle to understand as we deal with the pain and loss. The Elect, like Naomi and the man born blind, can always find meaning in their suffering because their lives are inextricably linked to Jesus the Messiah. Our story is His story. Nothing that happens to one of God's chosen is wasted or forgotten or meaningless.  

Our lives are meant to glorify Him by being a platform to display the Lord’s marvelous works. Romans 8:28 gives us great comfort in the midst of our suffering "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  Not all things are good in the moment; some things are downright horrible and seemingly senseless like premature death and congenital disease.   But the Lord is able to "work all things together (with his divine power) for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purpose".  His purpose becomes our purpose and His meaning becomes our meaning. May the Lord comfort our hearts in the midst of our suffering today that our lives might show forth the glory of God.

“But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭64‬-‭69‬

John 6 describes how the Lord uses "hard sayings” which are one of the key ways the Lord winnows out the true believers from the rest of the disciples (disciplined followers). "Hard sayings" (John 6:60) are not just Bible truths that are difficult to understand but those that have an element that offends our religious and human sensibilities.  

The Holy Spirit purposefully had Christ say "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink HIs blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53) which is deeply offensive to the Jew who correctly understood from the Law that all blood is sacred (Genesis 9:4), especially human blood. Why would Jesus say such an impossibly hard saying without immediately qualifying it by saying it was figurative, not literal? God offends the mind to test the heart so only those with true faith can survive the harsh testing. The reason is that faith is not in the mind based on understanding of Bible teachings but faith is in the heart based on revelation from God. Jesus asked HIs (twelve) disciples, "Do you also want to go away?" and Peter answers by faith: "Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life...we have come to believe (faith) that you are the Christ, Son of the living God."  Peter didn't say, 'we totally get what you're saying about eating flesh and drinking blood’. He said 'we believe in you' despite being offended and not understanding.
 
Those with true faith can struggle, sometimes greatly struggle, with Biblical truth or a difficult personal command from the Lord, and their faith will help them reach a place where they can accept the hard saying even when it's distasteful or they don't fully understand it just yet. The American Church largely teaches a gospel that is easy to believe by leaving out all the things that can offend thereby inoculating everyone to the true Gospel and the true Christian life that the Lord purposefully made offensive. The American gospel isn't “we're rebellious sinners who cannot possibly please God by our good works”, it's “we're basically good people who've made a few wrong decisions  in our past and 'we'll get by with a little help from our friends.'"  The true gospel doesn't have a few hard sayings, it is filled with impossible sayings for sinful man to achieve so that we understand just how amazing God's grace actually is.  

In the same way, the End Times has been purposefully designed to be filled with difficult things that will offend human sensibilities. It will look like the good guys are losing and the bad guys are winning, at least on the outside, in the natural.  But on the inside, in the spiritual, the Elect will be going from glory to glory and will come through the fire of testing with a faith more precious than gold refined in the fire (1 Peter 1:7). No fire, no refined gold.   May the Lord strengthen our hearts that we may walk by faith through hard sayings and the hard circumstances in all that we do today.

“The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of that people.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭19‬:‭9‬ 
Israel assembled together at Shiloh which became the new center for worship where they set up the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the covenant and the sacrificial altar. Shiloh in Joshua 18-19 refers to a location, but Jacob also prophetically uses Shiloh as the name for the coming messiah (Genesis 49:10), and Shiloh literally means rest. Only in a place of God's rest can we receive our true inheritance, least greed, envy and jealousy arise. "You shall not covet...anything that is your neighbor’s" (Exodus 20:17), the 10th commandment, is similar to the first commandment "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3) because covetousness (greed) is idolatry, making material things a god that meets our needs.

Paul commands the Elect, “Therefore, (because you have been raised with Christ verse 1) put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). Paul places covetousness in pretty evil company in this text, because it is far worse, and far more prevalent than most realize. There is not much preaching on the 10th commandment because the American economic engine is based on using sophisticated marketing to stir envy and covetousness. We call it consumerism which is an economic theory that says progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial. Consumerism and it's evil twin sister, materialism, values material possessions above all. It's motto of "He who dies with the most toys wins" is deadly to a vibrant spiritual life. Jesus sternly warned His disciples "...Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).

It is interesting that the tribe of Simeon's inheritance was completely surrounded by the larger and stronger tribe of Judah. This symbiotic relationship between stronger and weaker tribes is a spiritual metaphor for unity and support within the community of believers. Just as Simeonites were surrounded and protected by the larger tribe of Judah, believers find their identity and strength in the greater body of Christ, emphasizing the importance of community and shared resources in faith. The entire purpose of our spiritual inheritance given by sovereign decree (casting of the lot) is to build up the body of Christ. Romans 15:1, "We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples (infirmities, failings, lack) of the weak, and not to please ourselves." The Bible uses the term spiritual gifts to describe our inheritance (Ephesians 4:7-11, 1 Corinthians 12:1-27) because they are meant to serve the receivers of the gifts, not to please the giver. Romans 12:10 ESV "...Outdo one another in showing honor (loving, giving)” is the opposite of consumerism in the world. May the Lord stir our hearts to generous giving and serving of the Elect today.

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. Hebrews 12:5

"Am I prepared to let God grip me by His power and do a work in me that is worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me, and He has to get me into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost I will let Him sanctify me wholly.” (My Utmost for His Highest, August 14) Oswald Chambers gives us keen insights into God's work of sanctification.  The method, means and goals of sanctification are God's idea and His plan, not ours. Sanctification is easier when the focus is the sins of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) that are obviously not godly. We can accept "Stop doing that sinful action entirely".  It may be difficult, and take time to break a habit, but we despise it so we submit to His fiery discipline. We know it's what's wrong about us. The hardest areas of sanctification, by far the most painful and bewildering, is when God is sanctifying what is right about us, the core strengths of how God has made us or the calling of God in our lives. The world celebrates our strengths; our gifts have made a way for us in our chosen endeavors.

God comes to temper and mold those gifts and callings. It can be disorienting at first because we think God's work must be in the first category of "stop doing that sinful action" but it's not. God’s work is in a deeper category of self-control and submission. It's about degrees, attitudes, and constraints, less about the action. When hit with sudden challenges, I've asked the Lord many times if He wants me to stop some planned course of action and He tells me to continue but with this new constraint. It's like the coach giving his team a familiar drill but now with added weight or challenge in order to strengthen skill and endurance. The Apostle Paul experienced four shipwrecks in total: three mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:25 and a fourth detailed in Acts 27.  He was not sailing daily as a crew member so surviving four shipwrecks is an extraordinary number, way beyond happenstance. Every one of these shipwrecks were easily avoided through the power of the Lord and we can be sure that Paul was praying His heart out not to be shipwrecked.  We would think that the Lord would help Paul avoid these seemingly senseless catastrophes but it was all part of the "many things he [Paul] must suffer for My name’s sake" (Acts 9:16).  

Refining scrap silver from its many commercial applications in circuit boards, chips and membranes requires multiple processes with different temperatures and different chemicals. It's a fascinating science and scrap seekers are even more willing to endure the laborious process when the price of silver is higher. God sees great value in each of HIs Elect and he uses a myriad of means to refine us. "In this you [should] greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold [or silver] that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). May the Lord encourage our hearts today in the midst of His sanctifying work that He finds us worthy of His personal attention and care.

“Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬  

Joshua was probably between 90 and 95 years old when God spoke to him about the remaining land to be possessed in Joshua 13. He lived to be 110 years old. Even while acknowledging Joshua’s advanced years, God still told him about work that had to be done. Even in advanced years, God has work for His people to do. There is natural work for the Elect at every age and there is spiritual work. The promise land is a  metaphor of spiritual territory that God has given to us that have yet to be possessed. Christians should press on to continually possess more of Christ, to remain active in all seasons of life as they grow in their relationship with Christ.  

Retirement is an American ideal where we stop our natural occupation in favor of preferred activities, often leisure, but it is also an extraordinarily precarious time because it may cause us to be inactive and unproductive in our lives. Growing older should cause us to shift gears, adjust our effort and focus but we should never be out of gear, especially spiritually. Our body, mind and spirit were designed by God for activity and productivity. Activity is how we grow. Productivity is how we serve others. We neglect this to our own detriment and the result is inevitable deterioration. Our attitude should be like the Apostle Paul who was 60 years old when He wrote to the Philippians, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Philippians 3:12). May we "press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3, ESV).