What You Don't Know

O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts. Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this: Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
Psalm 92:5-7 NLT

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, the oldest written version of the saying “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” comes from 1576, in Petit Palace by G. Pettie. “So long as I know it not, it hurteth mee not.” Mr. Pettie might have thought he could be happy not knowing, but there is much that CAN harm you if you DON'T know.

For instance, in the 1500s when Mr. Pettie lived, those who were wealthy used pewter serving dishes. Pewter contains a high lead base. We all learned in history class that when food was prepared which contained highly acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, the acid would cause the lead in the pewter to leech into the food, resulting in lead poisoning and death. So tomatoes were thought to be a poisonous fruit. Was that the truth about tomatoes? No, it wasn't, but they didn't know about lead poisoning and so it appeared to be true because their life (or death) experience seemed to teach them that. What they didn't know was, in fact, killing them.

Oftentimes, we look at the circumstances of our lives and choose to believe the result of them over the Truth of God's Word. We believe we can't trust anyone because we've been hurt too many times. Therefore, trusting is not good. But that's not Truth. It may appear to be true because that's what our life (or death) experience seems to teach us. But if that's the lie we believe, then how do we trust God? And if we don't trust God to do and be what His Word says He will do and be, we won't read His Word or spend time in it. And in that case, what we don't know IS definitely hurting us.

Scripture tells us in Hebrews 4:8-13 (The Message) And so this is still a live promise. It wasn't canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn't keep renewing the appointment for "today." The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we'll surely rest with God. So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience. God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

So, what we don't know will definitely hurt us.

Prayer:

Father,
          Renew a right spirit within us. Blow on the cinders of the hearts that have lost their fire. Drive the Truth of Your Word deep into the very fiber of our being. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Drawn

Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 

Matthew 15:30 NIV

Everywhere Jesus went, He drew a crowd. It didn't matter where He went. By the sea, they crowded Him into a boat. In the Temple, on the mountain, and even when He tried to get away into the countryside by Himself, they flocked to Him and He took pity on them. Jesus healed all their diseases and wound up feeding thousands.

What do you think drew them to Jesus? His love? His compassion? His miracles? Wanting to see the supernatural? Were they looking for answers? Relief from their personal suffering? Probably all of those things. And more than likely, there were those who were just following the crowd. 

Not all of them loved Him. Not all of them believed He was the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. And yet, He ministered to all of them. He loved all of them. He healed them.

What drew us to Christ? Truly TO Him and not just hanging around Him. Do we still have the fervor of our first love with Him? If not, why not? If not, let's ask the Holy Spirit to expose whatever it is that has caused the separation. Let God's Word - His living Word - be established in our lives. Jeremiah 24:7 NIV, I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. 

If we have Jesus living large in us, can others see His love and His compassion in us? Are we pointing them to the Cross and His saving grace and mercy? We might not draw a crowd, but are we drawing those within our sphere of influence? 

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Hard Work of Getting Along

May the Master of Peace himself give you the gift of getting along with each other at all times, in all ways. May the Master be truly among you!
2nd Thessalonians 3:16 The Message

There’s a prayer that has made numerous trips around the Internet that goes something like this -
"Dear Lord, So far today, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped about anyone, haven’t lost my temper with anyone, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent. And I’m very thankful for that. But, in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of this bed, and from then on, I’m going to need a lot more help."

The life of a Christian is all about right relationships. The right relationship with God, relationships with other followers of Christ, and relationships with non-believers. I have to say at some points in life, it would be so much easier to be a selective hermit. There would be fewer opportunities to be angry or spiteful. Less time consumed with solving other people’s issues for their lack of planning, resulting in fewer opportunities to judge. So much less chance of offense if you’re not around other people.

Right off the top of my head, I see two major things wrong with that. One – The Word tells us that they’ll know we are Christians by our love toward each other, and if we choose NOT to be around others because we can’t stand to be around them… well, I just don’t think we need to go any further there. The writer of Hebrews instructs us in 12:14 to work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

And two, if we’re never tested, how will we know? James 3:17a tells us that Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.

It can be very hard work. That too is acknowledged and issued for instruction. The second part of that same Scripture assures us we can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

So, I’d have to say, No, we can’t all just get along. We have to work at it! Without God, it’s impossible. However, with God, all things are possible. Difficult, at times, but definitely possible.

Prayer:

Father,
           Hear our cry for right relationship with You. How You could love us in our unlovable state and continue to do so during our differences is beyond me. Help us to learn by following Your example toward US. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Ancestry

^26d the son of Josek, the son of Joda…,  ^27b the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa…, ^28b the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam…,  ^30d the son of Jonam…, ³¹ the son of Melea, the son of Menna… (portions of Scripture from the New International Version – I’ll tell you where in a minute.)

My least favorite parts to read in the Bible are the begats… those Scriptures in the King James version, Adam begat Seth who begat Enos who begat Cainan who begat Mahalaleel, and more sons and daughters and so on and so on… A litany of names I cannot pronounce and used to wonder why I had to know all of them. They're in the Bible, so obviously God deemed it important, but why?

Ancestry and heritage are all the rage right now, people want to know their lineage - maybe there's someone famous in their family line... or maybe not. However, they're all important! How important you ask? Well, I thought I would start in Luke 2, And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus… We all know that story and we may think that’s where it all started, but it’s not. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) reads, Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eye. [emphasis mine] 

Before Genesis 1:1 In the beginning… God chose us before He made the world…  

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I don’t even know why I’m here.” When asked if ‘here’ meant the current location, almost unanimously, it was “No, here at all. Born…” Sad, too sad. I could go into lots of reasons why we are here and provide lots of Scripture as to the sanctity of life itself that God has given each of us, etc., but let me just say this…

If your great-great-great-great-grandfather had died before he married your great-great-great-great-grandmother, you wouldn’t be here. If any of the limbs of your family tree that came before you had been chopped down before re-seeding so to speak, there would be no you. Why is that important to know? Well, let me ask you this… Do you know any of the names in our Scripture reference for today? Do you recognize them? Joda - Addi -  Cosam? Do you know what they did? What set them apart for distinction?  They lived. That’s it. God’s plan – they were born and they lived, and I dare say they lived their lives to the fullest. 

I didn’t recognize any of the names in our list, but they are from the third chapter of Luke. If you read the whole list, you’ll find names you do know… Jesse, David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… However, without the names in our text today - there wouldn't have been Jesse, David, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All were in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah.… 

You see, God had a plan even before He made the world… and you were in it. Are there any more questions as to why you're here?  

Prayer:

Father,

          You know the end from the beginning. You wrote our days in Your book. Forgive us for those times we question Your plan. Help us to live our lives to the fullest in You and thus fulfill the plan You have for our lives. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Working for More

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Mark 8:36-37 NLT

We are a society consumed by consumer conquests - the biggest TV, the fastest Internet, whatever most G network money can buy, the newest phone, tablet and/or computer and all the applications to go with it - not to mention the car that is compatible with all of it! "Get that overtime, so we can get the ____________."

I am not knocking work. The Bible says if you want to eat, you should work. However, what is your motive? Is it just to get more ‘something’? There's nothing wrong with wanting a comfortable life, but is it at the expense of your relationship with Christ? Do you have less time for your quiet time with God? What about your family relationships? Are they suffering because of the hours you work or the hours they work? How is that making a comfortable life?

Let's get real. He who dies with the most toys, still dies. And when he does, where he spends eternity is determined by his relationship with Jesus Christ. When we are working for more, we just need to be sure we know for more of what.

Prayer:

Father,
Your Word declares itself to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Illuminate our way to see clearly what You would have us do to restore and renew right relationships with You and with those You've entrusted to us. Show us what to let go of and what we need more of. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

We'll See

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
Exodus 14:13 NKJV

How many times a day do you suppose a child will ask for something? And if you take them to a store of any kind, you know that number will at least triple, right? When my kids were little, they learned early on that when I said, "No" it was exactly what I meant. So, you can imagine my surprise when my then three-year-old son said to me one day after I'd said no, "Don't say 'no', Mama. Say 'we'll see'." He had realized that "we'll see" meant there was a possibility that it might eventually be a 'yes'.

I was reminded of that childhood episode when listening again to the passage of Moses and the children of Israel being caught between the armies of Pharaoh and the Red Sea. How often do we find ourselves in situations where there seems to be no way out? Have we enough faith to stand still and see what God will do? Do we know for sure? We say we have faith, but do we relegate God to the same level of "we'll see" - that maybe He will, maybe He won't?

We know how the chapter ends, But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. Exodus 14:29,30 NLT. Their enemies were thoroughly defeated. They were able to see past the probability of death to SEE the salvation of the Lord, as Moses had declared. 

Lends a whole new definite meaning to "We'll see", doesn't it?

Prayer:

Father,
           Sometimes it feels as though we're facing the Red Sea and are surrounded by the enemy. Today, we stand and declare Your Word from Psalm 27, We are confident we will see the Lord’s goodness while we are here in the land of the living. We will wait patiently for You, Lord. We will be brave and courageous. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Benefits of Wisdom

For only the godly will live in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it.
Proverbs 2:21 NLT

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted.
Proverbs 2: 1-11 NLT

Prayer:

Father,
             Your Word instructs us to ask You for wisdom if we don't have it. So we come before You and ask for it because You promised that You would give it to us and not chastise us for doing so. We know when we ask that our faith must be in You alone - according to Your Word. And so it is, Lord. We're not wavering. Our loyalty and trust are in You alone. We will not be unsettled as the waves of the sea, tossed and blown by the wind. Give us Your wisdom, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen