The Righteous and the Wicked

15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

the righteous perishing in their righteousness,

and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

16 Do not be overrighteous,

neither be overwise—

why destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overwicked,    

and do not be a fool—    

why die before your time?

18 It is good to grasp the one    

and not let go of the other.    

Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. Ecclesiastes 7

These verses are talking about two kinds of people.  The righteous and the wicked.  The wicked live long in their wickedness, yet the righteous perish in their righteousness.  That can't be right.  Why would the wicked live while the righteous perish?

Look a little closer at each.  The wicked have turned away from God.  They've cast him aside, told him they don't need him, and live the life of fools.  Yet, who's to say they'll always remain that way?  I have a number of atheist friends, and I pray for them often.  I pray that they'll see God touching their lives, because even though they don't believe, he's still there.  It's the prodigal son, returning after all his foolishness.  They have a lifetime to "get it right" and accept Christ's payment for their sins.  

Then why do the righteous perish?  The righteous in these verses are overrighteous.  They're the condescending ones.  The ones setting up impossible expectations for themselves and others around them.  They're setting themselves up for failure.  Does God expect us to life perfect and sinless lives?  If he did, we'd still be in Eden!  We've fallen, but we'll get back up again.  We'll stumble, we'll stray, and we'll sin.  The overrighteous are destroying themselves by being focused on themselves, and not focused on God.  Sanhedrin, anyone?  They may live a long time, but they'll break their own spirit in the process.  We should pray that their eyes be opened to the pain they are causing to themselves and others around them by not focusing on showing God's love to their fellow man.

Do you know anyone who fits either category?  Do you fit either category?  

Timely and Faithful

A couple months ago I filled in for someone in leading a certain Bible study group. There were some challenging situations that took place and I didn’t handle them all well. In fact, I thought I may have offended one lady, because I didn’t see her the next few weeks. However, God gave me a positive interaction with her a few weeks ago and she even brought a new lady to the group!  In spite of my failures, God can still timely and faithfully accomplish His purposes.

We definitely see that in the life of Abraham. In spite of the whole mess we saw last week with King Abimelek, God not only was faithful to His promise, but did it in the time He had said.

Genesis 21:1-5    Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. ² Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. ³ Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. ⁴ When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. ⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Abraham and Sarah didn’t deserve God’s gift and His faithfulness. The Lord graciously gave Isaac to them anyway, because He always fulfills His promises and timely accomplishes His plans.

Where has God been gracious to you and me?

How are you and I encouraged, knowing He is always timely and faithful in accomplishing His purposes?

Spiritual Awareness

The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded.  He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him.  If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.   For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.  But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.  In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.   One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.  But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”  2 Chonicles 15:1-7

This week has been enlightening.  I have heard news of the passing of a colleague that saddened me, but it also gave me great courage and joy to know how strong her faith was.  I have watched a hero draw criticism but gain newfound respect for simply giving God the glory.  I have shed tears over God’s greatness and His grace.  I feel God’s presence is all around me.  Not in the sense that I did not know it before.  Instead, it was in the sense of heightened awareness.  Everything done and said and each motion and emotion was seemingly God centered.

We should embrace the moments that our spiritual awareness of God’s greatness is raised.  In today’s verses, it centers about a king of Judah named Asa.  Asa was one who faithfully followed the Lord and was both aware of God and listening to Him faithfully.  As a result, he ruled a time where his country had peace . . . for 35 years!  Continual awareness of God’s presence assures us that we can always find Him, and if we can be attune to His will, we can have confidence that our ‘work will be rewarded.’ 

Staying attune to God is not easy.  The world sends information that distracts us all the time.  Even the most dedicated Christian can be diverted for a moment.  However if we read for knowledge of God and live by guidance from the Holy Spirit, we can assure ourselves that those moments of awareness will be both frequent and enduring.  How spiritually aware are you?  How can you be assured of God’s will?  My prayer is that we appreciate a heightened awareness of God’s presence in our lives.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Choose your attitude

Philippians 2:5-7 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”(NASB)

Hello,

This winter has been a blast…..of cold air and snow!!!! I was reflecting on what seems to be a drawn out winter I got to thinking about how I cannot change what winter is, but I can choose my attitude. My attitude is something that is visible to others, and it will point to either our trust and reliance on Christ, or illustrate that we are not letting our relationship with Christ properly impact our choices.

When Jesus was here, He didn’t gloomily go about His life/death. He did it in a way of humility and a an attractiveness that drew crowds to Him.

How is our attitude? What are we conveying about our relationship with Christ?

Will Hill

Are You Truly Redeemed? ~ 10 Hallmarks of a True Christian (Part 3 of 6)

Hello Friends!

Welcome back to our study of the book of 1 John as we seek to answer the eternally important question: Are You Truly Redeemed?

Several years ago, there was a book written entitled If Christ is the Answer, What are the Questions? We as Believers in Jesus Christ believe He is the answer, right? Then, if this is so, what are the questions and why don’t more lost people ask us questions about the hope within us? In fact, how many people have asked you about your faith in Jesus Christ? Perhaps we should ask ourselves this question: “Why don’t very many people ask me about the hope within me?” Think about it…

Are You Truly Redeemed? ~ 10 Hallmarks of a True Christian (Part 3 of 6)

The overall theme of 1 John is “a recall to the fundamentals of the faith” or “back to the basics of Christianity.” The Apostle John deals with certainties, not opinions or conjecture. He expresses the absolute character of Christianity in very simple terms that are clear and unmistakable, leaving no doubt as to the fundamental nature of those truths. A warm, conversational, loving tone occurs, like a father having a tender and intimate conversation with his children. I like that!

3. A true convert does not harbor hatred for the Christian brethren

They display forgiveness, love, and compassion:

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes – 1 John 2:9 & 11

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him – 1 John 3:15

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? – 1 John 4:20

4. A true convert does not love the world or the things of the world

They have a disdain for the world's system of evil ruled by Satan:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world – 1 John 2:15-16

Remember: Our faithfulness to proclaim the Truth of God’s Word as well as defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ may very well assist others in examining their own faith to verify if they are indeed a true convert of Jesus Christ – their very soul may depend upon it!

Please join us next week as we continue to further investigate this promise of eternal assurance from the Word of God – Are You Truly Redeemed?

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><