Misguided and Misplaced

We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful! But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly. That is why people fear and respect him. He shows no respect for those who think they are wise. (Job 37:23-24)

We serve the one who makes heavens heavy with rain and snow; winds that gentle the leaves and topple them at times; oceans that flow in and out with rising and ebbing tides; and the one who takes notice of our every action or inaction with his watchful eye. God's justice is sometimes not understood - as much as we try to understand his holiness requires the need to judge sin, it is hard for us to wrap our heads around a merciful and loving God bringing 'justice' in a sinful world. I think we have come to think of justice as everyone being treated equally rather than that a morally righteous God cannot tolerate sin and must expose it for what it is. Sin is sin - give it all kinds of other names, but it is still sin. All sin must be judged by a holy, righteous, and upright God. The good news is that the penalty for sin need not be 'meted out' to us any longer because we have a Savior who has already paid the price for ALL our sins.

God never treats anyone unfairly. He might hold us accountable for our actions, and even our inaction, but he does so in a 'fair' and 'equitable' manner. No sin is worse than another - all sin is a violation of his holy standards. We might want to call a lie a 'little white lie', but all untruth is simply untruth - even when we put a bow on a pig it is still a pig! God's justice does something other forms of 'human justice' doesn't - it calls us to repentance. His justice might bring conviction of our sin, allowing certain 'calamitous things' to occur that bring us face-to-face with our sin and his holiness, but it never leaves us without a means by which to leave that sin behind and move into his grace. Some may think they can escape his judgment, but we are unable to find a place 'secure enough' for our sin to never be exposed and looked upon as sin through his holy eyes.

The All-Powerful God is really all-powerful. His main reason for exposing sinfulness is to give us an opportunity to repent (turn from it) and find his path of right-living. You may have heard the scripture alluded to that it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. The passage doesn't deal with man having wealth - it deals with what wealth does to a man's heart. The main point is that 'things' and 'activities' can take up all our attention and demand our unyielding affection. When they do, we find ourselves making those things the 'all-powerful god' in our lives. God's plan is for us to have no other 'gods' but him - if we do, we can count on his judgment in order to help us realize our misplaced affections and misdirected attentions. Just sayin!

Graze a bit

It was Oscar Wilde who reminded us, "I have the simplest tastes...I am always satisfied with the best." How about you? Are your 'tastes' simple? Are you always striving to be satisfied by pursuing the best? What is the 'best' anyway? Most will say it is the thing with the highest quality or standing - something that makes it stand out as the most desirable or advantageous for us to have or pursue. With that in mind, what is the thing you are pursuing so intensely right now? Does it measure up to be the 'highest quality' or most 'advantageous' for your life? If not, it might be time to alter your 'tastes' a bit.

He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord. Trust in the Lord always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:3-4) 

Do you know what a 'taste' really is? It is the ability or willingness to relish, take a liking to, or show partiality toward something or someone. Each of us has particular 'tastes' we lean toward in the realms of music, decor, dress, and even living arrangements. Some prefer a small space with little clutter, while others require a larger space with ample things to fill it. While these 'tastes' set us apart from each other, there is one 'taste' we all need to cultivate as it may not come naturally to us. This is the 'taste' for right-living (righteousness).

The screensaver that came up today as I fired up my laptop was that of a lush green pasture, a heart of pearly white sheep grazing lazily amongst the tall grass. The sky is blue and fluffy white clouds dot the skyline against the rolling hills. This reminded me of how precious our peace is and just how easily it can be disturbed when we don't take time to develop our 'taste' for right-living as we should. These sheep haven't a worry in the world - they are at peace grazing and enjoying the fair weather. Could those clouds bring less enjoyable weather? Yes, they could, but they aren't worried about what is to come because they are completely enjoying what they have right now.

We oftentimes develop a 'taste' for something we 'don't have' or 'don't think we can have'. God wants us to remember to 'taste' and 'see' his goodness right here and now. Experience his perfect peace right where we are - not worrying about what may be just over the horizon. When we begin to 'taste' the peace of God, it changes all we 'taste' around us. We begin to experience grace right there - allowing the moment we are in to begin to teach us, bring forth faith from within us, and develop stability in our inner man. Right-living is most frequently 'learned' once we have had a 'taste' of the goodness therein. Just sayin!

Learning to live right

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:1-8)

On occasion, someone will ask how they know they are making a 'right decision' or if they are 'living right'. Right-living is something the Bible refers to as "righteousness" - it is the idea of learning to order your steps according to the plans and purposes of God. The design of the designer is always the best plan for the creation, is it not? We can "recommission" or "repurpose" some things for other use, such as making a lamp from a vase, or turning a stool into an end table, but it was not the intention of the creator to see them used in these ways. The vase was designed to be adorned with richly scented, magnificently colorful flowers. The stool was designed the support the weight of a human, not a light bulb. They "function" okay in their "recommissioned" purpose, but they function at their optimum when they are doing exactly what they were created to do! The same is true with each of us. We may think righteousness is a life characterized by morality and a certain degree of upright behavior. Something we might call living a virtuous life. Some describe a "righteous life" as being a "good person" who is "honest", "fair", and even "just". Righteousness is the sum total of making right choices for the right reasons. Apart from Christ in our lives, our choices are anything but righteous!

We could interpret being righteous as "being wise". We have been made "right" by the grace of God. We are given the ability to live "right" by the presence of God in our lives in the person of the Holy Spirit. We are supported in living "right" by the constant intercession of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The righteousness we are really called to exhibit in our daily lives is a result of these actions in us. The idea is each of us coming into "conformity" to the will of God. Righteousness is our will "conforming" to his will. How does this happen? We have to accept the Word of God as the authority in our lives - the "owner's manual" of sorts which helps to direct us to the intended "purpose" for our lives. When we own a car, we refer to the owner's manual to see where the spare tire is kept, how it is removed, where to put the jack, how the car is properly supported when the jack is used, and so on. The owner's manual gives us insight supporting the safest operation of the vehicle. The Word of God is no different - it supports the safest operation of our lives! In order to learn to "conform" to the will of God, we have to get to know it. There is no better place to explore what is "within" and "without" God's will than in the scriptures. If you don't find it plainly there, you certainly get a gist of how God guides us to make decisions which don't violate his overall plan for his children.

Recognizing what the Word says is one thing - actually submitting to what it tells us to do is quite another. To be fully righteous in our steps, we must submit to what we are shown. The idea of submission is kind of a sore point for some - probably because society has so twisted the meaning of submission so as to make us a little wary of this action. When we submit to something, we are just agreeing we are making it our own. In other words, when we choose to follow God's will as revealed in scripture, we are just taking his will and making it our own. We determine it to be "good" and "accept it" as our "mode of operation". When we do, we learn to live in such a manner that our lives reflect the right actions God desires. What this kind of "right-choosing" does for us cannot really be put into words adequately, but I think it helps us see ourselves as God sees us - with the full potential of blameless, perfect, and upright living. There is an exchange of wisdom which comes as we behold ourselves through God's Word - for his Word reflects the original intention of the creation. When we see ourselves as God sees us, the "right" choices become a little easier because we see the potential in those choices. Righteousness is achievable - through a change of perspective. We need to learn what is contained in his Word - allowing his Word to fully influence our choices - choosing to make his will our own. In so doing, we become "upright", "honest", "fair" and even "just" in our behavior. Just sayin!

Oil and Water Don't Mix

Opposing sides - the one is against the other - kind of like oil and water. Mix oil and water - is it possible to get oil 'into' water? Two very distinct 'layers' will eventually form no matter how hard you try to mix the two - they are opposed to each other. Scientifically speaking, molecules of oil are bigger than water and therefore they don't mix into the water - they stay as oil, not taking on the water molecule. Sin is kind of like a big molecule of oil in our lives - it can sit there a long, long time, trying to get 'mixed up' in our life of righteousness (water), but these two 'molecules' don't mix! They will always be opposed to each other.

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? (Galatians 5:16 MSG)

To live freely, one must abandon the ways of living that are 'antithetical' (those opposing forces in our lives) to the 'right choices' we are to make now that we have Christ resident within us. We are always going to deal with sin in our lives - rising to the surface - previously undetected, but becoming quite obvious to us at some point. Sin rises to the top - making itself known. It is harder to see it when we are trying to just 'mix it up' in every area of our lives, scattering it around as though it would somehow 'mix in' and be unnoticed. The sin will always rise to the top!

It has been said that opposites attract - it doesn't mean they will ever fully mix! There will always be self-interest at work within us - it is our nature. It doesn't always seem apparent to us that there are two forces at work within us - we just know we are trying to 'mix things up' so that we don't have to see the nasty sludge of sin rise up and be visible in us. The bond of the oxygen and hydrogen molecules that make up water are so strong that the molecules that make up the oil cannot fully 'attach' to the water molecules. They can mix in for a while, but eventually they will separate again.

That is true until you add what is called an emulsifier. In simplest terms, the emulsifier makes it look like the oil and water have mixed, but in truth they are just 'spread out' molecules, not really combined molecules. Sin doesn't mix with righteousness - ever! It will always stand out as its own molecule! This may be one way of helping us to identify what doesn't belong in our lives - that which stands out as never really 'belonging' in the mixture of our life! Maybe instead of finding ways to try to mix sin into our lives so it isn't evident we need to be allowing it to come to the surface so it can be 'skimmed off' and finally rid ourselves of it! Just sayin!

Checking off too many on the list?

Scripture outlines six things God hates, and if six were not enough, God adds just one more (kind of like the cherry on top) that God has some pretty serious feelings about (in fact, we might call it a total loathing for that thing). Hate carries the idea of a very intense, passionate dislike of something. Loathing carries a sense of disgust and gives one the idea that God is repulsed by the type of action he is observing - actions not 'befitting' a person who calls himself a child of God. In total, seven things God asks us to take notice of in our lives and then seek his help to break free of them so we can live in a manner that shows we are engaged with him on this journey of 'right-living'. Our eyes get us into so much trouble - almost as much as our mouth - so it should come as no surprise that the 'top two' things God hates have to do with these two!

Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

#1 on the list: Haughty eyes (arrogant eyes) - in other words, being way too prideful for our own good. Pride is a battle we must fight every day. When we have a higher opinion of ourselves than those around us, we are probably dealing with an issue of pride. Sometimes we need a "pulse check" from another we trust to see how we are doing in this area. The call is to lay down one's own agenda for the good of the whole - to not become focused on what you believe is "due" you because of your position, contribution, sense of self-worth, etc. God pretty much declares that pride becomes a barrier that keeps us from realizing some of the best stuff he has. #2 on the list - coming it at a close second:
Lying tongues. Words are more powerful than we'd first like to give them credit. Our words make or break a situation - they either tear down, or build up. Plain and simple. More defilement enters into our lives through the destructiveness of our words than we'd probably like to admit. Hurtful words drive wedges, create animosity, and destroy character. God simply cannot abide that kind of behavior in his family - because it destroys the family's integrity.

Lower on the list, but not to be overlooked or 'reduced in rank' by any means are the hands that murder the innocent. In most cases, we don't go out and kill each other, but our hands are tools that can either reflect the grace of God's touch, or the hurtfulness of selfish, prideful self-will. Much is conveyed in a touch, but nothing rises to the level of touching that which is innocent and bringing death by that touch. In our society today, we could go so far as to say this is not just the "taking of a life", but the stripping away of the dignity and respect of a life by the use of any type of inappropriate touch (bringing death emotionally). Innocence is lost in just one touch. Following closely on the heels of 'wrongful touch' is the idea of our heart. Hearts that plot evil - our emotions are either positive or negative (there really is no "emotional middle-ground"). Envy, lust, pride, fear, anger, rage - these describe emotions that stem from our heart. Each of these emotions are a reflection of something within. They may be the response to an actual circumstance, or the imaginations of our mind. Regardless of their "source", the action is the same - repaying or responding out of our emotion. God looks at the outcome of our thoughts - not so much that we simply had the thought. He works on changing the thought patterns, of course, but his focus is on the outcome (what we do with the thought we have). 

 
We may find the next one a little unflattering, because most of us wouldn't think our feet could be the problem when it comes to making right choices. Don't they go where the mind tells them to? That is probably why God dealt with our hearts first - because our emotions do a whole lot to encourage our feet along! Feet that race to do wrong - it is one thing to meditate on what is wrong, or on what will yield an outcome of sinful behavior, but it is another thing to embrace it and follow hard after it. Whenever we find ourselves "racing" toward what we know is wrong, we are in a place of dishonoring our God. The more we focus on the actions God doesn't want to see in his kids' lives, the more we cannot veer away from dealing with the mouth once again. The mouth gets us into more trouble - doesn't it? A false witness - more than someone who just tells a lie - this is the testimony of one against another. The testimony of our lives is one of either living out the message of the gospel, or the message of a self-directed life. We make a choice - reveal God's grace in how we live out our lives, or reveal our selfishness and pride. To say that we are Christian and choose to live selfish, pride-filled lives is to have a false witness.

A person who sows discord among brothers (family) - the cherry on the top! God's method of accomplishing his purposes is within "family" - anything that destroys family is an abomination to God (something he abhors). God desires us to be in relationship - to be "builders" of relationship, not in the "demolition" business. As we embrace patterns of sinful behavior, we are working to destroy the integrity of the family. The list starts out pretty "tame" - deal with your attitude of "self-importance" and ends with a strong warning about not destroying family. All that comes in between builds upon the others. Rarely do we see one of these traits in isolation of another in our lives. Most of the time, they go hand in hand with each other. Learning what it is that hurts God's heart is paramount if we want to draw close to him. When we realize the things that drives a wedge between us and him, we also realize just how much we need his help to be free of those very things. Just sayin!

The final frontier

Do you remember the saying, "Space, the final frontier", from the Star Trek opening voice over? The 'final frontier' can be defined as a lot of things, but it is most important that we define righteousness as our final 'frontier', and not sin! Our final destination is to be Christ - the frontier we discover is quite a change from the frontier we had been exploring prior to Christ! We arrive in style at our final destination in Christ – decked out in an adult faith wardrobe. In direct relationship with God, we are “more than washed up” for a fresh start, that thing we call righteousness. We are completely transformed - the absolute outcome of being made righteous. There is an exchange of character – although we may not immediately see the evidence of it in our daily lives, it has already been accomplished. Through our daily pursuit of his presence being cultivated in our lives, we come to recognize the change is already accomplished - it just may not be totally manifest in all our behaviors yet. 

But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe – Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise. (Galatians 3:25-27)
Our position in Christ is described as being in direct relationship with God - having no compromising or impairing element that would keep us apart from a holy God. Close logical relationship because of the accomplished work of Christ in our lives – with no intervening agency needed. In other words, the “rules” of the law were made void. We need to really grab hold of the implications of this 'position change'. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our lives. (Galatians 4:1-3) A tutor is charged with the guidance and instruction of another. He has guardianship over that person – he’s responsible for the direct care of that individual. It is important for us to recognize that as we go through life each and every day, we WILL be tutored by someone or something. We can choose to be tutored by the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit, or we can embrace the tutelage of a rough and cruel world. 

We are never free from influencing factors that affect our choices. Those influencing factors affect our focus and ultimately, they challenge the integrity of our inner man (creating or filling the cracks or flaws in our inner man). Truly, those influences determine which "frontier" we actually explore. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? (Galatians 4:5-7) You can tell for sure that you are fully adopted into the family of God – not just “sort of” in the family, but fully embraced as a member of the family with full rights to the inheritance of our Father. By the privilege of intimate conversation, we can be assured of our new standing in Christ. We have complete access, complete freedom, and complete transparency with a holy God – not just a system of works that appeases our conscience.

Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God’s grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important. (Galatians 4:17) All the world offers is a system of approval that is fleeting at best - a "frontier" based upon how well we perform. The next time that someone beats our time, improves upon our design, exceeds our profits, or any similar 'grand accomplishment', we are no longer standing as “approved” by the world's standards - we have 'fallen behind' or 'fallen short'. It amazes me how easily we follow worldly, self-seeking leaders - seeking their approval and direction, only to be disappointed in the end. We have been provided only one 'worthy' tutor – the Holy Spirit. To turn to man for our approval or direction is to exclude God from his role in our lives. The question I pose today is simple: What is your tutor teaching? As you make daily decisions and face daily challenges, you will do well to subject the teaching you are about to embrace to the Word of God, the wise counsel of other mature believers, and the checks and balances of your own God-given conscience. Anytime we try to do by our own effort what was fully accomplished by grace, we place ourselves in a position of bondage to the rules. God wants us to know that we can be free of this bondage. Our trust in a finished work of Christ in us brings clarity of vision, centering of purpose, and deep, intimate fellowship with our God. Truly, it is as though we have stepped from one 'frontier' into another! Just steppin!

Know, go, show

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." (John C. Maxwell)  What is the way you want to know? Is it the same as you are going? Is it what shows through in your actions? It requires all three to be in congruence in order to be meaningful, my friends. If one is to be genuine in their walk, there must be knowledge of the way we are heading, then we must walk it well - so doing, we will lead others, maybe not knowingly, but we are leading nonetheless because others are watching us.

Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.  Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.  

(Psalm 27:11-14 NLT)

What do our actions say about what it is we "know" in this life? You soon realize that what we know begins to affect what is evident through our actions. When I first discovered I could sneak a cookie here and there "undiscovered" from the cookie canister as a child, I did it more and more. My actions revealed what I came to know as a way of "manipulating" the cookies in such a manner that it covered up the ones I removed in my need for a little sugar rush. Eventually the cookie canister ran a little low, making it dangerously harder to "cover up" my actions, though. This is so true of every compromise in our lives. We can cover up for a while, but eventually it becomes evident that we have less and less "material" with which to "cover up" those things we know to have been wrong, but we pursued anyway.

I wonder how many times we choose to go "wrong" in our actions simply because we don't "know" the right way to go - we simply say we don't always possess all the knowledge we need to avoid evil - or do we? According to God's Word, all we need for living godly lives, upright in every way, has been given to us in Christ Jesus. That blows our argument that we didn't "know better" right out of the water! Like it or not, we have access to all the knowledge we need in order to walk godly - we just don't choose to "tap into" that knowledge, or rely upon God's goodness to use that knowledge to help us walk uprightly.

Knowing is one thing - acting upon what we know is another. I know it is wrong to respond in anger, but am I able to always consistently not respond in anger? Nope. I know it is wrong to gossip about another, but am I able to avoid all forms of gossip 100% of the time? Nope. It isn't that I don't want to avoid being angry or gossiping about another - because I do. "Want to" doesn't always match up with "doing", though. I know it isn't desirable action, but something isn't connecting the knowledge with the doing! 

If that is the case, then maybe the "doing" is closely related to more of where my focus is rather than on just knowing what direction I am supposed to be going. As Maxwell says, when we "go the way" we are finally moving from "knowing" into the realm of allowing what we "know" to affect the direction we are traveling. The ability to "go" in any direction is really based upon focus. Don't believe me? See how confidently and assuredly you walk in reverse without any focus on what is behind you! You are likely carrying some inward fear that you will stumble upon something you don't count on being in your path. No one can know what is truly in the soul of a man more than the Creator of that soul - so we turn to him to help us know what is within each of us, how we develop an aversion to what isn't worthy of our pursuit, and to become accustomed to turning continually toward what it is we will never be ashamed to show or to point another in the way to go! Just sayin!

In Pursuit

Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21 NLT)

"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death."  (Leonardo da Vinci)  Pursuit is not for the faint-hearted. It takes tenacity to pursue something - commitment that just doesn't accept the status quo, or won't settle for substitutes. There are a whole lot of pursuits some call "noble" or "worthy", yet if they aren't leading toward living in righteousness and unfailing love, they are devoid of all that gives them integrity. I'd have to ask us to truthfully examine what "principles" we'd pursue unto death - not just those we'd give lip-service to right now, but those we'd hold onto until life had been wrung from our very frame. Are they the principles that lead to life, righteousness, and honor in the end? If not, they may just be "noble pursuits", but they may lack the ability to challenge the lives of those around us to pursue truly "worthy" things in theirs.

As a kid, I'd watch Saturday morning cartoons. One such cartoon depicted a roadrunner and a coyote. That coyote was always in pursuit of that roadrunner, but each and every time he got close enough to think he was going to actually lay hold of him, the roadrunner would outsmart him on some level. The coyote never gave up, though. He knew what he wanted and nothing, but nothing, was going to stop him from his pursuit. It is entirely possible we have the same focused attention toward whatever it is we are in pursuit of in this lifetime, yet totally and completely miss that it is not ours for the taking! The pursuit of righteousness doesn't go to the weak, but it doesn't go to those who try to make their own path toward it either. It goes to those who pursue as God directs, seeking him first in every move, and then learning to use what is received at his feet in service to others. It goes to those who realize the first goal in life is to KNOW God - for all Jesus did on our behalf was for the express purpose of dealing with the separation between us (in our sinfulness) and God (holy and righteous in all respects).  In turn, the pursuit of God in such a way as to really get to know him as he desires to be known will manifest in us helping others know him in the same way.

Pursuit is more than tenacity - it is focused, purposeful aim. It is the desire to do more than "get". This might seem a little odd to some, but in "getting" God expects us to "give". As we become more and more acquainted with his righteousness, we desire to see it evident in the lives of those around us - we want them to experience the beauty of life like we are experiencing it. When I am on vacation with a friend and sight some critter scurrying through the woods as we are on a lazy afternoon hike, I want that friend to have also seen what I saw. The moment I spot that critter, I try to call my friend's attention to the spot where I saw it last. It may no longer be there, but if we both watch closely, it may emerge into our line of sight again. God's grace and goodness are not elusive, but there are times we need another to help us see what it is we may have missed by our inattentiveness. This may very well be one of the reasons God expects us to live in relationship with other believers - to help each other see what we may have missed on our own. Pursuit is made all the better when it is not done all alone - we are spurred on to finish the race, and to finish it well.  Just sayin!

What are you wearing today?

Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind.  But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together.  Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.  (Colossians 3:12-15 VOICE)

The word "since" is suggestive of a completed action - based upon something which has already occurred - it is a done deal. That means there is no denying this life-change which occurs when we give our hearts to Jesus - it is an action like no other, setting into motion all future actions which are based upon that one action. At the point we say "yes" to Jesus, inviting him to take control of our lives, there is an action on God's part that sets into motion a cascade of events we call sanctification (a big word meaning we are cleaned up, our priorities are set straight, and we begin to take steps in accordance with what the scriptures declare to be the "right actions" of his followers). 

We are set apart by God - meaning we don't do the setting apart - he does. This life change is his doing, not ours. We cooperate with him, responding in obedience to what he reveals to us as the "right actions", but he is the one to call us away from the way we were living apart from him and calls us toward a new set of choices and actions. We are told to clothe ourselves with a holy way of life - manifested in certain actions such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I don't know about you, but I might get one or two of these "right" some of the time, but to get all of them right all of the time, that is beyond me to actually pull off in my own power!

We need God's grace to get all of these actions aligned and consistently revealed in our lives. If we read on, these expected behaviors are revealed in such things as being tolerant of the other person when they do something which disappoints or isn't "up to par". It means we forgive one another for actions they might not even have realized they revealed in response to one of life's circumstances. It means we love in ways we just cannot do apart from Christ's life being real within us. To love as Christ loves means we do so without strings attached - truly forgiving offenses even before we are asked for that forgiveness. It means we don't wait - we beat a path to the other person's door in order to see relationships restored.

Joyce Meyers frequently reminds us that patience requires more than an ability to wait - it is the actions we reveal while we are waiting. We have probably also heard it said that all things are difficult until they become easy. We may not get this right all of the time, and only get some of these right most of the time, but the truth is that God will take the sum of the ones we do get right and use them for his glory. We just need to take action as he directs and leave the rest up to him. Eventually, we will be fully clothed with all these actions of grace, but until that time, get as many pieces on as possible! Just sayin!

A call to action

For just a moment, stop to consider what people declare as "right" for your life and what "demands" they make of you.  For example, if you are a teen growing up under the authority of a parent, you might have a list which goes something like:  1) Be home on time - obey the curfew; 2) Do your best in school - get grades you are capable of achieving; 3) Listen to your mother - respect her authority; and 4) Don't use drugs or alcohol - avoid all association with those who do.  This is a short list, but you get the gist - there are "rules" to follow - "demands" being made of the teen growing up "under authority" which are rewarded with things such as a family, home, good food, safety, and protection.  Each demand carries a certain element of reward.  Each "right" thing declared for the teen's well-being is simply there for their protection.  The same is true of God's declarations of what is "right" for our lives and what he "demands" in the way of obedience to his declared purpose for our lives.

The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” (Micah 6:8 CEV)

Understanding what God declares to be right and what he demands is paramount to living as we should in this day and age.  There are a lot of voices declaring "what is right" for us - only one matters, though.  There are more demands on us than at any other time in history - simply because we "advance" into new arenas and discoveries, leaving us wide open for the "demands" they make on us.  Three things God declares to be "right" and which outline his pretty succinct "demands" for our lives:

1) See that justice is done.  Wow!  Now this one is a big order to fill, is it not!  In today's world, how do we see that justice is done?  In the Message translation of this passage, the wording is probably a little clearer:  "Do what is fair and just to your neighbor."  It is what we do "to" others and "with" others which is in focus here.  In other words, we are to be in control of how it is we treat people.  If we really stop to consider this one, God is asking us to continually allow our actions to be guided by truth, reason, and fairness.  There is nothing which will ensure we treat others fairly than to continually seek truth in the relationship. No one can stand accused or put down when we consider our own sin FIRST, focusing more on how grace has impacted us, and then extending that grace to another.

2) Let mercy be your first concern.  This is where treating others with justice leads us - to the "mercy seat" of God.  We find the two go hand-in-hand, with justice and mercy being interwoven into all our actions.  God commissions his kids to be ambassadors of mercy. Some of our actions "merit" certain responses.  For example, if we hit the back of another person's car with ours because we could not control the speed of our vehicle to avoid a collision we have a responsibility to ensure their car is restored.  Yet, there are times when our actions "merit" a response which is completely "outside" of how God responds to them. For example, when we sin, he extends grace.  When we are doubtful, he gives us faith to see it through.  When we are fearful, he comes alongside to comfort and bring us through.  God's plan is for us to give what is not expected - to extend mercy.  In the example above, the car might be sent to the body shop for the dents to be removed and a new bumper to be put on the car.  In God's economy, the car is replaced, not just repaired!  He doesn't give us back "damaged, but repaired" goods - he makes new again!  Mercy has a way of making new!

3) Humbly obey your God.  Okay, we knew obedience had to come into the mix somewhere along the way, right?  God's plan involves us being rightly related to him, us being rightly related to others, and us having a right view of our place in his family.  When we understand who we are in Christ Jesus, we reach out to others differently than when we are insecure about ourselves, or trying to make a mark in this world.  When we see the "mark" is already made because God has declared us to be his child, we face the world differently.  Obedience is more than adherence to a set of rules and regulations.  It is an attitude of heart that puts another first.  In asking us to be obedient, God is laying out how it is we see justice done in this world - how we allow mercy to be our first concern.  You see, when we understand putting God first in our lives, it is easy for us to learn how to put another's needs in a place of priority in our lives (over our own).  We focus externally more than internally.  This is the commission of the first two - to look beyond ourselves to the needs of others - becoming agents of God's love to them.

So, if we could have a "theme" for our year, I think this would be a good start:  See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.  Just sayin!

A simple math equation or two

If we die - we will live.  If we don't give up - we will rule.  If we deny - we will be denied.  If we struggle being faithful - his faithfulness is everlasting.  This is a lot to take in, but it is worth us considering today - for deep within this message are truths by which we can anchor our lives!  The first is that of death bringing life.  At first, this seems a little counter-intuitive. It is!  There are not a lot of things within God's kingdom which are actually "intuitive" - many of the concepts he teaches are a little harder for us to grasp, but they are truth nonetheless.  I struggled with some of those math equations in advanced algebra, but it didn't make them any less true.  If I solved for "x" as the "rules" of mathematics guided me, I'd be sure to get the right answer.  If I went my own way to solve for "x", it was a hit and miss that I'd arrive at the correct answer - most of the time I did not!  What and who we choose to put our faith in determines the outcome of all of "life's equations".  Death brings life (equation number one) - there is no other solution to our sinful state than to bring it to death!  We can try to "solve" our sinful nature a whole lot of other ways, but the only solution which actually is reliable time and time again is to die to sin!  We die to sin by placing our lives in Christ's control - allowing his life to be born within us until it transforms us into a new creation.

Here is a true message: “If we died with Christ, we will live with him. If we don’t give up, we will rule with him. If we deny that we know him, he will deny that he knows us. If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful. Christ cannot deny who he is.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13 CEV)

So, if we want to truly live, we must die.  If we persevere in this walk with Jesus, we will rule with him.  This is equation number two: Perseverance + Christ's life within = ruling and reigning with Christ Jesus.  It is very easy to give up - it takes much determination and commitment to stick with something even when you don't see the results you had hoped for. Not everything in God's economy is instantaneous.  In fact, the only thing I know to be instant in God's economy is our salvation - the moment we confess Jesus as Lord and request him to take over the control of our lives, our sins are forgiven, once and for all time. Instantly!  It doesn't mean we won't come back to God on occasion with issues - because we still have this self-will to contend with.  God doesn't take away our will at the point of our salvation - so salvation is also a long-term experience (Perseverance + Christ within).  We take steps toward fully living the experience of Christ's righteousness within by taking steps to deny our self-directed will control of our decisions!  When Christ is in control of our steps, they are ordered by a power unlike any other - the authority to overcome sin's pull and temptation's lure.

Equation number three:  Our denial of him ≠ his watchfulness and care over us.  Even when we deny truth, it doesn't make truth less true.  God is watchful over his children, even when they have a tendency to deny his care by doing their own thing.  It goes without saying - we can be obstinate at times.  We can turn our backs on what we know to be true, all in the name of convenience, compromise, or apathy.  Our denial doesn't make truth null and void in our lives - truth resides in us because Christ resides in us.  Yet, we can reject grace repeatedly, leaving us at the mercy of our own self-will.  This is a dangerous place to be in life, my friends.  Nothing is more dangerous than to live outside of God's grace - nothing! 

This leads us to equation number four: Our faithfulness < God's faithfulness.  The truth is, we cannot be all that faithful in our own efforts and we will slip up from time to time.  It is a "given" in this life - because we have this "will" thing to contend with.  We will choose to do things absolutely outside of the plan God has for our lives, but even in our lack of faithfulness, God cannot be proven unfaithful.  You see, it is impossible for God to be anything he is not.  God is faithful, even when we fail.  He is there with grace - time and time again.  He is faithful to forgive us our sins and to restore us to a place of right-standing in his presence.  God's capacity to extend grace exceeds our capability of failure!  Get that one through your head, friends.  God's grace is inexhaustible.  Our right action may wane from time to time, but his graciousness toward us never wanes.

We may not see the full value in the grace we have received, but if we appreciate even a tenth of it, we are on the road to understanding the truth of God's love.  We may not fully commit and stick with our commitments, wavering from time to time because obedience is not as "convenient" as compromise, but God's commitment toward us remains.  His love reaches beyond our sin - this is the final "solution" to the equation of life.  Our sin might seem to outweigh his grace at times, but think again - for God's Son resides within and where his Spirit is, there is life!  Just sayin!

What's inside your pipes?

Sinner - if we look up this word in the dictionary, here is what we find: a person who sins or transgresses.  Not much to go on, huh?  So, I guess where we need to start is looking at what scripture has to say about sin.  The evidence there is pretty revealing, so I think it is about as accurate of a description we can get of what it means to be a "sinner".  First and foremost, let me just say this - no one escapes this definition - no one.  I know this might come as a surprise to some, since they have lived their lives as basically "good people", trying to do right, not really crossing the line too much, and always living by a pretty high set of morals. Yet, if we examine what scripture has to say about sin, we all fit into the category of sinners since we have been born with the "nature" which gives us the drive and ability to sin. According to Colossians, these things "lurk" within each of us and need to be "put to death". I kind of think of our sin nature like the slimy stuff which builds up on the inside of the pipes under the sink.  They look clean on the outside, but deep within the inside, there is this gunk which really stays pretty well hidden - until it builds up sufficiently to impede the flow of stuff through the pipes!  Sin is kind of like that - it is always there, lives kind of hidden within, and doesn't usually get much notice until something "big" happens which calls attention to the fact it has been there all the time!

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This saying is true, and it can be trusted. I was the worst sinner of all! But since I was worse than anyone else, God had mercy on me and let me be an example of the endless patience of Christ Jesus. He did this so that others would put their faith in Christ and have eternal life. I pray that honor and glory will always be given to the only God, who lives forever and is the invisible and eternal King! Amen.  (I Timothy 1:15-17 CEV)

Romans 3:23 reminds us we are ALL sinners - falling short of the standards God has for our lives.  Those standards were fully exemplified in his Son, Jesus.  To see how much we have fallen short, we need only compare our lives to his - not one another's lives, but his.  This is the danger of comparison - using the wrong standard by which to judge our behavior.  So, when we begin to compare ourselves to the glorious standards he has set for us in the life of his Son, we can begin to see our best "moral" living is really nothing more than good works without the energizing of the Spirit of God within.  Proverbs 28:14 tells us of the importance of being willing to no longer try to conceal our sin or the nature which causes us to pursue this sin.  There is something liberating about an honest appraisal of our circumstances apart from Christ - once we come "out" about what is really part of who we are, it produces a liberty to be honest about the need we have for a Savior!

We are to celebrate the truth proclaimed in I John 1:7-9 where we are told the blood of Jesus was the one thing which made it possible to be free of our sin - regardless of how "good" or "bad" we call our sin, it is ALL forgiven because of the shed blood of Jesus.  There is a root of wickedness lurking within - we may not tap into it very often, but if it is dwelling there at all, it has the potential to produce the evidence of its presence!  We don't see the slime in the pipes, but it the bacteria which causes it is there all along!  In time, it will overgrow if left unchecked!  What overgrows has the potential to not only produce a pretty nasty odor, but to produce some pretty ugly "clogs" which allow for stuff to build up and get trapped - festering even more so!  This is the problem with us thinking we can deal with our own sin through just living right - we don't deal with the real issue - the sin nature within.  We cannot deal with it - only the blood of Jesus can!

I like the passage above, not because it speaks of Paul as the "chief of sinners", but because I can substitute my name in there, as well.  Christ came into the world to save "sinners" - put my name there (and yours).  His entire purpose was to provide a means by which our "nature" could be exchanged.  If you have ever tried to overcome a personal habit with your own will-power, you know just how difficult this can be.  If you have ever been enabled to overcome it by the power of Christ within, you know just how liberating this freedom can be. One is self-effort - a whole lot of trying and trying again, until you come at least close to being free of whatever it was which had you in bondage.  Apart from Christ within, this is the best we can hope for - keeping those things "in check" all in our own effort.  With Christ, we rely upon a different source for our "right-living" choices - his presence enables us to make the right choices and helps us to engage in the activities which build us up to ensure we walk strong and upright.

My hope is that each of us can proclaim the truth of Jesus making us living examples of how Christ's endless patience changes each of us from glory to glory.  Today's glory will not be as magnificent as tomorrow's, and trust me on this - tomorrow's will not outshine today's once there are a couple more tomorrows.  The glory of Christ within will continue to increase as we allow his presence to permeate each aspect of our lives - mind, will, emotions - and this will speak louder than any amount of self-effort to deal with the "gunk that dwells within".  Just sayin!

Put right is not us getting it right all the time!

So many times we want to assume that there is no way we can be "put right" in life because we can only see the "wrong" we have done.  We see how frequently we fall and struggle to get up - God sees how many times he has the opportunity to help us to our feet again.  God doesn't see the wrong as much as he sees how he has already put things right for us in the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.  Isn't it about time we change our perspective of the "wrong" we think is unforgivable in our lives and begin to see what God sees when he looks at us - lives "put right" with him?

God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21 MSG)  

We evaluate people by what they have and how they look - God sees them by a totally different standard.  He sees them not as wealthy, or well-dressed, but as "needy" individuals - needy of a Savior - needy of being "put right". This is indeed a different perspective of how we should begin to view others, is it not?  When we finally begin to transition to this "view" of another, we begin to see them as Christ sees them.  As scripture so aptly points out, anyone who has accepted the work of Christ in their lives gets a new start - they get things "put right".

Think about this for just a moment - it isn't that we "work our way" to being "right" again.  It is that we are "PUT" right.  This is really more of a passive action than "working" our way toward anything - it is the action of another on our behalf.  Isn't it just like us to think we have to get all our "fallen leaves" in a pile before we can even begin to think our "yard" has been cleaned up? It is indeed good news to me to know God "puts" things in my life "in order" through his Son, not by what I am able to do in my own effort.  It isn't as though I need to just "sit back" and do nothing once I ask Jesus to be my Savior - but obedience to what he asks is not really me doing the "work" of salvation.  I am "put right" by his work - anything he asks of me from that point forward is just a way of revealing my commitment to his work within me. 

It may seem a little hard for some to believe - someone who never did anything wrong to assume the total wrong of another.  It is contrary to how we act and how we view life - for this type of sacrifice is indeed not "normal". It is "super" normal!  It took God about one nano-second to put my life in order again - it has taken me a lifetime to realize I don't have to work at being "put right" anymore!  Why is it so hard for us to accept this work of God on our behalf?  Probably because it is harder to accept a gift we don't deserve than one we feel we have earned!

Forgiveness is really a fresh start - you don't have to focus on the fact you have fallen because you are / have been "put right" on your feet again!  When we find it hard to "get beyond" our failures, we sometimes need a good "setting right" in our focus again - because somehow we forgot God has "put us right", will continue to "put us right", and is all about the business of "putting us right" for as many times as we need it until we get "put right" for good! Maybe this isn't rocket science here, but I genuinely think there are more people who struggle with this than are willing to admit they do - for those individuals who are constantly "working" toward "being right", please just listen.  God has put you right ALREADY - so why are you trying to do all the work over again?

When God declares something to be a certain way, it is.  When he declares us as "put right", we are.  All God ever asks of us is to accept his gift - all we need is this close intimate connection with him.  We cannot add anything to what he does for us - for what he does is a completed work.  Think about it - when something is "completed", it is finished.  All parts needed are already there - we are lacking nothing.  Perhaps today is a good day to begin to accept God "putting us right" and stop all this fruitless "work" of trying to put ourselves right.  Just sayin!

Make me "right-wise"

Right-living is something the Bible refers to as "righteousness" - it is the idea of learning to order your steps according to the plans and purposes of God.  The design of the designer is always the best plan for the creation, is it not?  We can "recommission" some things for other use, such as making a lamp from a vase, or turning a stool into an end table, but it was not the intention of the creator of these to see them used these ways.  In fact, the vase was designed to be adorned with richly scented, magnificently colorful flowers.  The stool was designed the support the weight of a human, not a table lamp. They "function" okay in their "recommissioned" purpose, but they sure function best when they are doing exactly what they were created to do!  The same is true with each of us.

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.  (Psalm 119:1-8 MSG)

Most think righteousness is a life characterized by morality and a certain degree of upright behavior.  This falls into the line of living a virtuous life.  Some other words you hear which people use to describe a "righteous life" are things like "good person", "honest", "fair", and even "just".  The truth be told, righteousness encompasses all of these traits and more.  It is the sum total of making right choices for the right reasons.  Apart from Christ in our lives, our choices are anything but righteous!  

In a biblical sense, we could interpret righteous as "right-wise-ness".  We have been made "right" by the grace of God.  We are given the ability to live "right" by the presence of God in our lives in the person of the Holy Spirit.  We are supported in living "right" by the constant intercession of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The righteousness we are really called to exhibit in our daily lives is a result of these actions in us.  The idea is each of us coming in to "conformity" to the will of God.  Right-wise-ness is the "conforming" to this will.  How does this happen?

We have to accept the Word of God as an authority in our lives - the "owner's manual" of sorts which helps to direct us to the intended "purpose" for our lives.  When we own a car, we refer to the owner's manual to see where the spare tire is kept, how it is removed, where to put the jack, how the car is properly supported when the jack is used, etc.  The owner's manual gives us insight which supports the safest operation of the vehicle.  Now, the Word of God is no different - it supports the safest operation of our lives!  So, in order to learn to "conform" to the will of God, we have to get to know it.  There is no better place to explore what is "within" and "without" God's will than in the scriptures.  If you don't find it plainly there, you certainly get a gist of how God guides us to make decisions which don't violate his overall plan for his children.

Recognizing what the Word says is one thing - actually submitting to what it tells us to do is quite another.  Yet, to be fully right-wise in our steps, we must.  This idea of submission is kind of a sore point for some - probably because society has so twisted the meaning of submission so as to make us a little wary of this action.  Here's the truth - when we submit to something, we are just agreeing we are making it our own.  In other words, when we choose to follow God's will as revealed in scripture, we are just taking his will and making it our own.  We determine it to be "good" and "accept it" as our "mode of operation".  When we do, we learn to live in such a manner that our lives reflect the right actions God desires.

What this kind of "right-choosing" does for us cannot really be put into words adequately, but I think it helps us see ourselves as God sees us - with the full potential of blameless, perfect, and upright living.  There is an exchange of wisdom which comes as we behold ourselves through God's Word - for his Word reflects the original intention of the creation.  When we see ourselves as God sees us, the "right-wise" choices become a little easier because we see the potential in those choices.  Righteousness is achievable - through a change of perspective.  We need to learn the "right-wise-ness" of what is contained in his Word - allowing his Word to influence our choices - choosing to make his will our own.  In so doing, we become "upright", "honest", "fair" and even "just" in our behavior.  Just sayin!

Important Lessons

It was difficult to pick out the exact words from this proverb today - simply because all of them reveal just tremendous truth about our God - Wisdom exemplified.  I think the key passage which reflects so much about what God has to say to us in this chapter is really found much earlier in verse 6:  "Don’t miss a word of this—I’m telling you how to live well, I’m telling you how to live at your best."  It is a call to listen - to find wisdom, not in just the words, but in the person of Wisdom himself.  In so doing, we move from the place of just living to living well - at our very best.

I love those who love me; those who look for me find me.  Wealth and Glory accompany me—also substantial Honor and a Good Name.  My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.  You can find me on Righteous Road—that’s where I walk—at the intersection of Justice Avenue, handing out life to those who love me, filling their arms with life—armloads of life!  (Proverbs 8:17-21 MSG)

As the chapter unfolds, God asks something of each of us as it applies to our "purpose" in life.  The idea of seeking him above all else comes through in passages such as: 

Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. (vs. 10)

My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus. (vs. 19)

Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day’s work. (vs. 34)

So, why did I choose this particular section of the Proverb this morning?  I think it is because we have such a focus in society today to outdo each other in almost every imaginable way, except as it applies to our development of personal character.  We sometimes get focused on the "stuff" instead of the "person".  You see, Jesus asks something of us here - to open up our arms to him -  not to fill with "stuff", but with "life".  There is nothing more "real" than a change in character - it is the true "stuff" which defines us, is it not?  So, in learning to pursue God as he desires, we see there are some "shifts" in our thinking which must occur.

First, we make him the object of our attention.  In this passage, we see someone looking so as to find.  There are varying degrees of "looking", aren't there?  I have spent time just looking out windows as things pass by, and then there are times when I am looking intently because I am observing something specific, such as the lizard skittering across the block wall.  So, the first thing we are asked to do is to determine our focus.  If our focus is attentive, we place ourselves in a position of taking in what is revealed.  

Then there is the idea of desiring something.  When we are looking with intent, we are really desiring to see something.  As I walk with a friend at lunch, we pass a small open field with "signs" of life - little burrows.  For weeks on end, we see nothing from those little holes in the ground - but we never cease to look.  Why?  We desire to see these little ground hogs poking their little heads from those holes.  They don't skitter over to us and beg for food - they just reveal themselves to us on occasion.  If we weren't watching - we'd miss them!  The same is true in our spiritual lives - if we want to catch a glimpse of the things which would otherwise escape our view, we must be looking!

Second, we must be looking in the right places.  Character growth often takes places in the times and places we least think possible for them to occur.  I know for myself, some of the most "growth-provoking" places have been in times of being "knocked down a few notches" - giving me pause to consider just how much I was shutting out the stuff God wanted me to see.  It is like God took the "loppers" to my limbs and just pruned back those branches enough for me to be left a little "bare".  Ever been there?  What is your first reaction to being left bare?  Isn't it to try to cover up?  Yep, it probably is.  Here's the thing, though.  God is found only when we can see past ourselves! Sometimes we need our branches trimmed a little so we can see past "us" and see him!  

Our writer tells us we find God at some intersections in life - Righteous Road and Justice Avenue.  Now, these are not literal locations - but they represent two very important "places" in our lives.  Righteous Road - the place where our own deeds are almost "measured" against God's righteousness.  It is really a "reflective" road - one which reveals the true quality of our character.  Justice Avenue - the place where our actions come face-to-face with grace.  You see, God's justice is evident in his conduct - not ours!  His response to our lack of moral goodness and right-living is to judge our sinfulness in Christ!  The intersection might expose our sin, but it also provides the perfect "life-turn" right into Grace Way.

Last, we must maintain the right posture.  It is in emptying ourselves of all the "stuff" we carry around which we think is important in defining who we are that we come to a place where we can allow him to fill us with the stuff which really defines a child of God.  We cannot have it both ways - our own deeds of righteousness must be emptied out in order to fully embrace the only deed of righteousness which makes us able to be truly different!  Just sayin!

Is your "feed" working?

Pursue:  to follow in order to overtake, capture; to proceed in accordance with the plan or purpose.   The most important part of this definition is the word "follow".  Did you ever stop to consider all the things in life you "follow".  In Facebook "speak", we "follow" our friends - keeping up with their lives through the social networking feed we obtain from their posts.  In terms of a military command, when we "follow" an order, we are doing exactly as we have been instructed - not veering from the original intent of the order.  We "follow" certain news events because they catch our eye and stimulate some form of curiosity within.  In all these examples, we "follow" or "pursue" because there is something we count on as a "benefit" to us.  If we "follow", maybe we will learn something, be kept safe, or have the inside info on what is going on.  

Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.  (Proverbs 21:21 NLT)

I daresay the "following" God honors is the type encompassed in this verse.  In the Message Bible, the passage reads similarly, but has a little bit of a different twist:  Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind finds life itself—glorious life!  The idea of "pursuing" is presented as "hunting" - carrying the idea of chasing after, or searching for something we wish to obtain.  Whether we use the word "pursue" or "hunt", the idea is one of searching thoroughly, seeking intently.  

If you and I were to refine our "following" or "pursuing" a little, I wonder just how much that change the pursuit?  In Facebook land, we have an opportunity to scroll over a person's name, then choose how much of the individual's posts we want to be seeing in our news feed.  In other words, we get to determine how much we want to "follow" of their life story!  Have you ever excluded some part of a friend's feed only to be asked by them if you saw their post?  When you proclaim you did not, the "hiding" of them from your feed is very apparent!  

I wonder if we have done the same with God's "feed" in our lives?  Perhaps we have been "selective" about how much of God's feed we want.  We exclude certain books of the Bible because we have labeled them too hard to understand, not pertinent to our present day experiences, or the like.  We dismiss certain commands because they seem archaic and out of touch with what life is like today.  We even deny hearing his promptings in our lives, choosing instead to follow our own.  If God were to ask us if we got his latest "update", I wonder how we'd all answer this question?

Our writer reminds us of pursuing righteousness and unfailing love.  Pursuing so as to overtake it - making it our way of life rather than a thing we view as pie in the sky.  Isn't this what the hunter does?  He tracks the object of his hunt and then he takes it as his own - allowing it to become whatever it is he needs.  If he takes in the meat from it, he finds nourishment for his body.  If he uses the hide to make clothing, he finds covering for his nakedness.  If he puts the remainder in the ground, he allows the remainder to feed the earth from which he will bring forth crops in season.

Pursuing righteousness and unfailing love is a lot like hunting for game.  We find nourishment for our spirit, covering for our shame, and the hope for a harvest to come.  God assures us of three things as a result of us pursuing righteousness and unfailing love - the two things we can find in the person of Christ.  First, we find life.  Isn't this what the game gives the hunter when he takes the meat into his body?  In the shedding of blood, he obtains that which gives him life.  In the shedding of Christ's blood, we obtained life.  In taking in his life, we obtain eternal life! 

Second, we find righteousness.  Nothing covers over our shame - the influence of things we have done and/or have had done to us in our past - like the righteousness of God.  It "covers" us.  When we feel "shame" isn't it because we somehow equate the thing we have done or which has been done to us as something as significant as parading around naked?  In obtaining God's righteousness, we are "dressed" with the very thing which removes the shame.

Last, but definitely not least, we find honor.  There is an old Chinese proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day - teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.  I'd like us to consider why the hunter "turns" the remains he cannot use into the soil.  Isn't it to nourish the soil so it will be readied to bring forth a crop later?  In fact, he uses it to change the consistency of the soil - making it full of nutrients which will "feed" the growth to come later on. God's righteousness and unfailing love does just this in us - it prepares us for the harvest to come.  Satisfying the hunger of today is one thing, preparing for the needs of our future is quite another.  As we look at our Chinese proverb, I think what is being said is that when we teach a man to plant a seed, we bring honor to his life.  God is all about planting seeds - prepared soil does much more to bring forth a good harvest - honoring the one who gives the seed and the one who will benefit from its growth.

Just as we "follow" some things with definite passion and purpose, it would be good for us to determine if we have the "feed" of God's righteousness and unfailing love "wide open" in our lives.  Just sayin!

This "fits" me well!

Did you ever consider something you put on, thinking it would make you look good, then immediately pull it off, replace it back on the hanger and return it to the rack at the store?  Your first impression was, "I have seen others wear this and it looks so cute!"  Your first impression on you:  "Uh....this does nothing for me!"  Maybe it is a "girl thing", but I think guys go through this frustration once in a while, too.  They may just not admit it!  There is one form of "attire" which will never disappoint, never look odd on us, and always flatters us!


^10-11  I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul!  He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara.  For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, so the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.  
(Isaiah 61:10-11 The Message)


We are "dressed up" whenever we are wearing the "suit of salvation"!  Nothing is more appropriate for the occasion, more flattering to our "frame", or produces the "wow" experience than the "suit of salvation".  We can try to "cover up" our "frame" in many different ways, but only one thing truly covers us - the blood of Jesus.



Think of the wedding - bridegroom all decked out in the tux.  Pants with a razor sharp crease, collar and cuffs starched, shoes gleaming with a fresh coat of polish, and the tails flowing gently down the back.  He cuts a right fine image, does he not?  No flaw is seen at that moment - only the beauty of his frame awaiting his bride.


The bride - all adorned in bejeweled gown, lotioned and powdered with the freshest of scents, hair all adorned by the veil, topped by the tiny tiara twinkling in the light.  She also captures the attention of those who behold her beauty - no flaw apparent.  As she approaches the altar, her beauty seems to radiate even more so.  The groom's appreciation of his bride seems to be set on his face and glimmering in his eyes.  The crowd is set at awe.  The garments do much for those who wear them, don't they?



Outfitted in a robe of righteousness - even in the more intimate times when we can really "let our hair down", so to speak - God outfits us with righteousness!  We don't wear our robes out into public, but tend to wear them around the house - where we are who we are.  Even in these times of "relaxed intimacy" of being ourselves, we are outfitted in something far better than we could ever imagine - right standing with our Savior.  It is amazing, isn't it?  God takes care of our "covering" both for public view and for his private enjoyment!


Even the earth is adorned in beauty - an image of the righteousness of God.  I marvel when I see the Arizona cacti in full bloom this time of year.  I ponder how something so beautiful can come out of something so prickly and ugly.  The surface looks like nothing good could come from within - then as the desert floor begins to come alive, the blooms surface, adorning what looked so "unfruitful" with tremendous beauty and glory.  The barrel cactus wears a crown of flowers.  The saguaro wears many little crowns.  The ocotillo blooms brightly with rich red flames at its tips.  Even the floor of the desert is alive with orange poppies, pink desertpeony, fuscia trailing windmills, and the rich redness of the firecracker bush.  God leaves his mark even in nature.


How marvelous we are adorned - one and all!