YEAR 2, WEEK 28, Day 6, Saturday, 15 July 2023

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 15 July 2023:

Jeremiah 6:10, 11 — To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it. Therefore, I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of holding it in.

The rebellious see God’s word as offensive. However, God’s messenger is compelled to proclaim the requirement for repentance and salvation from God’s wrath – “I am weary of holding it in.” The messenger doesn’t seek to tone down God’s message or make it more accommodating to those engaged in sin. On the contrary, the prophet is tasked with testifying to the truth in stark contrast to the message of the world — “from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall.” (Jeremiah 6:13-15)

God’s messenger can’t remain silent before sin or make light of what God considers detestable. Additionally, in response to God’s word, God’s people “conduct [them]selves with fear… holy in all [their] conduct, remembering that they “were ransomed from the futile ways.., not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. (1 Peter 1:13-19) It is an unthinkable thing to treat to blood of Christ carelessly. The repentant will respond to God’s word without the aid of marketing schemes, sales pitches, big bands, or light shows. The rest won’t, regardless the cleverness of the pitch. It is the role of the messenger to be faithful to God’s word, regardless the response. Yes, we must speak the truth in love, but to water down the message is unloving:

• Ezekiel 3:17-21 — “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”
• Proverbs 27:5-6 — Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
• Proverbs 24:10-12 — If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?
• Jude 1:17-23 — But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Jeremiah 6:13-20 — For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’ Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them. Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

• 1 Peter 1:13-25 — Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

God’s people had become wholly corrupt while the religious leaders preached a “feel good” message. Abominations had become acceptable to God’s people, while God’s word was deemed outdated and irrelevant. God’s written Law had been rejected and replaced with religiosity. Social tolerance became more important than obedience to God’s word. This Old Testament prophecy is a warning to the church today as is 1 Peter that calls us to, based on the grace we have received, remain holy, fearful, pure, and obedient to God’s word which remains unchanged forever. This is not hard to understand. We are called to obedience without excuses. Many sins are now celebrated in our culture but must be rejected by God’s people.

“Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown.” The more people practice sin, the more insensitive they are to their sin. What once would have shocked them no longer shocks them, and they lose all shame. Just look at what people accept today as entertainment.

Psalms 79:9 – Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!

God will always deal with you in a way that brings glory to Him. God bestows His grace upon us, not that we can continue to dishonor Him but that we can grow to increasingly glorify Him in Christlike character.

Psalm 79:10 – Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

It is sometimes hard to understand why wickedness continues and why God allows the innocent to suffer. We must remember that God has a plan and will remain faithful to His promise of Romans 8:28 to work all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His Romans 8:29 purpose: to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Continue to trust and obey.

Psalm 79:13 – But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

In the midst of suffering, continue to give thanks to God and to praise Him to all.

Proverbs 15:1 – A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Why stir up anger with harsh words? Again, Christians should be masters of relationship, experts at conflict resolution. Unlike the worldly, Christians enter into relationships as ambassadors for Jesus (not representing self), on a mission of reconciliation. Christians should not see people as others do but rather see them as Jesus does. Christians should enter relationships intent on administering grace even to the point of great personal suffering (taking up the cross) and should remain in a state of perpetual forgiveness. Christians don’t regard others as the enemy but rather regard the dark spiritual forces controlling them as the enemy. Guided by the Spirit, Christians enter into relationships with the power and perspective of the Holy Spirit to see and understand what is impossible for others to see and understand. Christians should enter relationships as leaders in love, intent on taking others where they cannot go by themselves – leaders know The Way (Jesus) and show The Way; Jesus is the Way.

Christians listen in order to hear beyond the words, to truly understand the heart and hurt behind words. Christians strive to always return love and blessings for hate and curses. Christians have nothing to lose in an encounter with others because they have already died in Christ and are already living eternal life in Christ. A Christian who is secure in Christ should have peace and never lose it. Christians radiate peace and love and light when others are trapped in hate, anger, and bitterness. Practice your Christianity today; don’t just contemplate it. Make your every word and deed intentional and for God’s glory. You were purposefully made by God in physical form and placed intentionally on this earth to communicate God’s truth and to translate God’s invisible truth into tangible, visible reality for His glory – this is your earthly purpose. Reveal to others the Spirit that they cannot see through your reconciling words and acts of kindness.

Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Nothing escapes God’s attention, and He is in complete control. He will not be mocked.

Proverbs 15:4 – A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Even when Christians have to tell people things they may not want to hear, they always seek to do it in a way that is receivable by them, that lifts them up rather than tears them down, that heals rather than hurts, that potentially draws them closer to Jesus rather than pushing them farther away. Christians never make the “issue” the focus but rather Jesus.

Proverbs 15:7 – The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

The wise understand and accept that knowledge and wisdom come from God, and they have the requisite humility to submit to the will of God, not so the foolish.

Proverbs 15:8 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

A gift (a sacrifice or act of admiration) can be given as an act of genuine love or selfishly hoping to get something in return such as favor or a special blessing. Two people could give the exact same gift, but the gifts could be valued completely differently in God’s sight based upon the true heart of the giver. People cannot truly know the heart of another and can be deceived by a gift. However, God knows the heart of all people and is never deceived. Be careful not to deceive yourself by your own ‘sacrifices.’ Effort, even sacrifice, is not always motivated by genuine love. In their relationships with God and with others, many people go through the motions, doing all they things they know they are supposed to do in relationship but for all the wrong reasons. Before you make the sacrifice of time, resources, work, etc, ask yourself, “Why am I really doing this?” Is it out of selfless love or for sake of an outcome you are hoping to achieve for yourself?

Jesus said that, “denying self,” was key to following Him, not “self-denial.” The dictionary defines “self” as, “A person’s essential being that distinguishes them from others.” Popular psychology lifts up and finds hope in self-esteem, self-realization, self-actualization, self-respect, etc. This teaching has crept into Christian thinking. Self-denial is a struggle against our “self,” against our independent will, placing restrictions on self in an attempt to control self. It sees self as the problem but also self as the answer. However, denying self is seeing our essential being as Christ, with no distinction between ourselves and Him. We seek perfect oneness with Him. We seek the mind of Christ and the perfect will of Christ. And we seek the power of Christ (which is already ours) rather than our own strength. We become crucified with Christ, self dies, and we are resurrected in Him – the new life is Christ, the body His vessel. The last-mentioned fruit of the Spirit is self-control, something that is impossible for man, but possible with Christ. The key to self-control is denying self, becoming nothing that Christ in you would be everything.

Proverbs 15:10 – There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die.

How have you seen this revealed in life? Why do people insist on suffering needlessly and causing others to suffer needlessly by ignoring, forsaking, or defying the Way, the Truth, and the Life given out of perfect love by the Almighty Creator of All Things who only wants the very best for everyone? If only people would stop fighting against perfect, all powerful Love. Take a moment to read 2 Peter 2.

• Ecclesiastes 12:11; Acts 24:16 — The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd…. ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
• Proverbs 23:9 — Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
• Hosea 6:1 — “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
• James 4:6-8 — Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Proverbs 15:11 – Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of man!

People judge what you do, but God sees deep within you to judge why you do it – He knows the truth of your motives and heart. Many people do ‘good’ deeds for the wrong reasons: fear, pride, greed, duty (legalism), rather than love. God accepts gifts offered in love. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the true motives behind your actions and purify your love. Jesus said, the first step to following Him was to “deny yourself.” Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remove self from the equation – the hardest step.

Proverbs 15:13 — A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

Do your words lift people up or tear them down?

Proverbs 15:14 – The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

Why haven’t increased education, increased information, and incredible technological advances made the world a better place? Because wisdom is a heart issue not a head issue. Information is not transformation. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. As the world gets smarter and smarter while walking farther and farther away from God, people merely get more capable of spreading evil and destruction. Jesus’ final prayer was for our unity, but unity in Him. The world wants unity too, but unity in man. Globalized technology has become the new Tower of Babel, and the secular unity being created will lead the global heard to a cliff. The message of the Gospel is the hope of the world.

Proverbs 15:15-17 – All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Motivated by anything other than love for God and others, you can build for yourself a kingdom on earth, but it would be full of trouble and affliction, and it will be burned up in judgment. The Bible says that God’s gifts have no trouble added to them.

“Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.” Christianity has become less appealing in America because people, more and more, seem to be getting the results they are looking for through the knowledge of man. You can have a large screen TV and two cars in the garage without ever reading your Bible, going to church, or walking with Jesus. But while the world seeks to build mini kingdoms on earth, the Christian seeks the Kingdom of God. The more you value Jesus, the less you value earthly treasures and the less you are impacted by the worries of the world.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Trust God to provide you with everything you need if you remain in obedience to Him. Whatever you gain in disobedience is only a curse.

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” Joy is found in love, not in pleasures. God is love. Joy is found in God. The love we share with others must be the love we have received from God, transferred over through us to them. Be one with God and with others in God, and experience the fullness of joy.

Proverbs 15:19 – The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

An attitude of laziness sees everything as a pain and accomplishes very little. An attitude if diligence is very freeing and sees much progress in life.

Proverbs 15:23 — To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

Do you know when to speak and when to be silent? Do you have a good, constructive sense of timing when providing advice to others?

Proverbs 15:26 — The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure.

Words are only pure when they come from a truly gracious heart. God knows the heart, and the kindest words are an abomination (a very strong word) to Him when they come from the wrong heart. You can say all the right things and be completely wrong. Again, God knows your thoughts. Thoughts that prioritize something as higher or more important than God are idolatry and an abomination. Are your words gracious, always seeking the best for the other person rather than your own personal interests?

Proverbs 15:28, 29 – The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The quality of our relationships with both God and man is determined by the condition of our hearts. Check your heart.

As an ambassador of Christ (your purpose on earth), you must be very, very careful to think before you speak, remembering that your words must not be your own but Jesus’. Your words must mirror the words of the Bible. What you think and what you want doesn’t matter and likely only stands in the way of God’s truth. If you feel any self-centered emotion, better to keep your mouth shut than to misrepresent the Lord and Savior. Jesus warns that we will be held accountable for every careless word that comes out of our mouths. How seriously will you take God’s warning?

“The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” Acceptable prayers are God-centered rather than self-centered.

Proverbs 15:31-33 – The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Again, you must approach God’s word humbly and accept its correction in your life, every day. Do you receive correction well?

Proverbs 15:33 — The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

There are many really intelligent and knowledgeable people in the world, but very few wise and honorable people. Wisdom is knowledge rightly applied, and wisdom can only be obtained through the Holy Spirit by those who are in Christ. Even the most knowledgeable person in the world can’t know what only God can reveal in any given situation or circumstance to know how to rightly apply knowledge, and knowledge applied apart from true love (which only comes from God) will also be misapplied. You must abide in Christ and be willing to read God’s word with a humble spirit and apply the correction of His word, revealed by the Holy Spirit, into your life.

• John 15:1-17 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

The greatest leadership attributes are fear of the Lord, humility, love, and faithfulness.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 15 July 2023: Glorify God today through wholehearted love and obedience to Him, revealed most prominently in selfless, sacrificial love towards others in His Name.