A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:17-20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.17-20.NLT
There’s an old saying, “Talk is cheap.”
Whether in our home, in the workplace, in the church, offer in public — who we really are shines through in our actions, regardless of our words. And that doesn’t mean that we avoid being a hypocrite by “not talking about it”. It means that we need to:
1) test ourselves to be sure that we have genuine faith (a faith that we live out each day bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self- control) that results in obedience to God’s will for our lives
2) repent, confess, and accept forgiveness for anything we have let become hypocrisy or a hindrance to our testimony of what Christ Jesus is doing in our lives
3) align our thoughts, words and actions with God’s will each day and abide in Him through the day
4) give God all the glory for the life abundant that we experience when truly living in this way
Now we have said it to ourselves. We have read it. We have understood it.
Now let’s walk it out, by the power of the Holy Spirit in us who is sufficient and fully capable of such amazing things!
If you aren’t sure about this Holy Spirit power thing… pray and ask God to give you this good gift that comes down from heaven. Repent of your sins, believe that Jesus Christ was dead and buried and is now raised to heaven, confess Him as your Lord and Savior, and receive the Holy Spirit to conform you to the image of Christ and restore your right relationship with God. He does not wish that you should perish as a hypocrite, but live as an Ambassador of The Way. Amen.
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord . Song of Solomon 8:6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/sng.8.6.ESV
The song “You Won’t Relent” by Songwriters Cassie Campbell / David Brymer / Misty Edwards has the lyrics:
“You won’t relent until you have it all My heart is yours You won’t relent until you have it all My heart is yoursI’ll set you as a seal upon my heart As a seal upon my arm For there is love that is as strong as death Jealousy, demanding as the grave Many waters cannot quench this love”
Does the fire burn inside of us?
Is there a flame upon our heart?
Is it burning away all those things of self?
Do we know He is right here with us in this place?
Can we say “my heart is yours”?
Thank you Jesus, for the fervor with which we can live this life on fire for you.
Thank you to my friend Chad Branum for highlighting this beautiful passage from Song of Solomon that reminds ne this morning of the passion and fire that burns in us as we walk closer with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Lord, stir up in us revival — that fire of spirit change burning away the things of self and revealing you in us as a light to give you glory and draw other men, women, young and old to your saving grace. May you be that seal upon our hearts that shows in everything we put our hands to. Help us to live on fire for you, unashamed, unwavering, firm and steady. Amen.
My relationship with my wife is one of the greatest blessings in my life — possibly only second to the grace and mercy God himself has shown me through Christ Jesus. She has been with me through the lowest lows, and celebrates with me on the mountaintops as well. She knows all of my weaknesses and chooses to love me for them, not grumble, nag, criticize, manipulate or demand — and I genuinely seek to do the same.
I know that with the wrong person that being married can be a hell to which being single seems the only escape. And I know that the loneliness of being single can be a hell to which being married seems the only escape. But that is an endless cycle of disappointment because we are looking for another person of flesh and blood to fulfill our wants, needs, and purpose. When Mandee Fowler Ballinger and I were chasing the wrong things and had no firm foundation in our own lives giving us purpose, direction and value — we were “looking for more” when single and even still “looking for more” when married — and we hurt each other instead of building each other up. So it wasn’t just “finding the right wife/husband”.
Once we truly surrendered our lives to walk in a different way — a life of gratitude for what Christ Jesus has done for us — a life of accepting forgiveness and laying down guilt and shame — a life of offering forgiveness, love and sacrificial service to others laying down bitterness, expectations and demands on others — with a just, fair and faithful God ruling our household instead of us warring to rule over each other — we now know how beautifully two people can truly “live as one”.
My encouragement to you is that it wasn’t “learning a bunch of rules/tricks” or having to “find the right match”. The same person that was your fiercest enemy can become your closest friend when Jesus steps in and you hand it over.
So please don’t think that I’m bragging about “getting it right”. I’m telling you that I’ve been stupid. That I’ve done stupid things that ruined relationships and that ruined reputations and that broke trust. I’ve proven myself to be selfish, mean, cruel and demanding at times. I’ve overlooked being sweet, loving and caring at times. But even with all of my “getting it wrong”, my ex-wife has the beautiful life she deserves — and somehow I have a wonderful marriage that I neither deserve or could have hoped for.
I’m saying that no matter how many times you have gotten it wrong “on your own” — He has a way of turning ashes into diamonds.
I’m reminded of a verse in one of my favorite Psalms:
to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.61.3.ESV
Can we see the match — set ablaze quite in the same way that one who is living out Psalm 61 should be ablaze — not as a key to unlock the chains and shackles ourselves — not even as the source of the light ourselves (since we are what is being consumed in the light giving process).
This morning, as I woke up early to start my day with quiet time with the Lord, I opened the Bible app on my phone and saw that a friend had highlighted some verses late last night:
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.91.11-12.ESV
And as I started my morning contemplating being “Rooted in the Word”, I immediately remembered that Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness with this very same verse:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” Matthew 4:5-7 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.4.5-7.ESV
Today is a beautiful morning in our house as we celebrate my wife’s birthday. And as she and I prayed together this morning and I thanked God for her as one of the most amazingly good gifts that come down from heaven, and as I wondered how He could do such an amazing work in us to truly make us “one flesh” and build a marriage of love and unity, we could both see how the angels have guarded us in our ways — just like this Psalm foretells of “those who dwelleth in the secret place of the most high”.
I love Spurgeon’s commentary on this Psalm, and if we have time, it will do our spirit good to read it and consider “those who live in close fellowship with the Lord”:
It seems that today I am reminded as I am thankful for my wife and close companion in life on her birthday — that I am even more thankful for the faithful friend and beloved Lord who walks with me even more closely and even more intimately.
Spurgeon explains of such blessings described in verse 1 of this Psalm:
“The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercyseat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous communion with God, so as to abide in Christ and Christ in them, become possessors of rare and special benefits, which are missed by those who follow afar off, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus, and those only dwell there to whom to live is Christ.” – Charles M. Spurgeon
While also humbly reminding us of our own weaknesses in this particular verse of note — reminding us that we do not walk perfectly as Christ did, but that we stumble at times and must be tended to by the angels:
“They, that is the angels, God’s own angels, shall cheerfully become our servants. They shall bear thee up in theirhands; as nurses carry little children, with careful love, so shall those glorious spirits bear up each individual believer. Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone; even minor ills they ward off. It is most desirable that we should not stumble, but as the way is rough, it is most gracious on the Lord’s part to send his servants to bear us up above the loose pebbles. If we cannot have the way smoothed it answers every purpose if we have angels to bear us up in their hands. Since the greatest ills may arise out of little accidents, it shows the wisdom of the Lord that from the smaller evils we are protected.” – Charles M. Spurgeon
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.2-6.ESV
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. Proverbs 15:31-33 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.15.31-33.ESV
You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord , whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:8-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.56.8-11.ESV
Instead of asking “Why me Lord?” as a question of why we are facing trial, suffering, or correction… What if we asked “Why me Lord?” in the manner of this song:
And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:36-40 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.19.36-40.ESV
In my walk, I get to visit many churches and different denominations and different peoples who are gathering to worship Jesus. And some are more reverent and quiet in their worship, and some are more active and loud. I think that it is easy for people who have been raised in either tradition (reverent/quiet or active/loud) to understand most comfortably their own style. But when we see people who genuinely love the Lord and can’t help but rejoice and praise and worship Him, we can see the beauty in their differences and not just judge by our own expectations.
Even an outwardly reverent worship with congregation and choir in perfect timing and harmony and controlled volume that recently does not diverge from the written musical notes and lyrics — should on the inside be spiritually worshipping with full abandon of heart and self to glorify God. And even an outwardly active and loud worship with freedom to clap, shout, dance, cry out, and improvise with the music and tune — should on the inside be reverently focused on Christ alone as receiving all glory and honor.
The Pharisees here weren’t just wrong for wanting to quiet the worship of the disciples so that it was more orderly ands in line with their own traditions. They were wrong because they couldn’t see or understand the True Worship that was flowing out of the disciples in ways that stretched beyond their own traditions.
I wonder if Jesus bringing attention to the “stones” would immediately remind these religious men both of scriptures about stony hearts and of stones laid upon an altar in special places as a remembrance of mighty things the Lord has done. And how many times when we have grown weary and cold and stony in our lives, has the Lord shown up and done wonderful things so that we could lay aside those stones as a marker along our path of something mighty and wonderful the Lord has done in us and through us?
We have much to rejoice this morning, friends. And whether we are up before the rest of the house giving God the first of our day and rejoicing quietly and reverently — or alone in our vehicle praising the Lord loudly and fervently — lets praise Him in spirit and in truth in the innermost places knowing that He is truly worthy of more honor and praise than even the best ashes that we could bring — and that lasting down our stones to walk with Him in fullness of life is the worship He desires.
“Do all things to the glory of God” can read quite differently depending on our perspective.
If we don’t know or trust that God is good, we might think it absurd that anyone should “try to live their life in a way that gives glory to God” — that might seem like a pointless, burdensome, heavy list of laws that we might have to try and live up to.
If we are religious and condemning and proud and hypocritical, we might hear that and immediately think of “someone else who ought to be living their lives differently”.
If we are in sin or not fully surrendered in an area of our lives, we might hear that and be “reminded of something we are doing that could hinder our testimony that needs to be confessed, repented, and laid down at the foot of the cross”.
If we are walking freely in the joy of the Lord, we might hear that and “be inspired that we have the opportunity today to live differently, peculiarly, oddly unique — as salt and light — as vessels of the Holy Spirit of God — as ambassadors of the upside down Kingdom of God”.
And there is a time for everything, so we need not try and fake it and act like our lives are full of joy if we are broken and hurting and in need of rest. We need not “put on a mask of religion” to appear one way while we know inside we are living alie.
No, we need to decide, “Is God worth being glorified?”
That is truly the answer, and is the reason behind those differing perspectives. If we truly believe that He is, and we know that our greatest purpose is to glorify Him — it shifts everything else.
When we truly believe this about God — it makes it much easier for us to lay down that temptation, sin, shame, bitterness, unforgiveness, grumbling, etc. that was hindering us in our walk with God.
But what about those times when we doubt?
What about those times when we have grown weary?
What about if we don’t even know the Lord yet?
What if we’ve never yet heard the gospel and truly believed and received?
There is Good News, friend!
We can continue in this life trying to make it about ourselves — and continue on that broad path to self destruction. Or we can learn about this Jesus Christ, who is God who came in the flesh as a mam to live among us and truly live upright in a way that not only fulfilled the religious laws but superceded them in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control that is in such a stark contrast to religious hypocrisy or selfish lawlessness. And we can learn how a sinful world hated Him for it so that He could pay for our sins and offer us forgiveness and demonstrate a way where there was no way — a way where we could know and love God in a personal way that has us grateful for the opportunity to glorify Him in our lives.
If this sounds like the type of change you need in your life today — real relationship with God — a life of true purpose — freedom from sin and shame — a life of glorifying God and not yourself — pray with me:
Lord, you are trustworthy and worthy of all praise and honor and glory. Too many times, I have made it about myself and not about you. Too many times I have doubted and not trusted you even though you are always faithful. Thank you for revealing your gospel and The Way to me. Thank you for allowing me to turn back from the broad way to destruction that I have been on. Thank you for showing me areas of my own life that need to be surrendered. Thank you for teaching me how to live in a way that glorifies you. Help me today to remember, to not forget that you are worthy, and that your way is best. Amen.
If you have any questions, need prayer, need someone to talk to, etc. please leave me a comment below, or send me a message from the About Me page.
God bless you and keep you, and may His joy, His very countenance and nature be on you and shine through you for the world to see and bring glory to our Father in heaven. Amen.
This morning, I am reviewing questions posed by my friend Brian Eshleman as part of his blog. He asks:
They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. John 9:34, New King James Version
QUESTION: When has your flesh’s reaction been to point accusations that someone who pointed you to an aspect of Christ’s righteousness that convicted you?
I am reminded of a man who seemingly was “set against me” in some ways. Some of his actions towards me reminded me of bullying from my high school days, and I found myself not being able to trust him — because I was more cognizant of things that appeared not Christ-like in his life than I was looking for any glimmer of Christ apparent in him as an image bearer. But he was trying to teach me to “let go”, to “trust”, to “jump off of cliffs without a parachute”. Such things sound like someone trying to push us out in front of a bus when we cannot trust the messenger.
But there was something of Christ even in that message. Such a message should have reminded me of verses like:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.6-9.NLT
But when we feel themessenger is not trustworthy, how quickly can we ignore the message (instead of testing all spirits), and go deeper into self-defence mode because we are not at peace within ourselves, within our relationships, within our day to day lives.
In my case, I missed out on the conviction of such prompting in my conscious mind — because my heart eas already closed off from letting this person pour into my life. We were seemingly lined up as enemies by the circumstances of the moment — and it took things playing out and removing us from each other’s lives before I could see the need for peace to be restored in my innermost, for forgiveness to be extended for perceived wrongs, and for me to love this person because Christ loves them.
Like the Pharisees, my unconscious mind had discounted and dismissed everything of value they had to offer because of unforgiveness in my heart. Whether they actually intended me harm or not, whether they were a bully or not, whether they were unfair and unjust towards me if for God to judge between us, not me. These Pharisees were more interested in protecting themselves, their reputation, their livelihood, their honor amongst men than they were interested in the truth. While the blind man was only interested in truth and didn’t care how it might make him sound or look.
I wonder how many times we have thought we were zealous for truth like the blind man, but we were operating in our flesh as zealots like the Pharisees. Isn’t it easy to get our motives and agendas and pride intertwined with our “perspective on truth” and try to measure everything by our own rule of law, by our own weighted scales — rather than comparing to the one truth, the one plumbline, the spotless and without blemish or fault? Isn’t this what satanic humanism is all about, any why it fits so nicely within a compromised, hypocritical religious structure (or a God-denying culture just the same) — but why it clashes so violently with One Way, One Truth, One Life?
We must ask ourselves, do we sound more like the Accuser — with pointed finger — casting people out — refusing to listen — more eager to teach than to be taught?
Do we read something like this and level our fiery arrows at another person who we know “needs to hear this” instead of letting our own stony hearts be penetrated by the conviction of the Word of God?
We must repent while there is still time and be more like the blind man in John 9. Maybe we should go back and read his own humble account where he isn’t even trying to teach people, he is just answering questions and speaking honestly — but it is so clear that there is a lesson in this moment that the Pharisees can feel it, can sense it, know that a lesson is there that they refuse to accept. Like the parable stories Jesus told that enraged the Pharisees — life lessons and simple truth can enrage us when we are protecting some type of idol in our hearts that needs to be overthrown.
Only the humble will truly praise God, while the proud insist on praise for themselves. For the proud, even their concept of worship and praise is false and self serving.
Lord, forgive us for our “adulterous hearts” that pridefully seek praise and honor for ourselves — that only you are worthy of. Amen.
For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
COMMENTARY: Jeremiah 29:11 is a T-shirt and meme verse. We want prosperity and not harm. Even if the principle of the verse does fully apply to us as New Testament believers and not just to the particular situation of the returning exiles, I don’t see as many people rejoicing that God is still being gracious if He decides to take seventy years of disciplining to allow us to see His good.
QUESTION: What is an instance where your emotional state and behavior have changed because God has taught you to begin to rest in the LONG-TERM promises of His Word rather than claiming it like a coupon obliging Him to do what you want when you want?
Recently, I found myself unemployed unexpectedly. And since this happened during COVID, I didn’t know how long it might take for me to find a comparable job. In fact, I didn’t even know if it should be possible in this time to find something. I didn’t know if God was going to use this time to close doors to my operating within the professional IT world to share the gospel as best as I can in my day to day career and refocus me on a more full time, traditional “ministry” approach. I didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills, support my family, etc. I just didn’t know.
I knew that we wouldn’t starve, because I will do whatever job or work is necessary to provide — but I wasn’t sure whether we might have to sell the house, move, etc. depending on how things went with the job hunt.
So I prayed for God to rescue, even as I prepared with moves engaging things like forbearance, bankruptcy, debt settlement, 401k disbursements, etc. And God brought into the forefront of my life a new team of Godly companions, not to open doors to “fixing my circumstances” (even though He was working that out behind the scenes as well) — but to help me appreciate the “detour”.
When we are in the “detour”, we don’t know whether it will be 40 days or 40 years, 7 days or 70 years. And sometimes, we don’t even initially understand the reasons for the disciplining, for the trial, for the refining that needs to take place. But what an amazingly humbling and revealing place it is when we cannot “rely on our own understanding”. In Provetbs 3 we are told:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.3.5-8.NLT
What a powerful place the Lord must put some of us who are used to relying upon our own understanding — a place where we cannot see the end — where we cannot know the timing — where we cannot understand the why or the how of the situation with our own strength, skills, or abilities.
And even while our flesh is screaming out, “This is going to hurt! We might die! This is horrible!” Isn’t that the party of us that needs to die to Christ daily? Aren’t we supposed to have faith in things not yet seen? Aren’t we supposed to wait upon the Lord?
The place that He is wanting us to return to is not prosperity and complacency and presuming upon His mercy, grace, and favor — but the place is fully trusting in Him and abiding in His presence. It is a place of peace that passes beyond circumstances of the moment to trust in The Way that He is taking us. This narrow path looks quite different than the broad way that leads to destruction — and we should not be horribly surprised that it comes with valleys and mountaintops. If we were alone, unattended, unprotected, we might have much to fear — but when we are with the Shepherd, the darkness, the dangers, the storms, even the wolves do not exist so that they can destroy us. They draw us close to Him, ands slow Him to prove once again that He is faithful and true.
When we look past the fleeting moment of this life, and realize that He is molding us through these moments, refining us, shaping us in preparation for who we will be in eternity — we can appreciate that even long-suffering endurance is a sweet tasting fruit in the same way that joy is. So we find a way to “put on the garment of praise”, especially in those times of heaviness.
I’m reminded of Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord ; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:1-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.61.1-11.ESV
We should make this chapter from Isaiah our proclamation, even our prayer today. Amen.
Love doesn’t just “do no wrong to others” — it does kindness and mercy to others. Law keepers and law makers are focused on limiting the wrong doing to others, and reconciling when wrong is done. So following the law falls horribly short of fulfilling love — but love easily fulfills both the laws of men ands God’s law.
We can easily tell if we are not loving someone if we “wrong them”. But just because we feel justified and free from wronging someone — doesn’t mean that we have loved them. What if our goal truly was to love and show appreciation for each and every person we encounter today?
This morning, I met Wendell, the security guard and door man at my new job. He knew who I was when I walked in the door. And as I waited in the lobby for someone to come down to get me, I realized that he recognized and greeted every person by name as they entered the building — even though almost everyone was wearing masks. I realized how honored I felt that he knew my name, and I realized that he gets to honor people everyday in this way — welcoming them each by name into ther building. It inspired me.
I wonder how often I have overlooked honoring those who pass by me in life. I wonder how often I haven’t made the effort to know people close and personal enough to call them by name, to recognize them even with their masks on, etc. And I wonder how far that falls from loving them.
Lord, open my eyes to the value of each and every person that I encounter. Help me to build loving relationships with others where they might see you through me. Help me to set my eyes on love as the goal, not just upon a list of rules. Amen.
I was reminded this morning of Micah 6:8 by a verse image that JoAnn Reid created on the Bible app:
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mic.6.8.NLT
Let’s dissect a bit this morning:
The Lord has told you what is good
This is what He requires of you
Do what is right
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
And we can break down the five bullet points into two sections.
A pre-amble about the Lord:
The Lord has told you what is good
This is what He requires of you
What the Lord requires:
Do what is right
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
“The Lord has told you what is good“
Like a good parent at home or a good leader in the workplace, the Lord sets clear expectations up front. In contrast to fallible mankind (who may have hidden agendas, and who may say one thing and do another), God tells us clearly what is good. It doesn’t change with the culture and times. It doesn’t sway to whatever wickedness we can justify in our own minds as being “well intended”. He has spoken. It is written. Roman’s chapter 1 is a good study on how God has “told everyone” what is good:
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:18-20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.1.18-20.NLT
So we should see that this Old Testament prophetic statement from Micah’s message to Israel is consistent with the New Testament gospel from Paul’s letter to the Romans.
“This is what He requires of you”
There are requirements. While in great contrast, the Satanic mantra and the way of the fallen world system is “Do as thou wilt” — having people justify in their own minds their selfish, unjust, illegal, unloving actions with little consideration of God’s will or fear of His judgement. Christ did not go to the cross to free us to sin more. He did not live a sinless life and offer us grace so that sin might abound even more in our lives and in the world around us. He did not provide us with the gift of the Holy Spirit living within us so that He could be present in the midst of our sinful endeavors.
He has provided escape and victory. He has broken chains, opened prison doors, and made a way where there was no way. He has called us out of the darkness and into the light. And we are given a choice. John chapter 3 lays it out like this:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ” John 3:16-21 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.3.16-21.NLT
We see that there is both an invitation by God, and an answer by each person.
“Do what is right”
We see that God requires that we do what is just and right.
For someone who knows that they do not always do what is just and right, this may seem like a high bar to set, maybe even an impossible goal to reach. This is not so much because the bar is set unjustly or unfairly high — doing right to others and being just towards others would sound like a very reasonable thing if we were all loving, selfless, just and fair people. Imagine a world where people were not wicked, prideful, selfish — where they did not demand their own way, did not wrong each other, did not place unreasonable expectations upon each other. That sounds like a beautiful place to live and be a part of. If that sounds like your home, your workplace, your neighborhood, your country — you would be blessed indeed.
But my guess is that you can see that your own life, and those around you, are tainted in some way that falls short of that perfect ideal. This should give any reasonable man pause to consider why it is so. It caused the apostle Paul to contemplate such things:
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:14-25 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.7.14-25.NLT
Do you ever wonder why in the world you would do, say or think such a thing?
Do you ever recognize that they’re is this war going on where you are tempted to do things that you know aren’t right or good or healthy — yet you do them anyways?
Please understand that neither Paul nor I are excusing wrongdoing by pointing out how sin works within us. Paul isn’t saying, “Don’t worry about your continued sinning because it isn’t you doing it, it is something else doing it, and you can’t help it.” No! Paul is saying, “Look, can’t you see how it is a sickness that leads to destruction and death, and how it contrasts with what you know is healthy, right, and good for you and for others.” He’s showing that this infection, this infiltration of sin is something we can recognize, quantify, measure in our lives as “real”.
The Bible teaches us that sin infiltrated in the fall of mankind, and it is sin that separates us from a holy God. God’s requirement is repeated multiple times, “Be holy as I am holy”. God’s is repeated over and over, consistently throughout both Old and New Testsment:
So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/lev.20.7-8.NLT
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.1.14-16.NLT
If the apostle Paul acknowledges this “war within himself” as we mentioned above, and we recognize and agree that we can see how “sin” is in us and works against our best interests, and we see that God calls us to be “holy” — how do we escape a trap that seems hell bent on our destruction?
If we were dealing with a religion that gives you a law to obey, some self-help steps to guide you, a checklist of dos and don’ts, even good reasoning behind why you “should” do X versus doing Y — you might say, “This stuff is worthless. It is just going to cause self loathing towards self or religious zealots will use it to oppress groups who are different than themselves. ” This is because we know that at times, we have known the right thing to do, and we have still chosen poorly and done the wrong thing. With a dead religion of only laws, advice and reasoning– we have seen how it fails because people are NOT holy — people are not just — people are not fair. They may seem so in a single isolated incident, but they are not consistently. And even when they appear so, many times there is a selfish agenda or reason behind it, like a sneaky thumb on the scales of justice that goes unnoticed — instead of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So how do we “Do right”?
How do we “be holy”?
This is where I tell you that “The Way” is a bit different than what you might have in your mind about “Christianity” as a religion. Knowing, loving, and walking in “The Way” is a narrow path that leads to life — while being a great religious scholar in the “Christian religion” can be comfortably practiced while moving along the broad way that leads to destruction.
If you feel confused at this point, stick with me. This meal takes some chewing. Just like we had to differentiate sin and how it has tainted what could be a perfect life, culture and community if it wasn’t present — I want you to see how “The Way” has been tainted in a way that has people misunderstanding a restored relationship with God as being “a religion”.
“Love mercy”
What is mercy?
The Hebrew word (חֶסֶד – checed – H2617) used here points to:
Loving-kindness of men towards each other
The reverence or genuine piety of men towards God
The grace, favour, and undeserved mercy of God towards men
Mercy is the “right relationship” in each of these cases. Mercy is a right relationship between men, and mercy is a right relationship between God and man.
To “love mercy” is to love being loving and kind towards others. To “love mercy” is to love being reverent and in awe of and grateful towards God. To “love mercy” is to love and appreciate God’s unmerited grace, mercy, and favour that He demonstrates towards us.
So it isn’t “being begrudgingly kind” towards others because we know we are “supposed to”. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted and false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about loving that relationships with others are being restored to the “right relationships”.
And it isn’t going through the motions of religious traditions, ceremonies, or practices because we’re “supposed to” or because “that’s what we’ve been taught to do”. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted and false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about loving our restored relationship with God to where “genuine worship” and time spent “with the Lord” is ongoing, abiding, and consistent.
And it isn’t about using a concept of grace as a “get out of hell free card” to justify our loving our sin and continuing in it like those we read about in Romans chapter 1. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted ands false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about our believing what Christ has done for us through His life, death, and resurrection and loving His mercy, loving “The Way”, loving this new abundant life with Him and living that we are turning away from the “old man” and turning to God.
“Walk humbly with your God”
Clearly, we have been building up to this point. And hopefully it is abundantly clear with this particular statement of “walk humbly with your God” that it is not just saying “be humble and follow the rules”.
Hopefully, at this point, we can agree on the focus of “religion vs relationship”.
It might seem fearful to a man who is clearly wrapped up in sin, who doesn’t love others, and who doesn’t love God to “meet His maker” at the end of His life to “find out whether hell or heaven is his future”. That seems to be the painting that “religion” paints to convince a man that he better — sign up for church membership — get sprinkled, poured, or dunked in the water — and start handing out tickets to God. But it shouldn’t be odd or surprising to discover that Jesus says in such cases, “depart from me” and “I never knew you”.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:21-23 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.21-23.NLT
We are called to walk humbly with Him now. And we are told that when we walk with Him, that the world will hate us like they hated Him. We are told that the enemy will try to work through others to harm us and to tear down our “right relationship” and compromise our testimony. We are told that we will share in His sufferings.
We aren’t given a prosperity religion checklist that says, “Do this good thing for God in order to manipulate Him into having to bless you.” No, that too would be religious, would be hypocrisy — and is not “The Way”. Because our eyes are not set on the treasures of this world that don’t compare to the things of heaven — nor fgo they compare to seeking first the Kingdom of God and walking humbly with the Lord now, today, even at this very moment.
A “religious man” who does not walk humbly with the Lord might pray fervently to be delivered from the fiery trials because he doesn’t know or trust that God is actually there with him ands has a purpose in mind:
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. 1 Peter 4:12-19 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.4.12-19.NLT
Did you catch the phrase “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
I encourage each of us to consider that statement — especially any man that considers himself religious or righteous.
Let’s choose to walk humbly with the Lord, friends. Amen.
Harold J. Ballinger 