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Kill Everyone

Exodus 32:25-29 NLT
Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, “All of you who are on the Lord’s side, come here and join me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day. Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.”

https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.32.25-29.NLT

Matthew 19:23-30 NLT
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.19.23-30.NLT

If the Lord calls us to give up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for his sake — what is our answer?

If the man of God told us because of the people’s great sin,  “take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” — what is our response?

When God calls us to lay aside anything that hinders our walk and our calling — what have we treated as sacred, as off limits,  as okay to allow the enemy a foothold,  rather than it being slain?

What area of our life do we need to repent and give over fully to God?

hballingerLeave a comment

Wise Counsel, Radical Servant, or Foolish Pride

Readings:

Genesis 40, 41

Matthew 14

Proverbs 2

I was convicted by Pastor Russ’s sermon on January 19th at 4 Points Church to remember what God has done and to be willing to fail more and to be willing to be proven a fool for the glory of God:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AoKBbuhPF/

And it inspired me to search for a lesson I had posted years ago by Google searching for “walking on water site:hballinger.com”:

https://hballinger.com/2018/09/25/human-effort-accomplishes-nothing/

All of this got me thinking about things I used to do more regularly (that I would testify was the Lord doing amazing things very different from what I used to do on my own):

  • Post daily devotionals/ bible studies
  • Anonymous prayer walks around and through area hospitals
  • Anonymous prayer walks around and through areas of homelessness, drugs and poverty
  • Anonymous Bible study and prayer time around and inside strip clubs and other places that were familiar to me in my foolish, darker days
  • Visit area churches anonymously to encourage them and to know how to pray for them and give an honest recommendation to anyone who might live close to them
  • Lead weekly Bible studies inside the jail cell block
  • Preach and teach with my life as often as I could,  and use a pulpit when necessary
  • Share worship, messages of faith, and speak openly about foolish vs wise and good vs wicked publicly (even to the point of facing very real consequences in career, friends, and places of worship)

And all of this bold, “Send me, I will go” and “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” activity led me through amazing times of miraculous awe and wonder — then quite abruptly into a wilderness season of grieving for the loss of dealy departed loved ones who were such powerful prayer warriors and wise counsel for me, COVID, and career change.  I have been mostly in isolation, being fed by the ravens, listening for the still, quiet voice of the Lord — and sometimes letting my frustration and doubt tempt me to wander like a sheep, as if I were a ship with no rudder. But His hand never left hiding me, even in the darkest hours.

So now, I am starting something new. And I’m seeking and listening to the wise counsel that I can muster around me who hasn’t yet abandoned this old fool. And I’m not as afraid of the storm as I once was, but I’m still renewing my strength in Him. So if you see me step out but take my eyes off of Him and do under the waves — please don’t berate me from inside the boat. I’m just offering Him the opportunity to show up and show out, so please see what He is doing that is amazing,  don’t just focus on this old fool making expected mistakes.

At times, I may have turned you away, offended you, or forgotten you during this time — and I’m sorry, my friends. But as much and often as I fail you, He will never fail you. So I urge you to also make Him a better friend than I can be on my own.

Thank you Jesus!

If you need help, prayer, healing, assistance, etc. please consider joining the Bible Plan we are reading in the YouVersion Bible App:

Bible in a Year: 365-Day Reading Plan   http://bible.com/r/4×4

We started the plan on January 1st, but anyone can join in with us at any point along the way.

Join our Teams meeting to interact live each morning at 6:00AM Eastern:

Join the meeting now
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Wisely Choosing Silence

Today’s chapters:

Genesis 36, 37

Matthew 13

Psalms 10

The very first thing that we hear about Joseph’s character at the age of 17 is that:

Genesis 37:2d NLT
But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.

Modern culture might label Joseph a “snitch”, but we don’t know how bad the things the brothers were doing here — or how much those things endangered the family, etc. We do see that Joseph “chose to speak about it”.

It is also clear that these half-brothers had chosen to make an enemy out of Joseph his whole life:

Genesis 37:4 NLT
But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

Notably, it can have a devastating effect on children’s development when a parent plays favorites and spoils a child, and it can make them a target:

Genesis 37:3 NLT
Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.

Admittedly, Joseph’s telling his brothers his dream might have been innocent or it could have likely been boasting. There is no question that it seems either very foolish and naive or extremely prideful, (Depending on our own assumptions when we first read this, right?)

While reading this, I’m immediately reminded of wise advice from the New Testament book of James that we should consider when it comes to “choosing to speak” (especially when sharing our vision and our plans):

James 4:13-17 NLT
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Admittedly,  these were dreams and visions sent from God to Joseph, not “his own pretentious plans”, but there is still wisdom in being silent unless God tells us to speak on such things.

There is something the world calls strategic secrecy that could also be rooted in the categories of humility and wisdom that the Bible teaches.

Strategic Secrecy

“Don’t tell your plans to your enemies” means that you should keep your future intentions and strategies confidential, especially from people who might actively try to hinder your progress or success; essentially, avoid giving your opponents any information that could allow them to sabotage your plans. 

Key points about this phrase:

  • Strategic secrecy: By not sharing your plans, you prevent your enemies from anticipating your moves and taking action to thwart them.
  • Maintaining an advantage: Keeping your plans close to your chest gives you the element of surprise and allows you to react flexibly to situations. 

Having a vision, a plan, and dedicating ourselves to hard work are wise:

Take time 

  • Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty”
  • Luke 14:28-33: Consider the cost before starting a project

Seek counsel 

  • Proverbs 15:22: “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed”

Commit to the Lord

  • Proverbs 16:3: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” 
  • Proverbs 16:9: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” 

Plan for good 

  • Proverbs 14:22: “Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness”

Plan with pure motives

  • Proverbs 21:5-8: Careful planning leads to success in the long run 
  • Biblical Leadership: God blesses planning that is pure-hearted, prayerful, and seeks to glorify Him

I can tell you from a mountain of personal experience, that God does bless and encourage planning. But how He gets us to our vision and purpose rarely looks exactly like we expected or planned for. Joseph definitely couldn’t have expected from these dreams the turmoil and chaos that was going to come into his life as part of fulfilling these dreams,  right?

Lord, help us to not play favorites and create division by doing so — the consequences can cause unnecessary pain, heartache, and chaos, even if we know you will eventually turn it to good for those who love and obey you. Help us to repent and make amends where we have done this. And Lord, help us to not be jealous and envious — living in a victim mindset instead of a grateful mindset will lead us to justifying all kinds of wickedness and evil against others we have painted in our minds as an “enemy” when they are truly just an imperfect brother/neighbor trying to make their way through this journey as well. Help us to forgive and make amends where we have done this. Lord, help us to plan alongside with your wise counsel and the counsel of wise advisors, but there is nothing to gain in sharing our pearls with those who won’t appreciate it, who won’t help us get there, and who might oppose us. Lord, help us to be more quiet about what we are “going to do” and more active and diligent in what we are “doing to get there”. And keep us in your presence and on this narrow path as we fulfill the good works you have set before us.  Correct us in your gentle mercy when we are tempted to be cystectomy or stray, for your glory not our own boasting. May we continue to be genuinely humble about this work you do and the blessings you provide, and to repent and make amends when we have not. Amen.

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Compromise costs

Readings:

Genesis 16

Genesis 17

Genesis 18

Genesis 16:5 NLT
Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”

This is one of those,  “Bro, you CANNOT do that” kind of moments where us married guys would look at each other and shake our heads. It’s like when your wife says she’s “Fine” or says “You go right ahead and do that”. If the alarm bells aren’t going off in your head when your wife comes to you with this “grand idea” of hers,  have you even met a woman before? Even middle school boys can probably sniff this out as a trap,  right?

But compromise happens when we want something on our own time and not in God’s time. And with compromise,  there is always consequence that will steal from us more than it is worth. This is what “sin” is — it is compromise,  it is missing the mark. It isn’t some checkbox of rules we do or do not follow — sin is cheating ourselves out of what is best.

And we can come up with all kinds of self justification in the moment of challenge — but looking back, it’s easier to see our foolishness clearly. So how can we be better at 20/20 Now vision instead of 20/20 hindsight?

Listen and learn from wisdom,  and don’t insist on proving foolishness to yourself the hard way.

Matthew 13:12 NLT
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

And we may look at this foolish decision by Abraham, but how many times have we not seen our own log?

How many times have we let someone lead us into a foolish decision because it just wasn’t worth the argument and because there was something in it for us?

We shouldn’t be so quick to judge Abraham here, because haven’t we been foolish and caved to peer pressure ourselves — to the enticement of what looks petty to the eyes, to the temptation of what might feel good to touch,  to the dangers of poison that might taste good on the tongue?

Lord,  help us to not only see the foolishness of others, to not only see our own foolishness in hindsight, but to see and understand our need for you to walk with us as our guide and our teacher. Teach us the value of walking with you uncompromising and upright. Amen.

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Doing Good to Evil People

Readings:

Genesis 34

Genesis 35

Matthew 12

Matthew 13

Psalms 10

In the heat of anger, the flesh cross out for “justice” but what it really wants is “vengeance”. And there is a high cost to vengeance, not just for us — but for all around us. Using vengeance against one person who has wronged us usually means significant collateral damage. We hurt more people than just the offender when we seek vengeance on our own,  and we create danger for us and those around us.

This is why the Lord tells us that vengeance is His. He is better at diverting actual justice and insuring full amends and compensation because He can turn what was meant for evil to good.

Romans 12:19-21 NLT
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Genesis 50:19-21 NLT
But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

As Jesus tells us the parable of the seed in Matthew 13, we have to consider which type of person we are:

Matthew 13:11-12 NLT
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

And if we are someone who doesn’t yet have eyes to see our ears to hear,  Jesus gives us the recipe. 

Matthew 13:12 NLT
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

Will we just hear this Word, or we listen?

Are we willing to listen, contemplate and try to understand?

Are we willing to wrestle with it when the Word teaches The Way that is narrow and uncomfortable to the desires of our flesh and humiliating to the foolishness of our ego?

If someone says,  “Do good to people who are evil to you” — our flesh and our ego will stand up to call them an idiot. But do we have another still quiet voice that wants us to listen and understand what is being taught?

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“But you promised me”

Readings:

Genesis 32

Genesis 33

Matthew 12

Proverbs 2

As Jacob is losing to God’s call for him to return to his father’s land,  and as he begins following in obedience,  he comes to a place where things look very bad. His brother who he has deceived is coming at him with an army of 400. soldiers.

How often when our life is interrupted by a message from the Lord, it looks like obeying the Lord God is going to be costly or dangerous or end badly for us!

But let’s look at how Jacob wrestles with his fear and doubt in this situation. He knows that he has wronged his brother,  so if something bad happens to him and his family at the hands of his brother — he might even understand that might be just discipline from the Lord to teach him a lesson about deceiving others. In fact, since he has been on a journey for about 20 years being deceived and cheated by his father in law, he might understand better how it was wrong how he treated his brother!

How many times have I faced pain and consequences for my own foolish actions that I had been able to delay or avoid by stating on my prodigal path? How many opportunities for reconciliation have I avoided fearfully?

Jacob wrestles with the Lord asking, But God you promised…” like a child reminding their parents of a trip to get a special dessert after dinner. I wonder how many times we misunderstand the promises of God because His ways are higher than our ways,  and His perspective is all of eternity and not just “this moment of discomfort”?

Genesis 32:11-12 NLT
O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’”

And Jacob doesn’t demonstrate great courage here. We can see how he tries to compartmentalize what is most important to him here,  in how he puts what he is most willing to be sacrificed “if necessary” out front:

Genesis 32:20-21 NLT
And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.

Isn’t this so true of how we too can try to bargain with God and wrestle with Him over the things that we hold most dear in our hearts?

And then we see that through the night,  this struggle against God that we see playing out (as he stays behind and sends everything and everyone ahead of him towards Esau’s) culminated in a wrestling match with this man where he would not give up on receiving the blessing.

Doesn’t this remind us of Jacob clinging to Esau’s heal at birth? His finding a way to cheat Esau out of the birthright with some soup? His refusing to give up on getting Rachel after being tricked?

How often does Jacob seek to “make it happen” by his own cunning and striving? And Jacob, now called Israel, will walk with a limp for the rest of his life, because instead of trusting God to do what He has promised — he is continuing to insist on trying to earn it, to capture it, to “do it on my own”.

How often do we foolishly try and do it or own way instead of surrendering to trust God’s perfect plan and purpose? How often do we bring on ourselves so much unnecessary pain and suffering?

This is what sin does to us — it robs us and hurts us and others because we’re trying to trade God’s way for our own. We might be led to consider “but what if Jacob did X instead of Y”. But no, this is who Jacob is in his flesh. And this is who we are in our flesh. Our flesh opposes God. Even mature Christian Paul (in Romans 7:7-25) speaks about how the law of God reveals to us the sin that is embedded in our flesh.

I wonder what we are “holding back” from trusting God with fully today?

But instead of just asking this to be shamed, it might be best that we ask it so that we can clearly see the sin in our flesh that is holding us back from God’s call and purpose. So that then we might call upon the name of Jesus, the great healer and physician to do supernatural surgery and remove this sin, this cancer, this thorn, this opposition that exists in our flesh still opposing God’s will. However,  even this, we might wrestle with God and ask Him to remove,  and we might learn to trust Him — and be satisfied that His plan is best.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

You see, Christianity isn’t about talking to God so that we can get our own way. It isn’t about learning to imitate God’s character so that we can strive harder to look holy and righteous to other people.

We are messengers called to trust God’s message and purpose to come through. Even when we are still making all of the mistakes we make, we point to God and say “He has done these wonderful things for me to bless me”.

Genesis 33:5 NLT
Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?” “These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied.

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Servant, Chosen, Beloved *Your Name Here*

Readings:

Genesis 31

Matthew 12

Psalms 9

Matthew 12:18-21 NLT
“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world.”

This passage in Matthew speaks to the prophecy in Isaiah about the Messiah, so to only make it about ourselves would not be a perfect application. We MUST realize that this is first and foremost about Jesus Christ, Jeshua Hamaschiach, our Lord and Savior. And only when this is clearly about Him, and when we realize that He walks with us,  and that the Holy Spirit lives in and through us — can we safely and humbly examine our life to see how our life is also the life of a chosen, beloved servant of the Lord.

What is it to be a servant of the Lord, to be chosen? To be beloved and pleasing to the Lord?

Be filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
Proclaim justice to the world, but not by fighting or shouting or raising our voice to be unable to ignore in public — but so gentle that we do not crush the brokenhearted or put out the flame of hope. Our lives will demonstrate that Christ is victorious and that their hopes for justice will be fulfilled.

Those who are truly servants and messengers of the One true God are not making a name for ourselves or putting ourselves on display — yet we do not hide the light we have been given either.

We do not cower or refuse to deliver this good news to the world and to the nations. He makes it so. Amen.

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Apples and Trees

Readings:

Genesis 29

Genesis 30

Matthew 11

Psalms 9

Isn’t it interesting how Jacob the deceiver becomes Jacob the deceived (when he is given Leah first instead of Rachel). And how Abraham’s sleeping with Sarah’s maid is multiplied in how Jacob ends up with two wives and both their maids.

I’m reminded that the example we set for our children is important for their lives. It seems that the enemy knows what temptations are most familiar and attractive to our family.

Watching TV with my daughter and wife recently,  I heard JJ and his father Groff  on “Outer Banks” laugh about “apples and trees” — alluding to that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I’m reminded that “apples and trees” are a good reminder for all of us sinners since Adam.

What generational curses will be broken in us that our children will not suffer or which will be compounded?

hballingerLeave a comment

Want good outcomes?

Readings:

Genesis 24

Matthew 9

Psalms 8

The story of Jacob’s servant going to find Isaac a wife reminds me of the power of a humble prayer. The servant didn’t pray so that God would do something amazing that would make the servant look good for picking a good wife for his master. No, the servant was concerned that on his own, he might make a foolish decision.

Isn’t it so true that the proud that “know what should be done” and who listen to no one else,  and who definitely don’t ask God are usually do not produce the best outcomes. For example,  a CEO of a ruthless haircare insurance company might know what is best for making himself and those around him rich — by taking advantage of people and not providing the services that they have paid for, but instead keeping more of the money that is fair or just. Yet, his wife and children have no husband anymore, the reputation of his company is that they are murderers, and those he profited fear that the people might rise up and kill then as well. Imagine being rich but living in fear that the people will rise up and murder you,  or having nightmares about all those souls who have died because you denied them care, that is a poor way to live no matter how much money one might have.

But this servant was wise. He asked for counsel from his master. And he asked for help from God. What a great example for us to follow!

hballingerLeave a comment

Lord, Open our Eyes

Readings:

Genesis 21

Genesis 22

Genesis 23

Matthew 8

Matthew 9

As I read about God opening the eyes of Hagar at the well in Genesis 21:

Genesis 21:19 NLT
Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.

I am reminded of the fact that the Samaritan woman at the well was Jesus’s first evangelist — the first in the gospel of John to recognize Jesus as Messiah and actively spread the good news about Him to her community. She would have been a marginalized outsider in her community,  in parallel to Hagar who was cast out by Sarah and Abraham’s community.

Both of these women were considered outcasts from the “Jewish” community,  yet these are the women God spoke to directly, and through whom God would grow another community.

As I read about Abraham offering Isaac his son,  I am reminded of how this parallels Christ the son on the cross — and how it parallels the life of the believer. We must die to ourselves daily,  and we mystery gave the refining fires of the trials that we will face as followers of Christ walking through this foreign land.

The Lord has provided the sacrifice (Christ), and he also teaches us to be like Isaac and to be like Jesus, trusting our Father in Heaven to not harm us — even when it may look in the moment like they might slay us. It will sound weird, but I love those moments in my life where I have faced what looked like the end, that seemed as if God had written my ending — yet He makes a way where there was no way. Those moments are intense and not fun in the moment — but how wonderfully they grow our faith and our testimony!

As I read Matthew 8

Matthew 8:27 NLT
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

I thought to myself “Who is this man?” — shouldn’t they know by now? They have been walking with Him as his disciples for some time now! But I wonder how often we are in the presence of true,  powerful men and women of God — yet never recognize it because of their humility? We probably expect someone to look powerful with a title and position and plenty of followers so much that we might miss the miracles that follow these believers because they walk with God. We may not see so many of their prayers being answered because they do not pay publicly and loudly like the ones who want to be seen. We may not realize when just the shadow of their presence (which was truly the presence of the Holy Spirit of God) changes the atmosphere and demons scatter and flee from the light. I wonder how many times I have been unaware whole sitting amongst truly powerful ambassadors of Christ because my eyes weren’t adjusted to seeing true riches and true treasures and true power!

And isn’t this the right heart and mind of every Christ follower– not that we would see ourselves as great or powerful — but that we would know our need for our Lord and Savior:

Matthew 9:13 NLT
Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

It is the humble that He protects and the proud that He opposes:

Psalms 7:10 NLT
God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.

And those with renewed hearts and minds — those walking with their guide, comforter and teacher — those bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, against this there is no law, and there is no fear of God’s being just even as He is merciful. It is the wicked man that fears the law because he breaks it, not the godly man. And for the wicked man, trying to keep the law can’t save him — because he can’t keep it, and even if he kept the letter of the law, he can’t comprehend the meaning and purpose of the law is to lead him to God (not to just measure his own filthiest).

The law is a mirror to see that we are filthy. If you look in a mirror from far away, but the closer you get and the more you look into the mirror, you will see that you are dirty. But the mirror does not clean you, and neither does trying to keep the letter of the law. Because if your heart is filthy, you only need to look close enough into the mirror and you will see that your life is filthy in some way as well (no matter how hard you might try to hide it, or to look clean, or to justify your filth).

So are we washed by the Blood of the Lamb, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk as a new creation?

If so, we can walk upright and praise God for being just — because He has adjust been merciful:

Psalms 7:17 NLT
I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

But if we cannot praise a just God, is it because we have not truly repented of our sin,  have we clung tightly to some sin that we’ve refused to hand over to God? Are we foolishly presuming upon the kindness and mercy of God and expecting that He will not be Holy, righteous, and just?

Hebrews 10:20-31 NLT
By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Lord, open our eyes in your mercy, reveal yourself to us, teach us, guide us, and mold us, so that we can do the good works you have irritated for us. Do not let us get puffed up by the work that you do through us, but let us be humbled that you use someone even like me. Heal our hearts to be like yours, our lives to bear the fruit of your presence, and help us to walk upright and straight so that we love and abide in your justice and your holiness and your righteousness. We cannot get there without your mercy, nor can we take your mercy for granted and love a flawed “idea of mercy” while we love wickedness and sin instead of You. Amen.