Studying Humility: Part 1

Dear Friends, in my quiet time I'm studying humility. While I'm on this journey I'll share scriptures or quotes that really impact my heart.

Isaiah 66:2,“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” 

Prov. 25:27“It is not good…to seek one’s own honor”

Today I have a long but easy-to-read and powerful quote from Bible.org. Here is the link to the whole article: http://bible.org/seriespage/humility

Honor comes from God, and it comes – as counter-intuitive as this seems – as the result of downward mobility. Jesus chose downward mobility, a descent from the heights of heaven to a teenager’s womb to a cattle trough to a peasant home to a dusty road to a cross to a tomb. Jesus didn’t surrender a little; he surrendered everything completely, confident that his Father would take care of the outcome. The most powerful person who ever walked on the planet calls us and says, “I served you, and now I’m asking you to serve others. A servant is not greater than his master. If I did this for you, you must do this for one another. I’ll take care of your dignity. You don’t have to take yourself so seriously, because I take you seriously.” 

 If a man does not understand that, he will live in constant insecurity. We all know what insecure people look like. Always searching for approval, they cannot relax. They’re driven. They never reach the mark, so there’s a perfectionism that torments them and everyone around them. Often, their self-esteem is tied to their material possessions, and it’s so important to always have something a little bit newer, a little bit better than the other guy. Because insecurity and envy often go together, they relentlessly find faults with others. Pride seeks the higher place; envy has to do with resenting others’ good fortune. An insecure person is so focused on image rather than substance that they have a persona. They have an image that they have to sustain, and our culture supports that. Proud people are defensive. They cannot handle criticism or rebuke. They cannot receive it, and, therefore, it’s hard for them to be teachable, because they always have to defend that image, that position.

...The Scriptures tell us that he (Jesus) understood three things before he assumed the role of a lowly servant and began to wash the feet of the disciples: Jesus understood where he had come from, that all things had been given to him and where his final destiny would lead Him (John 13:3). In other words, he understood his true identity, true dignity and true significance. He knew who he was, why he had come and where he was going.

Likewise, you and I, as new creations in Christ, can have the same security. We have transferred our trust from ourselves to him, and in so doing we receive the abundant life he promised us (John 10:10). We are no longer in the line of Adam; we are in the line of Christ (Rom. 5:12-21). The significance of this may escape us, but this means nothing less than that we have come forth from God (John 1:12-13; 3:6). It means that every spiritual blessing has been given to us (Eph. 1:3). It means that our eternal destiny is at home in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21).

What I find most beautiful, most significant in this quote? This right here:  ...The Scriptures tell us that he (Jesus) understood three things before he assumed the role of a lowly servant and began to wash the feet of the disciples: Jesus understood where he had come from, that all things had been given to him and where his final destiny would lead Him (John 13:3). In other words, he understood his true identity, true dignity and true significance. He knew who he was, why he had come and where he was going.

Friends, in Christ we have our true identity, true dignity, and true significance.

Let us not chase after the things of this world, which cheapen who we are. We have come forth from God, and that is infinitely more than enough. We can bow low as a servant because we have nothing to prove, nothing to defend. No image to uphold. We can live a life that points to Christ, reflects Christ, embodies Christ, when we give ourselves fully to Him, trusting in the worth that comes from being born of God and loved by God.

David's Sin With Bathesheba: A Broken, Contrite Spirit, Part 3

Our last study ended with the prophet Nathan confronting David over his sins of adultery and murder. 

And we wondered, how would David respond? Would he order Nathan murdered? Would he deny he had relations with Bathsheba? Would he deny that he ordered her husband to be murdered? Would he cite the pressures of being King as an excuse? Would he claim he had been out on the battlefield too often? Would he say Bathesheba enticed him with her balcony bathing?

No, for the man after God's own heart remembered his first love...the LORD. David grieved as Nathan confronted him.

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13a)

David took full responsibility. Boldly he did so, knowing he would probably face death for his transgressions, as he himself suggested the death penalty for the evil man in Nathan's prized-lamb story.


And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” (2 Samuel 12:13b)

Psalm 51 is David's response to the Lord. We see him take full responsibility: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is before me." (vs. 3) My Internet connection is failing on me, so we'll stop with David's Psalm of repentance for today. It's certainly meaty enough to reflect on for now.


51 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!


3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.

David is acknowledging the depravity of mankind here in verse 5, of which he is a part.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

"You delight in truth in the inward being"-- God will not tolerate our lying to ourselves about our iniquities. His Spirit teaches us Truth and we are responsible for acknowledging and confessing sin.


7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.


13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.


18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Thankful Thursday

Psalm 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

~ Thank you, Father, for allowing me to homeschool my Mary. She loves science and books and I love capturing wonder with her as her eyes are opened to knowledge. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

~ Thank you, Father, that our 1988 furnace needs replacing and when I heard it from the heater man yesterday, along with the warning to use our current furnace at our own risk, I did not panic because I know that even for big-ticket items, you graciously provide. Thank you for growing my faith over the years. Thank you for never letting me stay in one place spiritually. Sometimes I am like a stubborn mule, not wanting to move forward, but you are faithful to complete your work in all of us. 

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

~ Thank you, Father, that we are back in touch with an old friend from California, who moved near us here in Ohio. Thank you that we can provide Christian fellowship and good cheer for his soul, as he endures life with severe bipolar disorder. Thank you that his faith carries him even in the face of mental illness. Thank you for the rich Christian fellowship.

Psalm 100:1-5 A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

~ Thank you, Father, for letters from Compassion children. Thank you for how they always light us up spiritually.

Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

~ Thank you, Father, that although Peter's tics and OCD are not improving, he is persevering in life, not letting them drag him down. He shares his burden and as he does, the weight lifts. May he always have someone who will listen and may he lean on you most of all.

Psalm 66:1-20 To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. ...

~ Thank you, Father, for the peace that family devotions brings to our collective souls. Thank you for your steadfast love and for your Truth that heals.

Psalm 40:9-10 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

~ Thank you, Father, for an opportunity to minister to neighborhood families. Bring in the children this Saturday, Father. And may their parents share their burdens freely, trusting us to bring the peace of Christ to their children and to them. May that peace emanate from us, no matter what our day or week has been like.

Psalm 103:1-2 Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

~ Thank you, Father, that Paul learned to play The Twelve Days of Christmas on the piano this year. That silly song brought hours of joy and giggles to my children and I am so glad!

~ Thank you for one-on-one time with my children and for Daddy home a little more to do the same with them. Thank you for that Pippi Longstocking movie from the library that gave us collective giggles as we munched on popcorn and held our little ones in our laps.

~ Thank you, Father, for the hours of fun all this snow brought to my children and to neighborhood children. Thank you for their snowmen, their snow forts, their snow angels, and their homemade sled hills. All children forsake their toys and possessions when you bring your natural wonder into their lives. Thank you for the glory of your creation and for the joy. Always the joy!

Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year to you and yours, dear readers. I'm pausing to spend individual time with each child before our homeschool resumes. As I work a puzzle with them, or create a construction-paper snowman, or read aloud from a favorite novel, or play that favorite board game, I'm praying Christ's peace and strength into their souls. I pray that my failures as a mother will not define their upbringing, but that His Truth and Grace will instead. 

I read Psalm 96 this morning and it dawned on me...what a great New Year's Psalm! It defines what stance our hearts and minds need to take in this tear-stricken, distracted world, so that joy and peace prevail and not despair. I think the children and I will memorize it together in the month of January and present it to Daddy as a surprise. Like the 23rd Psalm, is has the power and purpose to change a heart's stance.

I'm also praying much regarding the January start to the Children's Bible Study I'll be teaching in our home (held every Saturday afternoon). If we have it in our minds to do something for Him, we best pray continuously so that it ends up being Him, and not us doing the work. That's true whether it be Bible Study, child rearing, helping in the nursery, or making a meal for a friend. 

We delivered cookies and the Jesus Storybook Bibles, along with a flyer introducing our family a little more, and our new church-sponsored Bible Study, to neighbor families on Christmas Eve. That cookie project felt enormous but when it was all done, it felt wonderful to deliver them to neighbors (and AWANA teachers). On that special night as we rang doorbells, my children got a taste of this biblical truth: It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Happy New Year!

Psalm 96

Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.


For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.


Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.


Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Elijah Speaks to Me; Thankful Thursday

I have occasion to preach to myself today over something God requires concerning our neighbors. I thought you might glean something as well....so maybe come along for the ride?

source
Elijah and the woman with the oil and flour; 1 Kings 17:7-16

On the way to AWANA I pray for him. And the issues, they're so complicated I don't know where to begin.

I've written of the family before. There are four children ranging in age from 4 to 12 and during the summer they were all babysat by the12-year-old sister.

Recently their van broke down, leaving one economy car for six people and Mom and Dad work in opposite sides of town. Their funds can't cover repairs right now and in our rural area there are no buses. Suddenly, one parent is out of work and possibly both and the mother is sick and had to spend one night in the hospital. It's hard to know the details without being nosy. I ask very little and wait for God to reveal the needs.

The tax levy for the local school district, it didn't pass and no school bus runs through the neighborhood this year. How do you work a job or two on one car, and manage the pick-up and drop-off times for three different schools?

I could get on a soapbox about the well over $9000 a year this district spends per student and how could they have no money for buses? And why are all the school buildings new, when bus money was in jeopardy?

And so I pray for Aidan who shares the back seat of our van. He asks us to keep his AWANA materials at our house because at his house they would get lost or the "babies" (his 4- and 5-year-old siblings) would ruin them. And I think about all the families who are so stressed by their poverty, they can't maintain a modicum of organization. Could there really be no place at all to put important papers and does homework ever get done in that house and why are the kids sick (or truant) so often?

And why should I even ask that, when gas money itself is an obstacle? An important bit of information, this, straight out of Aidan's mouth.

And I wonder if I should give them a ten dollar bill for gas money? And should I offer to take the kindergartner and fourth grader to the elementary school every day, even though by 8:25 I rarely have my shower and breakfast is only in the works, not consumed, by then?

Our own van at over 230,000 miles could stop at any moment...and our 25-year-old car, it could as well. And gas money isn't plentiful here either. If we only had more to give! The less I have, the more I see physical need all around me.

Before, I just didn't see.

As I wonder if I should pay for Aidan's AWANA book when our own AWANA books are stretching us, and should I hand over gas money--all the while wondering if it might be used for cigarettes, do you know the story the Holy Spirit puts in my head just then? The woman with the little bit of flour and oil.

1 Kings 17:7-24

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Scripture seems to say, yes, I should give gas money and offer rides and buy an AWANA book, not concerning myself with whether I have enough for my family. What does obedience and charity require, when you don't live in abundance yourself? 

Just this: Faith

And what is faith, exactly? Have I not seen what God does to provide? Have we not been helped ourselves just in the nick of time? Have we not experienced the despair and hopelessness poverty brings? Do we not understand the layers and layers of issues complicating that all encompassing word:  poverty? 

The good news is that God doesn't squeeze faith out of dry raisins. He builds our faith, plumping us up with provision and sustenance, grace and love. 

This I have learned: Everything he requires from us, he puts into us. He only asks that we let it flow out generously, as he let it flow in. 

And don't ask questions. Did the woman ask Elijah questions?  No. "She went away and did as Elijah told her."

What is God asking you to give today? If you see a need around you--and you will if you look--remember this: We're not parched as raisins. He has filled us and if we abide in Him, he'll fill us some more.

For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Feeling thankful on Thursday.

Dear Lord, thank you for these gifts:

~ I know where the AWANA books are in this house and we open them and our Bibles, and we value scripture...all by His grace alone is this true. 

~ Beautiful fall days with sunny skies.

~ For the first time ever, we invited someone to church and they said yes!

~ When Mary woke up from a dream...thinking there were ants all over her bed, I was able to comfort her. What a privilege to love.

~ His kisses and hard work.

~ Hearing 13 preschoolers whisper it at AWANA Cubbies: "God loved us and sent His Son."

~ Zinnias still blooming beauty

~ The eyes to see.

~ Having just enough. That's more blessing than any of us realize.

~ Prayer

~ Stories that teach

~ Reading Sid Fleischman's Gold Rush adventure alongside the boys: By the Great Horn Spoon

Today's Blessings

Blessings spill here every day. I'm so grateful for the Lord's faithfulness in providing grace and wonder.

First, my cousin came and fixed our leaky shower. The sight of Mommy in the tub filled my children with giggles for three days. "Mommy! Adults don't take baths!"

One day my three year old stripped down and invaded my bath, singing Barney's song: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you love me too?"

Then she preceded to help me rinse my hair.

As sweet as I found that serenade, and as much as I'll remember it forever, baths use up a lot more water and more time. I'm so tickled to be back to showers.

Another blessing? Paul, who has earned more chore money than any of the four, heard the Ice Cream Truck and decided it would be a good use of a portion of his hard-earned money. Usually I would object, but this is his money.

He stopped hearing the singing truck and grew disheartened. He promptly prayed, and seeing his downtrodden countenance, I took pity and prayed as well.

Fifteen minutes later the Lord provided. Paul had begun to loose faith. I kissed him and told him that Jesus loved him. The ice cream truck coming back was a sure sign that his hard work on chores was pleasing to the Lord.

My excited children, all laden with chore money, partook of ice cream truck favors for the second time in their young lives. I would think that the ice cream in our freezer tastes far better, but you wouldn't know it by their cheery smiles.

Lastly, when the boys expressed interest in baking something, I suggested searching for recipes with Cheerios, since we had extra boxes.

Oh, these bars! So delicious.

Betty Crocker No-Bake Cereal Bars  print recipe here



Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup

1cup sugar

1 1/4cups peanut butter

6cups Cheerios® cereal

1bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Procedure

Step 1

Lightly butter 13x9-inch pan. In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat corn syrup and sugar to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Add 1 cup of the peanut butter; stir until smooth. Add cereal; mix well. Immediately press in buttered pan. 

Step 2

In 2-quart saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or cool completely at room temperature until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. 


And what's better than a Psalm to go with a little praise and thanksgiving?

Psalm 107:1-9

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.


 

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 

those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
 
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.


 

He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

Prayer Time: Dear Father, Thank you for your faithfulness and lovingkindness. You fill us to the brim with blessing and love. Thank you for my cousin, his skill, his help. Bless him in every way. Thank you for blessing Paul with an ice cream favor, and for building his faith. Thank you for confirming for him that you listen and answer prayer...that you love him and seek to bless him. Thank you for my boys' work in the kitchen. Thank you for "filling the hungry with good things", both spiritual and material. We love you. We worship you. May our lives bring you glory.

In Jesus name, Amen.


P.S.
Later this same day, Beth cut her wrist on a glass critter cage, meaning we spent three hours in emergency. It was a skin flap wound. They did their best to repair it, using four stitches, but a bit of skin stayed behind in the cage so it won't be the best looking spot on her arm. Good thing we have lines on our wrists anyway, to mask any scar. She did well--her strength is a miracle--until we came home at 10:00 PM, at which time she completely fell apart, along with one of her siblings (who can't take any change). As exhausted and disheartened as I feel right now, I know there will be grace in the morning. Grace enough that we'll all find many blessings to count. There will be many stories read, and lots of cuddles. A day to just be together, nurturing one another.

The Lord Blesses My Peter

                      

Peter woke up earlier than usual, while I was in attending to Beth's cries. When I came out of her room, Peter could barely contain himself:



"Mommy! Jesus told me to read the Bible and have my personal prayer time. And so I did. And guess what! You wouldn't believe it! Right after that I went to the window and saw a rose-breasted grosbeak at the feeder! Jesus blessed me because I obeyed him, didn't he? And then he told me to read another chapter. And I did, so do you think I'll see the grosbeak again today?"






I told Peter he was absolutely right. Jesus intentionally blessed him. Jesus loves to build a child's faith by actively displaying His faithfulness and steadfast love. And I added that, yes, I did believe he would see the bird again today.


After breakfast, during spelling, the rose-breasted grosbeak blessed all of us by another quick visit to the feeder!


Today's Devotional Text: Psalm 92

It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.


For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, Lord,
how profound your thoughts!
Senseless people do not know,
fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.


But you, Lord, are forever exalted.


For surely your enemies, Lord,
surely your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;
fine oils have been poured on me.
My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.


The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Prayer Time: Dear Father, thank you for the Psalms. They sing to our souls of your love and faithfulness, Lord. How much we need this life-giving music. Thank you for blessing my son, for building his faith. May he walk closer and closer with you, Lord, along with his brother and sisters. May your Word sing to their hearts. May they pray for and love the lost and the least, and live according to your will. May we, as parents, shine your light in our home, each and every day. Forgive us, strengthen us, have mercy on us, Lord. Thank you. I love you.

In your Son's name I pray, Amen.

grosbeak photo credit

Linking with Laura today

Zephaniah's Ministry

Background:

The Book of Zephaniah, a prophecy, was written around 640-620 B.C., during King Josiah's rule: 640-609 B.C.

King Josiah of Judah sought to reverse the evil trends brought by the two previous kings of Judah--Manasseh and Amon. There was no world super power at the time, so Josiah had influence among the nations. He was able to institute religious reforms. Zephaniah's prophecy may have motivated those reforms.

Zephaniah 1:2-3
"I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth", declares the Lord. 
"I will sweep away both men and animals; 
I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. 
The wicked will have only heaps of rubble 
when I cut off man from the face of the earth", declares the Lord.


If we only read the New Testament, and if we skip the Book of Revelation, we don't get an accurate picture of God's nature. He is Holy and he cannot tolerate sin. His wrath and anger are as awesome as his mercy and love. If our picture of his character is a warm and fuzzy New Testament one only, we're in trouble, because we won't fear him. We won't obey.


And idols? Oh, how they ignite his anger. Don't think just Baal and Molech. Think power, prestige, image, careers, sports, money, possessions...anything that takes our time away from God. Our God? He is jealous, indeed. Think you don't have time for Him? Think again. God's jealous heart desires that we make time.

Zephaniah 1:4-6
⁴ “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
the very names of the idolatrous priests —
those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
and who also swear by Molech,
those who turn back from following the Lord
and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”

Josiah's reforms changed things a bit, but not for long. The people were too far from God to heed any correction. Their hearts had hardened and judgement did come, via the Babylonians, within twenty years of Zephaniah's ministry.

Zephaniah 2:1-3 (emphasis mine)

2 Gather together, gather yourselves together,
you shameful nation,
before the decree takes effect
and that day passes like windblown chaff,
before the Lord’s fierce anger
comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath
comes upon you.
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Judgement is coming to us, too. We will be judged for our sins, for any indifference to God. But if we remain faithful to God, he will show us mercy. 

From these verses, we hear again how much the Lord loves humility. He sent his Son as a babe, who grew into a humble man, who died a humble death. "Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land. Seek righteousness, seek humility." 

If we get nothing else from Zephaniah, we will hopefully get this: The Lord loves a humble heart.

More on the hate God has for haughtiness in these next verses (emphasis mine):

Zephaniah 3:1-5

Woe to the city of oppressors,
rebellious and defiled!
She obeys no one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord,
she does not draw near to her God.
Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her rulers are evening wolves,
who leave nothing for the morning.
Her prophets are unprincipled;
they are treacherous people.
Her priests profane the sanctuary
and do violence to the law.
The Lord within her is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,
and every new day he does not fail,
yet the unrighteous know no shame.

Do we accept correction from the Lord? Do we confess our sins, humbling ourselves enough to do so even among loved ones? Do we pray and read the Word regularly, knowing that this makes our own hearts known to us? The Word of God exposes us for who we really are. We become haughty when we fail to understand our position before God. The more we crowd God out of our lives, the haughtier we become. Then our hearts? They harden, making it more difficult to see our own sin.

Zephaniah ends with hope, speaking of the Lord's faithfulness to the remnant. It's hard to read this without tears...it's so full of hope.

Zephaniah 3:9-17 (emphasis mine)

9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from you
your arrogant boasters.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
12 But I will leave within you
the meek and humble.
The remnant of Israel
will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 They will do no wrong;
they will tell no lies.
A deceitful tongue
will not be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no one will make them afraid. ”


14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Conclusions:

The reforms in Judah were merely outward--not from the heart. They were simply going through the motions of faith. Their hearts remained far from God.

Since the day of our own salvation, what has happened in our hearts and lives? Is there real change, or do we still live for ourselves and pursue other Gods? 

The steps to true heart change? Humility, Faithfulness, Prayer 

If we are faithful to spend time with God, he will humble us; and as we continue in Him, we will remain humble. 

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing

Prayer Time: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Zephaniah's ministry. Thank you for your Word, for the way it washes us clean. May we remain faithful to spend time with you. Humble us, Lord. May we receive your correction with glad hearts. May nothing take your place in our hearts and lives. May we live for you, replacing our will with yours.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

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Thursday Devotions 5/3

Morning prayers
Peter Jackson

Thursday Devotions

Today's Text:  James 1:19-27

Listening and Doing

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

So, as I mentioned, we had a relative visit Ohio for two weeks. We hosted her about every other day for several hours. If you have babies and toddlers or more than a couple children, you know the damage children do to a house. I'm not normally a neat nick, but my visitor needed a place to sit down, see. We normally picked her up about 10:00 AM, so things had to be put away and hopefully swept and vacuumed much earlier than usual. If relatives see crumbs or dirt on your floor, they offer to sweep or vacuum for you. Or maybe that's just my relatives? Or my floors? I wanted her to concentrate on spending time with the children--whom she sees only once every two years--so I tried to maintain a non-distracting environment.

Only--and here's how the verse comes in--maintaining that environment transformed me. Not into an efficient neat nick, but into a wretched soul who shouted angry at her children. They sometimes stuffed things into holes and drawers to clean their playroom, or they did poor jobs making their beds, or they got distracted and took too long for simple tasks. 

Or, the most irritating, they made messes as fast as I cleaned them. 

But they helped too. Ten-year-old Peter vacuums like a champ. Eight-year-old Paul folds clothes well and even remembers to put them away. 

I'm grieved to say, my nagging prevailed over my praises.

The van ride over to the next township to pick her up? It calmed all of us and the visits went exceedingly well. God, loving my visitor mightily and wanting her saved, transformed the spiritual environment here from messy to glorious, no thanks to me.

My heart aches remembering my shouting...my careless words. Yes, the Holy Spirit chastised me. He did his job. I held their sweet faces in my hands each time, looked them in they eyes, and spilled tearful apologies:: "I am so sorry! I shouldn't have shouted at you. Mommy is stressed about cleaning on a deadline. Can you forgive me?"

And my children? They smiled knowingly. "That's okay, Mommy.  I forgive you."

I don't know that letting the house go was the answer. She would have felt sorry for me, trying to help me catch up each time. And the children wouldn't have the memories of her they do now...of reading stories, playing Tiddly Winks and Backgammon, of exploring the backyard, and cuddling on the couch watching Gordy The Pig (which she hated, I came to find out. No, it's not a masterpiece; the acting is atrocious. But we love icky sweet movies). 

Peter cries at the end as the pig family reunites. And I feel like crying. We're pitiful that way about pigs...we'd rather live on a farm than in a neighborhood (though not my Paul, who thinks farm animals stink). The visitor hates hillbilly anything, including pigs and cows and country love songs...a fact I'd forgotten from my childhood.

My long-winded point here? The Holy Spirit holds us accountable for Scripture. We don't have to be perfect. He knew this verse was already planted in my heart. He brought it to my mind the instant my shouting hit tender ears. And my apologies? They took all of eight minutes to spill out.

Your spiritual growth and obedience? It's in Holy hands. Read the Word. Plant it in your heart and pray it. Let the Holy Spirit do the rest. 

Prayer time:  Dear Lord, thank you for the work you've done in my heart and life. I love you. I want to shine your light and truth and grace, as pleasing fragrances in my home. Help me, Father. Make me long-suffering, slow to speak and slow to become angry. May I live to bring you glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Prayer time:  Dear Lord, search my heart and cleanse it. Help me to humbly accept your teaching and plant it in my heart. You alone can transform me. I'm too weak to change myself. Your Word, your blood, your Holy Spirit, they have all the power. Help me to submit, Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Prayer time:  Dear Lord, I want to do what your Word says. Hold me accountable. Make my heart sensitive to the Holy Spirit's moment-to-moment leading. When I look in the mirror, help me to really see. I'm a sinner in need of grace and transformation. Keep me humble in heart. Transform me, day by day. Help me to experience the freedom your Word brings. Help me, my family, to be blessed in what we do, as your Word promises. I love you. Thank you for your love and faithfulness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Prayer time:  Dear Lord, my walk is worthless if I don't let you transform me. If I don't humble myself daily and read your Word with a desperate thirst...if I don't pray every day to receive your heart. If I'm not desperate for you, then I'm not humble enough. For without you, I'm nothing. Don't let me deceive myself, Father. Change me and make me worthy. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness...from the world's stain. Help me to serve others with your heart. Help me to love the least with my time and my resources.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

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