Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

 Zechariah 1:7-13

Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. Zechariah 1:12-13

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 1:7-13, which the commentary outlines as the first of four divisions for the text vv1:7-2:13 (1:7-13, 1:14-17, 1:18-21, 2:1-13).  Here, scripture describes a vision of a horseman (vv7-17) - an angel - whose horses' purpose was to "patrol the earth" on behalf of the Lord (vv10-11).  The angel asks God how long He will show no mercy and be angry with Judah (v12) and God responds with "gracious and comforting words" (v13).  So far in my reading of Zephaniah and Haggai, we see God full of grace and compassion on His people, as long as they repent and return to fellowship with Him.  This does not mean of course that we will not be punished for our sin and suffer the consequences.  We must be prepared for God to deal with us according to what we have done - see also post yesterday and Romans 2:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:10.  God is just - yet most importantly we should see God love us, so much so that He sent His Son!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are amazing indeed!  I can never be separated from Your love and Your grace continues to pour over me - ceaselessly.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”

2 Samuel 12

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” 2 Samuel 12:13b-14

For my daily study, I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at how God can be viewed as just in spite of how He forgives even the most heinous of sins.   John Piper uses one of the Bible's most glaring series of sins - David's sins of adultery, rape, murder, lies, and perhaps most glaringly how David "despised the word of the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:9).  Yet Nathan appears as a messenger from God (2 Samuel 12:1) and tells David that the Lord has put away his sin - Piper finds this outrageous.  David of course is not off with a pass as punishment awaits him not just with a son that dies (just as God says will happen) but with another son that seeks to dethrone David (see 2 Samuel 15-19).  To answer the question of how God can forgive David (and anyone with sins as heinous) and remain just, Piper refers us to Romans 3:25-26 where Paul describes how Christ is given over as propitiation (substitute) for sin.  Piper then shares: "God sees, from the time of David, down the centuries to the death of his Son, Jesus Christ, who would die in David’s place, so that David’s faith in God’s mercy and God’s future redeeming work unites David with Christ. And in God’s all-knowing mind, David’s sins are counted as Christ’s sins and Christ’s righteousness is counted as his righteousness, and God justly passes over David’s sin for Christ’s sake. The death of the Son of God is outrageous enough, and the glory of God that it upholds is great enough, that God is vindicated in passing over David’s adultery and murder and lying. And ours. And so God maintains his perfect righteousness and justice while at the same time showing mercy to those who have faith in Jesus, no matter how many or how monstrous their sins. This is unspeakably good news." Indeed!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died for my sin - thank You Jesus - the most amazing gift of all time.  I am not deserving of such love and blessing...of course not - my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:25-26

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved to the next section of chapter four The Glory of Christ's Salvation, where the focus is on 3:25-26 and a discussion of demonstration. My commentary describes how there must not only be a "declaration" of God's righteousness, but also a "demonstration." The commentary writes how the "cross demonstrates God's love (Romans 5:8)," and in 3:25-26 God "emphasizes that the cross displays God's righteousness." Scripture also uses the word "forbearance" which is defined as "a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due."  God's forbearance in v25 clearly demonstrates God's love as prior to the cross he refrained from punishing sins formerly committed.  Sin was punished (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.) but my commentary indicates "God did not exact the full penalty for sinning against his glorious character."  He instead showed great mercy and patience. He also is "kind and patient, desiring people to repent (Romans 2:4) and because he planned to act in the cross".  Christ's death on the cross also resolves the question how "God can accept sinful men and women without violating his justice."  God is both "just and the justifier....as he is the only one who could both save sinners and satisfy God's wrath."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is both just and the justifier.  You are full of grace, patience and love and You of course died on the cross for me - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time!  Yet I know that I am undeserving of such a gift.  I too often seek my own comfort and not You - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

Romans 3:1-8

Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” Romans 3:4

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to the next chapter Why We Need the Gospel: No One is Righteous: Romans 3:1-20.  I start section one - In the Classroom with Paul: Romans 3:1-8.  Without my commentary, as I transition from Romans 2, in light of Jewish hypocrisy, I see how Paul questions what advantage the Jews may have.  They may have been the chosen people, and to be given God's lay, but they weren't very obedient and trusting - nor did they walk the walk.  He sees God's grace, righteousness, and glory in God's judgement of the Jews. 

My commentary starts with the description of Paul as an attorney delivering an opening statement with all of humanity on trial - we are all sinful.  He describes the Jews as perhaps having an advantage but they squandered it because they did not see Jesus as the promised Messiah from scriptures (see John 5:39-40).  The commentary goes on to show how Paul then is describing how although the Jews were unfaithful, God was not (v4) - God's faithfulness does not depend on Israel's faithfulness.  My commentary points to how Paul referred to Psalm 51:4 to agree with King David after his affair with Bathsheba that God is "justified in his words" when judging us. God is both faithful and just.  Paul then answers the question of whether we are doing God a favor by sinning (v5-8) and of course the answer is no.  My commentary points to how it is strictly a "human argument" to see how "unrighteous conduct could ever serve a good purpose of enhancing God's righteous character." God is also not magnified when we lie - He is not pleased. The commentary shows how v1-8 echo Romans 6 where Paul answers no to the question whether we should continue in sin so that grace is multiplied. We are warned not to "play games" with God and the Bible.  We are to "[s]ee the plain teaching of Scripture and respond in humble repentance and faith."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You are both faithful and just and I am grateful that You are both.  I can depend on You and Your promises are satisfying!  Unlike anything else - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are faithful and just.  My sin continues...including impatience, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Revelation 19

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.  He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Revelation 19:1-2

Session #10 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 19.

Jesus arrives! The battle is over!  This is where all of eternity is headed.

• Core message of this chapter: man centered worldliness will ultimately be overcome by God-centered worship - 19:10.
• God orchestrates all of history to display His glory v1, 3, 4, 6 - only time in NT when Hallelujah is mentioned.
• Goal to which all history is headed is glory of God.
• God ordains all of His people to enjoy His glory - our deepest satisfaction/delight/joy is found not in this world but in God.
• Bow before the splendor of God the Father; He is victorious/glorious/omnipotent/just/eternal/mighty (almighty mentioned 9 times)/sovereign - 7:10, 12:10, 19:2, Psalm 149:1-6, Revelation 6:9-11; do not play around with the justice of God
• Behold the supremacy of Christ the Son 19:11-16 (not on a donkey but a war horse), faithful and true, righteous, Messianic warrior 9:15, sees everything; many crowns on His head (Revelation 12, 13 show Satan playing king but this is to seduce us - but this is NOT so), much mystery to His name 19:12, He conquers God's enemy (see also Isaiah 63), He ends the history of this world (but there is not battle!), He rules the nations of this world 19:15, brings God's wrath upon this world - upon sinful men and women, Satanic agents and ambassadors! (19:17-21), He is the King of kings and Lord of lords 19:16
• Let's revere Him 19:5! No room for casual worship!
• Let's rejoice Him 19:7-8
• Let's be ready for His coming! Walk by faith by Him! Remain faithful despite persecution, by enduring, obeying, completing mission, etc. and work by grace from Him (Philippians 2); we live surrounded by adulterous Babylon - walk in righteousness only by the grace of God
• 19:14 Jesus returns and He is not alone - we know from all of the NT that He is coming back to participate in His reign forever - let's by ready!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has saved me from eternal damnation - You are King of kings and Lord of Lords!  I am grateful.  Yet I am undeserving.  My sin is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name.

Revelation 15-16

I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. Revelation 15:1-2

Session #8 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 15-16.

Quick Review of book and what has been covered so far in Revelation - apocalyptic visions filled with prophetic pronouncements written as letter to 1st century church.  Climax of all prophecies in the Bible.  Implications for all churches throughout history.  Not intended to create divisions in the church through various interpretations, instead to provide unshakable hope and encouragement as we endure to avoid sin and seduction.  It refutes deception and encourages mission.  The book should drive us to Christ.

These visions include various symbols and numbers (which often lead to various interpretations) - we should avoid too much focus on any interpretation but instead grab hold of the core truths of this book and gospel - to which we should all agree.

Visions are arranged cyclically, not chronologically.  Seven letters, seals, trumpets, visions, bowls...with each cycle things intensify.

God will one day pour out His wrath fully and finally on the earth and everyone will drink His judgement forever.

How do we worship God in His wrath?  We can understand in the following context.

1. We must start with a high view of God; song in Revelation 3; God is sovereign over all.
2. God is feared by all.  King of all nations.  
3. God is glorified above all.  
4. God is Holy in all of His attributes.
5. God is righteous in all of His ways.
6. God is loving toward all His creation.

We then move to a humble view of man (who has denounced the sovereignty of God, who has disregarded the fear of God, who has defamed the glory of God, who has dishonored the holiness of God, who has despised the righteousness of God, who has denied the love of God) leading us to a view where God is infinitely worthy of eternal worship! Man is infinitely deserving of God's eternal wrath!

Land on the hope of the gospel!  God has sent His Son - Jesus Christ - who died for sinners.  God expressed His wrath towards sin so that believers would be spared.  At the cross, God has endured His wrath against sin, enabling salvation for sinners.

Don't underestimate the seriousness of Your sin - repent!

Followers of Christ - walk in purity and endure!  Witness with urgency. Worship with sincerity!  His wrath is not just evidence of His anger but also His love.  God's love without wrath would be indifferent.  Love requires wrath - to oppose that which destroys what we love.  God's justice without wrath would be ineffective. God's love, justice and wrath together are indescribable.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is worthy of worship indeed both because of Your love and Your justice - both of which are perfect and Holy.  Thank You for adopting me into Your family and saving me from eternal damnation.  I am not deserving.  I gossip and have other sin - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.

2 Thessalonians 1

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.  v6-7 

The MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) indicates that the timing of this letter "was surely a few months after the first epistle" citing Acts 18:11 indication that the 18 month period when Paul was in Corinth was "ample" time for both epistles to be authored.  Per this overview, The church in Thessalonica needed encouragement, instruction on how to discern false teachers, and to focus on their faith, service to God and to one another, and to remain unified.  

Paul encourages the Thessalonians to remain strong in the face of perspecution.  He tells them that "God is just" - indeed.  See also posts here on this topic.  In particular this post is useful.   

We often grow weary when we face persecution.  Yet we can take comfort that God sees it all and the wicked will not go unpunished and the faithful will be rewarded.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who sees everything and is just.  I am encouraged to remain faithful and to be strong in the face of persecution.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worthy of such love and blessing.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Let all their wickedness come before you; deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my sins. My groans are many and my heart is faint.”

Lamentations 1

Let all their wickedness come before you; deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my sins.  My groans are many and my heart is faint. v22

As this overview points out:

"Lamentations is a moment of self-awareness: anyone reading the scroll would remember why Jerusalem fell and why the survivors were taken to Babylon. But the book also would have been a hearty (and solemn) encouragement to those who return in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah: no matter how faithless His people are, God remains faithful."

God is faithful indeed.  God loves us even when we sin, even during our punishment, and He always keeps His promises. 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

We can also count on God's perfect justice - in Lamentations 1:22 Jeremiah pleads with God to bring justice to all - not just the Jews.  Clearly, the Jews are surrounded by sin and wickedness, yet they (and we!) need not concern themselves about justice - God is the Judge and all will be judged. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, even when I sin!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such love.  Please forgive me Jesus for my worry and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind  and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.

2 Samuel 12

She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. v24-25

Through Nathan, the Lord strongly rebukes David.  Yet, at the same time God is full of grace. 

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. v13

Within this grace - David does not escape consequences.

But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”  v14

Yet within the consequences, we can see God at work - in v24-25, David and Bathsheba have a son, Solomon, and this son is loved by the Lord and will go on and do great things for the Lord.

This chapter is a great example of God's perfect justice.

We are forgiven - yet we don't escape consequences for our sin.  God gives us grace - which we don't deserve, and we don't get what we do deserve.  And God redeems us and our sin for His glory - as He is able to take a broken and sinful world and use it for His purposes.  We cannot fully understand how God works (Isaiah 55:8), yet we can come to understand and appreciate God as perfect in all ways.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, full of love and compassion for me.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of such compassion because I often fail to show compassion to others. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses for them.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Proverbs 11

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free. v21

We often see the sinful deeds of others and the temptation is to judge them.  Yet we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  See also:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

In John 8, Jesus defends the Adulterous Woman in the face of scorn and says:

Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7

Jesus also says:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5 

We must understand that God is the only judge and He is both all knowing and equitable.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. Psalm 9:8

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are!  You know all of my sin yet You are full of mercy, patience, compassion, and forgiveness.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I am not worth such love and blessings.  I worry, and I am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Psalm 109

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them. v30-31

David spends much of this Psalm pleading with God to punish those who accuse and wrong him.  Justice is never a bad thing to seek but it should not preoccupy or consume us.  I am reminded of a movie I've recently seen - The Revenant (recommended BTW) - where a determined father struggles through great challenges with a core motivation being revenge on the man who killed his son.  In the end, the father gives up on his revenge as he recognizes that justice is God's alone.  Indeed, this is where we should focus.  Once we give up on revenge and justice, we will be motivated by love - to forgive, pray for, and love those who scorn us.  Easier said than done but God's will for us.

Scriptural examples include:
Luke 10:25-37 (Parable of the Good Samaritan)
Matthew 5:39
Luke 6:29

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are a righteous judge, able to know all of what has been done, to be done and all of our motivations.  You judge perfectly and completely.  Thank You Jesus for taking care of this in my life so I can be freed from having a hardended heart that prevents me from carrying out Your will for my life.  I seek to glorify You alone.  Yet I often fail and I have neglected my relationship with You.  Forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do...even when they scorn me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Give Eunice and the Peterson family strength and comfort.  Praise that Will is with You and enjoying eternity with His Heavenly Father.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

Psalm 75

It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. v7

As humans it is not impossible to form judgements, about people, circumstances...we are constantly making judgements.  However, we should not condemn others regarding their sin.  That is between that person and God alone.  

In the church, however, we are to support and encourage one another by speaking truth into a brother or sister's life.

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Matthew 18:15

We are designed to live together (Proverbs 27:17) and to confess our sins to one another.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You alone are judge...and You are just.  You are also full of mercy and grace, holding back punishment when we deserve it, forgiving us, and blessing us also when we don't deserve it. You are an awesome God!  Thank You Jesus as I am not worth such mercy, grace, and blessing.  I am broken...full of arrogance, pride, selfishness, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Psalm 73

When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. v16-17

Asaph, author of this Psalm, sees wickedness in the world around them and he wonders why God allows such wickedness to persist.  This is a thought we often have and we must understand that God sees everything (see post here) and He is and will be the perfect judge.  We should take comfort that all will be judged "according to what they have done".  In our daily life, we must also recognize that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

We should concern ourselves with how others should be dealt with - we should know that God knows all and all will be judged.  This frees us to focus on our relationship with God - of primary importance in our lives.

My Prayer: You alone and Your glory is worthy of my attention and focus.  I know I exist to glorify You.  You are worthy of my efforts and I am prayerful that I can be Your servant.  Thank You Jesus for Your love and for choosing me to be Your child.  I am not worth such love as my sin continues and I am broken.  I get angry too quickly and I worry about my children - folly!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity.

Psalm 67

May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity. v4

We should be glad and praise God for how He is a just God.  First of all, He knows everything and nothing is hidden from Him.  His justice is based not just on what we have done but on our heart condition - what motivates us and where our idols are.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Revelation 2:11-13

God is not only just but he is full of patience, mercy, compassion, etc.  Throughout scripture, God has not only forgiven sin but redeemed it for our good and His glory: Jacob, Joseph and His brothers, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, etc.  God sent his one and only son to die in our place so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life (John 3:16).  I have seen such patience, mercy, and compassion in my own life.  Praise God indeed.

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God, perfect in all ways, just and merciful and so much more...all at once.  You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  I am grateful that You are in my life and that You came to rescue me, knowing everything about me.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worth such an effort.  I continue to worry, be impatient, etc. - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

Psalm 58

Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” v11

Just as David cries out for justice and is comforted in knowing that God is just, we too should feel comforted and at peace that all will be made perfect in the end.  Our focus should not be in worry, envy, jealously, anger, etc. at this world but instead on God Himself, the author of life and of our faith.  He is just. For believers there is hope in this justice in that we are spared...and that we will live eternity in Heaven with God our Father.

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”  Revelation 21:6-8

My Prayer: Lord, You are both just and merciful...and full of love, power, knowledge, wisdom, etc.  You ARE my all in all.  Apart from You I can nothing and certainly no good thing.  I must abide in You for my sustenance.  Thank You for the blessing of every day.  I need You desperately in my life because I am broken.  I continue to worry and act out of this worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people....

Psalm 50

He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:  “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”  And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. v4-6

God is a righteous judge both able and worthy.  Able because He is God and worthy because He knows everything about us, and because He is patient, compassionate, and merciful with us.  His plans and will for our lives are perfect as are His deeds.  He is jealous for us.  Why would we want another judge?

God also does not want us to be slave to sin so "He sent His one and only son" (John 3:16).  When we are set free from sin we are also set free to be who God intends for us.  He provides His Word (Romans 12:2), the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), and the Church all to sharpen (Proverbs 27:17) and grow us into who He intends for us.  God is great and we thank Him for being the judge who is able to not only call us to account but to call us to who we are made to be.

My Prayer: Lord You are a great God and apart from You I am nothing.  Thank You for how You have blessed me day after day.  Forgive me for my worry and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. v5

When we sin, we disappoint God and we are separated from, yet we can ask for His forgiveness and He will forgive us and purify us.

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Our God is slow to anger and abounding in love. See here for at least seven other verses in the Bible that use these exact words. Indeed, anytime God IS angry...it is for good reason as He is just. And as the verse for today speaks, God welcomes us back into His arms - He loves us so much that He died for us even though we were still sinners!  See also the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Above all, we must follow the greatest commandment - love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind (Matthew 22:37-38). As part of this we must have a "hunger and thirst for righteousness" because if we do, we will be "filled" (Matthew 5:6).

What a great God we have in Jesus Christ!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God - slow to anger and abounding in love!  I have felt Your love in my life and You have blessed me beyond what I deserve.  I continue to worry about my kids and I know I should not.  Thank You for how You have blessed me but please forgive me.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.

Psalm 7

Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. v6

David implies (correctly) in this Psalm that God is the only one appropriate to judge - see here.  We must be careful of trying to mete out our own brand of justice - see also post here.  As part of this God, also says we should not gossip.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 2 Corinthians 12:20

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the only one worthy to be Judge.  And You are just...all discipline that you pour out on me is for my good and Your glory.  No sin is unnoticed in Your eyes. I can rest secure in Your righteousness.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet often I don't.  I see sin and I want my own brand of justice - please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Revelation 2

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. v4-5

Speaking through John, Jesus warns the church in Ephesus that they have fallen...although God is fair and just, judgment is coming for all of us and we must be prepared (see posts also previous two days).  We must live with the end in mind and live in reverent fear of God's power and judgment.  We must repent!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome and like the song says "You Reign" and You do so forever and forever just as it is written in Revelation.  I am no different than those You wrote in Ephesus...I have fallen and I do so again and again...too often I lean on my own abilities and understanding and this is a sin!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Praise for yesterday's awesome news about Barry and Brenda's permanent custody of Camdyn.  Please heal Will.  Please help me live with the end in mind.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.