[Death] is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

   [Death] is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. Ecclesiastes 9:2

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus this morning is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 9:1-6, which the commentary outlines as the first division for chapter 9. This division describes how death is something that awaits us all and it makes me also think about James 4:14-15 that our lives are simply a mist and it is only through the grace of God that we have breath for any given day.  We must be humble, fear, love and worship God - this is why we exist.  God's grace is so amazing not only because are our lives are simply a mist in His hands, but also because all of us are sinful and the wages of sin of death (Romans 6:23).  Believers should not have pretense that because we have faith, we perhaps are more deserving of salvation - hogwash!  My sin is no better or worse than anyone else's sin!  We don't get what we do deserve (death), but we (believers) do get what we don't deserve (mercy and amazing grace).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who pours out for me daily rich mercies of forgiveness, and gives me life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not by a long shot deserving.  My sin never stops - 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.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Revelation 8:2-11:19

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 6:20-21

I resumed my D-Group's study of Revelation using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide.  While this week, the study looks at Revelation 8:2-11:19, for today my focus is the prayers of the saints (8:2-5), the role of the seven trumpets throughout these chapters, and how God is full of grace and how this is often not viewed as a opportunity to repent and be saved.  This latter focus is where my key takeaway is today.  

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 6:13-21

While a third of mankind is struck down, it is utterly stunning that the rest of mankind - two-thirds of mankind - did not repent and turn to God.  They certainly had an opportunity because the text is written in such a way that repentance is offered but not taken.  Unfortunately, this is the case with many non-believers, they experience tremendous grace in their lives, yet they fail to see the hand of God with this grace.  You see we don't get what we deserve (death - see Romans 6:23) but we do get what we don't deserve (grace - 1 Corinthians 15:10).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You grace is amazing indeed - and it is imprinted throughout my life....every day.  Thank You Jesus!  I am clearly not deserving of such grace...my sin is great and it is daily.  Worry, etc.  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.  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.

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

2 Samuel 19:5-20:26

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.” 2 Samuel 19:30

Day 103 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on David's return to Jerusalem from exile following the death of Absalom. Mephibosheth's love for David and his interaction with David highlights what John Piper calls the love of "dead dogs" for a king.

Mephibosheth was the last surviving member of Saul's family and Jonathan's son - he was lame following an accident where he was dropped (2 Samuel 4:4).  After Saul's death and David becomes king, David shows great compassion and mercy for Mephibosheth and takes him in as his own - Mephibosheth's reacts humbly, saying: "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me? (2 Samuel 9)".  After David's return, Mephibosheth is cleared of any wrong doing related to Ziba's deception to obtain all remaining property of Saul (2 Samuel 16), and David seeks to restore/return this property to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 19:29).  Even though this gesture is what Piper calls "distinctly unfair" (Mephibosheth should get the majority if not all of the property), Mephibosheth is more grateful for David's return vs the return of property.

Piper writes: 

"Brothers, our debt to God is infinite. We are worse than dead dogs in the situation in which find ourselves. We have done far worse than Mephibosheth".

"And there is another verse I have thought a lot about recently in Luke 17:10. When you have done all your duty say, 'We are unworthy servants.'"

"So, brothers, I conclude with this: There are many roots of uselessness in the ministry, many causes of doctrinal liberalism and spiritual weakness. And one of the great causes of both is a lack of deep brokenness, a sense that we deserve something, we deserve for life to go better for us. We deserve to get a good job, we deserve to have a better marriage, we deserve to not get cancer. This makes us spiritual weaklings. Often in the guise of savvy leaders, it leads to false doctrine and bad instincts for what is true and biblical. And worst of all, it destroys love for Jesus."

"We truly are all dead dogs. We are worse than Mephibosheth, and we have been loved. We have been set regally at the King’s table."

I am deeply convicted this morning by Piper's post and commentary on Mephibosheth from 2 Samuel 19.  I have for a long time now felt deserving of a better job - that my current job is beneath me.  How foolish and sinful!!  I should be grateful that I have a job right now as I am undeserving!  I am, like Mephibosheth a dead dog - no better!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who invites me to Your table - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving!  I am full of pride and arrogance.  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.  

We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.

Luke 17

We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty. v10

John Piper this morning helps us better understand how Jesus increases our faith through the messages of Luke 17:7-10.  

Piper explains how Jesus, in the previous verse (v6), Jesus emphasizes "that the crucial issue in accomplishing great things to advance the kingdom of God is not the quantity of our faith, but the power of God....By referring to the tiny mustard seed after being asked about increased faith, he deflects attention away from the quantity of faith to the object of faith. God moves mulberry trees. And it does not depend decisively on the quantity of our faith, but on his power and wisdom and love. In knowing this we are helped not to worry about our faith and are inspired to trust God’s free initiative and power."

In the following verses, Piper explains how, in v7-10, we are never deserving of thanks from God but instead we will always be a "debtor" to Him.  He then explains how "[w]e never move beyond the need for grace.

Our faith should be increased by our understanding that we are dependent on both God's power and His grace.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God - I have seen Your power in my life and in the lives of others...and I see Your grace daily!  Thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of what You have done in my life and for the grace You dispense daily.  I daily miss the mark 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, 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.

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Joel 2

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. v13

Judah's punishment for its sin is justified, but God is full of grace and mercy, and He fully restores Judah.  MacArthur's Commentary refers to a material restoration (2:21-27), a spiritual restoration (2:28-32), and in Joel 3, a national restoration.

Even though Judah did not deserve God's grace and mercy, He provided it anyway.  This is true for all of us as well.

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

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God who loves us - even though we are broken and sinful - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry, and I gossip as well.  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.

It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

Ezekiel 36

It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. v22-23

As God continues to use Ezekiel to deliver a message of hope to the Israelites, you'll notice several places (not just v22-23, but also v32) where God wants to make it clear that He is in control, and what is most important is that His name be glorified.  Yes, God loves His children and He will bless the Israelites and us as well, but the blessings we experience are purely out of His love and grace for us, not because we deserve it as we all sin (daily!) and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - what an awesome God You are that You daily pour out Your love and grace for us!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry. 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 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.

Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash.

2 Chronicles 24

Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash. v24

We have no control over when and where God dispenses His grace. Our salvation is by grace alone:


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

While Jehoiada the priest was alive, "Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" (v2).  However, after Jehoiada dies, Joash demonstrates wickedness by conspiring against Jehoiada's son
Zechariah and Joash was killed in his bed (v21-25).

Yet the question for all believers is: how is Joash's faith any different then our faith and what makes Joash any less deserving of grace.  From time to time, even Ahab experienced God's grace.  On a daily basis, we all sin.  

Repentance is key - and unfortunately we don't see any mention of Joash's repentance.

Keep in mind that just because we repent does not mean we escape the consequences of our sin (see also post here) - it just means that we are sealed for eternity in Heaven with Him.  See also Luke 23:39-43.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God who is rich in grace, compassion, and mercy.  I am not deserving of such grace, compassion and mercy.  I worry - far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  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.