Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

Joshua 22

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived. v32-33

The Jordan separated the 12 tribes and the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of the
Manasseh built an altar to the Lord on the east of the Jordan - seemingly duplicating the one altar to the Lord that already existed west of the Jordan.  This of course raised suspicions within the tribes of the west.  Yet once the western tribes determined the motives or heart condition of the eastern tribes - suspicions were dampened.

There are many occasions in our life when we question ourselves or others about obedience to God's commands.  While our actions are important, our internal heart condition is more important because our heart condition is the source where everything flows.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 

Spending time with God daily and with the Word transforms our hearts and lives to be more like Him (see also Romans 12:2).

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me faith and through that strength, peace, hope, encouragement, direction, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  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, 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.  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.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6

 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. v45

I have recently been very focused on the heart condition...of myself and that of Zach as we continue to work through Raising a Modern Day Knight.  I began my focus on the heart (with Zach) after reading about in this book and how the book indicates the importance of the heart condition vs external behaviors that might not be an indication of the heart.

Guarding my own heart is most important than of course that of Lisa's then Zach and Dustin.

My Prayer: Lord, You lived an earthly life that was pure, holy, and blameless.  You then suffered, died for me, than rose so that I would not be slave to my sin and have eternity in heaven with You.  You also gave me the Holy Spirit and access to the same powers You have.  What an amazing God and gift Your are - best gift of all time, bar none!  I am not deserving of such blessing and love and such a gift.  My faith and trust in You often fails and I worry far too much.  Thank You that You love me anyway but Jesus please forgive me.  Help me turn from such sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord....The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart....A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Various Proverbs 

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord....The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart....A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 16:2, 17:3, 21:2

Day 137 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of the Proverbs - primarily of Solomon, but including the Proverbs of other authors as well. This morning my focus includes proverbs that examine sincere motivation (motive and the heart, false worship, and duplicity), concern for others (love and faithfulness, love, hatred, and compassion, kindness and mercy, and overstaying a welcome), and concern for self (pride and humility, selfishness, jealousy, envy, and greed). 

All of today's themes are important and it is of course challenging to find one for close examination but today I am going to zero in on the importance of one's heart condition.  Regardless of your faith or not, everyone generally wants to be a "good" person and with today's current political climate there is emphasis on tolerance, love, etc. Yet my view (coming from scripture), is that we are all sinful and we have been since The Fall.  The only way for us to truly transform ourselves into someone who loves and is genuinely good (or better) is through heart transformation and this is only achieved through Jesus Christ. 

God knows our heart and with His help (as we draw near to Him) He transforms our heart and life. 

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Proverbs 16:2 

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. Proverbs 17:3 

A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 21:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

The hope is that as we are transformed into more of God's image, then we will demonstrate "fruits of the Spirit" that can help us truly be better people and hopefully achieve the unity and harmony so desperately needed.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23

I am of the opinion that what we face today is a "Jesus" problem in the sense that we don't have enough faith in Him to do what ONLY He can do.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has SO generously attended to my heart and transformed my heart and life and I am grateful for the many resulting blessings.  I also know I am undeserving - my sin continues.  Please forgive me for my sin 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.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. v28

Once again, as I posted yesterday, our heart is the source of sin in our lives and we are all born to sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and must be born again.  

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

The importance of heart condition applies in all areas of our lives, highlighted as well with our generosity.

God gives us a "new heart".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You have given me a new heart and new life - thank You Jesus for the greatest gift of all time.  I am not worth such a gift.  I love You.  I need You.  I daily miss the mark. 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.

What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

Mark 7

What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. v20-22

In Mark 7, once again we see the Pharisees and the teachers of the law try and trap Jesus in blasphemy so that they can conspire to arrest or kill Him.  Yet Jesus sees right through them and attacks their heart condition which is the core of their issue - He IS fulfillment of the law and Old Testament prophecy - He is the One they should be welcoming based on the words of their own prophets, including Jeremiah, Isaiah, etc. 

Our heart condition is truly where we should focus - not on external circumstances or external behaviors but on loving God and loving others. 

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are truly a great God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords and my Lord and Savior.  Thank You for the many, many ways You bless me - too many ways to list or talk about!  I am not worth such love and blessings.  My heart is not where it needs to be - 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.

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

Deuteronomy 15

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. v7-8

Moses expands on the commandment for us to care for those in need:

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. v11

Paul echoes this commandment:


Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Paul emphasizes how we should "freely" give - as our heart condition towards money and wealth is important:

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor[.] Psalm 112:9

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Our heart condition is softened and molded through a relationship with Jesus, and by meeting with Him daily (Romans 12:2).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God - I love You.  You have watched over our family during a time of mourning and You have my mom and Your arms.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings as I often hold onto my money and am tightfisted. I am also harsh with my words. 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 strength and wisdom.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  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.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.

Matthew 15

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them. v19-20

Once again, the Pharisees question Jesus about breaking with Old Testament law regarding washing of hands before eating.  MacArthur indicates that such hand washing was an "extrabiblical law" that only existed in oral form.  Regardless of the extent to which such rituals were part of the law or not, Jesus goes right to the core in His response by challenging the Pharisees and their "external" faith based on deeds and Old Testament ceremonial law.  He focuses on what comes out of our mouth from our heart - as our heart condition is most important.

What can we do to cleanse and guard our heart?

Practical suggestions:
The Battle for Your Mind
Seven Ways to Pray for Your Heart

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You have transformed my heart and life to be more like You - I know You are still at work in my heart and life but I have experienced miracles in my life already - thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worth such love and blessing.  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 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. 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” v7

After the Lord rejects Saul as King, Samuel is sent to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's son's as the new king.  The Lord guides Samuel to look not at outward appearances but inward to one's heart condition.

Jesus echoes a similar sentiment when he admonishes the Jewish leaders for focusing too much on the law vs one's heart:

Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:21-24

As a parent, I must focus on Zach and Dustin's heart condition and too often I don't.  Thank You Jesus for prompting to me refocus on their hearts.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love and compassion for me. You provide many, many second chances.  You provide for me. You heal me.  You forgive me...thank You for the many blessings You pour out for me.  Yet I am undeserving - I continue to worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me 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 strength and wisdom.  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.  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.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

1 Timothy 6

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. 1 Timothy 6:10a

I continue a short pause my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion - where John Piper examines what is meant by Paul's text in from 1 Timothy 6:10a. Piper starts by sharing that "[Paul] meant that all the evils in the world come from a certain kind of heart, namely, the kind of heart that loves money."  Piper then continues by defining a heart that loves money as a heart that places its faith in "what you can get from man — other human beings — instead of God."  Piper then pivots God's answer to this heart condition - Piper states that "God deals in the currency of grace, not money[.]"  Piper refers us to Isaiah 55:1 where the text says "[c]ome, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."  Piper continue by sharing that "[m]oney is the currency of human resources. So, the heart that loves money is a heart that pins its hopes, and pursues its pleasures, and puts its trust in what human resources can offer.  So, the love of money is virtually the same as faith in money — belief (trust, confidence, assurance) that money will meet your needs and make you happy. Love of money is the alternative to faith in God’s future grace." He wraps by referring us to Matthew 6:24 where Jesus said that "[n]o one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."  We are encouraged to trust, belief, and have faith in God vs what man can provide (see also Matthew 6:19-21).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and only You can provide forgiveness of sin, eternal salvation, Your Word, the church, the Holy Spirit, etc....all blessings that surpass anything that man can ever provide - not even close!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...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.

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord....But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit....I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

Jeremiah 15-17

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord....But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit....I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:5, 7-8, 10 

Day 211 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Jeremiah. This morning, my reading focuses on the challenge of Jeremiah's mission - to chastise Judah of her wickedness and to warn her of impending captivity.  My commentary* discusses how Jeremiah feels the weight of his mission, particularly in light of how false prophets claim peace and prosperity will continue for Judah.  Jeremiah is mocked, many seek to kill him, and God seeks great sacrifice from Jeremiah, telling him not to marry, mourn at funerals, or to feast (Jeremiah 16:1-9). As Jeremiah complains, God seeks to both chastise and reassure Jeremiah in the mission.  One of God's key messages to Jeremiah and Judah is how "trust in man [is] futile" and how "God knows the heart".  God wants Jeremiah to glorify God through the mission - do what God says and in the process worship and seek to bring glory to God...and God will work through You to accomplish His will.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

We must focus on our heart condition as we strive to love the Lord more each day.

God gives each believer a mission and we are encouraged not to focus on worldly definitions of mission success - but instead on worship and the glory of God.  John Piper provides great insights on this topic.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has done MUCH in my heart and life - I love You Lord!  Thank You for the many blessings You have poured out in my life!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  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.

May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel.

1 Chronicles 22

May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. v12-13

David is "a man after God's heart" and someone whom God loved.

Yet in his guidance for Solomon, David focuses on performance vs the condition of his heart.  I have often focused on my own sons' external condition vs their heart condition.  We must instruct our children that any success we experience is solely because of God's grace and His sovereignty.  This is why God had to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us - because there is nothing we can do to earn God's grace, His blessings, or His love.  God also does not promise a trouble free life - see John 16:33.  If we work hard for anything it should be because it glorifies God through us - not because we expect any gain - see also 1 Corinthians 10:31. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me - even though I am broken.  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.  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.

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

1 John 3

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 1 John 3:24

I resume my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 3:18-24.  

Per the commentary for this text: 

Main idea: "God uses biblical truths and the gift of His Spirit to provide assurance and comfort to His beloved children."

Excerpts from the introduction:

• "The human heart is a tender, vulnerable, and complex component of every single person."
• "Our inclination is to embrace platitudes like “trust your heart” and “let your conscience be your guide,” but God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” Interestingly, the answer to this often quoted verse is found in the very next verse in Jeremiah: “I, Yahweh, examine the mind, I test the heart to give each according to his way.”
• "The apostle John recognized that those who have believed in Jesus (3:23) could still suffer from a hurting heart, a condemning conscience. He also knew there were some basic truths, all grounded in the good news of the gospel, that could provide healing, the exact cure that is needed. Some basic knowledge of what God has done and is doing in the lives of those who have trusted in Jesus provides the precise remedy for this all-too-common heart condition."  
  

Divisions:

1. Love for Others Reassures Our Hearts That We Belong to God (3:18-19): Love for others that is not motivated out of pride or selfishness, etc. demonstrates to God that "we are of the truth" as children of God. However, it is often difficult to love others in various circumstances.  We must love as a an act of service and "[s]ometimes this service is public, noble, and newsworthy. Sometimes it is private, humiliating, and unnoticed. It can be a challenge....love requires service. Service involves humility. And loving others in humble service gives us assurance that we belong to Jesus."
   
2. God Is the Perfect Judge Who Sees Everything (3:20): In those circumstances when we may feel condemned, we can rest in how God truly knows us and offers freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1). See also 1 Corinthians 4:3-5.
   
3. Be Confident That God Answers Our Prayers (3:21-22): Not being condemned by God gives us confidence that we can approach God and be heard and given what we ask - if we are truly in God (and He in us) than our asks are in alignment with God's will. "Believers with clear consciences, confident access, and obedient lives that please Christ can be assured that God will hear and answer their prayers for their good and for His glory." 
   
4. Believe That Jesus Christ Is the Son of God, and Love One Another (3:23).
   
5. Abide in God and Know that God Abides in Us by the Gift of His Spirit (3:24): "John clearly wants us to understand that the Spirit—the true Spirit who stands in radical contrast to the false spirits of antichrist (cf. 4:1-6)—comes as a gift, not as something God was obliged to give us. He is given to us as a grace gift; He is not something we can earn or merit. In saying the Spirit has already been given to us, John looks to the past, to our conversion, the moment in time when we first believed the gospel. That is when we received the Spirit....if we would set our hearts at rest, when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit’s working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God’s commands and to love our brothers; for the condition of Christ dwelling in us and of our dwelling in him is this comprehensive obedience (24a), and the evidence of the indwelling is the gift of the Spirit (24b)."
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of grace and compassion for us - giving me Your Word, and the Holy Spirit to help me in my journey with You - towards greater maturity in Christ, obedience, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the compassion and grace You pour out for me. 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.

And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

Zechariah 7:8-10

And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” Zechariah 7:8-10

I resume 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 today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zechariah 7:8-10, which the commentary outlines as the third of five divisions for the text 7:1-8:23 (7:1-3/8:18-23, 7:4-7, 7:8-10, 7:11-14, 8:1-17). The commentary provides the following title for this division: Transformed from Pursuing Religion to Pursuing Righteousness.  Earlier in Zechariah 7, God challenges His people for performing empty rituals rather than having a heart for Him.  This love of Him should direct us to please Him and it pleases Him to be a light to others so that others are drawn to Him.  We do this by loving and serving others.  Of course this includes avoiding "evil against another in our heart."  This is particularly piercing because "in our heart" means that most all of us are guilty of this sin - see also Matthew 5:28 where we Jesus shares that we are not to "look" at others lustfully.  We must focus on our heart condition and examine our lives from the inside out - vs a focus on external behaviors and empty rituals that mean nothing to God - see also Matthew 23:25-26. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who gives me the Holy Spirit that lives inside me - transforming me from the inside out - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor blessings such as this.  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.

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

Romans 9-10

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deuteronomy 30:14 

 

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fourteen The Faithful Evangelist, which covers Romans 9:30-10:21.  My focus today is Romans 10:5-10:13, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Necessity of Faith in Christ.  As Paul continues (see post yesterday and previous posts) to describe how with Christ faith alone provides salvation, he describes how our heart condition is key to salvation (v9-10). Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:14 and the words Moses communicated to Israel as he described "[h]ow to love God and keep His commandments" and communicated various important encouragements and warnings associated with walking with God. The verses this morning include one of the most quoted in all of the Bible as many refer to it as key to a believer answering the call from God to believe (ie: altar call):

 

[I]f you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10

 

My commentary this morning points additional Old Testament references by Paul in v10:5-13, including Leviticus 18:5 (10:5), and Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:12-13 (10:6-7). The commentary indicates that Paul inserts "Christ" into his reference of Deuteronomy 30:12-13 and his discussion of how God and the Word is not "far off" and inaccessible and how we are only able to access God through Christ and not of our own doing: "[w]e cannot descend and be raised on our own, but Christ has done it for us!" Similarly, the commentary points out how in v10: 6 Paul partially uses Deuteronomy 9:4 but inserts language specific to the New Covenant based on Christ: "[i]n Deuteronomy 9:4 God says that Israel is not going to enter the land because of their righteousness but because of his promise--that is because of God's grace and faithfulness.  Saving faith recognizes that righteousness does not come from ourselves, for we cannot keep God's law perfectly; it is by God's grace alone through faith alone that we are saved."  We are encouraged to look back on Romans 10:2 where our heart should demonstrate "zeal for God". My commentary then points to how Paul uses yet another Old Testament reference in v10:11 by quoting Isaiah 28:16. Finally, in v10:13, Paul uses a reference from Joel 2:32. In v10:12-13, we are reminded by Paul that believers are to come from all nations. The commentary ends by encouraging us to see how it is ONLY through belief in Jesus that we are saved - emphasizing that other views such as those from Universalists are to be rejected. We are to snatch others from the fire with a sense of urgency and focus on how this is done - through God alone.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and You alone save - thank You Jesus for willingly surrendering Your life so that I can have salvation and life to the full among the many riches You provide as a child of God.  I am not deserving of salvation and these riches - I worry...far too much.  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.

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

Mark 2:18-22

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. Mark 2:18-19

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 2:18-22, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Observations using the Sword Bible Study Method:

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God does not want empty heartless ceremonial worship practices - He seeks us, for us to love and worship Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind and then to love others.  See Matthew 22:34-40. With Jesus, we have a new covenant based on His blood - Hebrews 9:15-28.  As such, the ceremonial law of the Old Testament no longer apply - Jesus keeps the moral law but the keeping of the law is a natural response of a heart condition that seeks to please Him. God thinks of believers as new creations - vv21-22 - therefore as long as we abide in Him, He will abide in us and bear fruit (see John 15:1-9) as He day by day makes us into more of His image. 
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People have habits and grow comfortable with these habits, and often we feel as if it is very difficult to break these habits.  When we are challenged in our faith, as were the Pharisees, we should be humble and ask God to mold us into His image.  The example to follow here is Jesus who focused on humility, our heart condition and glorifying the Father vs external behaviors and earning our favor with God.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey)?: We should avoid hypocrisy - a chief sin Jesus pointed out with the scribes and Jewish leaders of Jesus' day.  We should not believe that we can earn our favor with God through our own action - the focus should be on God getting the glory - we decrease, and God increases.      

In the text today, Jesus shared how the days will come when He is taken away from us (v20).  Jesus was taken away from His followers through His death on the cross, yet He leaves us with the Holy Spirit who lives on in our hearts and lives (Galatians 2:20).  Our daily reading and study of God's Word enables us to remain in Him and Him to remain in us.       

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and mercy for me - and You pour out Your mercies without end every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and bless me daily with Your mercies.  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.

"Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

John 7

"Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” v24

As Jesus is teaching in the temple courts, He admonishes the crowd that focuses on following the law of Moses.  Jesus correctly is concerned about our heart condition.

Above all else, guard your heart,

    for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

While our external behavior is important, what is most important is our heart condition and the extent to which we believe and love Jesus and love others as ourselves - see also my post from a few days ago.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and everything You about amazes me and I am so blessed that You love me.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve.  I am quick to anger and slow to listen.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me and help me turn from these sins and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength, and help me help me love others and myself.  Help me also grow and mature in my faith.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Luke 19

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” v8

In contrast to the rich young ruler in Luke 18 who went away sad, recognizing that he could not have both salvation and love/idolatry of his wealth, Zaccheus was willing to give up his love of money in return for salvation.  Note that Zaccheus did not give up ALL of his wealth but 50% of it.  The rich young ruler, in contrast, was asked by Jesus to give up all of his wealth to have eternal life.  The difference between the two from Jesus' perspective was their heart condition and views on wealth. Zaccheus did not place his wealth above God (or even at the same level of God) but the rich young ruler did.  Heart condition matters.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who blesses me with treasures that surpass earthly profit.  You are worth SO much more than gold or silver - and You bless me with faith, Your Word, the church, my brothers and sisters and Christ - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings.  I daily miss the mark - I often seek to bring glory to myself.  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.

God Rescues Us and Puts Us In The Zone

Psalm 18

David is full of superlatives here as he praises God for his protection and for the power God provides David (and all of us!).  One passage in particular strikes a nerve:

He brought me out into a spacious place;
   he rescued me because he delighted in me

This spacious place is a place I liken to "The Zone" which in sports psychology, is the place you want to be for maximum performance.

I'd like to be in "The Zone" with Christ of course and I know it is possible.  It's of course not the same kind of "performance" as I would seek in sports.  It's certainly not defined in that way.  It is a measure of my heart condition and the degree to which I am experiencing life change or life transformation through my heart condition.

As I go to God in prayer and with my reading, I often pray that God will purify me of my sin and transform my heart and my life.  This is indeed my desire.

My Prayer: You are my rock and my refuge.  I am surrounded on all sides by worldly temptations and by a world that seeks to tear me down.  Even with my own thoughts I face evil.  But You alone protect me and for that I am grateful.  Thank you Lord!  Please DO transform my heart and my life Lord.  Guide me and use me for I seek to love, serve and glorify You Lord Christ!

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9, 12, Mark 2-3, Luke 5-6, and John 5

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6, Matthew 9:13, 12:7

Day 296 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - focusing this morning on growing opposition to Jesus' ministry. My commentary notes: "[b]y indicating that he has the divine authority to forgive sins, Jesus naturally arouses immediate reaction from the Scribes and Pharisees. Since they correctly believe that only God can forgive sins, they reject the possibility that Jesus himself is divine and conclude instead that he is guilty of blasphemy....Through two parables Jesus tells them that their system of legalistic observances simply will not substitute for the true righteousness which God has always demanded....Despite growing opposition, Jesus continues to go about teaching and performing miracles, yet almost consciously without fanfare. As if to underscore the urgency of his mission in the face of opposition, Jesus appoints 12 of his disciples as specially chosen apostles to aid him in his ministry. With their added support, Jesus continues to attract even greater crowds from among the common people."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Whatever its form may be, all believers will face opposition to some degree and some of this opposition may be harsh and harmful - even physical harm for some. I think of those in places around the globe (see ministry Voices of the Martyrs ministry) where belief in Christ is unlawful and believers in these places face imprisonment or death.  Most of us, particularly those in the USA are not likely to face such opposition, we nonetheless should be prepared to stand firm in our faith and to defend it.  In Jesus' day, the Pharisees and teachers of the law focused on ceremonial law (vs moral law) and external behavior consistent with this law. Jesus wants our hearts and lives to reflect a love of the Lord (heart condition).

Once we begin to live a life that reflects a love of the Lord - an inner heart condition - we begin to develop mechanisms to defend our faith as we trust in God above all. Jesus relies on scripture as an example to defend His faith.  We must also do the same.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has transformed my heart and life and I am grateful for the many blessings You pour out for me.  You protect me and give me freedom to express my faith.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great...and daily...including worry, gossip, 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.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 68

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. v19

As a believer, a core spiritual discipline is study of God's Word so that we can understand what it says in an absolute sense (head understanding) and also what God is saying to us individually (heart understanding).  I have for a long time not understood the full extent of the requirements to develop and have a personal relationship with Jesus.  The Bible (God himself - see John 1) is explicit that we love the Lord with all of heart, soul, mind and strength (Exodus 20, Matthew 22).  To express this we should delight in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1) and to develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5).  In my view, the Bible is not explicit that we are to daily study God's word but it is implied through various scriptures. 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3

Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors[.] Proverbs 8:34

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 12:12-13

Core to answering this question is of course our heart condition - if we truly love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, then we should seek Him as much as possible - daily, but likely more often than this.

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE our daily bread, I depend on You and apart from You I can do no good thing.  I desperately need You in my life.  I know You are with me until the end of the age.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of Your love.  I am broken - I am selfish, lazy, I am impatient, and I worry too often.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome 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.  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.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.