Potter in Charge

People come in different shapes and sizes. This is true spiritually as well as physically. Some people have prominent positions, flourishing ministries, and seemingly easy lives. Others serve silently, experience setbacks, and are plagued by suffering.

It is God who determines the shape of each person's life. He shapes the believer according to the specific purposes He intends for that believer to accomplish. A Christian is unable to choose either his purpose or his shape.

When someone does protest, God remonstrates, "You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, that what is made would say to its maker, 'He did not make me'; or what is formed say to him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'?" (Isaiah 29:16).

Indeed, God does know what He is doing. He doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't blunder in His design. The believer who patiently and humbly allows himself to be molded by God, accepting the shape and style that God determines, is prepared to serve God according to His purposes.

Much will happen in the coming year that will contribute to the molding process. Some of it will be welcome and pleasant. Some will be difficult and demanding. Some will be painful and crushing. All of it will contribute to God's work of shaping.

May we determine in this year to submit to God's design. May we yield to His processes so that we are adequately prepared for what He wants us to do. Let us give the Potter freedom to do exactly as He wishes.

Prince of Peace

"For a child will be born to us ... and His name will be called ... Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Shalom - meaning to be safe, well, happy, and friendly - abstractly refers to welfare (health, prosperity, and peace). The word, used as a greeting, expresses a desire for the other person to be well on many levels. People can wish peace and wellness for others, but only the Prince of Peace can actually accomplish that objective. As the highest ranking person in the realm of giving peace, Jesus has sufficient dominion, authority, and power to provide peace.

Jesus creates peace in individual hearts.
Jesus establishes peace with God for those who are saved. "And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20). "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

The peace Jesus gives believers supersedes all other peace, providing peace even in difficulty and tribulation. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27). "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Jesus provides peace with other people.
Although naturally people struggle to get along, God creates a bond of peace between believers and enables them to live in precious peace with each other. "So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another" (Romans 14:19). "Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).

It is not as easy to maintain peace with non-believers, due to the fundamental division that exists. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). However, a Christian still has the ability to enjoy peace instead of friction with family, friends, neighbors, and others. "Pursue peace with all men" (Hebrews 12:14). When Jesus enters the heart, relationships mend and improve.

Jesus facilitates peace within nations.
Entire nations can find peace in Jesus, which is what God intended for Israel. "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!" (Luke 19:42). "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ" (Acts 10:36).

Salvation through Jesus binds people across ethnic boundaries. "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall ... so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body" (Ephesians 2:14-16). Peace can exist between Jew and Gentile. When Christianity has spread to new countries, rival ethnic groups have united in fellowship, and the aggression of war has lessened or ceased.

Jesus will establish peace in the world.
Jesus' millennial kingdom will bring the peace that the world has long sought. "But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. ... I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware" (Psalm 2:6,8-9). "And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established ... and He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war" (Micah 4:1&3).

The extent of peace in that kingdom will be incredible. "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven ... and he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:1-2). "The bow of war shall be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth" (Zechariah 9:10). "And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Jesus will institute eternal peace.
The peace of heaven will be unmatched. "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth ... and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying" (Isaiah 65:17&19). And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (Revelation 21:4). This will be true and complete "Shalom" like man has never experienced before! "There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace" (Isaiah 9:7).

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men" (Luke 2:14).

Eternal Father

"For a child will be born to us ... and His name will be called ... Eternal Father" (Isaiah 9:6).

Of the four names of Jesus included in this verse, this one seems to be the most awkward. After all, Jesus is the Son. How can He be called the Father? We might struggle to understand this name without the book of John, but this name actually corresponds very well to the revelation included in John. Before considering the "Father" part, however, let's examine the "Eternal" part.

"He [Jesus] is before all things" (Colossians 1:17). In fact, "by Him all things were created" (v. 16); Jesus existed before the creation of the world. "He was in the beginning with God" (John 1:2). Revelation 1 and 2 call Jesus "the first and the last" or the Alpha and Omega. He has no beginning or ending. Both Psalms and Hebrews refer to Jesus as "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 7:17), of whom the noteworthy distinction was that he was "without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life" (Hebrews 7:3). Jesus Himself claimed eternality when he declared, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58). Jesus claimed the eternally existing name of God; this hallowed designation permeated the Old Testament, and the listening Jews knew exactly what Jesus was claiming, because they picked up stones to kill Him. Yes, Jesus is eternal.

Jesus can be called the Eternal Father because God is one. The remaining verses, all from the gospel of John, reveal the unity of the Godhead.

The Son and the Father have a unity of essence. What one is, the other is. "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself" (5:26). Their existence is intertwined and interdependent. "I live because of the Father" (6:57). Whom one loves, the other loves. "He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him" (14:21).

The Son and the Father have a unity of operation. What one does, the other does. "Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner" (5:19). "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working" (5:17). "Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes" (5:21). "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son" (5:22), so that the Son's judgment is the Father's judgment. Their fellowship with the believer can't be either/or; it has to be both together. "We will come to him and make Our abode with him" (14:23). Together they securely hold the believer. "No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father ... is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" (10:28-29).

The Son and the Father share a unity of mission. Jesus came solely on His Father's authority, so that Jesus' mission was the Father's mission. "I have come in My Father's name" (5:43). "For I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me" (8:42). They are so united, that Jesus could not do anything apart from the Father. "I can do nothing on My own initiative. ... I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (5:30). "I always do the things that are pleasing to Him" (8:29). "I do exactly as the Father commanded Me" (14:31). Jesus could not even speak except to speak the Father's words. "I speak these things as the Father taught Me" (8:28). "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. ... Therefore the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me" (12:49-50). "The word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me" (14:24). There was no possible deviation in the unified mission, even when the result was death. "The cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" (18:11).

The Son and the Father share a unity of equality. The Jews recognized that Jesus "was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God" (5:18). When one is hated, they are both hated together. "He who hates Me hates My Father also" (15:23). They own the same things together. "All things that the Father has are Mine" (16:15). They share eternal glory together. "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (17:5).

The Son and the Father share a unity of inseparability. One cannot be honored without the other being honored. "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father" (5:23). One cannot be known without knowing the other. "If you knew Me, you would know My Father also" (8:19). One cannot be seen without seeing the other. "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (14:9). They must be approached together. "No one comes to the Father but through Me" (14:6). They cannot be apart from each other. "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (16:32). They are in each other. "The Father is in Me, and I in the Father" (10:38). Ultimately, Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (10:30).

Jesus, in flesh, was the revelation of the God who is Spirit. "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him" (John 1:18). As odd as it may seem, Jesus is the Eternal Father.

Mighty God

"For a child will be born to us ... and His name will be called ... Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6).

The word "mighty" means powerful; it is used of someone who has complete control, such as a champion warrior or mighty tyrant. The Hebrew word in this verse is actually the intensified version of another word that also refers to a valiant man or warrior; Jesus has greater power than the strongest human champion, requiring a superlative word. He is the Mighty God.

Jesus created the world and sustains His creation.
"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17).

Jesus was mighty in His demeanor and words.
He spoke boldly, and no one dared to interfere (John 7:26). Even officers sent to apprehend Him returned empty-handed, declaring, "Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks" (John 7:46). Jesus' complete knowledge placed Him above question; it was obvious to His listeners that He "came from God" (John 16:30). When a band of soldiers came to arrest Him, a simple three-word response from Jesus caused them to fall to the ground (John 18:6). Even the ruler who examined Jesus had no trouble believing Jesus was a king (John 18:37).

Jesus performed miracles over nature.
He turned water into wine (John 2:9). He exponentially multiplied quantities of food to feed thousands of people (Matthew 14:15, Matthew 15:22). He orchestrated unexplainable catches of fish (Luke 5:6, John 21:6). He placed money in the mouth of a fish and caused that particular fish to be caught by Peter (Matthew 17:24). He caused a fig tree to wither precipitously (Matthew 21:19). He calmed a mighty storm (Matthew 8:26). He walked on the water in a stormy sea (Matthew 14:25). He caused a boat to immediately reach land from the middle of the sea (John 6:21). He appeared to disciples (and disappeared) by ignoring walls (John 20:19, John 20:26, Luke 24:31). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9).

Jesus performed miracles of healing.
Jesus healed what might be considered normal illnesses, those that come within the course of life, and that sometimes reach the point of being life-threatening. He healed the nobleman's son (John 4:46), Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14), the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5), and Malchus's severed ear (Luke 22:51).

Jesus healed demon-possessed people: a man with a demon (Luke 4:35), a blind-mute man with a demon (Matthew 12:22), two violent men with demons (Matthew 8:28), a mute man with a demon (Matthew 9:32), a woman who couldn't stand upright due to a demon (Luke 13:11), a child with a cruel demon (Matthew 15:22), and a demon-possessed boy who was very sick and in danger of killing himself (Matthew 17:14).

Jesus healed those with long-term and life-long conditions. He healed a paralytic man (Mark 2:4), a man with a withered hand (Matthew 12:10), a woman with a twelve-year hemorrhage (Matthew 9:20), a bed-ridden man with a thirty-eight year illness (John 5:5), and a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2).

Jesus healed terminal illnesses. He healed a leper (Matthew 8:3) and even ten lepers at the same time (Luke 17:12).

Jesus restored lost senses. He healed two blind men (Matthew 9:27), a deaf and dumb man (Mark 7:33), a blind man (Mark 8:23), a man blind from birth (John 9:1), and two blind men (Matthew 20:30).

These lists are certainly not exhaustive, as other passages reveal that this activity was habitual for Jesus, and that He sometimes healed multiple people in a single setting (Luke 4:40, Mark 1:34). These passages don't reveal details, but simply relate that He healed many or as many as came to Him or all manner of illnesses. "They brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them" (Matthew 4:24).

Jesus performed miracles of resurrection.
Jesus raised a widow's only son (Luke 7:11). He raised Jairus's daughter (Matthew 9:18). He raised Lazarus after he was in the tomb for three days (John 11). He even took back His own life after He was crucified (Luke 24:6, John 10:18).

Jesus has power that can be considered nothing but divine.
The blind man Jesus healed recognized His divine power, stating, "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing" (John 9:33). Jesus demonstrated His power to forgive sins. "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Matthew 9:6). Jesus has the power to hold fast the eternal security of His followers. "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28). Jesus has the power to build and protect the church. "Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18).

Was Jesus the Almighty God? Undoubtedly and indisputably. Though born as a baby in a manger, He was in fact God and had all the divine power belonging to God. Jesus continues to exercise His divine might as He still stands as the world's only Savior.

Wonderful Counselor

"For a child will be born to us ... and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, the marvelously distinguished advisor and guide. This sampling of verses from Matthew and John reveal some of His wonderful counsel.

About life
Brevity of life: "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).

Stability for life: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

Meaning in life: "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

Sense of belonging: "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50).

Being truly free: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:32).

Understanding the root of problems: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders" (Matthew 15:19).

Setting values: "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matthew 6:20).

Balancing responsibilities: "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).

Being great: "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave" (Matthew 20:26-27).

Accomplishing great things: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move" (Matthew 17:20).

Gaining responsibility: "You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things" (Matthew 25:21).

Regarding people
General treatment: "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you" (Matthew 7:12).

Reconciliation: "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother" (Matthew 18:15).

Marriage: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate" (Matthew 19:6).

Regarding Christianity
Preparing for eternity: "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Understanding the seriousness of sin: "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire" (Matthew 18:8).

Resisting temptation: "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

Identifying as a Christian: "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35)

Being a disciple: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).

Praying: "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven'" (Matthew 6:9 and following verses).

Worshiping God: "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

Ministering to God: "To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:40).

The greatest commandment: "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37).

Regarding service
Being fruitful: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4).

Making a difference: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

Instructions for ministry: "As you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 10:7 and following verses).

Speaking for Him: "Do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say" (Matthew 10:19).

Regarding trouble
Considering needs: "Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on" (Matthew 6:25).

Handling burdens: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Understanding tragedy: "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3).

Facing threats: "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul" (Matthew 10:28).

Gentleness as a counselor
Assures of love: "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love" (John 15:9).

Gives comfort: "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1)

Restores: "Simon, son of John, do you love Me? ... Tend My sheep" (John 21:17).

Provides additional help: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16).

Prepares for difficulty: "Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you" (John 15:19).

With all the right things to say about every topic, truly Jesus is a wonderful counselor indeed!

Not That Spiritual

Churches without pastors. Mission fields without missionaries. Ministries without workers. The general consensus seems to be that dedicated, full-time personnel are harder and harder to find; Christian training centers seem to report fewer and fewer candidates training for vocational ministry. Churches have to search longer and longer to find pastors, and many church members have to stretch their brains to remember the last time anyone in their church entered full-time Christian service.

Why aren't there more Christian workers? Why does vocational ministry seem to be an exception? Don't young people have a heart for God anymore? I'm not expert enough to provide reliable statistics or comprehensive answers, but I have some observations and a theory.

First, there are some rising Christian workers. There are young men training for the ministry and young couples on deputation as missionaries. There are families giving "more than their share" and churches regularly seeing young people enter Christian service.

Since some churches and families do produce workers, and since other churches and families have a great dearth, it would appear that part of the answer lies in the spiritual atmosphere surrounding young people. Some atmospheres foster decisions toward Christian service, while other atmospheres squelch such pursuits. Those who enter vocational service must be called by God, but a large part of being sensitive to God's call stems from the encouragement of church and family. Godly role models are very important, as it is unusual for someone to pursue vocational ministry when such service is not valued and exemplified before him. Without good role models and positive perceptions of full-time service, a young person is unlikely even to consider such a path.

Do young people today have a heart to serve God? I believe many do. The question generally is not whether or not young people have a desire to live for God; the question is how far they want to take that. Short-term mission trips are popular, but long-term missionaries are rare. A summer of camp ministry is embraced, but a lifetime as a pastor is less common. Young people will help with VBS or participate in a special outreach, but choosing a lifetime as a Christian school teacher is another story. Young people have interests and aspirations; they want to be doctors, nurses, businessmen, accountants, athletes, musicians, coaches, therapists, and more. Serving God is squeezed in around those other interests.

Why isn't serving God a paramount interest? My theory is that an underlying thought prevails: "I don't want to be that spiritual." There is a perception that pastors, missionaries, and other vocational workers have to be "super" Christians. They have to be fully dedicated. They have to attend church faithfully. They have to be willing to give up pleasures and entertainment. They have little time for themselves. They have to prepare and train diligently. They have to be fervent students of the Word and have to live out their Christianity consistently. They have to maintain a testimony that is above reproach and that rises above their peers. Such requirements are too extreme and too demanding. Therefore, people (adults included) settle for "normal" Christianity with occasional service that allows for pursuing personal interests and living a more relaxed lifestyle.

Are the perceptions listed above valid? I believe they are. Much damage has been done to the work of Christ by telling people that "anyone" who is willing can serve God, generally with allowances for however someone wants that service to be. Willingness has become the only requirement, leading to a compromise in standards and an overall weakening of the impact of the church. Consider the following sampling of verses.

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1). "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). "Do not love the world nor the things in the world" (I John 2:15). "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: ... to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:27). "Endure hardship" (II Timothy 4:5). "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season" (II Timothy 4:2). "Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). "In speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe" (I Timothy 4:12). "An overseer, then, must be above reproach, ... temperate, prudent, respectable, ... gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money ... and he must have a good reputation with those outside the church" (I Timothy 3:2-3,7). "Flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness" (II Timothy 2:22).

It should be noted that many of the above verses apply to all Christians; it is also true that God holds a high standard for those in positions of oversight. Full-time service will indeed require and cost something extra, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it. I believe God's requirements and expectations are what hold many people back. They want to please and serve God, but not to an extreme, not if it costs too much, not if it means being "that spiritual."

Instead of seeing adults around them who are caught up in the pleasures of the world and in pursuing their own interests, what if young people could see adults who love God with all their hearts and who willingly relinquish worldly pursuits? What if young people saw more examples of adults who are "all in" for God, who joyfully and willingly live lives that are dedicated and different? Would more young people realize that serving God full-time is not just okay, but appealing? Can we as adults live in such a way to inspire such devotion? Can we be "that spiritual"?

Follow Your Heart

"Follow your heart." Some people call this the Disney philosophy; it reality, it is an American (and probably a human) philosophy. It is deeply ingrained in people and strongly reinforced by society to make decisions based on what feels right or desired. It is generally accepted that this is how people will know the right decision.

God says, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26). The contrast is clear: trust one's own heart and be a fool, or rely on something greater and walk wisely.

How many people in the Bible were led astray by their own hearts? Eve followed her heart and ate of the forbidden but desired fruit. Lot chose to live in Sodom; his soul was vexed and his family was destroyed. Achan took desired battle spoil that resulted in his death and that of his family. Samson followed after heathen women who brought his destruction. If Samuel had followed his heart, he would have chosen one of David's brothers to be king. David's heart nearly led him to kill Nabal and his household. David pursued an affair with Bathsheba, leading him to then commit murder as a attempted cover-up.

The list could go on and on. In the passion of the moment, these people's hearts told them what to do - and they were wrong. These people wanted something badly, and they took steps to acquire what their hearts desired. In hindsight, it is not hard to see that following their hearts was foolish.

Hindsight is rather the key. Though not always true, following one's heart is often a spur-of-the-moment, quick decision that does not thoroughly evaluate. It often ignores caution and reason. It generally sees only the positives without considering the negatives also. It even discards counsel, believing that no one else can understand what one's own heart "knows." A month or a year or ten years later, people who follow their hearts will often acknowledge that they made a foolish decision (or they will wonder why their life is a disaster).

The particular danger of heart-based decisions is that following one's heart is often used for the very greatest decisions and those carrying the most permanent consequences. Career choices, marriage choices, ministry choices, lifestyle choices, church choices, and other very important decisions are often made by following one's heart.

God gives much caution about relying on one's heart and own evaluation. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 16:25). A decision based solely on human reasoning and desires will not turn out well. Human understanding is too shallow, but God's wisdom is profound. "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Not only is human wisdom shallow, but human emotion is fallible. Man's heart is too easily tied to this world and its philosophies. "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. ... For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world" (I John 2:15-16). Where will that world-influenced heart end up? "The world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever" (I John 2:17). Following one's heart is often centered precisely on the three dangers listed in I John 2:16, and the end of that path is disaster.

The heart has a strong pull, but it is not very objective. Often the heart helps people find ways to justify what they really want to do. It acts without counsel and operates outside the support of the Bible. It allows people to follow a course of action that they might admit they would not counsel someone else to follow; they might even state that in most cases, they wouldn't recommend such action but that their case is special. When something is personal, it is easy to ignore traditional guidelines and make oneself the exception.

How then should decisions be made? Instead of the inclinations of one's heart, decisions must be made from the wisdom of the Bible. Danger alarms should go off when the basis of a decision is "It feels good," "It seems right," or "It is what I really want." Even if those statements are true, they must be backed up by godly wisdom. Some verse or Biblical principle must influence and confirm the decision.

As a Christian's heart becomes more like God's, as his thoughts become more like God's, and as God's Word becomes more deeply ingrained into his life, he will come closer to naturally making right decisions, but always He must seek God's guidance. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Trust your heart? Oh, no, trust God instead.

Rescuing Israel

The Jews have been opposed, often overwhelmingly, since their beginning. Throughout history, other peoples have sought to control, suppress, and even annihilate the Jewish population.

In their infancy, the Jews were sheltered in Egypt, but a new pharaoh instituted 400 years of cruel slavery and eventually ordered that all male babies be killed. After arriving in the land of Canaan, the Jews battled many opposing nations throughout the years of the judges and the kings. At times multi-nation coalitions threatened to destroy the Jewish nation.

Assyria conquered the northern kingdom (Israel) in the 8th century BC, killing many and dispersing others. Babylon then conquered the southern kingdom (Judah) in 587 BC, destroying the temple and the cities. Through a series of exiles, the Jewish population in their homeland was reduced to a tiny remnant. Even in captivity, a threat remained. Haman succeeded in having a law passed that could have eliminated the Jewish population in exile.

Antiochus Epiphanes initiated harsh persecution against the Jews, resulting in a revolt that Antiochus suppressed in 168 BC, massacring 80,000 Jews in three days. In the time of Jesus, Herod ordered many male babies and toddlers killed. In AD 70, Titus captured Jerusalem, destroyed the second temple, and over one million Jews were killed, while others were sentenced to slavery or to death in the arena.

Under the Roman Empire, multitudes of Jews were forced into exile. The Bar Kokhba revolt in 132 resulted in many Jews being killed or exiled. Over the next centuries Jews were prohibited from fully practicing their religion, many synagogues were destroyed, hundreds of villages were destroyed, many atrocities occurred, and Jews were exiled from many areas. In 2001, historian James Carroll wrote, "Jews accounted for 10% of the total population of the Roman Empire. By that ratio, if other factors had not intervened, there would be 200 million Jews in the world today, instead of something like 13 million."

In the First Crusade (1096) thousands of Jews were killed and communities completely destroyed, especially in the Rhine Valley. The Second Crusade (1147) brought massacres in France. The Shepherds' Crusades in 1251 and 1320 brought further attacks.

In 1190, houses were burned and Jews massacred in England; they were expelled in 1290. Beginning in 1229, the Inquisition eliminated many. Expulsion from Belgium was advocated in 1261. Over 100,000 were massacred in Germany in 1298. In 1347 and after, Jews were blamed for the Black Death, and at least 26,000 were killed. In Spain, where Jews had previously flourished, pogroms started in the 11th century, massacres in 1389, 300,000 were forcibly "converted" in 1391, and the majority of those remaining were exiled in 1492. France expelled Jews in 1180, 1306, and 1396. Austria expelled them in 1421 and Sicily in 1493. Portugal expelled Jews in 1496, and in 1506 threw 4,000 to angry mobs. Italy expelled Jews from various cities throughout the 1500s, Holland expelled them in 1852, and Bavaria in 1593.

100,000 were killed in Ukraine in 1648-49. In Poland 20,000 were killed in 1768. There was a massacre in Algeria in 1805 and in Damascus in 1840. Pogroms started in Russia in 1881; in three major outbreaks, Jews were left homeless, businesses destroyed, and people killed. In 1915, 100,000 Russian Jews died during a forced march in which 500,000 others were displaced. 200,000 were killed in Ukraine in 1917. In over 1,200 pogroms in Ukraine, entire families were murdered and 60,000 killed. 3,000 were killed in Hungary in 1919.

World War II's Holocaust is well-known. Six to seven million Jews were killed, and the Jewish demographic of Europe was completely overhauled. While Hitler is most blamed, he was not alone. Others joined in the exterminations. ThoughtCo.com has compiled research of breakdown by country, as follows: Austria 65,500; Belgium 25,000; Czechoslovakia 590,000; Estonia 1,000; France 74,000; Germany 165,000; Greece 72,000; Hungary 560,000; Italy 8,000; Latvia 70,000; Lithuania 130,000; Luxembourg 1,200; Netherlands 100,000; Poland 3,000,000; Romania 480,000; Soviet Union 1,340,000; Yugoslavia 164,500. Total 6,844,000.

When the Jews were granted a homeland in 1948, they immediately faced a coalition of at least nine Arab countries who didn't want to give any land to Israel. Since then, Israel has fought the Suez Crisis (1956), the Six Day War (1967), the Yom Kippur War (1973), the Lebanon War (1982), and the Lebanon War (2006). In addition to wars, Israel faces constant threat of attacks and regular shelling and skirmishes.

Israel's story is not over. During the Tribulation, two-thirds of the Jews will die. At an estimated 14.6 million in 2018, the deaths would be around 9,800,000.

BUT - God has chosen this nation and loves them. In Isaiah 41, He reassures them and speaks amazing words. "All those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent" (vs. 11-12). God promises to strengthen and help His people and urges them not to fear.

If any nation in history ought to have been destroyed, it would be Israel. With the multiplied, violent, and vitriolic opposition against them, there is no way they ought to have survived. Yet in spite of all the hatred of Israel, all the attacks and attempts at extermination, God has preserved them, and He will ultimately give them complete victory over their multiplicity of vicious foes. In an unexpected reversal, it is the Jews' enemies who will be annihilated.

When God loves someone, that love cannot die. When God makes promises, those promises cannot be broken. When God chooses someone, that choosing means something. God has the power to meet the most foreboding threat. He has the ability to defeat the strongest enemy. Days may be very dark for a time, but God and His plan cannot be defeated. Such a God can be trusted and followed confidently.

Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual

Humans are complex. God has designed the various facets of man to intertwine. The physical affects the emotional, and the emotional affects the physical. Likewise, both aspects can have an effect on the spiritual, and vice versa.

It makes sense that what happens in the internal is reflected in the external. "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). Some people are better than others at physically masking the emotional or spiritual highs and lows, but observers, especially close friends, can generally tell by viewing the external when something is wrong (or very right) internally.

The link between internal and external is more than just a matter of external revelation, however. Internal problems can actually cause physical problems, while non-physical prosperity can translate to actual physical health. "A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion [jealousy, envy] is rottenness to the bones" (Proverbs 14:30). "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

When Eli learned that his two sons were dead and that the ark of God had been captured, he "fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died" (I Samuel 4:18). Something in the emotional shock was too difficult for Eli's old and weakened body to handle.

Nabal was having a great feast and his "heart was merry within him" (I Samuel 25: 36), apparently healthy and emotionally prospering. The next morning his wife told him that she had taken a gift of food, against his wishes, to David and his men. This news had such an impact on him, perhaps in rage, that "his heart died within him so that he became as a stone" (v. 37) and he died ten days later. Even a man in his prime was adversely affected physically by an emotional shock.

Job was an extremely healthy man spiritually (Job 1:8). His spiritual health carried him through some devastating emotional losses (Job 1:13-22). When Job's health was destroyed, however, Job was weakened. He still maintained a level of spiritual integrity, but there is no doubt that his emotions went through an intense battle and even his spiritual health was threatened.

Elijah was another man who was spiritually strong. He saw a tremendous victory (I Kings 18), but then emotional threat and physical weakness led to an intense emotional low (I Kings 19) in which he even wanted to die (v. 4). God strengthened Elijah's spirit by ministering to his body with food and sleep.

The interplay of physical, emotional, and spiritual is too complex for man to fully understand. Doctors have learned that mental health and physical health can be very connected. Sometimes a medical doctor, by treating physical conditions, can remedy emotional conditions that a psychiatrist has been unable to solve. Other times physical symptoms disappear when a mental health need has been successfully addressed. In some cases, "mental" health is truly spiritual health, and a step of spiritual maturity ends up correcting both emotional and physical problems.

The difficulty in addressing these related components of man is that even the best doctors, psychiatrists, and pastors cannot always discern the root of the problem. Depression, for example, can be a purely spiritual issue, caused by unbiblical thinking patterns. On the other hand, depression, can be caused by physical injury or disease (often undiagnosed), including conditions that happen primarily in the brain. Any of these manifestations of depression can cause physical symptoms, such as fatigue and pain. Conversely, a compromised physical condition can leave someone particularly vulnerable to depression that does not have a specific physical trigger.

So which causes which? Are the physical factors the result of spiritual factors? Are the emotional problems the result of physical problems? For each individual, there is an answer, but that answer will vary from case to case. For some people, the answer will not be clear-cut. That is, the emotional problems might be 70% caused by physical deficiencies, but the other 30% could be an inadequate spiritual response. Since there often can be no definitive answers, a few conclusions must suffice.

First, the emotional life matters. There are ways to seek joy and peace. There are ways to share love. People who seek healthy emotions will have a resultant benefit to their spirit and to their body. Those who are frequently angry or bitter, on the other hand, will damage their spiritual and physical health. If there are emotional issues, the person should seek God's guidance to discern any contributing spiritual issues and the help of a doctor to discover underlying physical issues.

Second, the spiritual life matters. Many emotional issues (joy, bitterness, anger, etc.) are actually spiritual issues. Putting on the fruit of the spirit will bring emotional and physical benefit, while living according to fleshly passions will do the opposite. Being spiritually healthy through a strong relationship with God and a firm biblical foundation will help someone to weather emotional battles and can even contribute to physical well-being.

Third, the physical life matters. Because a weakened physical condition opens the door to emotional and spiritual struggles, it is important to maintain the body. Christians should attempt to eat properly. They should get proper rest. They should exercise. They should avoid habits and activities that are harmful or especially demanding on the body.

The various facets of the human person do work together, and all are important. As a Christian endeavors to maintain good health in each individual area, the other areas will be strengthened as well. When God ordains that one area is weak, He can give grace not only for that aspect, but also for the other affected aspects.

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers" (III John 1:2).

Not Like Us

God is not like us. There are many reasons to be thankful for that truth and many applications. Psalm 50 gives a specific application as it relates to man's actions. "These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes" (Psalm 50:21).

The men to whom God speaks were wicked. So far God had remained silent; He had not yet responded. That was about to change. The wicked men, however, interpreted God's silence as His approval. They assumed that wickedness was no more significant to God than it was to them.

These wicked men, while defying God's commands, had dared to claim His name. God says that it is not fitting those who live like they were living to claim to be His followers. "But to the wicked God says, 'What right have you to tell of My statutes and to take My covenant in your mouth?'" (v. 16). It wasn't even appropriate for the words of God's truth to come out of such wicked mouths.

God closes the psalm with a warning to these wicked men. "Now consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver" (v. 22). He calls them to repentance and change before it is too late and before they face His harsh judgment.

Man is not like God, but the deficiency is not with God. It is with man. Even believers should be challenged to be more like God so they can be in the right way and in the path of blessing. There are many aspects of God's character that man can never achieve, but there is one aspect of His character in which God specifically tells Christians to be like Him.

This truth is taught throughout Scripture, and it is specifically stated as a clear command in both the Old and New Testaments. The first occurrence is in Leviticus 11:44. "Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." Similar instructions are found in Leviticus 11:45; 19:2; 20:7; 20:26; and 21:8.

God's people are to be distinct and undefiled, reflecting the character of the God who has redeemed them. Peter quotes the Old Testament passages in his instruction. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (I Peter 1:14-16). Verse 17 sounds very much like Psalm 50:16, in which God says there is an appropriate way for those who claim His name to live. "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth."

What does holiness look like in a believer? The applications, which are many, are found throughout the Bible. Psalm 50 gives four specific areas, as God rebukes the wicked for the unholy things they do.

First, the wicked hate God's guidance and correction. "For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you" (v. 17). A wicked man cares nothing for God's guidance, but a person who seeks to be holy will welcome and respond to God's guiding correction. He sees both the value in it and the motive of love with which it is given. "And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.'" (Hebrews 12:5-6).

Second, the wicked gladly associate with sinners. "When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers" (v. 18). In addition to performing his own evil deeds, a wicked man makes friends with evil-doers and even takes pleasure in their acts of wickedness. One who desires to be holy will rightly discern evil and attempt to avoid it. "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness" (Isaiah 5:20). "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent" (Proverbs 1:10).

Third, the wicked speak evil and deceitful words. "You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit" (v. 19). The wicked have no integrity with their words and willingly deceive others, but those who strive to be holy will avoid deceitful speech. "Put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices" (Colossians 3:8-9). "Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor" (Ephesians 4:25).

Fourth, the wicked man slanders even his own family members. "You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son" (v. 20). While the wicked man's words are cruel and hurtful, the man who pursues holiness will use his speech for good. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear" (Ephesians 4:29). "Fervently love one another from the heart" (I Peter 1:22).

Man is not like God, but Christians can show their desire to imitate God's holiness by receiving God's discipline, by detaching themselves from the wicked, by avoiding lies, and by speaking edifying words. God will respond to such people differently than He responds to the wicked. "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God" (v. 23). God will give blessing to those who are righteous.

Importance of a Leader

Nehemiah was greatly used by God in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He was a strong leader, guiding the people through opposition and directing their hearts toward God. Nehemiah supervised this effort for twelve years before needing to return to Babylon to report to the king.

After some time in Babylon, Nehemiah asked permission to return again to Jerusalem, and it's good that he did. Without his leadership and oversight, things had begun to happen that were not pleasing to God. Perhaps they happened so gradually that the other leaders didn't realize the seriousness, but as Nehemiah came back onto the scene, these offenses were glaringly obvious to him. They were different from the way he had left things and different from what God had ordained. Nehemiah took action to address the concerns. He acted as a godly leader ought to act, decisively and without making accommodation for sin.

The first issue (Nehemiah 13:4-9) was shocking. Eliashib was a close relative of Tobiah, the man who had created opposition to the building of the walls and who had worked hard to stop the successful completion. Eliashib was a priest, and he used his position to prepare a room for Tobiah within the temple courts, and Tobiah was living there. This priest gave preference to an enemy of God, committing the sacrilege of devoting to this evil man a room that was supposed to be dedicated to storing offerings to God.

Nehemiah was very displeased with this scenario. He purged the room, throwing all of Tobiah's belongings out. He then rededicated and restored the room to its intended purpose. He ordered the room cleansed and had the offerings and temple utensils returned to their rightful place.

The second issue (Nehemiah 13:10-13) was sad. The Levites, who stayed in Jerusalem performing their service to God, were supposed to receive contributions to meet their living expenses and needs. They were no longer receiving the contributions but were expected to serve God for nothing. With no means of support, the Levites and singers had left the temple and returned to their homes to labor and support themselves. The house of God was forsaken.

Nehemiah reprimanded those responsible. He gathered the Levites back together to perform their duties. He set several reliable leaders in charge of the storehouses. These men were charged to collect the offerings and to distribute the appropriate portions to the Levites. With the distribution reestablished, the Levites were able to resume their duties, and the house of God was no longer neglected.

The third issue (Nehemiah 13:15-22) was reprehensible. After God had graciously restored these people to their land, they had the nerve to break one of the fundamental parts of His covenant with them, the keeping of the Sabbath. Nehemiah observed people working the wine presses, transporting goods, and opening marketplaces on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah reminded the people of the serious consequences from previous violations of God's laws, but verbal rebuke was not enough to deal with this situation. Nehemiah guarded against future abuses by ordering the gates of the city to be closed just prior to the Sabbath, not to be reopened until the Sabbath was over. This prevented the vendors from entering the city to sell. It didn't stop them from trying, though, and Nehemiah had to be persistent, rebuking those who continued to show up for several weeks until they realized the restrictions were going to be enforced.

The fourth issue (Nehemiah 13:23-28) was dangerous. One of the biggest offenses of Israel and one that had most effectively drawn their hearts away from God was the intermarrying with foreign spouses. The years of captivity had not sobered the people enough to stop this practice, and Nehemiah found many Jews who had married foreign women. The resulting children were not even able to speak the Jewish language, and the future of faithful worship and dedication to God was in jeopardy.

Nehemiah responded strongly. He physically confronted the offenders and spoke harshly to them, as he tried to impress upon them the significance of their choices. He forbade future intermarriages and reminded them of the disaster that had fallen even on a wise and godly man like Solomon, who had been led away from God because of his foreign wives. One of the offenders was the grandson of Eliashib, the same priest who invited Tobiah into the temple. Due to the seriousness of this offense in the priesthood, Nehemiah drove this man away.

Nehemiah's concern in addressing these issues was the sanctity of worship and the faithfulness to God. He saw the temple defiled and neglected, and he saw abuses of the sabbath and the dangerous intermarriages. The return to God and to the land was still fairly new, and in just a short time, the people were forgetting the former failures which had brought God's judgment in the first place. Nehemiah did not want that to happen again, so he exercised his leadership by taking strong and swift action, with no deference given based on position or heritage. God's honor was most important, and faithful worship to Him had to be followed.

Whose fault were the failures? Each individual was responsible for his own actions. Furthermore, the leaders who had been left behind had failed to address the issues, and in some cases had participated. The message to leaders is to be like Nehemiah, taking action to correct disobedience to God. The message to followers is both to follow godly leaders as well as to do the right thing even when a strong leader is not available. Godly leaders are extremely important, but so is personal commitment to follow God even without supervision.

"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls" (Hebrews 13:17).

Servant God

"I'm not following God anymore because ..." These words may or may not be expressed verbally, but they are common in the thoughts of many people. The blank is filled in differently by different people, but it is usually because God didn't do for them what they wanted Him to do. He didn't give them a spouse. He didn't heal their spouse's cancer. He didn't miraculously pay off their debts. He didn't keep their house from burning down.

Others wouldn't go so far as to stop following God, but their devotion and faithfulness wane. They stop actively serving Him, and their church attendance becomes sporadic. The fervent love and dedication that once filled their hearts is replaced by a guarded reserve or ambivalence. These people, too, have their reasons. Maybe their lives have been one struggle after another. They can't seem to get comfortable financially. Their children "turned out wrong." They have been disappointed as they continue to await the answer to a long-standing prayer.

In either case - whether they completely neglect God or whether they become a "fringe" Christian - the basic reason is the same. They had an expectation of God, and that expectation was not met. They thought that if they followed God, things would go well for them.

The extreme of this idea is prevalent in our culture. The "health-and-wealth" gospel promises that those who follow God will have their illnesses healed and their bills paid. They will have nice houses and nice cars. They will be able to take nice vacations and enjoy the good life of the American dream.

Many Christians are wise enough to reject this erroneous teaching, yet they maintain an underlying expectation of at least a modified version of the teaching. They believe that if they follow God, He will bless them. Sure, some Christians have trials, but they expect to be the exception. At the very least, they think their trials will be mild and brief.

There is no doubt that God blesses His children. The Bible is filled with both statements and examples of such a response (Psalm 115:13). However, the Bible is also filled with statements and examples revealing that trials are part of life and that such trials are often ordained by God (I Peter 4:19).

Blessings come in more than one form. Humans have the tendency to focus on material or visible blessings: health, finances, houses, cars, family. God often gives those types of blessings, but He is more focused on spiritual blessings: peace, joy, endurance, strength, maturity. Someone who suffers from a persistent illness but ministers to others through it is blessed of God. A family that is poor but united in love is blessed of God. A pastor of a small, struggling church who maintains a testimony of faithfulness is blessed by God.

Both a Christian's view of God and his resulting relationship with God suffer when he expects God to be a servant God. A Christian whose main communication with God is praying for things he wants God to do for him has a shallow Christianity. Such a viewpoint has a faulty premise (that perhaps the believer doesn't even realize he possesses); it makes man the center rather than God. In essence, it states, "I am so loved by God that He saved me, and now He will do for me anything that I want. All I have to do is ask Him." It is really a proud position, one that assumes worth and importance and a sense of privilege.

How different this is from a humble and more accurate perspective, which declares, "I am a sinner, and God graciously saved me anyway. I am so grateful to Him that I will accept whatever He chooses and do whatever He wants. All He has do is ask me." (Job 2:10) This position correctly recognizes that God is the great one and that man is lowly and undeserving.

God's ways are not man's ways (Isaiah 55:8), and God's plans are not man's plans (Proverbs 16:9). God's desire for mankind is that he would bring honor to the Creator God who is worthy of praise (I Corinthians 6:20). Within that grand purpose, God wants Christians to grow in Christ-likeness (Philippians 1:6). Whether Christians like it or not, that growth is best achieved through trials, and as Christians deeply learn the truth of God's Word through those trials (James 1:2-4).

The maturity gained through trials is a priceless blessing. The resulting closeness to God is a priceless blessing. The experiential knowledge of the Bible is a priceless blessing. The increased capacity to minister to others is a priceless blessing. The purifying factor in the life is a priceless blessing.

God often follows times of trial with times of blessing - that is, with blessings in a format that humans can more easily appreciate. Job is a notable example. The danger of walking away from God or of weakening in one's fervency results because Christians get tired waiting for that blessing or they don't recognize it in the form in which it comes. Most assuredly, those who faithfully follow God will be blessed, but receiving the blessing cannot be the focus. Christianity is not about what God can do for man, but about what He wants to do in man. If God does not give the answer a Christian desires, he cannot throw away his faith. God will accomplish the good work He desires; man must submit, trust, and wait. God is not man's servant; He is the good and wise Master.

"Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me" (II Corinthians 12:8-9).

Lifelong Commitment

Sometimes a person takes such a noteworthy action toward us that it forever changes the nature of our relationship with him. Someone could pay off a large debt, donate a kidney, stand by us in a moment of intense trial, or invest in our personal growth with committed and deliberate interactions.

Such extraordinary interactions form a bond of gratitude and devotion that never dies. We always think of that person as special, even years later or when distance has separated us. We would do just about anything for that person if it were within our power, and we would diligently try to avoid disappointing him by wasting his investment or discarding the good he had done.

God has done more for us than anyone else ever could. His investment in us is priceless, His faithfulness unfailing, and His motivation love-induced. When God has changed our lives so much, it is fitting and appropriate that we would be forever committed to Him.

"I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications" (Psalm 116:1). This psalmist declares his love for God based on God having heard him. There is no place for "detached" Christianity. After God has saved us, we cannot view Him casually or flippantly. We cannot live our lives with indifference toward Him. What a tremendous display of ingratitude it would be to receive His gifts and then live our own lives without regard to His desires.

"Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live" (Psalm 116:2). The psalmist also declares His loyalty toward God based on God's response to him. The psalmist is unshakable in his commitment to follow God. He will continue to seek God in every situation of life, and there will never be another source that receives the same measure of his dependence. A Christian has found the Answer and the source of answers. There is no reason to seek elsewhere and every reason to continue seeking the same Source.

Truly, after all God has done for us, we should have fervent love and undying loyalty toward Him. Nothing should dampen or squelch our love, and nothing should distract or usurp our loyalty. God is incredibly special and deserves our lifelong devotion.

Hidden Love

"Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed" (Proverbs 27:5).

I might be tempted to say that open rebuke is better than whispered gossip or unexpressed dissatisfaction. If someone is upset with me, generally I want to take care of the issue rather than having it hidden and unresolved. Actually, though, I don't like any kind of rebuke. It is unpleasant and can be hurtful.

The above verse, however, does not center on the idea of rebuke, but rather on the idea of love. It is addressing the unpleasant and hurtful nature of concealed love. Love that is hidden is such a strong negative that even rebuke is preferable.

How can this be? It is because love is so powerful and so desired. There are people who grow up with and are surrounded by love; these people feel loved and acknowledge such. A lot of the world, however, does not fall into that category. Many people live with abuse and cruelty. Other people had love at one time, but are now widowed or empty nesters or neglected. A large segment of society lives in otherwise acceptable circumstances that are devoid of expressed love and appreciation. These people may actually be loved, but they don't know it. They are not given enough manifestations or reminders of that love for love to seem real to them.

This sense of being unloved, or the uncertainty about whether or not one is loved, is deeply painful and troubling. Those who feel unloved struggle in society. They battle issues like depression. They seek love in wrong places, such as illicit relationships or through lowered standards. They seek love in futile places, such as television characters or books, or by "buying" friends with gifts.

Love - more specifically, the awareness of being loved - is a huge deal. Being without love is tragic. Being unaware of love is deeply painful. The Bible is not wrong when it says that open rebuke is better than concealed love. Frankly, some people would be glad for the rebuke just to have someone speak to them or take notice of them.

As Christians, we ought to be good at expressing our love to each other. Those around us should not feel that we are detached, calloused, or ambivalent. Those closest to us should not doubt whether we love them. Our love should be open, active, and obvious.

Expressed love is important to the recipient.
Many times we will not realize how much someone needs love. Those feeling alone and unloved don't necessarily display or telegraph their need in an obvious way. They often put on a happy face, or at least carry a normal-looking protective shield that masks their pain.

Recently I wrote a citation at work, recommending a coworker who is excellent at her job. She was advised of the nomination, and when I got to work the next day, I had a thank you note from her. It turns out that she was very much in need of the encouragement, and her note was quite expressive of gratitude for the way I had ministered to her. I didn't even do it with the purpose of ministry and had no idea that she was in a position where my kind words would mean so much to her. But having just considered the verse above, I saw the situation as a powerful illustration of how much people need kindness and love to be expressed to them.

Our words and deeds can mean so much to others and can have a value that we did not imagine. "Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances" (Proverbs 25:11)

Expressed love is important to the observers.
The recipient of love is not the only person to whom expressed love matters. Most of the time our acts of love and words of kindness will be heard and seen by others. Within the context of the church, it is that visible love for each other that serves as the strongest testimony to the world.

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:34). Love that is not hidden draws the attention of onlookers. It speaks volumes about the relationships and security that exist within the body of Christ. It attracts those who desperately desire love by showing them that there is a setting where true love happens.

Expressed love is important to God.
Loving one another is the oft-repeated commandment of God throughout the New Testament. Our love for one another is actually an expression of our love for God. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Our love for God motivates to keep His commandment of loving others, and God is pleased when we do so.

When we keep our love hidden, God is displeased. "The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (I John 4:20). How it must grieve the heart of God to see His children craving love, but receiving no expressions of love from fellow believers!

"Fervently love one another from the heart" (I Peter 1:22). How do we know who most needs love? We probably don't, but we can love anyone. When we express our love to someone who already feels loved, that person will have even more love to pass on to others. When we express our love to someone who desperately craves it, we can make a huge difference, changing his day or even changing his life. In both cases, we strengthen the bond of Christian family that exists between us.

Open rebuke may be painful, but that pain is often somewhat expected, because it comes from supervisors or adversaries. Hidden love is more painful, because it comes from friends and family from whom love is expected but not given. Hidden love leaves people hurting; expressed love brings great joy.

Responding to Hurting People

Life often presents awkward settings, when people just aren't quite sure what to do. One scenario in which such uncertainty exists is when a person observes a friend who is going through a very hard time. Especially if the observer has not gone through a similar difficulty, he can be challenged to know how to respond.

Let's assume a few things. First, the sufferer is under significant duress in a legitimately difficult situation. Second, the sufferer has an overall desire to please God in his life, including this trial. Third, the observer has a sincere desire to help his friend. Fourth, the observer also has a spiritual perspective on life.

This study could obviously be more thorough, but I chose several verses from the book of Job to provide a few general principles for responding to hurting people.

1) Compassionately acknowledge the depth of the pain.
"Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me" (19:21). "Look at me and be astonished, and put your hand over your mouth" (21:5).

When someone is in special difficulty, he doesn't want his problem to be minimized. To casually glance over the situation and dismiss its severity is calloused and unfeeling. To deny the reality of the situation will hinder the ability to deal with it properly. When someone is suffering, one of the foremost things he wants is for someone to care - in particular when that caring is based on some level of comprehension. He wants observers to take the time to try to understand his situation and to respond with an appropriate level of sympathy and dismay.

2) Patiently listen to the one who is hurting.
"Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your way of consolation. Bear with me that I may speak" (21:2-3). "You are all worthless physicians. O that you would be completely silent, and that it would become your wisdom!" (13:4-5).

The one who is suffering is the one who needs to work through the situation, and this requires analyzing, evaluating, identifying, and considering. It is important that the sufferer have the safe opportunity to talk things out without being attacked. Listening is a great demonstration of caring, especially when the words are painful and personal. A verbal response by the listener is not always needed, especially not a lengthy one.

3) Carefully control the verbal responses.
"Truly then you are the people, and with you wisdom will die! But I have intelligence as well as you; I am not inferior to you" (12:2-3). "Sorry comforters are you all. Is there no limit to windy words?" (16:2-3). "How long will you torment me and crush me with words? These ten times you have insulted me; you are not ashamed to wrong me" (19:2-3).

It is natural to want to respond, and it is natural to want to share something that will help. Job identifies several problematic types of speech that are common for those who don't understand the particular trial (or severe suffering of any kind). It is easy for the listener to be insulting by sharing truth that is so foundational as to appear demeaning. Often the sufferer has already delved into the depths of a truth and doesn't want to be reminded of the most basic level as if he didn't already know. Another mistake is just to talk and talk and talk, trying to fill the space. A few carefully selected words are better than a plethora of shallow ones. A third error is passing judgment. The listener should not assume sin or failure or judgment. Like Job's friends, the listener probably has no idea what is really behind the trial.

4) Graciously edify with a kind spirit.
"For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; so that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty" (6:14). "I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips could lessen your pain" (16:5).

Job tells exactly the kinds of responses he wants and needs: kindness, support (strength), and solace. Life is already harsh enough without observers adding to the pain. The friends should do what they can to make things better, to introduce some pleasantness into a dark situation. Despair already abounds; he doesn't need any help toward more negativity. This does not mean glibly spouting words that have no substance and may not be true. "Everything will turn out okay" is empty and meaningless. Only God knows that. Words of love are appropriate. Words of prayer. Words that share comforting truth about God. Offers of support and friendship and help. These are words that will edify and that will bring hope and comfort.

Job gives a reason for this type of speech: to help the sufferer not to turn away from God. Christians can and should play a very important role in the lives of their hurting friends. Those who are strong are to help those who are weak. With weakness and pain come temptations and frailty. It is easier to fall under those conditions. A good friend - one who compassionately cares, patiently listens, carefully speaks, and graciously edifies - can be a tremendous help and protection for someone in a trial. That friend can make a difference, and might even be the deciding difference in how the sufferer grows and emerges from the time of struggle.

Everybody's Doing It!

"Everybody's doing it!" exclaims every child ever. And most adults. The crowd mentality has been used as justification for doing many things that should not be done. There is even a specialized version of this argument that implies increased authorization: "The pastor's kids are doing it." If a spiritual leader can be found as an example, the action or activity gains even more legitimacy.

The Bible is clear, however, that God is the authority. What God says is supremely important, regardless of what others say or do. After all, He is the one who created everyone and everything, and He is the one who wrote the Book. The Bible is also clear that each person is individually responsible before God to do what is right, independent of what others do. God is looking for men and women with the devotion and courage to be different when it comes to obedience. He is looking for Christians who will do what is right even when those around them do not.

The final chapters of Ezra provide a sad example of the influence of the crowd. Significant time had passed since the Jews had returned to rebuild the temple, probably about eighty years. The delays and opposition had passed, the construction was completed, and the new temple was dedicated. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem with a new group of people and new gifts for the temple.

A group of leaders approached Ezra and disclosed a problem. "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, ... for they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands" (Ezra 9:1-2).

Ezra was understandably upset over this news. At the most basic, it was obvious disobedience to God's command. Perhaps more poignantly, the remnant was just returning from captivity - a captivity brought about as punishment for previous disobedience. Throughout Israel's history, the people had intermarried with the heathen tribes, and as a result, had been led into false worship. The mixed marriages may have been the most detrimental factor in leading Israel away from God and bringing His judgment. Now that God was restoring the people, repetition of that same sin seems egregious and dangerous.

It wasn't just one person who did wrong. The problem was widespread. In fact, when the decision was made to address the issue, the people revealed that the problem was big enough that it couldn't be fully dealt with immediately. "But there are many people ... nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter" (10:13).

Sadly, the leaders were also involved. "Indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness" (9:2). The Levites were not guiltless, either. In fact, the priests were among the worst offenders (one of the few groups to exceed a 5% offense rate). Among the priests was a man named Jeshua. Not one, not two, not three, but four members of that family had married foreign wives (10:18). Several others of the Levites, priests, singers, and gatekeepers are listed as offenders.

If those spiritual leaders were involved in the practice, it was that much easier for the common people to follow. When one started, it was easy for others to follow suit. In Jeshua's family, for example, it must have been much easier for the fourth son to disobey than it was for the first. Far and away, the worst family was that of Nebo. Of only fifty-two persons who returned to Jerusalem, seven of them married foreign wives - over 13%! This family created an atmosphere in which God's commands didn't matter and a safe haven for those who chose to disobey. The sin became accepted, and easier each time. A total of 113 men are listed who disobeyed God in this area. Who even blinked the 113th time?

Sin snowballs. I am reminded of the story line of "Fiddler on the Roof." The first daughter marries a good man that she loves, but only after she manages to break the engagement that her father has (according to tradition) arranged. The second daughter marries a stranger whom she has chosen for herself without even asking her father's permission. The third daughter elopes with a non-Jew. Each daughter stepped further and further from what was accepted. Although the father hated what was happening, after the line had been crossed once, it became increasingly difficult to hold any standard.

These stories - both from the Bible and from man's imagination - illustrate how important it is not to let the standard drop in the first place. They show the dangerous trends that can follow a leader's choice. They show the rebellion that can pervade families when one person chooses his own way.

There are two great cautions. First, each Christian must determine to follow and obey God no matter what "everybody else" is doing and regardless of which leaders might be included in that group. Second, each Christian must recognize the serious consequences that his own disobedience can potentially have in making it easier for others to rebel also. Families and groups of Christians do exert influence on each other. Let it be the right influence!

"You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude to pervert justice" (Exodus 23:2).

How to Answer a Letter

Some correspondence is pleasant - a birthday card, a letter from an old friend, a notice about a financial gift, the resolution to a business complication. Other correspondence is not so nice - a bill, a notice of legal action, a complaint, junk mail, or a request for a contribution. Both positive and negative letters have been around for a very long time.

Ezra was not the recipient of a particular letter (Ezra 5:6-17), but he was the subject of that letter. The letter was written by Tattenai, a governor and adversary of the Jews who were attempting to rebuild the temple. Tattenai wrote his letter to Darius the king for the purpose of stopping the temple construction.

Tattenai had composed his letter well. He made it sound like an objective report designed to protect the king's interests. The letter reported that Tattenai and his colleagues had gone to observe the temple construction, which was proceeding successfully. It conveyed the idea that these men were doing a service for the king. Not only did these men visit for observational purposes, but they also made deliberate inquiries (which called into question the legitimacy of the work). The men inquired about authorization for the project and took down the names of the "conspirators."

The letter recorded the response of Ezra and his fellow workers to this investigation, an answer which the letter tries to call into question. Basically, the letter reported, "They told us Cyrus sent and authorized them." The skepticism bleeds through the page. Tattenai made a bold and confident request, of which he was "sure" of the answer. He asked the king to make a search in the records to see if any such authorization had ever been issued. He was certain this authorization was made up. Even if it had happened, it was probably a casual verbal assent with nothing to back it up. Or if it had perhaps been written down, surely no one would be able now to locate that authorization. Whether it had really happened or not was immaterial if the work could be stopped due to lack of clear documentation.

Much of the content of the letter records the interrogation that took place, and it shows that God's people responded well. First, they acknowledged their relationship with God before anything else. Instead of providing or promoting their own individual names, they identified themselves as "the servants of the God of heaven and earth" (5:11). This project was not about them. It was about God.

Second, they forthrightly acknowledged their weaknesses. Instead of trying to protect their reputations or exalt their positions, they described themselves humbly. They told the reason for the destruction and shame that had led to the need to rebuild: "because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath" (5:12). These men held no pretext that they were anything great.

Third, they provided a simple yet complete answer to the question about authorization. "In the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God" (5:13). They shared the detail (5:14-15) that Cyrus also provided the temple utensils and that he sent the people with the provisions for the purpose of rebuilding. They confirmed that they were following orders that had not yet been completed (5:16).

Having appropriately identified themselves, having humbly declared their position, and having forthrightly detailed their authorization, these men left the rest up to God. God worked it out so that Tattenai and his friends got exactly what they requested. An official search was made of the records, and a scroll was discovered that confirmed exactly what Ezra and the elders had said (6:1-5).

Tattenai's attempt to stop the construction backfired, as he was ordered to "leave this work on the house of God alone" (6:7). Furthermore, he was to provide tax contributions to support the full cost of the building (6:8) and of the sacrifices to follow completion (6:9).

Threat and danger came in the form of a letter. The letter could have been a catastrophe for God's people. The people responded well. They didn't worry or fret. They didn't panic or become upset. They didn't lash out. They responded with humility, calmness, simplicity, and trust. God honored their response by confirming and blessing their work even more.

Mercy for the Vilest

Who were the worst kings of Israel and Judah? The most wicked and godless? Was there any hope of redemption for them? Could God even hear such wicked people?

Ahab, king over Israel, is probably the first name that comes to mind. The Bible confirms this choice. "Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him" (I Kings 16:30). "Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him" (I Kings 16:33). "Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD" (I Kings 21:25).

Ahab was so wicked that he became the model or definition of evil from then on. Future kings who were wicked were identified with Ahab in descriptions like "He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab had done" (II Kings 8:27).

The most wicked king of Judah was probably Manasseh. He was involved in witchcraft and sorcery, and he went so far as to erect heathen altars in the temple itself and to sacrifice his sons to false gods. "Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed" (II Chronicles 33:9).

Manasseh was so wicked that God exercised "the fierceness of His great wrath ... because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him" (II Kings 23:26). God identified Manasseh's wickedness as the final straw that prompted His destruction of Judah (II Kings 24:3, Jeremiah 15:4).

These vile men would seem to have been beyond any favorable consideration from God. Amazingly, as wicked as they were, both men had episodes of receiving mercy from God.

Ahab's moment came after he had seized the vineyard of Naboth. God was so displeased that He sent Elijah with a message of harsh rebuke: "Thus says the LORD, 'Have you murdered and also taken possession?'" (I Kings 21:19). Elijah foretold the wretched death that Ahab would face, the destruction that would come to his household, and the dishonor that would cling to his legacy.

"It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently" (I Kings 21:27). When God observed such a change of heart and such humble contrition, He spoke to Elijah again. God said, "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days" (I Kings 21:29).

Manasseh's moment also came after his response to judgment. Because Manasseh paid no attention to God's warning, God brought the Assyrian army against Judah. Manasseh was captured, bound, and taken into exile in Babylon.

"When [Manasseh] was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers" (II Chronicles 33:12). Amazingly, God "was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom" (II Chronicles 33:13). Manasseh actually got to be king again and led a revival in Judah.

These two evil men were not beyond the mercy of God. It is easy to think that their wickedness was so great that their opportunities should have been lost forever, but God was still watching them. God saw the humble contrition of both men, and He responded very graciously. God held back His hand of judgment and gave these men another opportunity, one that Manasseh used wisely and well.

What is the message? That man can be as evil and godless as he wants to be, and then repent when he faces God's judgment? Is this a indication that such a practice is acceptable or guaranteed?

Oh, no! God is indeed merciful, even to the worst of sinners, and these passages display that truth in a wonderful way. God does respond to truly humble hearts and often gives a reprieve. Such a response should not be taken for granted, however.

In the first place, there are times when God's judgment is so severe that it is final. Many times, God took people's lives for far less serious acts of evil than these two men did; there was no possibility of redemption for those people. Secondly, there are often consequences that cannot be reversed. Although forgiveness is granted, sometimes irreversible effects have already occurred. Third, man's evil never affects himself alone. As with these two kings, the evil influence of one man negatively affects those around him, and sometimes others are drawn into both the sin and the consequences.

These stories provide hope. Even the worst and most rebellious can return to God and receive His forgiveness. They might be given new opportunities and even be able to do some good. These stories also provide caution. These men did face severe consequences for their evil deeds. Those consequences affected many others, and those consequences could not be completely reversed. Their reputations were forever tarnished.

How much better to live for God from the beginning - to have the maximum blessing of God and the fullest opportunity to serve Him! If it's too late for that, there is still hope. Humbly repent and start fresh.