July 24, 2012

Matthew 5:37 NASB

“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; and anything beyond these is of evil.”

Personal Challenge...

I recently had a conversation with a man that is a leader in a ministry. I was sharing with him some insights that I had into the operations of the ministry that were not ethical or godly. As a matter of fact the expectations from the ethics training for my secular company far exceeded these operations. His comment was something like, "But David, look at all of the people the are being touched by our ministry. Even if we are only 30% right in what we are doing isn't it worth it to touch all of these people." To be honest with you, I was shocked. As Christians we are commanded to speak the truth at all times, to live our lives as personal representatives of God. The ends never do justify the means. Not in God's kingdom. It is harder to do things God's way, to stand up for what is right, to be ethical and moral in our actions as much as we are in our sermons. Lord have mercy on those who have chosen to dilute God's truth in order to gain "bigger" results.

July 23, 2012

Malachi 3:1-5 NASB

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD, as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.

Personal Challenge...

How often have I longed for the coming of my Lord to take away the pains and sorrows of this earthly life? Yet how much do I have to realize that maybe I am not yet ready for His arrival. His desire is that I pursue Him with all of my heart, soul and mind; that I desire to be at His business in all that I do. How often does my yearning for His return become a hindrance to my being with Him in the midst of the labors that He has ordained for me to do. My journey of theosis can be one that is drawing me closer to Him, if I give up of myself and my desires...even my desire for His return. Have I really accomplished that which He has ordained me to do? Have I really become the righteous child that He wants me to be? If not, since not, then I must become less as He becomes more.

July 20, 2012

Proverbs 17:14 NASB

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

Personal Challenge...

I cannot recall how many times I have allowed myself to keep going in an argument or disagreement and find myself at a place where far too much has been said and feelings irreparably damaged. What good advise the writer of Proverbs gives us...abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Sometimes that means just being quiet, sometimes it means sincerely apologizing ro my wrongs, sometimes it just means giving a hug. In all cases it is definitely worth it.

July 18, 2012

Psalm 34:1 NIV

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

Personal Challenge...

Is this where my heart and mind are? Not really. Is it my desire to extol the LORD at all times and to have His praise on my lips all fo the time? Not really. If I am to be a man after God's own heart then isn't this what my life should be like? Can I do what Paul challenged us to do, "Pray without ceasing."? It is possible to get to that point in our lives, but it will take work, and it will begin with a choice to do so followed by many more choices to continue to do so.

July 17, 2012

1 Peter 2:12 NASB

Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Personal Challenge...

If you have been watching the news in recent weeks and months you will be aware of some storms brewing within the church due to misconducts of various church leaders. If you have been involved in the church as long as I have you will have seen this more times than you would have liked. I wish I had an explanation for why this happens in the church (other than the fact that the church is comprised of people like you and me), but what I do have is this verse, which charges us to live our lives in a way that is excellent amongst those around us. We are to live our lives in such a way as to point those around us to God, in ways that glorify and magnify God. If we live this way consistently then we can know that our Lord will guide us away from these types of actions.

July 16, 2012

2 Timothy 2:15 NASB

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Personal Challenge...

Our journey through life is a Christian is not a journey of coasting along or floating through the gentle currents, instead it is a journey that is often filled with rapids and obstacles to be navigated. We are to be active workers in God's kingdom, working in such a way that we are not ashamed of our labors. Lord have mercy on me a sinner, for this is a journey impossible to navigate without Him at the helm.

July 13, 2012

Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Personal Challenge...

Who am I really serving, really working for? It is so easy to get caught up in our daily grind and forget who we are really doing our work for. It is so much easier to make it through a day of difficult and challenging work when we remember that our real boss, our real employer is our Lord. It is means that the work I do should always be of such quality that it glorifies my Lord.