Category: responsibility

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Not my fault!

Proverbs 20 Responsibility

Like many today, the people of the time this was written, wanted not to take responsibility for their own sins. Dr. Constable explains it like this: “They were claiming to be the innocent victims of the actions of others, blaming others for their condition. In this they sounded just like many in our own day who refuse to take personal responsibility for their actions.” Today we call this blame-shifting. I am not at fault, it is someone else’s sin and I should not be held responsible. Kids do this today and it is almost like a switch was turned on: it’s not my fault. He made me do it. She made me do it. 

Beware of this sin for it permeates society and your own group, whether it be family or the church. Paul wrote to the Romans: there is none righteous, no not one.” [Rom 3:10] The Proverbs author says it like this: Who can say, “I have kept my heart clean; I am pure from my sin”?“ [Proverbs 20:9]

Great question offered by Paul and to us. 

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Are you preparing for eternity?

Luke 6 How do you see and experience true wisdom and a life that produces rewards? Remember, what you have now is temporal, and if you have nothing but obedience, then that will be rewarded not here but in the afterlife. Jesus wanted the religious leaders to look around them. Did they see those who were poor, hungry, weeping, and hated by the establishment?  Jesus was the same; He left his heavenly home to live a life just as you. He had no place to lay his head, was hungry, and wept because of the inequities of this earthly life. Jesus was challenging the religious leaders to look and see and then do. He wanted them and us to love and trust Him, but they were more concerned about rules and traditions than obedience. He left them with this illustration.

Two men wanted to build a house. One chose the rocky high ground, and the task was tedious and lengthy. The other wanted his house done quickly, so he decided on the ground that was not firm. God sent storms into their lives to test them, but the one who had gathered promptly lost it when the storm of life came. The one who diligently worked at this task to build a sure foundation weathered that storm, and his house stood firm. 

Each should decide not to live life for the here and now but for the future. Each of the houses, land, and words of others will all pass into eternity, but the lasting things is obedience to His word. 

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Like Father, Like Son

Fathers take heed

1 Kings 15 As the father Jeroboam lived and reigned, so his son Nadab did. Thus the prophecy came true regarding Jeroboam given by Ahijah the Shilonite. Jeroboam had been given a promise from God that his reign would prosper and his sons and the nation of Israel would be honored IF he obeyed God and worshiped God.  But, again, as before, the fear of man was his downfall. [Prov 29:25] Jeroboam feared the people would return to Rehoboam and Judah, so he compromised with two golden calves he erected. Secondly, he chose many to be priests that were not Levites.

Compromise is the downfall of righteousness. This is not new. It began in the Garden, and today, we see this fruit in our own country’s leadership. God allows the downfall to happen as a lesson for those who are alive to learn from their mistakes. But we are slow learners and one generation away from purity and holiness. “For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.” [Rom 15:4] 

Remember, God allowed all of this “because they did not have faith in God and did not trust his ability to deliver them.” [Ps 78:22] Where is your faith today?

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Bame-shifting

You are responsible

Gen 1 to 18 and Ezekiel 18 “The problem of blame-shifting.”

Theology is the study of God, and today’s lesson is about upside-down theology. From Gen 1 to 18, we learn that what was perfect was destroyed by sin. First, Adam blamed Eve, then Eve blamed the serpent, and so it has gone since time began. Here the elders sat before Ezekiel complaining (maybe in their hearts?) that they were in this fix, meaning in Babylon, because of their father’s sin. Ezekiel asked them just as God asked Eve and then Cain; “what have “YOU” done, not what has your father done. Each is responsible to live righteously or live in sin. You can’t use the thinking of Flip Wilson: “he made me do it.”

 Ezekiel told them, “the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” [Ezek 18:20] We are all responsible for choosing righteousness or wickedness/sin. We all must stand before God alone, and God will not hear our complaint that “it was because of so and so” or “he made me do it.”  Ezekiel then points out the beauty of God’s mercy. “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.” [Ezek 18:32]

May we all stop and thank God that we are not responsible for another’s sin.

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Service for the Lord

Whatever role you play you need pray

Numbers 3 and 4 God is a God of order and it is revealed in these two chapters how He has chosen the clan of the Levites to surround the Holy Tabernacle. After Moses selected the Levites to surround the Tabernacle; he gave them a place of service. They were responsible to care for the sanctuary. Who in our churches today is responsible for our sanctuaries? What jobs do they have? Do we stop and thank them for their work?

 The tribe of Levi was responsible to serve Aaron; to care for his needs by attending to the service of the tabernacle. Today there is great responsibility in our churches where elders and deacons attend to the leadership of our churches. These who have “served well gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith..” [selected words 1Tim 3:13] Today stop and pray for them for they carry a great weight on their shoulders and one day will stand before God for their service.

 God wanted the children of Israel to remember that all work in the kingdom of God is royal service, whether up front or behind the scenes. The psalmist noted: “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of the wickedness.” [Ps 84:10]

What role brings joy and gladness to your heart because you see yourself as a servant for the Lord?

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Preparing for your departure

1 Chron 24-26 Today we received yet another note from one of the international staff that they had been tested and it was positive. Will this person weather the corona storm? But, add to that the many that are already near their finish line. One friend’s father is 104 and another is 101. Will they continue on or will they move to their eternal destiny. Only time will tell. Both are in excellent health. On the other hand, King David knew his time was drawing near and so he set about to plan for the future and the next king. Do we do the same? Do we plan ahead so our children and extended family are prepared? Do we have all or bank accounts set up with our children or someone else as a beneficiary? Have we made out our will so that our testimony is clear to those who are not saved?

Read carefully David’s planning structure. “David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities,” David also prepared some for music and words to encourage and edify. Paul captured this idea as he wrote to the Ephesians: “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord,” [Eph 5:19] Along with that, David outlined the duties of those who would care for the new temple.

These are timely examples to us.

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Be Discerning

1Kings 13 & Gal 1 & Acts 17 (Be A Berean)

After Paul left Galatia, grievous wolves had entered and taken captive their hearts. Paul said to them, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting…” The author of 1Kings has recorded the story of the disobedient unnamed prophet sent to the wicked king Jeroboam. Before we judge this prophet harshly, we need to stop and see ourselves in this tale.

The prophet had stood tall and strong in the face of Jeroboam to warn him! God had sent a sign by Jeroboam’s shriveled hand and the broken altar. He had refused Jeroboam’s gracious gift of a meal and rest. YET—on his way home, he stopped to rest. God had said not to eat or drink or return the same way, but not about resting. An old man approached him, saying he too was a prophet with an angelic message. Was the old man a true prophet? This is when we let our guard down! We wonder why the prophet did not ask God for confirmation. But…why do we not ask God when we hear someone say, God has told me to tell you this or that? Beware of contradicting messages; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t. God is not a man that changes his mind. If we want to know, pray and ask for discernment. Be forewarned; the adversary can use even what seems like righteous words.  

Stay alert! Be on your guard. Check the source; be like the Bereans in Acts 17. Check to see if it is true.

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The Product of an Indulgent Father

2 Samuel 16-18 Proverbs 22:6 wisely admonishes parents to “Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”  David was a man after God’s own heart yet he failed Parenting 101 class as well as the one man-one woman rule. He was a dysfunctional parent and husband to his many children of many wives. His first child, Absalom, was the first child with honors awaiting him to rule after his father passed off the scene but as we read this story we see that Absalom was foolish, prideful, arrogant, bitter and lacked respect for his father and the role he should inherit. And so now he seeks to usurp the king’s position all because David indulged him. Spoiled children do make a king or queen as we can ascertain from history, not just here.

And all of this began one night long ago when David allowed lust to rule rather than God.

We can learn a lot from this story if we are willing to look. Look at the fruit of indulgence. Look at the fruit of not being discerning. David fits all categories. If we read Psalm 55 along with today’s passage we see the heart of David. We wish we could undo life but we can’t. It is wiser to learn from our mistakes and seek the heart of God.

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Meeting Needs of Others

Deut 23 love your neighbor2aDeut 23 “Be Creative as you Love Your Neighbor.”

Both Moses and Jesus taught us that we are to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and secondly, love your neighbor as yourself. Paul taught the Thessalonians that same principle; meet the needs of those who are your brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. God’s provision for ancient Israel was that if one became hungry while walking to the next destination, you were allowed to enter a neighbor’s grain field and pluck some kernels to eat, but not to collect the grain for another time. Jesus and the disciples followed that principle,  but the Pharisees had added to that principle by saying even if hungry, you cannot do that for it is work on the Sabbath.

Today in our fast food society we drive from place to place. We wait in drive-up lanes, not walk through a grain field. So how can we apply the principle today? We continue to have open hearts and eyes to the needs around us remembering the words of Jesus: “And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward.” [Mat 10:42 ] After we have filled our plates, why not purchase an extra dinner for someone behind you in the drive-up lane? Or a cup of coffee?

Be creative today as you go about your busyness. Stop and look where God might be working, and you can be His servant.

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Decision Time

Numbers 22 decision time2a

Numbers 22  Many preachers and SS teachers use the story of Balaam and the speaking donkey to enthrall audiences, but there is more to this story than just the donkey. God used Balaam in an unlikely manner to reveal his heart and the way Satan uses unbelievers in our lives.

God questioned Balaam about his visitors. “Who are these men? Balaam kept up a dialog with God about them, and on the surface, it seems that he was obeying. However, step by step, Balaam fell headlong into the temptation of earthly riches, which was stronger than obeying God. Like many today, Balaam tried to appear righteous by his answer that he could not curse Israel, but his actions prove the opposite. Balaam sought ways to obey God and yet get the riches the King offered. The last test came when God explicitly tested Balaam when he said: “if” these men have come to call you, get up and go with them. But, Balaam didn’t wait for the “if” clause and instead got up and went.

There are several lessons for us to glean. One is that if you say you must ask God for his wise counsel, you must take a stand and stand firm. A second lesson is God gives us tests to discern if we will obey His voice or our own.

 

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