Angry at God

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God called Jonah to travel to Nineveh, and Job decided he had other plans. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh and warn the people that their city would be destroyed if they did not repent and turn from their evil ways. So, instead, he went as far as he could the other way. He boarded a ship headed for Tarshish, which is approximately 2,500 miles in the opposite direction of Nineveh. If it hadn’t been obvious to God before he boarded the ship, Jonah’s attempt to get as far away from Nineveh said it all. He refused to go.

After Jonah was swallowed by a whale and laid in its belly for three days, he had a change of heart. He repented of his foolishness and told God he would do what God asked of him. So Jonah went throughout the city warning the people of God’s coming judgment on them. And lo and behold. The people repented, and the king sent out a decree that everyone must mourn and turn from their evil ways.

Jonah was angry that they had actually listened to what he told them. He wanted them to suffer. He wanted them to pay for their sins. He was mad. And he went outside the city and sat under a shelter to see if God would really destroy them. But God taught Jonah a lesson. He caused a great plant to grow up quickly to shade Jonah from the heat, and Jonah was relieved. But God also sent a worm to destroy the plant, and the next morning the plant withered. This angered Jonah even further. But God told him that just as Jonah felt sorry about losing the plant, God also felt sorry for the people of Nineveh.

You can read this story in more detail in the book of Jonah.

What if God had treated Jonah the way Jonah wanted him to treat the people of Nineveh? Was living in the belly of a whale for three days something to laugh about? God punished Jonah, but he also saved his life when Jonah repented and promised to go to Nineveh. God gave Jonah a second chance to preach God’s message to a nation that hated Israel, so why wouldn’t God also give Nineveh a chance to repent? Jonah begged for mercy and forgiveness, so why didn’t he want the Ninevites to do the same? He wanted them to suffer and pay for their sins. He wanted retaliation for being an enemy of the nation of Israel.

And just perhaps Jonah was afraid for his reputation. If he warned Nineveh to repent or be destroyed and they survived, what kind of prophet was he? He wasn’t considering that God’s mercy for the Ninevites was greater than his prophecy not being fulfilled. After all. There was a condition to the prophecy. If they repented, they would be saved. If they didn’t repent, they would be destroyed. He wanted them destroyed. And he wanted to gloat about it.

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. James 1:20

It’s easy for someone to speculate on the reason Jonah didn’t want to do what God wanted.  But it sure is a great reminder to point the finger back at ourselves and ask why we don’t want to do the things God asks of us. Why do we fight God? Does the task he’s asking of us seem too hard? Will there not be enough fanfare and applause for us after the fact?

The question is. Do we have a legitimate reason to be angry with God when we only know a small part of his plan? What do we expect of God, anyway?

Why would Jonah not want the Ninevites to experience repentance and forgiveness? Why would he want them to suffer? It seems he didn’t love his neighbors as himself. After all, Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and history tells us that Assyria was an enemy of Israel and Judah.

Jonah knew that if the Ninevites repented of their sins, the spotlight would then turn to the wickedness of his people. The Israelites had turned from God and were worshipping false idols. If God showed mercy to Israel and Judah’s enemies, would he be merciful to them, as well? Perhaps they wouldn’t even repent as Nineveh did.

What Jonah didn’t know was that God was storing up punishment for the Ninevites. Sure. They repented of their sins that day, but God would later punish them for their revenge on God’s chosen people. The Ninevites were an evil and extremely cruel nation. They would later be destroyed, but Jonah didn’t know that part of their future. God kept his full plans hidden from Jonah. We can’t expect to know all of God’s plans for ourselves or for anyone else. What we must remember is that nothing goes unnoticed by God. He will repay everyone for the good and bad they do.

The story of God’s punishment of Nineveh can be found in Isaiah 10 and the book of Nahum.

Perhaps we need to consider the difference in retribution and retaliation. Retribution is motivated by justice, while retaliation is driven by a desire for revenge. Jonah’s anger reflects a deep seated desire for revenge, and God acted in retribution when he later wiped out the Assyrians.

The story of Jonah and the Ninevites is an example of God’s justice and mercy. We should pay for our sins, but the death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid the ultimate price for our sins. We still have to live with the consequences of our sins, but our sinful slate is wiped clean with the forgiveness that only comes from God our Father. Let’s let God decide who to punish and how to dole it out. Let’s not take matters into our own hands, but trust that God can and will do his job very thoroughly in his own time.

You’re Not the Only One

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Obadiah was in charge of the palace of King Ahab. Ahab was a wicked king of Israel, and his wife, Jezebel, was even more wicked. But Obadiah quietly served God in the midst of the wickedness. And he thrived. Surrounded by wickedness each day, Obadiah had the strength and courage to stand strong in his faith. He didn’t allow the evil around him to influence his commitment to serving God. What can we learn from his example?

Aside from where he worked and who he worked for, we only know a couple of stories about this man. Apparently, there are at least a dozen other men named Obadiah in the Bible. Most of them are as obscure as this particular Obadiah. He may or may not be the prophet Obadiah who wrote the book named after himself.

During the years of Ahab’s reign, the prophet Elijah foretold of a coming famine and drought. He said it would last until the time he said it would end. And he was correct. It was during this famine that in an act of courage, Obadiah hid one hundred prophets in caves when Queen Jezebel wanted to have them killed. He kept them hidden and fed until Elijah confronted Ahab about who the real God was. Was it God or Baal? God proved himself in a mighty way, and all the prophets of Baal were killed. And the only reason anyone in Israel worshipped Baal was because King Ahab had married this foreign woman who worshipped an image of this manmade god. She brought her idol worship to Israel, and turned the king and country over to pagan worship. However, a remnant of faithful followers of the God of Israel still remained. Many never bowed their knee to this pagan god who couldn’t hear or answer their prayers.

You can read the story of Obadiah in 1 Kings 18.

Although Ahab adopted the practice of worshiping foreign gods, he didn’t require it of his employees. He never forced Obadiah to bow to Baal. We may wonder why. But perhaps he knew that any man who faithfully served God would faithfully serve him, as well. He didn’t ask Obadiah to be dishonest or cruel. Ahab didn’t convert Obadiah to Baal worship, and Obadiah didn’t convert Ahab to worshiping God.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians 3:23

Some of the characteristics of Obadiah that make him an outstanding example of living and working in troubling times can be a model for us today. He retained his integrity. He feared God and was faithful to him. He courageously cared for other faithful followers when they were in need. He was trusted by a wicked employer. He did not bow his knee to a false god. He didn’t hide his faith. He didn’t quit.

Christians today may find themselves in a difficult work environment where they are asked to support activities or workforce policies that go against their beliefs. Their employer may endorse and favor people who live in direct opposition to the word of God. We don’t have to run from those situations. We must remain steadfast in our faith and always do the right biblical thing.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is nothing new under the sun.  Just as the faithful men in the Old Testament worked for compromised employers and retained their faith, we may find ourselves in similar situations. There will always be times of testing for the believer. We must not run from it. We must stand strong in our dependence and trust in God. We know God is always good and faithful. Instead of allowing difficulties to ruin our faith, the test of faithfulness to God will build our strength and resilience. We can be tough when tough times come. And we can do hard things with God’s help.

If we read the stories of the Bible closely, we’ll learn that many who faithfully served God were put in a position to compromise their faith in order to survive or stay safe. Some gave in to the compromise while others stood firm in their faith. Standing firm in our faith doesn’t always require us to leave the uncomfortable situation. Perhaps our faith would be more refined if we walked through the fire a bit. We aren’t assured of an easy life when we lay down our sins and follow Christ. We may walk through the fire of intense trials. Today’s trials aren’t unique to our heavenly Father. He knew this time would come where our faith is tested. But his unwavering love for us can strengthen us during those times.

The night before Jesus was crucified, he asked the Father to keep his disciples safe from the evil one as they lived in the world of ungodliness. He didn’t ask for them to be moved to a safe place. He didn’t ask for them to be sheltered from their enemies. He knew they would face troubles, even death, and he wanted them to be safe from the enemy’s grip on their souls. He knew it was one thing to fight for their life, and another to fight for their soul.

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. John 17:14-19

Foolish Doings

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Asa. He was a notable king from the line of David. He trusted God. And God brought peace to Judah during the early years of his reign. But in his old age, he failed to ask for God’s help. Instead, he sought the help of the Syrian king, Benhadad, as he looked to stop the Israelite king, Baasha, from encroaching on his land.

What looks like an innocent request for help from a neighboring king was in fact a slap in the face of God. Asa was a faithful follower of God throughout the years of his reign in Judah. But for some unknown reason, when he needed help to stop his enemy, Baasha, from building a stronghold to stop the people of Judah from entering and exiting their own country, he turned to Benhadad instead of to God.  And what he didn’t know until it was much too late was that God wanted to help him. Instead of defeating Baasha and his Israelite army, God would have helped him to also defeat the Syrian army led by Benhadad. It would have been a double win.  A victory for the ages. But no. God wasn’t involved in this war at all. He had been pushed aside.

Asa somehow forgot that he had made a covenant with God many years earlier. When he asked Benhadad for help, he went with a bribe. He not only took gold and silver to his opponent, but they were treasures that belonged in the house of God. King Asa stooped low by offering God’s treasures to bribe King Benhadad to help him fight against someone that Benhadad had a treaty with. And Benhadad took the bribe and broke his alliance with Baasha, king of Israel. Shame on all of them.

When the prophet Hanani came to confront the king for the wrongs he had done, he boldly told the truth. And King Asa fumed at him. Asa didn’t want to be told he was in the wrong. He wanted to be congratulated on his victory against Israel. Up until this time, he had treated his people with kindness. But he threw Hanani in prison and treated some of the people with contempt. Asa was going down, and he was going down hard and fast. He had rejected God and God let him suffer the consequences.

Even when dying, Asa failed to ask for God’s help. He sought only the help of physicians, which in and of itself is not bad. But he had no desire for God to take part in his final years of poor health. The problem with the physicians of his day is that their remedies were superstitions and folk remedies. Relying on God for help with his health problem would have been much more effective. Once again, Asa failed to see that God was waiting for him to ask for help. But no. He had abandoned God, so God abandoned him. The story doesn’t tell us that God would have healed him if he had asked for help. But we do know that God would have been with him every moment in his final days on earth.

You can read the story of King Asa in 2 Chronicles 14-16.

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war. 2 Chronicles 16:9

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. When God leaves man to himself, he is a pitiful man. He becomes his own worst enemy and a tyrant to others. The Lord is looking for people who are fully committed to him so he can strengthen and help them. He knows we need his strength to win the battles the enemy is waging against us. But we must diligently seek his help. We can’t stand on our own. We can’t win spiritual battles on our own strength.

Of course. God puts people in our path to help us in our time of need and to give correction, as well. But our faith must be in God and God alone. Only he can fight our battles and heal our wounds.

It’s a long obedience in the same direction of following Christ that will ensure our entrance into heaven. We can’t think that we can be strong followers of Christ early in our life and then slough off at the end. No. As long as we have breath within us, we must fight the fight every day. We must put on the armor of God each morning so we can win victory after victory over the enemy of our souls. We must always be on guard for attacks of temptation and doubt. The enemy will not stop as long as we are breathing.

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

I Am Not Magnificent

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I am not magnificent. I am not perfect. I am only a speck of sand in the sea of life. I am but dust in the wind. I am a work in progress. I am small in a vast domain. I am insignificant in the vast universe. I am nothing on my own. I am but one of many made in the image of God.

I exist to be in fellowship with the One who created me. I exist to serve him and him alone. My identity is found in Christ alone. There is but one God. I am not God.

The God who created the earth created mankind to love and serve him. To be in fellowship with him. To know him. To honor him. To obey him. To bow to his authority.

I am loved. I am known. I am named. I am forgiven. Loved by my divine Creator. He knew me before I was born. When he created me in my mother’s womb, he planned for my existence. Without him, I would be nothing. With him, I am redeemed.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalms 139:15-16

King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that life is meaningless. He was the wisest man on earth, and he had amassed a fortune. He had everything a man desired, and he still sought happiness and fulfillment. He says the key to a happy life is to find fulfillment in hard work and the enjoyment of food and drink. He knew that in spite of all his wisdom, he would end up in the grave just the same as the world’s worst fool would. He was just a man, an insignificant speck in the history of the world. He knew he was not magnificent.

So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. Ecclesiastes 3:12

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:36

Namaan was the captain of the king’s army. He was a strong and capable leader and had led his army to great success on the battlefield. He made the king of his country a proud man. But Namaan had contracted the deadly disease of leprosy. Anyone who had leprosy became an outcast in society. They were forced to live outside the city limits. And Namaan was a proud wealthy man. He had also acquired a slave girl when his army had raided Israel.

This servant girl knew the God of the Israelites, and she knew a prophet who could perform miracles. She suggested to Namaan’s wife that he visit the prophet to be healed. Namaan found his way to the home of the prophet Elisha and asked to be healed, but Elisha didn’t even meet him at the door. Instead, he sent his servant to give the message to go dip in the Jordan river seven times. Then Namaan would be healed.

Namaan was insulted. It was humiliating to the proud man who was accustomed to being honored by others. Was he not good enough to be given a private audience with the prophet? And why should he even wade his toe in the waters of Israel, let alone dip his entire body in it seven times? Wouldn’t any other river be just as healing? This was a further attempt to humiliate the proud captain of the army. In a bid to cool Namaan’s anger, his officers began to reason with him. Finally, they made their way to the river where he dipped seven times. After exiting the water on the seventh dip, his skin was clear. He had been healed of leprosy.

You can read the story of Namaan in 2 Kings 5:1-19.

Namaan had many accomplishments under his belt. He had won many wars for his king and country. He was a mighty man of valor. He had wealth and favor. He had servants in his household. Due to his successes in battle, his name was common on the streets. He was a known man by the little people. And he thought himself so important that the prophet Elisha should attend to him in person. He thought himself too important to dip in a river in a foreign country.

Namaan was not magnificent. His background and social status did not make him any more favorable to God than anyone else’s status. He was an ordinary man who had been given favor by God to win the battles his country faced. But he needed God’s help to fight the physical battle of his life. He couldn’t defeat leprosy on his own.

There is no one who has ever lived or will ever live who is too important to bow before God Almighty, the Judge of all mankind. The Bible tells us that everyone will one day bow down to Him. Regardless of our station in life, we are not magnificent. We can’t create the God we want. He created us.

When to Take a Stand

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He’s worked for the company for years. And he loves his job. Oh sure. There are aggravations he deals with on a regular basis. But overall, he’s been very satisfied with the work that is set before him. The company was founded by a solid Bible-believing person, who has since left to join another firm. And those who are now in charge don’t have the same biblically sound principles that the former leader had. So changes have taken place over the years. And some are good changes, but others are not.

The company has a diverse range of employees. Americans. Internationals. Different languages. Different walks of faith. Young people starting their careers. Older ones heading toward retired. And many in between. Yes. It is culturally diverse.

With the change in leadership came a change in values. Subtle changes at first. But through the years, the changes are becoming more visible. Diversity is the name of the game these days, so a DEI leader was hired to keep the company in line with today’s ever changing values. Oh sure. A spiritual advisor is also on staff. The company now participates in pride events. Preferred pronouns aren’t mandatory, but some individuals have made sure to include theirs where they deem appropriate. Book clubs for the management team have offered discussions on racism, equity and inclusion. Movie nights that further the leftist agenda have been scheduled for employees. Discussions of biblical beliefs are spoken in quiet and behind closed doors by those who hold firmly to their faith but are unsure whether to make their faith more public.

Some employees who are committed to their faith in God have noticed the shift toward wokeness. Dare they say anything? If they can stay under the radar of the leftist leanings, can they stay employed? Will there come a day when they will be expected to participate? If so, what will they do? How do they know when to go against the flow when the flow goes against everything they believe?

In schools, some teachers are facing backlash against their stance on issues that have nothing to do with education. Commencement speakers are threatened with being canceled when they publicly support family values. Pro-life advocates trying to help women make life-saving choices for their unborn child are being sentenced to prison. Female athletes are being forced to share private spaces with males who change their pronouns. Males are forcing their way into female sporting events and calling it fair when they win. And so many applaud.

There’s a cultural agenda being pushed that is pushing biblical values out of the mainstream. Uncommon issues are now becoming commonplace. And everyone is expected to comply and agree. Or else there will be trouble. Christians are being asked to go along with the agenda just to get along. And many are. Many are forced into silence in order to stay employed. Or to stay on the right career path.

If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15

Has it hit you yet? Has anyone come for you because of your stance on biblical values? Or, do you keep quiet? Are you unsure of when you should speak and when you should be silent on issues that you firmly stand for or against? When your beliefs and your voice are in the minority, how can you be heard? When should you be heard? Oh. Perhaps the time hasn’t come for you, but it most likely will. And then you’ll be forced to decide how to navigate the pond of wokeness. And the decision you make could change the course of your life. Are you willing to pay the price?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were literally put in the fire for refusing to bow to the manmade idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had built. Even after being given a second chance to bow, they still refused. Oh. They had bowed to other requests and requirements the king had previously demanded. They had been taken exile to a foreign land. They had changed their names. They had learned witchcraft and sorcery. They were forced to become eunuchs. They were indoctrinated into the ways and customs of Babylon. But this time, the king had drawn a line they weren’t willing to cross. And so they said no. Not once, but twice. And they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Because of their faithful witness, God showed favor on them and spared their lives.

You can read the story of these three brave young men in Daniel 3.

We may not be thrown into a literal fire, but we may get burned. And we may not survive without being scorched and scarred. We may not be as fortunate as these three young men. But God is with us when we call on his name. He will not leave us to fight our battles alone. He fights for us, even when we don’t see it.

I recently listened to a couple of episodes of the Biblical Worldview Show podcast. The guest speaker gave some tips on knowing when to take a stand for our faith. The first step was to make sure we’re not looking for the fight. We shouldn’t be the one to throw the first punch. The second tip is to know who the enemy is. If you don’t know your true enemy, you may win the wrong battle. A third suggestion is to make sure the battle we’re facing is the one we really want to fight. Will your conscience be clear if you step away from this battle? Fourth, make sure you have counted the cost of fighting the battle. We must know what we are willing to risk before we enter the ring.

In the second episode, the speaker gave four tips on how to appeal to authorities. First, ask the authority to make a change about the situation. Ask them to concede on the issue. Two, make sure you have the right words. Know your subject well and know what you want to say. Three, make sure the time to approach the individual is appropriate. Lastly, make sure you have the right response regardless of what happens. Prepare your response before you get into the fight. You may be able to change their mind at a later time if you handle the situation correctly.

You can watch the episodes here and here.

Above all, we must be in prayer about how, when and why we are to ever stand up for our beliefs in a hostile environment. There are times when it’s best to remain silent. Other times, there is no choice but to voice our opposition to the situation. We must also seek wise counsel from godly people in our lives. Perhaps someone else has faced a similar situation and can give guidance.

We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15

Wisdom’s Folly

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Wisdom isn’t always easy. Just ask King Solomon. If you know his story, you know that God appeared to him in a dream and offered to give him whatever he wanted. So Solomon, the newly crowned king of Israel, asked God to give him the ability to know the difference between right and wrong. In other words, he asked for wisdom. God was very pleased with his request, because he could have asked for fame and fortune. But since he didn’t ask for those things, God told him they would be his as well as the wisdom he requested.

You can read the story of this dream in 1 Kings 3:1-15.

Before Solomon had the dream, he had made an unwise decision that went against God’s plan for him. But this poor decision hadn’t yet soiled him. He had married the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. I’m sure he thought this move would earn him favors and wealth, but what it did was introduce him to the worship of foreign gods. And he didn’t stop with one foreign wife. Under the guise of political alignment, he married hundreds of other women who turned him further away from the God of his father, David. Solomon must have thought it wise to marry foreign royalty in order to avoid political conflicts, but he didn’t take into account that those many wives would lure him away from the Almighty God.

The thing was. Solomon used his knowledge and wisdom to build the Temple that his father had only dreamed of. He also impressed many with his solutions to his country’s problems. And nobles from other lands visited him to glean wisdom and answers to their own questions. He was a wealth of knowledge. And as he shared his wealth of knowledge, they shared their wealth of goods with him in exchange. It seemed to be a marriage made in heaven. But what appeared to be good to outsiders was harmful to those living in his land. He worked his people long and hard. He demanded heavy taxes from his people to pay for his projects. In his search for wisdom, Solomon became a fool. He was a taskmaster who made slaves of his people while he charmed other world leaders.

Solomon’s request for wisdom early on in his royal position was made in regards to his people. He truly wanted the best for them. But his initial priorities were sidelined once he saw how he could benefit from offering his God-given gift to others who had the means to pay for his wisdom. God did say he would give fame and fortune to Solomon because of his request for wisdom. But Solomon chose to wrongly prioritize marrying pagan women who led him away from God.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:15

Is it true that wise men say only fools rush in? Would a wise man dare to act foolishly? Just look at Solomon. The wisest man in the world was overcome with the desire to be successful and gain power, so he formed foolish alliances. If the wisest man on earth could act foolish, then what’s stopping the rest of us from doing so?

Not only did Solomon marry outside of the nation of Israel, he amassed great fortune by marrying these pagan wives. Over time, his extreme wealth and wives led to his downfall. Once he had every material possession his heart desired, his heart no longer desired God. And so he strayed from his promise to worship only the One True God. His pagan wives influenced him to worship their false gods who could do nothing for him. Soon the nation of Israel was spiritually corrupt. All because of a wise man’s foolish decisions.

Solomon followed God’s instructions fully when he built the Temple. But when it came to personal decisions, he followed his heart. And the heart is folly. Some say that the heart wants what the heart wants, but that doesn’t mean a godly person should follow selfish leanings. As believers, our hearts should lean only toward pleasing God and not ourselves.

Wise men can stray from wisdom if their heart isn’t totally centered on God. Foolish decisions will be made. The eye will see what it shouldn’t. The ear will hear what it shouldn’t. The mouth will speak what it shouldn’t. The heart will desire what it shouldn’t. And the slide begins.

The Bible tells us that when we ask for wisdom, God will give it to us. It’s actually a wise and humble request. Who doesn’t want to have the ability to make good decisions, good judgment and discernment. That is a gift from God that not everyone has. The enemy of our souls, Satan himself, is a master strategist. He will make deception look attractive and entice us with ungodly opportunities. We need wisdom from God to give us the strength and perseverance to stand true to faithfully obey God.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5

Rebelliousness

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My refrigerator door appears to have a mind of its own. When I want it to stay open, it closes. When I want it to close, it stays open. Not wide open, but open just enough that food could spoil if it went unnoticed. And it seems that the older the refrigerator gets, the more the door wants to stay open when I try to gently close it. What’s with that? I guess I didn’t realize that refrigerator doors can think for themselves.

I close the refrigerator door thinking it’s closed shut, and then I turn around to see it standing open. It seems to taunt me to push it harder. But in the past only a gentle push was necessary. And it’s not that I’ve lost my strength. It seems that the door just needs a harder push. But why? When did it change? And why did it change? I don’t understand.

I like to think that I’ve always treated my refrigerator well. But. There is the fact that I don’t clean it out properly on a regular schedule. But I do sometimes wipe smudges from the door. And I keep the fridge full of food. It doesn’t ever stand empty. At times it’s even overflowing. So, what’s the problem? I’m sure I’ll never know.

Do the hinges on refrigerator doors need to be tightened over time? If so, who does that? How would that even work? The rest of the appliance seems to be in good working order. So why not the door?

The door doesn’t realize that as the owner, I am the one who decides if it stays open or closed. I choose to keep the door open so I can load and unload food or clean it out. Or I choose whether to close it to keep the food from spoiling. It’s my decision. The door has no say in the matter. It must do as I choose. I guess I should be thankful that it can’t open and close on its own. Or there would be trouble.

It may seem strange that I’m writing about unruly refrigerator doors. But imagine if I was writing about a rebellious teenager. Or a screaming toddler. Or an obstinate employee. Or a wayward spouse. Or a sinner who constantly turns their back on God. Or myself. How would the scene be different?

For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. Romans 8:7

It isn’t surprising that the world is full of rebellious people. We are a rebellious lot. We have a stubborn streak. A selfish streak. A know-it-all streak. A mean streak. You can call it what you want, but we’re full of trouble. We have sinful desires and impulses that cause us to make bad decisions. On our own, we live in hostility to God. We don’t honor him. We disregard his commands.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9

If we have not allowed God to be the God of our lives, then we are hostile to him. Our sinful nature is at war with God Almighty. You may ask what the sinful nature it. It’s that inherent part of a person that sins and disobeys God’s will. We all have it. We’re born with it. We can’t cut it out of ourselves. And it will dominate us if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to control us in every way. We will be under its control.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. Romans 8:5-8

The problem is that we can’t remove our sinful nature. But when we surrender our lives to God, we can refuse to let it dictate our lives. We can follow God’s lead as we live out each day. The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is greater than the evil spirit can ever be. As children of God, we can live free of the pressures of our sinful nature. When we bow in submission to our Savior, Jesus Christ, we allow him to be the driving force in our lives. If you haven’t already, surrender your life to Christ and repent of your sins. Don’t let sin control you.

The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4

The Representative

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Some people say that being good is good enough. Yet the Bible tells us that we’re only evil all the time.  Evil doesn’t come from God. It comes from the evil one, Satan himself. So regardless of how good and kind and nice we may be, if we aren’t living in step with God we’re walking in step with Satan. It’s that simple. The truth is hard to swallow. We don’t want to believe that we’re inherently bad.

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. Genesis 6:5

Satan masquerades as an angel of light, so his advances in the life of one who isn’t living for God may be enjoyable. It may be full of good things. Satan makes life without God appear attractive, because he wants your soul. Satan has no love for anyone, so he will fool even the kindest, most gracious person into believing they can live a fulfilling life without God.

Even Christians have a longing for more. We know deep down that our deepest longings won’t be satisfied this side of heaven. So we long for eternity with Christ. That will be the ultimate fulfillment of every longing we’ve ever had. But unrepentant nonbelievers who are attempting to fulfill their longings on this earth in any way possible without God are sadly marching straight into an eternity in hell. 

When God created us, he said his creation was good. When we are living against God’s will, we are God’s goodness distorted. Original sin is born and bred in each of us. There’s no way out of it. God didn’t intend for those made in his image to fall into sin, but Adam and Eve’s sin can’t be reversed. And it has impacted the lives of everyone born since then. The intent to sin is a part of our human nature.

While watching a tv show recently, I heard one of the characters say “We can do a whole lot of good by breaking one little rule.” It got me thinking. We can justify wrong behavior anytime we want. But does that make it right? In this made-for-tv situation, the act of breaking a rule would save someone’s life. So in the medical drama, the doctors broke the rule and saved the life of one who would have died. But does that make it right? Are we ever justified in breaking the rule or law in order to do good? Some would say yes. Others might say no. That’s an in-depth discussion for another day.

The thing is. Without God, our natural bent is toward evil. That doesn’t mean we’re all capable of murder or some other horrible crime in our current state of mind, but if we give in one temptation at a time, who knows the level we are capable of stooping to and calling it justified. We are selfish, self-centered people when we choose to live without God.

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-2

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:28-32

The apostle Paul tells us that as believers we are representing Christ. So if we aren’t believers, we’re representatives of Satan. There is good news! We can change sides and start representing Christ. It’s a simple matter, but it’s an act of self sacrifice and obedience to Christ. The dividends are out of this world, though.

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17

Those who haven’t chosen to represent Christ can do so today. Confess your sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. He will wipe your slate clean and will never remember your sins. You are a new child of God, and you represent Jesus Christ your Savior. Do it today while there is still time. Eternity is just around the corner.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:10-14

Sons of Abraham

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God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. The only problem was that Abraham and his wife Sarah had no children. And a nation can’t be built without children. The other thing. This couple was past their prime. As in, the woman’s childbearing years were behind her. But God told them that they would have a son. He just didn’t give them a timeline for when to expect this baby. And the years continued to roll on with no child.

So. One day Sarah thought of a brilliant idea and shared it with Abraham. She suggested that he sleep with her maid, Hagar, to see if they could have a son. So Abraham foolishly obliged his wife. And a son was born. Hagar named her son Ishmael. And, of course, as time would have it, Sarah and Hagar had words. After their falling out, Sarah begged Abraham to send this servant and her son away. Abraham loved his son, but he sent them out into the desert to fend for themselves.

Twelve years after the birth of Ishmael, God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah came to pass. Abraham was one hundred years old and Sarah was ninety when their only son, Isaac, was born. God’s promise was fulfilled. Now the promised nation had begun.

After Ishmael was born, God had promised both Abraham and Hagar that Ishmael would be the father of a great nation. Just to be clear, this was a different nation than the initial one God had promised to Abraham. Abraham’s descendants formed two different nations. Two warring nations. The two brothers, Ishmael and Isaac, appeared to be civil to each other in their day, but history has shown that their descendants are still at odds with each other to this day. Ishmael is viewed as the father of Islam, and Isaac is the father of Judaism. Interesting, huh?

What went wrong with the brothers? The first was conceived outside of God’s plan, and the second was God’s promise fulfilled. Abraham and Sarah stepped outside of God’s timeline, and the result was a nation that would not exist today if they hadn’t taken matters into their own hands.

You can read this story of Abraham in Genesis 15-21.

Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. Genesis 15:6

When we consider the cultural, political and theological differences between the Muslims and Jews, we can get a clearer picture as to why there is so much upheaval in the world. Throughout history, not only the Muslims have been against the Jews, but other nations have joined the fight against God’s chosen people.

I wonder. If Sarah hadn’t made such a ridiculous suggestion to Abraham and if he hadn’t acted on it, would there have risen another nation to take the place of Islam? Am I just fooling myself thinking that perhaps a lot of the discord and turmoil we hear about today in the Middle East could have been avoided if that son had never been born? Is that too simple of a solution?

It doesn’t mean that the Jews would have been deeply loved and valued by others throughout the years if Ishmael had never been born. Others have come along to try to erase them from the face of the earth. The Egyptians tried to destroy the Jews, but God ensured they grew to be a strong nation. Hitler wasn’t a Muslim, and he sure did his part in trying to move the Jewish nation into extinction. Still today, there are many forces working to depopulate the Jewish race. But here’s the secret. God won’t allow that to happen. Once God makes a promise, he keeps it. And it doesn’t matter how long it takes to fulfill the promise, he doesn’t go back on his word.

God loves the Jewish nation and wants the best for them, even though they have strayed from him. They have not remained faithful in following his commands. Sure. There is a remnant of faithful Jews, but they still don’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. But the day will come when the remnant believes and they will be saved.

God promised that he would destroy nations that come against Jerusalem. He says that the nations who come against Jerusalem will only hurt themselves. We must seriously consider the ramifications for our country if our leaders do not stand with Israel. We must stand with Israel at all costs.

On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves. Zechariah 12:3

For on that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:9

If you don’t know why there is so much hatred toward the Jewish nation, you might consider reading the entire Bible from cover to cover. I would suggest buying a chronological Bible to take you through the events as they occurred in order. Understanding the history of mankind is an important part of understanding today’s cultural moment.

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. Romans 9:6-8

Christian Obligation

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King Saul. Oh. He was the first king of Israel, and he was a complicated man. He never asked to be king, but he was chosen by God to serve his nation. He didn’t know how to be a king. And he blew it big time. He blew it so bad that God instructed the prophet Samuel to tell him that the kingdom would be taken from his family. None of his sons or anyone in his family line would ever be king of Israel. A different family line would be placed on the throne after Saul. What a blow to an arrogant man’s ego.

Saul didn’t start out in a royal kind of life. He was from the smallest family of the smallest tribe of Israel. He seemed to start out on the right foot in his kingly life, but things went downhill. He had great military success. Wherever he turned, he was victorious in battle because God was on his side. After all, God chose him out of all the other Jewish men to lead the nation. But Saul got ahead of himself. He didn’t remain faithful to God and refused to obey his commands. God rejected Saul and was sorry he had made him king.

In one particular battle, God commanded Saul through the prophet Samuel to kill every living being. This meant every man, woman, child and animal should be wiped out. This may sound like a harsh command, but God knew that anyone from the opposing side who was allowed to live was a threat to his people. But Saul decided to keep some of the best animals for himself, and he captured the opposing king and let him live. Oh. Saul defeated the other king’s army and slaughtered everyone and everything else, but he didn’t fully obey God.

Samuel stopped by to check in with Saul. Saul greeted him with open arms and proclaimed that he had carried out the Lord’s command. But Samuel asked why he could hear animals. Oh. Saul said. We saved some of the best animals to sacrifice to the Lord. And then Samuel laid him out right there. He told Saul that because of his disobedience, God had removed his blessing from Saul. But Saul insisted that he had obeyed God. Samuel said no. Obedience is better than burnt offerings and sacrifice. He told Saul that rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols.

You can read this story in 1 Samuel 15.

Saul’s disobedience cost him and his family the royal throne. While Saul thought that partial obedience was obedience, it really wasn’t. It cost him his soul. His obligation was to fully obey God to the fullest extent. And he didn’t. He had a rebellious streak that he pitted against God. Rebelling against God is never a winning strategy.

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? Psalms 116:12

If we call ourselves a Christian, we have certain obligations. Oh. We may not like to hear that, but hear me out. To call oneself a Christian means that we have confessed our sins to God and repented of them. We turn our back on sinning and begin to walk in the teachings of Christ. We are Christ followers. And what Jesus Christ did for us before we confessed our sins was to die on the cross. He did that willingly and in accordance with God’s plan. Because once Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit in the garden, God offered a plan of redemption so we wouldn’t be doomed to hell for eternity. He offered us a way out of living in sin. And when we are forgiven, we are freed from our past. We can live forgiven, and we are no longer under a death sentence.

But is a free gift really free? The gift of salvation came with a huge price. Jesus died for everyone else’s salvation, so no one else would have to die. Christian faith costs something when we pick up our cross and follow Christ. The cross represented suffering, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Anyone flippant about Christianity isn’t serious about their faith.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24

Some may think Jesus is cool without ever taking their beliefs into consideration. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we have to be cool. Because very often, the Christian will be on the low end of the coolness meter, according to those on the other side of the fence. Christians don’t need to be cool. They need to be humble. Humility is a symbol of bowing to one’s own desires and submitting to the will of our heavenly Father. Obedience to the Father’s will is liberating.

We want to learn from Saul’s lesson of disobedience. Partial obedience is not obedience. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t just obey God fully when it pleases us and then turn around and partially obey. Dying to ourselves requires full surrender to God’s will and commands.

Religion is not a warm electric blanket, it’s the cross, and the cross holds the suffering of the world. This is a very profound symbol of human suffering and failure of community, that they can be presented with the child of God and crucify him. We live in a fallen world. To make it all nice and to make it all warm and fuzzy, you’re not really talking about faith.

Ethan Hawke