by Max Lucado
One of my friends recently took a heart-stopping mission trip to Vietnam. He and two companions set out to smuggle Bibles and money to Christians there. Upon landing, however, he was separated from the other two. He spoke no Vietnamese and had never traveled in Hanoi. Imagine his thoughts, then, as he stood in front of the airport, holding a bag of Bibles, wearing a belt of cash, and knowing nothing more than the name of his hotel.
Taxi driver after taxi driver offered his services, but he waited and prayed. Finally, knowing he needed to do something, he climbed into a taxi and spoke the name of the hotel. After an hour and a thousand turns, he found himself deposited at the designated place. He paid his drivers, and they went on their way.
That�s right, �they� drove off. The front seat of his taxi had been occupied by two men. Only later did the uniqueness of this fact strike him. He saw hundreds of taxis during his days in Vietnam, but not another one of them had two drivers.
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)
The Hebrew word shabbat is found 108 times in the Old Testament. The basic meaning is “intermission” or “break.” The term never means “Saturday” or “seven.”
The pattern of resting every seventh day–night cycle was established by God at creation (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:11). God “made” (performed activity) for six days and rested and ended His work on the seventh day.
Therefore, God blessed and “hallowed” the resting day to commemorate His initial work and rest cycle. There is no other basis for this pattern. There is no relationship for the seven-day week in any astronomical clock reference: solar, stellar, or lunar. In fact, the Lord Jesus clearly told us that He made the sabbath for humanity (Mark 2:27). Apart from God’s specific design, we would have no reason to observe the seven-day week, which is common to all cultures.
All humanity observes the seven-day cycle from a practical and physiological need. Christians, however, should acknowledge that the sabbath was dedicated by God at creation to be a day of “sanctification.”
God’s people should follow the pattern He set (Genesis 2:1-3) and recognize the wonder and majesty of the creation (Exodus 20:11). We should cease from our own profitable employment (Exodus 20:9-10) and, more importantly, concentrate on the worship of our Creator (Psalm 92).
This commandment is the only command listed with a specific reason, and the precise wording should forever settle the argument about a “day age” interpretation of creation. In Exodus 20:11, the wording can only mean a “regular” day. There is no linguistic excuse for long ages anywhere. HMM III
�Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.� (Exodus 20:12)
This is the �first commandment with promise� (Ephesians 6:2) and starts the second set of instructions in Exodus 20 for godly living. While the first four commandments focus on our relationship with God Himself, the last six are designed to protect and enhance our relationship with each other.
Among all human relationships, the family becomes the primary sphere (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:21-25; Ephesians 6:1-2) for learning. Human government and nationality have their place in our relationships between and among each other, but the home is the basic training station (Genesis 18:19; Ephesians 6:4) to establish functional authority.
The home is the place to exercise the discipline that will instill respect for authority (Hebrews 12:5-11). Such discipline may involve corporal punishment (Proverbs 22:15; 23:13-14) or verbal rebuke (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12) or even involve the withholding of reward or privilege (Genesis 49:1-26). Government struggles and society reels when homes are negligent in establishing obedience to rules.
The promise of a long life is based upon children obeying their parents (Proverbs 6:20) and helping their parents as they require care or assistance in their later years (1 Timothy 5:8, 16).
The Lord Jesus submitted Himself to this authority (Luke 2:51). Since He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), it would follow that He upheld this commandment and honored His earthly parents just as He honored His heavenly Father.
The honor given to parents is even extended to all elderly people (Leviticus 19:32). Would God these instructions were followed by all families. HMM III
�Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.� (Exodus 20:7)
As always, the word choices of the Holy Spirit are very important. The Hebrew word nasa, translated �take,� is widely used to describe willful misuse or manipulation of an item or idea. The Hebrew word for �name,� shem, literally means �a position� and carries the idea of a mark or memorial, implying a description of character.
God proclaimed His name: �The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty� (Exodus 34:6-7). Moses described God as �He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he� (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Misusing the name of God is clarified by the final phrase �in vain,� translated from the Hebrew shav, which describes �a desolation, an evil, a useless or worthless thing.� �And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD� (Leviticus 19:12).
Thus, making a false (untrue, unrealistic, unmeant) statement using God�s name is wrong (Jeremiah 5:1-3; Matthew 5:33-37). Also, wounding the name of God through words or actions is equally wrong (Leviticus 20:1-5). A bad testimony (Ezekiel 36:20-23), improper service (Ezekiel 20:39-40), or giving the second-best to God (Malachi 1:10-14) disobeys this commandment.
Clearly, this is no mere restraint against �cussing.� It demands open worship of the nature and attributes of the Creator through our words and our lifestyle. HMM III
Things That Cannot Be Shaken
As a rule, people like security. We seek what is comfortable. Yet the reality of our world is that much instability exists. For example, finances, health, and even a country�s ability to survive are not guaranteed.
When our foundation is shaken, we often feel overwhelmed. Sometimes Satan causes the difficulty�with God�s permission, of course. At other times, challenging circumstances are brought about by the Lord�s hand. Regardless of the source, we have the promise in Romans 8:28 that �God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.� And in either case, the Almighty�s purpose remains: to glorify Himself in our world and in our lives.
There are different reasons the Lord permits turmoil, but for now, let�s focus on one: He won�t allow anything that enables man to seem self-sufficient in his own eyes. Therefore, God may lovingly allow enough trouble for us to realize our need of Him. Consider the trials the Israelites faced each time they turned away from Jehovah to worship other gods. In many ways, we do the same thing today. Individually, in our churches, and as a nation, we often glorify �gods� like money or status. But the One who created us will not tolerate this.
In our pride, we tend to think we�re able to manage without God. But out of love, He may stir up our lives to reveal our dependence upon Him. If you are basing your security on anything except Jesus Christ�even something as seemingly innocent as comfort�it will prove to be sinking sand.
No Other Image
�Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing.� (Exodus 20:4)
There are several reasons why idolatry is forbidden. The most obvious is that the triune Creator is too great to attempt to visualize (Exodus 34:5-7). There is no thing or experience in human existence that can represent the immortal and invisible Creator (1 Timothy 6:16).
Thus, God sees any effort to �picture� Him (idolatry) as rebellion (Jeremiah 5:19-25). It does not matter how we may attempt to �see� God. �Any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth� (Exodus 20:4) are all totally incapable of expressing God�s person.
Romans 1:18-32 reveals the heart of an idolater. Those who hold the truth in unrighteousness (v. 18) will not glorify God as God (v. 21), even though they know Him by the creation itself (v. 20). Instead, they change God�s inestimable glory into an earthly creature (v. 23) and consciously change God�s truth into a lie (v. 25).
Thus, by open choice and willing rebellion, idolators worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator (v. 25), thereby abandoning God for a despicable and unnatural lust, for an ungodliness that, in turn, causes them to despise the very thought of God in their knowledge (v. 28). Ultimately, the only pleasure they can find is among other idolaters (v. 32).
Paul taught the �philosophers� in Acts 17:22-29 that the heart of idolatry is rejection of God as Creator. Idolatry, in any form or practice, strikes at the heart of salvation, because �he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him� (Hebrews 11:6). HMM III
No Other Gods
�Thou shalt have no other gods before me.� (Exodus 20:3)
This first commandment, written by the finger of God Himself on Mount Sinai�twice (Exodus 31:18; 34:1)�contains a very intriguing choice of words.
�Thou shalt have no� is rendered from the Hebrew word lo, which is an emphatic negative: �never,� �neither,� �not,� etc. The word �other� translates the Hebrew word acher, which is derived from another word meaning �behind� or �less.� This word is also translated �following,� �next,� �[an]other,� or �strange��in the sense of being less than the previous object. Elohim is the Hebrew word for �gods,� the term for �powerful ones.�
The Holy Spirit�s most unusual choice of words is the phrase �al paniym at the end of the sentence, translated �before me.� That phrase literally means �against the faces� or in the sense of �on top of.� So, a direct translation of the command would be �Never place a less powerful being on top of my faces.� It can also be rendered �Don�t ever let any other god get between your face and my face.�
Moses gave several instructions on how we are to observe the command. We are not to worship (prostrate, bow down to) any other god (Exodus 34:14), or mention (call to memory) the name of other gods (Exodus 23:13), or walk behind other gods (Deuteronomy 6:14). We are not to forget (mislay, be oblivious of) YAHWEH and in so doing serve other gods (Deuteronomy 8:18-19). We must not allow our hearts to be deceived (become broad, liberal, �open�-minded) and worship other gods (Deuteronomy 11:16). And we are not to go aside (turn off, withdraw) from the words of God and by doing so serve other gods (Deuteronomy 28:14).
No wonder our Lord Jesus called this the �first and great commandment� and insisted that we must �love the Lord thy God with all thy heart� (Matthew 22:37-38). HMM III
Our God is a Good God
by Max Lucado
�You are good, LORD. The LORD is good and right� (Ps. 25:7�8).
�Taste and see that the LORD is good� (Ps. 34:8 NIV).
God is a good God. We must begin here. Though we don�t understand his actions, we can trust his heart.
God does only what is good. But how can death be good? Some mourners don�t ask this question. When the quantity of years has outstripped the quality of years, we don�t ask how death can be good.
But the father of the dead teenager does. The thirty-year-old widow does. How could death be good?
In God�s plan every life is long enough and every death is timely. And though you and I might wish for a longer life, God knows better.
And�this is important�though you and I may wish a longer life for our loved ones, they don�t. Ironically, the first to accept God�s decision of death is the one who dies.
While we are shaking heads in disbelief, they are lifting hands in worship. While we are mourning at a grave, they are marveling at heaven. While we are questioning God, they are praising God.
But, Max, what of those who die with no faith? My husband never prayed. My grandpa never worshiped. My mother never opened a Bible, much less her heart. What about the one who never believed?
How do we know he didn�t?
Who among us is privy to a person�s final thoughts? Who among us knows what transpires in those final moments? Are you sure no prayer was offered? Eternity can bend the proudest knees. Could a person stare into the yawning canyon of death without whispering a plea for mercy? And could our God, who is partial to the humble, resist it?
He couldn�t on Calvary. The confession of the thief on the cross was both a first and final one. But Christ heard it. Christ received it. Maybe you never heard your loved one confess Christ, but who�s to say Christ didn�t?
We don�t know the final thoughts of a dying soul, but we know this. We know our God is a good God. He is �not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance� (2 Pet. 3:9 NKJV). He wants your loved one in heaven more than you do. And he usually gets what he wants.
From Traveling Light
The Blessings of Inadequacy
Paul never claimed he was capable of accomplishing all that God called him to do. He simply learned to look beyond his own inadequacy to the sufficiency of Christ. If we'll adopt the same practice, we, too, can discover the blessings hidden in our own experiences of inadequacy.
Our insufficiency drives us to God. When we realize a situation is bigger than we can handle, we're quick to open the Bible and diligently pray for guidance and power.
Inadequacy relieves us of the burden of self-effort and self-reliance. The Lord has us right where He wants us--at the end of our rope with nothing left to give.
Facing Your Grief
by Max Lucado
�David sang this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan, and gave orders that everyone in Judah learn it by heart.� (II Samuel 1:17-18 MSG)
David called the nation to mourning. He rendered weeping a public policy. He refused to gloss over or soft-pedal death. He faced it, fought it, challenged it. But he didn�t deny it. As his son Solomon explained, �There is�a time to mourn� (Eccles. 3:1, 4 NIV).
Give yourself some. Face your grief with tears, time, and�one more�face your grief with truth. Paul urged the Thessalonians to grieve, but he didn�t want the Christians to �carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word.� (I Thess. 4:13 MSG).
God has the last word on death. And, if you listen, he will tell you the truth about your loved ones. They�ve been dismissed from the hospital called Earth. You and I still roam the halls, smell the medicines, and eat green beans and Jell-O off plastic trays. They, meanwhile, enjoy picnics, inhale springtime, and run through knee-high flowers. You miss them like crazy, but can you deny the truth? They have no pain, doubt, or struggle. They really are happier in heaven.
And won�t you see them soon? Life blisters by at mach speed. �You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man�s life is but a breath� (Ps. 39:5 NIV).
When you drop your kids off at school, do you weep as though you�ll never see them again? When you drop your spouse at the store and park the car, do you bid a final forever farewell? No. When you say, �I�ll see you soon,� you mean it. When you stand in the cemetery and stare down at the soft, freshly turned earth and promise, �I�ll see you soon,� you speak the truth. Reunion is a splinter of an eternal moment away.
So go ahead, face your grief. Give yourself time. Permit yourself tears. God understands. He knows the sorrow of a grave. He buried his son. But he also knows the joy of resurrection. And, by his power, you will too.
From Facing Your Giants
Take Another Step - by Greg Laurie -
When "Believers" Turn Away - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Stunned By His Grace by Max Lucado I was mulling over a recent conversation I had with a disenchanted Christian brother. He was upset with me. So upset that he was considering rescinding his invitation for me to speak to his group. Seems he�d heard I was pretty open about who I have fellowship with. He�d read the words I wrote: �If God calls a person his child, shouldn�t I call him my brother?� And, �If God accepts others with their errors and misinterpretations, shouldn�t we?" He didn�t like that. �Carrying it a bit too far,� he told me. �Fences are necessary,� he explained. �Scriptures are clear on such matters.� He read me a few and then urged me to be careful to whom I give grace. �I don�t give it,� I assured. �I only spotlight where God already has.� Later I had a great thought. A why-didn�t-I-think-to-say-that? insight. |
The Secret of Contentment
In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.
It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.
This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!
The Requirements of Servanthood
When Jesus left His home in heaven, He didn't come to earth to be a superstar. He came to serve. As His disciples, we've been left here on earth to follow His example and serve a lost and hurting world. The story of Zacchaeus shows us some Christlike qualities that we need to develop in order to serve as the Lord did.
Awareness: Although surrounded by a crowd, Jesus stopped and took notice of one particular man perched in a tree. Zacchaeus was hated and rejected because he was a tax collector. Although he was rich, there was something missing in his life, and Christ recognized his need. There are people all around us "hanging in trees"--needy, empty, and searching for hope. But too often, we're preoccupied with our activities and don't even notice them.
�Thou shalt not kill.� (Exodus 20:13)
The basis for murder is hatred (Deuteronomy 19:11; Exodus 21:14). The use of a weapon identifies murder. It may be a lethal weapon, like an �instrument of iron� (Numbers 35:16); a weapon of opportunity, like a stone or club (Numbers 35:17- 18); or merely the use of hands (Numbers 35:21).
In contrast, accidental killing is distinguished from murder (Exodus 21:13). Sometimes identified as �unaware� killing (Deuteronomy 4:42) and described as �error� killing (Numbers 35:11), it occurs without enmity (Numbers 35:22; Deuteronomy 19:14; Joshua 20:5) and by accident (Numbers 35:23), even though it may result from carelessness (Deuteronomy 19:5).
Execution is demanded for premeditated and presumptuous murders. The original authority was given to corporate man by God after the Flood (Genesis 9:5-6). The process of trial and conviction was established in Numbers 35:30-31. All such laws are designed to suppress evil (1 Timothy 1:8-10).
Imprisonment from normal society is demanded for accidental killings. Cities of refuge were built for such manslayers (Joshua 20:1-9) and were to be easily accessible to the nation (Deuteronomy 19:7-8). They were places of protection (Numbers 35:15) and restriction (Numbers 35:26-28), to be voluntarily entered (Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:11). Imprisonment was for an indefinite length, and a person remained in the refuge until the �death of the high priest� (Joshua 20:6).
Modern laws dimly reflect these ideals but are made less effective by delay. �Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil� (Ecclesiastes 8:11). HMM III
A Step Away Is a Step Down - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
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