Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

A youth group had finished a full day of yard work at a widow's house. The youth leader reported to the pastor their accomplishments and that the lady thanked the group from the Baptists for coming out. “Did you point out that you weren't Baptists and that you were from the Brethren church?” the pastor asked. The youth leader thought about it and said, “No, I didn't think it mattered.”

And it doesn't.

Could we accomplish more (in any aspect of our lives) if it didn't matter who got the credit? Perhaps, then, we should pray to this end.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

Have you ever been on a team that didn't act like a team? Back in the day I was known around my neighborhood by one of the parents as Mr. Ball Hog (granted, he didn't get points for originality but 35 years later I remember it). If I got the ball in football or baseball I wasn't about to pass it or share it with anyone (running across the field to tag someone out. I wanted the score. I wanted to do it myself. I wanted the glory of “doing it my way.” Every time. Obviously I didn't endear my friends because they wanted to play too. They were on my team but I didn't appreciate it.

I find the same kind of reality in the Christian world too, though, usually more subtle than my ball hogging antics! We have a team, a winning team. On our team are a lot of very different personalities and giftings. Friction is bound to occur between teammates because, well, none of us have quite “arrived” yet. And yet, our Manager has told us we need to play well together. If we don't our game will suffer. We'll still win in the end, but boy will it be an “ugly win.”

Instead of complaining against your fellow Believer, pray for him or her. You may even discover that the real “issue” wasn't with him/her after all.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

We see “goodness” all around us, usually without trying too hard. Obviously, though, there's a lot of evil, sick, twisted, and just plain bad stuff in the world too. Perhaps it’s time to change the lens we've been looking through. Some say the glass is half empty; some say half full; some say the glass was too big to begin with. And I realize that as I write this many people around the world (many of them Christians) are undergoing intense persecution that no man, woman or child should ever have to go through, so I don't want to be a Pollyanna and see only positive things.

Because there's a lot of bad stuff, we have to train ourselves to view the good. Watching an elderly couple walk down the street hand in hand is a good thing. Observing a child obey his parents is a good thing (some might even say a great thing!). Watching the sun set or rise is a good thing; watching someone paint that sunrise is also good. Spending time praying for a woman in the hospital is a good thing; spending time with that person in the hospital is also good. There are literally thousands of good things out there.

The Bible tells us we need to cling to those good things. Hang on to them and jot them down because, yes, you will see and hear about evil in the world. But we also can witness and actually do some of those good things. It doesn't have to be grandiose or the absolute best thing you’ve ever seen or done. The world needs more plain, ordinary, run-of-the-mill goodness, the goodness that comes from a changed life in Christ. You don't have to do it; you get to do it.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

The first sentence in this passage lays the framework for the entire passage. Love must be sincere. The rest of the passage, while not a complete description of sincere love, is certainly a good place to start.

Many people bristle at the word 'hate.' After all, the hallmark of a Christian should be love, right? But it's not hating just to hate; it's hating evil. And hating evil should be a hallmark of Christian belief. Then the question becomes, what is evil? Dennis Prager is a man who has devoted his life to bringing clarity to the subject of good and evil. He has defined evil as such: “the deliberate infliction of cruelty — mass murder, rape, torture, genocide, and totalitarianism” to name a few. Essentially, we know evil when we see it.

Ask God to help you hate evil. I know it's not exactly the most flowery or "churchy" prayer in the world, but evil exists and the more we hate it, the more we'll begin to take action to expose and eliminate it. Then ask God what your role should be in exposing it and eliminating it. His answer might surprise you.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.

And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-18

Every so often in the Bible we get a glimpse at what is happening in the unseen world. This is one such passage. In it we get insight into the spiritual realm. We don’t know how or when or who, but we do know the unseen world exists.

We are in a spiritual war. The enemy of our souls wants to destroy us. He and his minions want to pervert and taint everything that is good and right. He wants to discourage and humiliate and condemn. His goal is to tear us down. And he has nearly unlimited resources to do it.

But, fortunately, the God who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. We often think that Satan is equal to God in strength and power. Not even close. That’s the deception that Satan wants us to believe! The next time you are under attack by the Enemy, call out loudly to God. Call out until you are rescued.

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, "Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to live."
   And he said, "Go."
Then one of them said, "Won't you please come with your servants?"
  "I will," Elisha replied. And he went with them.
They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees.
As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water.
"Oh, my lord," he cried out, "it was borrowed!"

The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. "Lift it out," he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7

In 2 Kings 2:9 Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah's spirit before Elijah was caught up in the whirlwind. Elijah performed 14 miracles; Elisha performed 28 – exactly double the number. The miracle of the floating axhead is one of those 28 miracles.

I find the miracle amusing. Presumably, because the company of prophets were cutting down trees, the iron axhead flew into the Jordan. It presented a big problem because the servant had said that he had borrowed it. That’s something we would do and say! Elisha caused the axhead to float again, and the servants went back to cutting down poles for their larger quarters.

As far as miracles go, it's not really all that exciting. Somehow it doesn't rank up there with the feeding of the 5000 or raising Lazarus from the dead or even the very next miracle listed: opening the eyes of his servant to see the horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. And yet, God was working through Elisha to prove his power over the mundane and practical things of life, namely, an iron axhead
floating in the Jordan River.

Often God will let you in on those smaller miracles (your daughter comes home safely in
the midst of an ice storm or God gives you insight into a troubling matter at
work or God sends a new friend your way just when you need one). The papers
or TV will never carry those types of “miracles,” but like Mary in the New Testament,
you treasure all these things and ponder them in your heart (Luke 2:19). For when
you need them again, God will remind you about them – evidence of yet another
small miracle.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him."

But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. 2 Kings 5:19-27

“Greed is good.” Nowadays you hear the phrase a lot. But more often than not, greed will get you into a lot of trouble and excessive greed will put you into jail.

In the story above, the Prophet Elisha had just told Naaman to dip himself into the Jordan seven times to be healed. He did and was healed. Naaman offered to pay for that service. Elisha refused. Now we see Gehazi looking to make a little cash on the side. Obviously it doesn't do us any good to question the wisdom of trying to put something over on a man who is very very close to God and prophesies with accuracy on God's behalf. Gehazi's greed gets the best of him, because not only was he greedy, but he tried to cover up his sin. The coverup in most instances is much worse than the sin.

Gehazi’s greed was obvious. Wikipedia defines greed as the “self-serving desire for the pursuit of money, wealth, power, food, or other possessions, especially when this denies the same goods to others.” It’s painful to see that definition because we can relate more than we care to admit.

Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. Romans 13:3-5

Yesterday’s devotions touched upon verse 1 and it generated some interesting discussion. I think we need to be very careful, though, in how we rebel against authority. Romans 13:1 states that existing authorities were established by God. That means George Bush, Barack Obama, Saddam Hussein, and Muammar Ghadaffi were all established by God, like it or not. How they use (or abuse) authority is very different. If they make a law requiring you to do something that goes against God’s laws, then you are not obligated to do it.

A very real example is about ready to surface on the national scene. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) will nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion (nullifying laws restricting government funding of abortion, nullifying laws prohibiting abortions in public hospitals, and nullifying laws requiring that girls and women seeking abortion receive certain information on matters such as fetal development and alternatives to abortion). President Obama has stated clearly that he will sign the bill into law.

Obviously, God-fearing men and women (and others) should really be bothered by such a law. It will require sacrifice as many may lose their jobs for refusing to perform these abortions in a hospital setting. Many will be ostracized for “not getting with the program.” Entire hospitals could shut down as a result. While there are clear instances when we should disobey those in authority, we must also realize that those actions may have dire consequences (fines, imprisonment, and even death).

Again, I call on my Brothers and Sisters in Christ to pray for those in authority by name.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is not authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1

This is a verse that has endured a variety of interpretations over the years, especially the first half of the verse. Some have taken the extreme view that no matter what they do we should obey those who are over us (even if it violates our moral conscience). On its face, it would seem extreme but it's probably the normal interpretation of it. It's the view that until recently I held.

Nowhere in Scripture does it say it is morally right to violate what we know to be true. As a mild example, if a policeman tells you that it is okay just this one time to speed through the city, it doesn't make it right (try telling it to the judge). He was in authority and he said it was okay, but everything you knew about the speed limit laws told you that it was wrong.

I believe that there will be a time in the not too distant future (and I dearly hope I’m wrong) when those in authority will ask us to violate what we know to be right and true. We need to think about how we'll react in advance. Does the act violate Scripture? Does it violate our conscience? It may affect our jobs and our livelihood.

On the other hand, God is in complete control. Nothing, nothing, nothing that man does takes God by surprise. The Scripture continues by saying that the authorities are in place to do you good. Does it always work like that? No, but it's still a good model of how authority is supposed to work.

Pray for those in authority by name.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Proverbs 31:8-9

This is not what most people think of when they see Proverbs 31. The bulk of this chapter deals with The Wife of Noble Character and it is why it is famous. When I read verse eight, it screams out at me regarding the Pro-Life issue and the Culture of Death we are forced to deal with in the United States. As the new President settles into office, many view him as the most Pro-Abortion President we've ever had, and for that alone he is to be feared. Nobody knows what he will do, though we have his voting history to draw upon.

As you read this, it is January 22nd, the day made infamous in 1973 by the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. President Obama has made it clear in his previous votes in the Illinois Senate and in the United States Senate that the unborn do not have the right to be defended (he voted against banning partial-birth abortion in 2007). In 2005-2008 he had a 100% rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League, and a 0% rating from the National Right to Life committee in 2006. He is certainly not a friend to "those who cannot speak for themselves."

Lord Jesus, I pray today for the unborn, for those who cannot defend themselves. I don't know how we've come to this place where we think that one who is forming inside a woman's womb is a lump of tissue, but help us Lord to expose that dishonesty.

I pray against the radicals who think nothing of destroying these innocents and calling it a “choice.” Open their eyes, Lord, let them see the atrocities they are committing in the name of “choice.”

Open the eyes of the abortion doctors and help them to drop to their knees over what they've been doing to those who cannot defend themselves. You alone can help them to see the error of their ways. Open their eyes, Lord Jesus. Open their eyes.

Lord, this is an issue that defies logic and common sense, and goes deep down to our spiritual core, but millions are deceived and need their eyes opened. Only you can open their eyes, only you.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down. Proverbs 29:4

It’s not an accident that we see leaders in the news who want to make a little extra cash on the side, Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois comes to mind. Unfortunately, he’s not alone; he’s the one who got caught and it happened to be associated with the current President of the United States’ former Senate seat. You can see how it happens: millions of dollars in Federal, State, and local budgets. Why shouldn’t someone who makes a mere $150K per year want to take a little more on the side? No one gets hurt and the per capita “contribution” is mere dollars. But the Bible says it’s wrong and it tears down a country.

“Extreme,” you say? Consider this. What is it about America that keeps people coming every year? Before you answer, let me ask another question. If you’re on trial for a crime you did not commit in a South American country, for example, what is the likelihood that you will go free after your trial? You don’t know who has formally accused you. You don’t know what kind of money has changed hands to see that you’re incarcerated, and you don’t know if the judge is honest or corrupt. Of course I’m making a large generalization about an entire continent but due process is one of the hallmarks of people coming to the United States: you’re innocent until proven guilty.

But, as Scriptures tell us, that can change quickly. As people become more and more greedy, their quest for justice fades quickly. The verdict of a fair trial is up to the highest bidder. We see it in the U.S. and cringe at the consequences. Fortunately, it’s the exception and not the norm.

So, pray for those in authority by name. Pray for them regularly that they would be fair and impartial, and that they would not become greedy.

Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice. Proverbs 29:26

As I write this, hundreds of thousands are descending on Washington D.C. for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. It is not hard to imagine that many are straining for that one glimpse of the president. Others will get a chance to meet and greet the new president. Some will have their own agendas; others will just want to say that they met the President of the United States in person. Very few, however, will get more than a few minutes with the President.

After the inauguration and into the presidency, many will go to Washington so that they can have a few minutes with the most powerful leader of the free world.

What's interesting about this one obscure verse in the Book of Proverbs is that no one really needs to leave their homes to have an audience with One more powerful than the President (or any other ruler for that matter). We only need the confidence and trust that God is more powerful and more in control than a President, Prime Minister, or Benevolent Dictator could ever be.

We may not get justice we desire by going to rulers; we will get the justice we need, however, by going to God.

Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.”

The prophet answered, “As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 2 Kings 5:14-16

What a very different society we live in today! Today the so-called “prophet” would require the healed one to give a large gift because of the miraculous healing. I of course hold a very cynical view of the modern-day profiteers who think nothing of asking for money for a prayer cloth or a piece of jewelry that has been blessed by the “man (or woman) of God.”

For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers…they must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach–and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Titus 1:10-11

In the days we live in, Brothers and Sisters, we need to be extremely cautious in our associations.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 2 Kings 5:8-14

This is the “meat” of the Naaman the Leper story. Go and wash seven times in the Jordan. Not five or six times, but seven. Very specific number and location.

The lesson today is short: what is God saying to you today? What is it on your heart that God is showing you that you need to do? Or perhaps the question is, what are you avoiding doing that you know you need to do? I’m not referring to a super-mystical experience as many might have these days. I’m talking about a plain ordinary nudge of the Holy Spirit to do (or not do) something. What is He revealing to you?

You’ll have much greater peace when you finally do it.

Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. I will send a letter to the king of Israel. So Naaman left, taking with him 10 talents of silver, 6000 shekels of gold and 10 sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” 2 Kings 5:4-7

We deal with miscommunication nearly every day of our lives. He said something that she didn't like but it wasn't exactly what he had said really. She had misinterpreted body language or tone, or perhaps the words didn't flow out of his mouth as fluently as it should have. Feelings get hurt and harsh words get said. 

E-mail is another form of communication that is often misinterpreted and misunderstood. We write things in ways that make formal typewritten letters seem archaic and old-fashioned. Or how about that e-mail that was sent before it was finished or even it was sent to the wrong recipient because the names were side by side in the address list. In fact, just before I wrote this, I rechecked an Sent e-mails because I happen to know two Franks and I wanted to be sure that the e-mail was sent to Frank1 because Frank2 might have been hurt if he had read what I had written about the organization we're all in together.

So here are a few practical tips we need to employ regularly when communicating with others:

• Be sure you understand what is being discussed or asked of you.
• Take your time in communicating your thoughts and ask for immediate feedback that what you had said was understood ("is that making sense to you?").
• In e-mails write to be understood not to be cute.
• Jokes are often misunderstood in e-mails. If you are ever in doubt about whether something will not be perceived as humorous, use the colon, right parenthesis for a smiley face   The alternative is to remove the questionable remarks completely.
• Lastly, have a 3rd party bystander read your e-mail for clarity and tone. You'd be surprised what you're communicating through e-mails.

Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:1-3

When we think of the story of Naaman, it’s often associated with him dipping into the Jordan seven times to be healed, but there’s much more to the story. We don’t often have a good idea of how people actually meet the person who solves their problem.

In this story we have the King of Aram, Naaman the army commander, his wife, his wife’s servant (a captive from Israel), and eventually the prophet Elisha. The servant girl learns about Naaman’s condition and tells her mistress (Naaman’s wife) about Elisha. You have to give this gal a lot of credit to speak up like she did. Servant girls did not get a chance to do this often, I would think. They weren’t thinking, feeling individuals. They were servants. Obviously Naaman’s wife took notice and informed her husband.

We don’t know the servant girl’s name but her legacy lives on. There’s power in leading a humble, quiet life. You don’t get to be heard often, but when you do, it can be life changing.

God’s kingdom is big enough for the boisterous (who often try to change the shy)…and the quieter ones. And pretty much everyone in between.

A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked. But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. 2 Kings 4:42-44

If we didn’t know any better, we’d say that this story comes directly out of the New Testament from the feeding of the 4000 and 5000! Once again God supplied the needs of a hundred people. Sure, the servant could have gone out and bought more bread and grain, but he didn’t need to. When Elisha was hearing from God, I’m certain he didn’t know how it would play out but it did.

We don’t know the name of the servant, but he played a key role in feeding these people. This servant had to trust a man of God he didn’t know to perform a miracle I’m sure he’d never seen before. He probably thought Elisha was a crackpot. But the Lord had anointed Elisha to do great things

God used a servant and a prophet to feed 100 people; one was a follower, the other was clearly a leader. He still speaks to those who will listen; he still moves in hearts; at times he still speaks through others. And of course He still speaks to people through His word.

Jeroboam thought to himself that “the kingdom, will now likely revert to the house of David. If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam. After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 1 Kings 12:26-28

Advice is good. Bad advice is, well, bad. How can you tell the difference between the two? In the case of the passage above, Jeroboam knew what he was doing but wanted his counselors to sanction it. Kings and powerful leaders throughout history have surrounded themselves with "yes men." Followers learn quickly what to say and what not to say around their king. Often their lives depended on it. So too was the case with Jeroboam. He knew what he wanted, probably let his counselors know it too and wanted verification that he was doing right.

We do this in a more subtle way in our lives. We really really want to do something. The thing we are thinking about may be a very good thing. We think and believe in our minds that God must be in it since it's the only thing we've been thinking about for days and why would he put this in our minds for such a long time if it wasn't from Him? Then you ask God to sanction (bless) it when you actually go through with it.

The lines are often blurred between what we want and what we believe God wants. Too often we let our emotions get in the way. Too often what we want is not at all what God wants but we're afraid of letting go for fear of losing something we really really wanted. What's worse is when this applies to relationships we know deep down aren't healthy or right for us. We continue in them anyway and ask God to bless something that is flawed and unhealthy from the start.

Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite…And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon son of Eliada…1 Kings 11:14, 23

We get to see a very different side of God in this passage. Generally, we tend to think that the opposition we face in life is entirely of the Devil's doing! Not so. Twice within a dozen verses God raised up an adversary against the King of Israel, Solomon. Solomon's heart had turned away from God and the anger of the Lord burned against him (1 Kings 11:9).

God had given Solomon great wisdom and he had squandered it. He married many foreign women and they had led him astray with their foreign gods. Here is a man who was seeking, searching for the truth, trying to fill his void. He had it all. And he had experienced God in a great way. But the Scriptures tell us that Solomon had done evil in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kings 11:6). You still can't help shake the nagging feeling that God was trying to tell Solomon something very important. There was still hope for Solomon.

God is still in the business of trying to shake us and wake us. His methods are often unconventional, and He can deploy any means at his disposal (which happens to be the entire creation) to get us to open our eyes. God has not written any of us off.

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharoah's daughter – Moabites, Ammonnites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods”…and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God…So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. 1 Kings 11:1-6

In these few verses we see unnecessary tragedy. Solomon was said to be the wisest man alive. He was wealthy, articulate, and judged people wisely. In the end, though, he followed after other gods (as a consequence of having 700 wives and 300 concubines – v3).

If you've been following these devotions for long, you'll realize that I talk much about wisdom, for we live in a world that needs a considerable amount of wisdom. Any wisdom that we can throw into the mix is welcome. Solomon wrote plenty of wise material for us to mull over.

But it's apparent from this text that God wants obedience. The foreign women with their foreign gods had led Solomon astray. The favor of God had clearly left Solomon, to the point that god said that Solomon "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." What an indictment!

I guess our takeaway from this is that wisdom is good, doing things that build up the kingdom of God is good, but ultimately God desires obedience. God may be revealing something to you right now that you are resisting for any number of reasons. Sometimes full surrender is the only option left on the table for us. More often than not, it's the best option too.

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. Matthew 24:9

This isn’t exactly the first verse people turn to when they think of devotions. It doesn’t have the “warm, fuzzy” feel to it. However, it is an important verse in an important passage. Jesus was talking about signs at the End of the Age. Of course there will be deception, wars and rumors of wars, and other “birth pains.”

As we look at the world today, we see the beginning of these birth pains (or a continuation of them). We even can envision how the world would hate Christians. One needs only look to the West Coast immediately after Proposition 8 passed (a California ballot proposition that changed the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman and eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry-from Wikipedia) to see that people are being persecuted for their faith and their stance against immorality.
Some headlines read:

• ‘Gays’ Call for Violence Against Christian Supporters of Prop 8
• Prop. 8 passage spawns protests, violence and vandalism
• Mob anti-Christian anger violence by Prop 8 opponents

As we get closer and closer to the Second Coming of Christ (could be tomorrow or could be a thousand years from now), those who stand up for morality and decency will be persecuted and hated, though it may not be as blatant as the headlines above suggest.

So don’t be surprised that you will be hated by the nations. The implication is that entire nations will come down on Christians (in a bizarre way, they are already being blamed for the violence that Muslims are committing in France, England, and elsewhere). Rejoice instead that your names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that you’re being faithful to what He has called you to do. It may not be easy (especially when we like to be liked) but it may be necessary.

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father…Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:36, 42

These two verses will cause no shortage of consternation among my readers. That's fine. Wise and more scholarly men than I have debated the meaning of these kinds of texts for ages and have still come to different conclusion.

These verses talk about Jesus' second coming to Earth. We know it's going to happen; we just don't know when. We get a sense of what it will look like here (Mark 13 and Luke 21 seem to indicate that there will be great deception, life anxieties, drunkenness, and false prophets), which probably has happened throughout the ages. The difference is that there will be an increase in those activities. It doesn't take too much imagination to see that today – and it's getting worse.

However, we also see many Believers in this generation waiting eagerly for His return. There's an expectancy, an urgency. Witness, for instance, the underground church in China. They have a vision to reach the Muslim world, a mission field that we in the West have almost written off as too difficult! We can certainly learn for their enthusiasm.

Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

One of them [Pharisees}, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:35-40

The Pharisees were at it again. They were trying to test Jesus. If they really only knew who they were talking to (the One who created them, gave them life, and knew exactly what was in their hearts)! Nothing they tried (when trying to trip him up) worked.

He answers their question by subtly pointing his finger (figuratively) back at them. They were the ones that probably lacked a love for God and others. They were the ones who were more concerned about keeping the Law rather than practicing mercy and justice. They were the ones who loved the people's praises. He was merely reminding them (and us) what we should be doing along the way in life.

If we only practiced these two commandment every day, life would go very well for us. It's good to be reminded this often because we forget.

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher we want to see a miraculous sign from you." Matthew 12:38

The first question I ask when I read this verse is, would they have believed the miracle if Jesus had performed it right there on the spot? Probably not. Yesterday's devotion touched upon the crowds liking Jesus and hanging around him for more. The spiritual leaders seem to have just the opposite reaction. Jesus was threatening their power, and they wanted him out of the limelight quickly. They were hoping to ridicule and mock him.

So what was Jesus' reaction? "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." In essence he says, "Wait, and you'll see a miracle that you can't explain away! I will be the miracle! Then you'll have to deal with it in a very different way."

Jesus knew what those leaders were after. He knew their hearts and motives. He stood up to them and they probably walked away scratching their heads at "the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Rejoice today that the Son of Man spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth for us.

And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:7-8

Jesus was a crowd pleaser, though that’s not what he set out to do. Generally speaking, the crowds liked Him. He did some pretty cool stuff (healing men and casting out demons is some cool stuff when it’s done right in front of your eyes)! They were probably puzzled at the Jewish leaders’ contempt for him and hostile reaction to him.

Jesus had just healed the paralytic. He instructed him just to get up and walk because his sins were forgiven. The leaders bristled at that. How dare he! Then he told the man to get up and go.

Pretty cool stuff.

Jesus still does some pretty cool stuff, though it may not always be as dramatic as this passage. He’s still in the business of changing lives, one at a time. He’s still trying to draw us unto himself so that we can learn. He still answers prayer and often not the way we’d like it get answered. He is still in the hearts and minds of millions of His believers around the world. And He still has the time for me.

I’d say that’s some pretty cool stuff and worthy of His praise, just like the crowd did in the story.

A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thoughts to his steps. Proverbs 14:13

Throughout the New Testament, God states that in the End Times many people would be deceived. In fact, in the Book of Revelation, the characteristic that marks Satan time and again is deception. He deceives over and over.

So, too, in the lives we live we can become deceived by preachers who simple want to “tickle our ears.” Sometimes that comes in the form of “you can be wealthy in Jesus, just name it and claim it.” Other times it’s more deceitful and you soon part with your money (buying healing cloths or healing anything for that matter comes to mind). I’ve even seen where you can have your own personal angel (and speak to him or her). I realize that it’s not as “cut and dried” as I’ve made it out to be else we wouldn’t fall for it. We need to be extremely careful in these last days.

The general rule of life applies: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If all you have to do is send in $100 and you’re family will be healed (or you’ll receive a hundred fold in return), that’s too good to be true. We need to be wise as serpents and as harmless as doves when it comes to these deceptions.

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

The pages of history books are full of people who have been wise and those who have been foolish. We need only look at the newspapers and newscasts to see both types of people (when the U.S. government spends trillions of money it does not have, that's foolish).

It has been said that you can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps. When I was a kid, I was often warned about "hanging out with the wrong crowd." Some peers had nothing but fun (and mischief) on their minds and wanted nothing to do with education. Others, though not scholars, realized that finishing high school was the bare minimum they were required to do. I'm glad I chose the latter, but we all know those who didn't.

As in school, so in life, hanging with the wrong people can really drag you down. It's great to surround ourselves with good, caring, and wise people: people who lift you up and not tear you down, people you can call in a pinch, people who can speak truth into our lives when we need it, people who love you for who you are.

An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. Proverbs 29:22

What do you get angry at? What really frosts you? All too often we get upset over the 'minorest' of things. Another driver. Kids spilling something. Spouse buying something you can't afford. Clerks that don't understand your problem. Long lines at the store. Other drivers. Would you admit that these are minor?

Instead, there are a great number of things that should really frost us over: the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia come to mind), largely ignored atrocities that United Nations workers commit in African countries, 4000 children aborted daily in the United States, and a one-sided media that seems to always protect the bad guys.

I know, I've laid out a grim picture, but I've tried not to be too graphic. Unfortunately, it's the world we live in right now. Continue to pray for those Christians in Muslim lands. Pray also for those who are called to protest the abortion clinics across the world.

And about getting angry at the other driver? Relax, in a week or so he'll be getting mad at your driving skills!

Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush… Isaiah 18:1

My wife and I had the privilege of visiting the land of Cush, modern day Sudan, in 2006 for a medical missions trip. We were there for a few days but we still feel the impact and the weight it had on us.

We saw it all: end of the twenty-year civil war, intense heat, isolation, poisonous snakes and spiders, no medical facilities, no running water, few maintained roads, unexploded bombs in villages, and civil war casualties in every family we met.

And yet.

And yet, we also saw a strong faith among the Believers, as passionate and on fire as you read about in the Book of Acts! Rejoice that, despite their horrendous physical circumstances, they can maintain a joyous and overcoming life. They are on the front lines as Islam marches through that region.

Pray, just pray.

The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:34

Years ago I was walking with a crowd of people in a Chicago suburb to attend a July 4th celebration. Police were called in to direct traffic because it was heavy. One officer directed a car to go in a particular lane, and the driver shook her head and pointed that she wanted to go in a different lane. The exasperated cop said, “Lady, move in this lane. Trust me on this. I know what I’m doing.” She finally obeyed and got to where she needed to go. He had a large picture of how he wanted the traffic to flow, whereas the woman was very focused on where she wanted to go.

Jesus had just predicted his death. His disciples didn’t understand yet. They were mere days away from His crucifixion but it was hard to believe because things had been going well for them. After three years they were still trying to figure Him out! It’s almost as if they were thinking, “you really don’t know what you’re talking about!”

We find ourselves in similar situations. We don’t understand what He’s trying to do in our lives. We’re inclined to think that maybe He doesn’t know what He’s doing. We get tunnel vision and lose sight of the bigger picture.

What’s the bigger picture, you ask? God has begun a really big work in us. He’s molding and fashioning us into something greater. We don’t quite see it and we may never be able to see it clearly, but there are still things God wants to do in us. He wants us to trust Him.

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

Could 2009 be the year that Jesus returns? Forget for a moment the theological notions you might have of rapture and tribulation and wars and rumors of wars (not at all to make light of Eschatology and its implications, but stay with me a moment). Are you ready for His return? But you say, "x,y, and z need to take place before…"

Let me phrase it this way, if you were to pass away (unexpectedly, of course) over the New Year's weekend, would you be ready to see Jesus? Are you prepared, as they say, to meet your Maker? You see, whether Jesus comes to us or we go to see Jesus, the end result is more or less the same.

What do you need to do to be ready? The Bible says, "that if you will confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9-10.

Or perhaps, your life has been changed and you are, as the Bible says, a New Creation, how’s your "walk?" Are you reading Scriptures, praying, and fellowshipping with other Believers? If so, keep it up. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep seeking. Keep drawing near to God. It'll be worth it all.