In a Hurry to Be Holy

IX

Are You A Busy Body?

I Thessalonians 4:11

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you. (NIV)

Oh, how much trouble and strife would be avoided if we would follow this verse. Why do humans have such an obsession with the affairs of others? Why do we call attention to ourselves? We should strive for quiet, humble lives, and as much as possible not interfere or become entwined in the affairs of others.

XXIII

Wimp or Warrior, Which Are You?

Esther 4:14

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? (NAS)

Esther had been chosen as Queen of Persia and in such a position was asked by her kinsman Mordecai to go before the king on behalf of the Jews. She was hesitant as she was afraid. We can learn from this episode. We should not shrink back from the duty God has call us to do. The position we are in or the talent we possess has been given to us by Him, and He has a purpose we need to fulfill. Are you using your gifts to fulfill God’s purpose today?

XLII

Cut Down or Build Up?

I Samuel 1:7b

Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. (NIV)

How cruel we humans can be to one another. The caustic remarks and harsh words we use can cut another to the quick. Let us consider carefully what we say. Let us build others up; not tear them down.

LXIII

The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth

Zechariah 8:16

These are the things ye shall do; speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord." (KJV)

Truth has become a casualty of man’s societal development. Truth was once acknowledged as absolute; now it is considered relative. Yet that is not how the Lord views truth. Anything less than the truth or a deviation from the truth is false. The Lord detests falsehoods. Remember, He gave a commandment not to lie. Are we obeying that commandment?

LXVIII

Trouble, Trouble Everywhere

John 16:33b

In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world. (NIV)

Many people assume that the Christian’s life should be fee from difficulty. Jesus actually tells us the contrary. A friend once pointed out to me that the Lord does not always deliver us from trouble, but through trouble. Deliverance through our trials is an opportunity for spiritual growth. We should pray to have the ability to recognize the opportunity rather than merely focus on the trouble.

LXX

Misguided Trust

Ezekiel 33:13

If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done. (NIV)

Many people have the belief that if they do more good deeds than bad in life that will somehow get them into heaven. Contrary to that view, we learn in Romans chapter 3 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If our righteousness could attain salvation, why would Christ have died to pay the penalty of our sin? Trusting in one’s own righteousness is misplaced trust. Therefore, let us properly place our trust in God.

LXXVII

Is Your Faith Half Baked?

Hosea 7:8b

"Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over.” (NIV)

An Anglican minister once gave a great illustration to help better understand this verse. He spoke of a pancake being cooked only on one side so that it was burned on the cooked side and still gooey batter on the upper side. Obviously, it was not edible. Ephraim (the dominant tribe of Israel in Hosea’s day) separated their religion from their secular life so that there was really no manifestation of religion in their life. How many of us compartmentalize life such that we prevent our light from shining. Others should see our devotion to Christ not just on Sunday at church, but throughout our lives day by day.