Author: David Short

Zechariah 7:9-10 NASB
“Thus has the LORD of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice, and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’

Personal Challenge…
This is one message that is consistant throughout the Bible, both old testament and new testament. We are to love our neighbor and take care of those in need. I guess it is in there in so many places, so many different ways, because people like me need to be reminded about this a lot.

Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

Command with a Promise…
Pursue righteousness and loyalty (NIV says “love”) and you will find life, righteousness, and honor. This is so contrary to what the world teaches. We are told to pursue success and wealth, knowledge and power, self-gratification and instant everything. It is the pursuit of God and the love for those whom He has put in our lives that will yield a full and righteous life.

This is the doctrine that Jesus based His teaching on, “Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Psalm 1:1-3 NASB
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Words of Encouragement…
Have you ever had those times in your life when you wondered if all of the time spent going to church, reading the scripture, being silent in prayer was worth it. I can vaguely remember feeling this way in my younger years…but now as I get to ride the roller-coaster on the downhill side I can look back and say with JOY, “It has all been worth it, it has been wonderful to be planted by streams of living water, to be able to yield fruit, to not wither, and to be prosperous in Him. I cherish the opportunity to continue walk through life delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating upon Him.”

‎1 Kings 22:5 NASB
Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

Personal Challenge…
Have you every wondered what is the first step for any decision that you need to make…no mater how big or how small. Go to the Lord and see what He wants you to do. This is so much easier said than done, but it is the best way to walk through life.

‎1 John 4:10-12 NLT
This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.

Personal Challenge…
Love…such a misunderstood word, concept and command. Oh, how often I slip into the mode of loving those around me according to the world’s standard of love. Then I am reminded to go read 1 Corinthians 13. That is when I realize that the commandment by our Lord to love our neighbor is to not to love them the way the world loves, but the way that God loves. Definitely a lifelong challenge, but one that is worth pursuing.

‎1 Corinthians 10:24 NASB
Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.

Personal Challenge…
Here comes that age old question, “Who is my neighbor?” Well, that was answered two thousand years ago…anyone, everyone, those you love, those who are your enemies, those who think and act the same way that you do, those who don’t, those who worship God the same way that you do, those who don’t.

But then we ask, “What does it mean to seek their good?” It does not just mean being nice to them, but it means to love them, to put them and their needs before my own. It means not only avoiding calling them names or avoiding them altogether, but going out of your way to be the image of Christ to them. It means eliminating hurtful, cutting, snide, derogatory, insulting, cynical, sarcastic vocabulary from our language and speaking the truth in gentle, kind, loving ways.

Acts 5:40-42 NIV
His (Gamaliel) speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Personal Challenge…
Having grown up in the United States and in the church here I have never been really persecuted for my beliefs. I read of the apostles and the early fathers of the church and see how in the midst of vicious and life-taking persecution they receive the persecution joyfully and then go right back to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ knowing full well that they will be persecuted again. It makes me wonder…how will we as modern day Christians respond today to this kind of persecution. Are we (am I) able to separate our life in Christ from our politics, our worldly passions, our safe institutions and stand for Him alone?

Luke 6:41-42 NIV (Jesus speaking)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Personal Challenge…
Oh how often I need to be reminded that it is my responsibility to take care of and discipline myself. When I forget this I start looking at those around me and start trying to take care of them and discipline them. That, howeever, is not my job or my responsibility.

Psalm 37:23-24 NLT
The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.

Words of Encouragement…
It is so empowering to know that I am not on this journey of life alone.

James 2:1-4 NASB
My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

Personal Challenge…
This passage reminds me that I must hold onto my faith in Jesus Christ as a gift from God. It is not for me to judge those around me whom have also been given this gift yet express it in ways different than me. I must be careful to not act as if my expression of this faith is the only right and true way and therefore treat my fellow brothers and sisters as inferior (unsaved) because they do not have my vocabulary or expressions of faith. It is God’s responsibility to judge the hearts of His children. It is my responsibility to humble myself before Him and be His vessel used by Him and for Him.