Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear GodAnd keep His commandments,For this is the whole man.For God will bring every work into judgment,Including everything that has been overlooked,Whether it be good or evil.

Personal Challenge…

Here we have the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, looking back on his life of great wealth and diverse experiences, articulating that which is truly important. Fearing God, loving and respecting Him, and obeying His commandments. In his opinion these are the most important things that we can do in our lives. The commandments that we are to follow are to love our God and to love our neighbor. All life, all righteous behavior, can be found in these two commandments. But one of the important aspects that this passage points out is that we are not only held accountable for how we loved our neighbor, but also for the times that we overlooked as loving our neighbor. This is just as bad as doing or saying bad things to others. Have I neglected to say a kind word to someone in my life? Have I looked the other way when someone was in need? Have I kept more for myself when I could have shared with another? These sins of omission are just as bad as sins of commission. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Proverbs 10:19 (10:20 LXX)

You will not escape sin by a multitude of words,
But you of discreet lips will be forbearing.

Personal Challenge…

Throughout the scriptures we are reminded that loose lips cause all kinds of trouble. Here we are reminded that the more that I talk the more likely I will sin. We must be very diligent in refraining from overusing our mouths and underusing our ears. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalm 34:12-15 (33:13-16)

Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life,
Who loves to see good days?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Shun evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And His ears are open to their supplications.

Command with a Promise…

Who amongst us does not desire a life filled with good days? I think it is safe to say that everyone does. Here the Psalmist encourages us on how we can live a full life comprised of good days. This is a gift from God, but one that He expects us to be active in. Active by watching our tongue and not speaking deceitfully. Active by running from evil and doing good things. And by this he means God’s definition of evil and good…not our definition. Active by seeking out peace and pursuing it…at all costs. By doing all of this He will set His eyes upon us and hear our prayers. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Psalm 11:7 (10:7 LXX)

The righteous Lord loves righteousness;
His face beholds the upright.

Personal Challenge…

Even though our God is a loving, caring, merciful God, He is not a comprising God. It is our responsibility to strive for His levels of righteousness and uprightness. We cannot compromise our walk with Him and expect Him to do the same just because that is what the world around us wants. God wants us to love our neighbor and demonstrate to them His living gospel and we cannot do tis by watering down, and therefore compromising, His truths to make others “happy”. This is difficult but nonetheless our calling to be salt and light in the world.

Psalm 106:1-5 (105:1-5 LXX)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His mercy endures forever.
Who shall tell the mighty deeds of the Lord,
Who shall make all His praises heard?
Blessed are those who keep His judgment,
And do righteousness at all times.
Remember us, O Lord, because of the goodwill of Your people;
Visit us with Your salvation,
So as to see it in the goodness of Your chosen ones;
So as to be glad with the joy of Your nation,
So as to praise You in the midst of Your inheritance.

Personal Challenge…

The purpose that God had for setting apart a people, His chosen ones, was to have someone to proclaim His love for mankind, to be the salt of the earth and the light of life. Are we not also set aside as followers of Christ to do the same? Who will proclaim His mighty deeds and make His praises known if not us? Our calling is to live our lives in ways that draw others out of darkness and into His light. We do not so this by being the same as those around us. We do this by loving our neighbor, proclaiming the truths of God, and being different than the world because we are no longer of the world. We live for the glory of God.

Psalm 25:8-11 (24:8-11 LXX)

Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He will instruct sinners in His way.
He will guide the gentle in judgment;
He will teach the gentle His ways.
All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
For those who seek His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my sin, for it is great.

Encouraging Words…

We are not alone on our journey through life. Our Lord is there with us, instructing us in His ways, guiding us with His judgment, giving us mercy and truth. He cares that we grow in His image and become beacons to those around us. Glory be to God!

James 4:8-9

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double- minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Personal Challenge…

Once again we find scripture that is filled with active verbs that describe what we are to be doing for our God if we are going to proclaim that we are Christians. Draw near to God, cleanse our hands of sin, purify our hearts, lament, mourn, and weep for the sin in our lives and for the lost in the world. Our Father wants us to be active in His kingdom and His world. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Corinthians 6:12

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Personal Challenge…

Because of the work of Christ we have been set free from the law and the grasp that sin and death had upon us. With this freedom comes the responsibility to live our lives with diligence and focus on the things of God. When we stumble along the way and sin before our God we are now under His grace and can have those sons forgiven. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Command with a Promise…

We are commanded to give and we are promised to receive. This is not some earthly prosperity gospel. God’s economy is different than our economy. First of all…Paul, and God, do not care what we give or how much we give. The focus is on how we give and the state of our heart in the giving. Second…what we receive back is not for our use or consumption but provided so that we have more to give back to God. Thy to put that one in the world’s ledger books. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 26:7

The way of the godly is straight; and the way of the godly is prepared.

Encouraging Words…

As we strive to be more like Christ, spend more time with Him, love our God and our neighbor like Him, listen to and follow the guidance and promptings of the Holy Spirit, then we begin to see how He is making our paths straight and preparing them for us. Our walk in Christ on our journey to theosis is a synergistic walk. We must be pursuing Him, doing His will, in order to be on the straight and prepared path. And we must continue this process for there is no stopping and resting on our laurels. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.