Category Archives: Humility

Compassionate, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Giving, Grace / Forgiveness, Grace / Patience, Help / Serve Others, Humility, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Merciful, Mercy, Patient

Treat Others How You Want Yahweh to Treat You

The book of Mark is like a highlight reel. There is a lot packed in each chapter and not all of it has a lot of background context. Fortunately, if we are willing to invest a bit of time, we can cross reference with the other gospels and help to ensure we understand more completely.

Yeshua warned His disciples that the standard of measure they would use, is what our Father will use to judge them. Keep this in mind when reading Luke 6. If we first read Luke 6 strictly from the perspective of how we should treat others, we may tend to think that it is a very high bar and maybe find it a it tough to wrap our minds around. I get a slightly different perspective when I read it from the perspective of this is how I would like others to treat me, including my heavenly Father!

We are to engage others using a very challenging and selfless standard and in turn trust that the LORD will have mercy and grace on us accordingly.

Mark 4:24

 24And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

Luke 6:27-38

    27“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29“Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33“If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34“If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

      37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. 38“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

The closing line says it all… we are to treat others by the same standard we wish for God to use in His relationship with us and also how we would like others to treat us. Take time to dwell on that and truly allow yourself the humility to accept where you are not living up to the right standard. I have quite a bit of room to grow in this area. There is more grace and mercy I can pour out to others in my relationship with them… more love… more giving. I pray the Holy Spirit helps me and I know He will, because He always does. Praise God He is so compassionate and loving and filled with mercy and grace in His relationship with me. Let me be so to others.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in how I treat others. Help me to be selfless and filled with mercy, compassion, and grace. Thank You for the mercy, compassion, and grace You have for me and others. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Humility, Parables, Seeking God, Thankfulness

Why Does Yeshua Teach in Parables?

Yeshua was asked by his disciples why He taught in parables. I used to assume it was because it made it easier for people to relate and understand, but His answer is different and it can really challenge us to think a bit differently  if we let it. Let us not take for granted that He has chosen us to understand. Let us be humble and thankful.

Mark 4:10-12

10As soon as He was alone, [b]His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. 11And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables, 12so that WHILE SEEING THEY MAY SEE, AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR, AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND IT WOULD BE FORGIVEN THEM.”

More detail is recorded in Matthew.

Matthew 13:10-17

An Explanation

      10And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12“For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14“In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

      15FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,
WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,
OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,
AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’

16“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17“For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Some have been granted the opportunity to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and some have not. Yahweh does not reveal Himself to everyone equally. Some He has chosen for honorable purposes and some for common.

Romans 9:21-24

21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

Thus Yeshua says He speaks in parables so that some will hear and understand and some will not. This may be very challenging for some of us to digest who have been taught that Yahweh wants everyone to be saved. Not all are chosen for special purpose of being in relationship with Him. Caution, however, do not let this lead you to stop praying for people who are lost. It is by prayer that some will be brought to relationship with our LORD.

Let us also recognize that this was always His intent, as it is captured in prophecy to which Yeshua refers.

Take time to reflect on the word. Let it challenge your comfort zone. Test what you have been taught against what the word says. Let us also change our attitudes a bit to be less confident in ourselves for our salvation and relationship with Yahweh and more grateful to the LORD for choosing us. Yes, we had to respond and choose Him, but He chose us first. Be humble and thankful in regards to your relationship with our Father.

Yeshua also refers to giving more to the one who has much and taking from him who has little.  I think this is in relationship to our faith and our corresponding relationship with Him. There is no middle ground. We are either with Him or against Him. Do not try to ride the fence between Yahweh and man.

Matthew 12:30

    30“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Revelation 3:15-16

    15‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Humility, Interceding for Others, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Pride, Thankfulness

He Is Risen! How Will You React to That Fact?

The historical record continues to have a striking contrast between how people continue to react to Yeshua. Some ignore all the glory and miracles and evidence, pursuing only a way to dismiss and reject Him… and convince others to do the same. Others just simply rejoice when He is with them.

He is risen! How will you choose to react to that fact? Will you rejoice? or ignore the evidence and keep finding reasons to reject Him?

Matthew 28:1-15

Jesus Is Risen!

      1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

      8And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. 9And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

      11Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14“And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

I truly do not want to be one who constantly dismisses the miracles of God and His presence in my life. I want to embrace Him and rejoice! Perhaps a bit of a trick to remind ourselves is that we can choose the LORD because He first choose us. Let us not be arrogant or boastful because we know Him. Rather let us pray for others who may not see as we do. They are spiritually blinded to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4). They dismiss every evidence and miracle that points to His glory.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for choosing me to know You. Please help me not to  be arrogant or boastful or prideful. Help me to be gracious and understanding to those who do not know You. Lead me to pray for them. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind that they may come to know You. Help me to rejoice in Your presence. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

 

 

Humility, Money / Finances / Wealth, Prophecy, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets, Wise

Be Wise, Humble, and Discreet with Your Finances

For context, we must remember that Hezekiah was a righteous king, who walked in the ways of Yahweh (2 Kings 18). Hezekiah had many successes and relied on the LORD consistently. He was bold. He had already once faced siege on his land. He should not be a novice when it comes to the threat of foreign powers.

That said, he makes a fairly significant mistake in 2 Kings 20 and it will impact his people in a negative way.

2 Kings 20:12-21

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

      12At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 14Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15He said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”

      16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD. 17‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. 18‘Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth in my days?”

      20Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.

I am not sure what the reasons were that Hezekiah thought it was a good idea to show a foreign emissary all his treasures and wealth. Such an act is not typically productive. What good could have come of it? I am not sure if he was prideful or if he was just joyful in celebrating his recovery and all that God blessed Him with, but it was a mistake regardless of intent. Because of his lack of indiscretion, Babylon would take interest in Judah and one day come to cart off its treasures and even its people.

God seems to spare Hezekiah because of his righteousness in living God’s ways and having a good relationship with God, but the impact will be felt by those who come after Hezekiah. Hezekiah seemed to accept the word of the LORD without apparent regret, because he would still have peace. He was grateful the LORD would protect him. However, would it not have been good to repent and ask forgiveness and ask help from God to spare his people from this in the future? Hezekiah appears at this time to be focused on himself.

I think there are lessons we can learn from this as well and apply in our lives today.  Let us be humble and discreet when discussing our personal finances with others, in particular others who do not have a “need to know”. We do not need to show off everything we have or put it on display. It can create an atmosphere of greed or coveting. What good can come from it? I do not mean that we can not enjoy what the LORD has provided, but let’s not be prideful or boastful about it. What Hezekiah did was not like showing someone around the public areas of his house, but also showing him where he stored money under the mattress and then sharing the balances in his bank and investment accounts. It was an unintentional invitation for someone to consider robbing him.

Secondly, when we do make a mistake, admit it before the LORD and ask forgiveness and mercy. Ask for help to make it right. There are no guarantees that the LORD will shelter us from every consequence of our mistakes, but it makes sense to throw yourself on His mercy and repent.  Try to think of the impact your mistakes have on others as well. Do not simply think that it will not impact you and be content that it may impact your children.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for providing for me and my family. Help us to be humble and discreet with our finances. Let us not be boastful or prideful. Help me to be wise and have discernment in regards to managing my finances and in regards to whom I trust with important details or information. Help me focus not only on the impacts for me, but also those around me. Please show me my mistakes and help me repent and seek forgiveness. Amen. 

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Humility, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

Rely on Yahweh Rather than Your Own Power

In the first 13 verses of 2 Kings, we discover that Hezekiah was a righteous king. He did right in the eyes of the LORD. He tore down false idols and long held traditions that were not in keeping with the LORD’s instructions. He walked in the ways of his father David. He trusted in the LORD. The LORD gave him success as a result. Wherever he went the LORD gave him victory. Imagine his surprise when he encountered very real and significant setbacks and defeat at the hands of Assyria when he rebelled against them.

Of course, we can note that there is no reference that the LORD told Hezekiah to revolt against Assyria. Nor is there any reference as we read through 2 kings 18 that Hezekiah called upon the LORD for help against the Assyrians. We could speculate that he likely did because he was a righteous man in all he did, but we must also recognize that he may not have.

In either case, he faces defeat by Assyria. He plunders his own treasury to try to appease them and ultimately they still come to lay siege on Jerusalem. It is ultimately in 2 Kings 19, at a point of absolute desperation, that Hezekiah is noted as seeking the LORD and the LORD responds by granting victory.

As we continue in 2 Kings below, Hezekiah

2 Kings 18:13-37

Invasion of Judah

13Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria marched against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent messengers to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong.  Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will endure.” So the king of Assyria imposed on Hezekiah king of Judah the payment of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15Hezekiah then gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave it to the king of Assyria.

17Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the road of the fuller’s field. 18Then they called to the king, and Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary, went out to them.

19And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: “What is this confidence that you have? 20You say—but they are only empty words—‘I have a plan and strength for the war.’ Now on whom have you relied, that you have revolted against me? 21Now behold, you have relied on the support of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. That is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him. 22However, if you say to me, ‘We have trusted in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23Now then, come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 24How then can you drive back even one official of the least of my master’s servants, and rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25Have I now come up without the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, because we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean so that the people who are on the wall hear you.” 27But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28Then Rabshakeh stood up and shouted with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29This is what the king says: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to save you from my hand. 30And do not let Hezekiah lead you to trust in the LORD by saying, “The LORD will certainly save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 31Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern, 32until I come and take you to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees producing oil, and of honey, so that you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, because he misleads you by saying, “The LORD will save us.” 33Has any of the gods of the nations actually saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my hand? 35Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, that the LORD would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king’s command: “Do not answer him.” 37Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.

As I reflect on 2 Kings 18 and 19, I see a message for all of us. It is good for us to walk in the ways of the LORD and reject all others. It is good for us in building relationship with our God and also in inviting His blessing upon us according to His covenant with His people. Even so, we will encounter major challenges and setbacks at times. Yeshua Himself says in Matthew 7:25 that storms will come against us. It is imperative for us to build our foundation on solid relationship and submission to our Father.

24“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and [t]acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell and the [u]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not [v]act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell and the [w]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

When the storms came for Hezekiah, it appears he got focused on how to solve the problem in his own power, likely hoping the LORD would deliver victory. When we see he had success is when he came desperately before the LORD, recognizing his own inability to address the situation and asking the LORD to fight for him.

I suppose it is also fair to note that the king of Assyria did himself no favors by blaspheming Yahweh. We should make personal note of that also.

In both cases, remember that no matter how powerful or weak we may be in our own strength, it is ultimately the LORD who brings victory.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me (and all your people) to be humble and submitted to you in all our ways. Show us error and lead us in courage and wisdom to turn from it. Help us build our foundation on the solid rock of your word. Help us to seek and rely on you when we face trials and challenges and defeat. Let us not rely on our own power. Thank you LORD for your hand of blessing for those who submit and obey and walk in your ways. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You alone are God. There are none like you!

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Contentment, Help / Serve Others, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Humility, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

The Greatest Are Those Who Serve and Sacrifice

Do not seek to be great in the LORD’s kingdom for your own glory, but rather for His. Do not take lightly what it means to be glorified and lifted up in His kingdom either. There is a cost to be paid. We must also remember what it means to be great in His kingdom, which is very different than what it means in the eyes of men.

Matthew 20:20-28

Preferment Asked

      20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

      24And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26“It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to seek to honor you over myself. Let me be joyful and content with whatever you call me to do. Help me to be prepared and willing to courageously face difficulty and persecution for your glory and for your name. I ask also these things on behalf of your people everywhere, that we would all serve you more abundantly and selflessly. Help me not be tempted by personal glory in the eyes of men. 

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Humility, Pride, Repenting from Sin, Wise

Pride Goes Before Destruction

How does Yahweh feel about pride?

Proverbs 16:18-19

5Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

18Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

 19It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

The scripture warns about pride. We see Satan rebelled against Yahweh out of pride. Pride is offensive to the LORD and it is quite simply a routine path to getting yourself in trouble.

2 Kings 14:1-16

Amaziah Reigns over Judah

      1In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. 3He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done. 4Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 5Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father. 6But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

      7He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt 10,000 and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel to this day.

      8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face each other.” 9Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thorn bush. 10“You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you?”

      11But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled each to his tent. 13Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits. 14He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

Jeroboam II Succeeds Jehoash in Israel

      15Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 16So Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son became king in his place.

Amaziah “did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father”. He did some things well, but it appears he could not break through the man made cultural traditions he grew up with that involved worship in the high places. Either he did not acknowledge it or he was not willing to deal with it because it was hard. He experiences victory and let’s it go to his head. What was he hoping to accomplish with war against Israel? Why call them out? The King of Israel even tried to stop him, but to no avail.

Pride seems to have filled Amaziah and he picked a fight that was unwise. He lost and so did Judah with him. It was totally unavoidable.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have a humble spirit before you and before men. Please help me not to be prideful. Let me be content with what you provide and rejoice in it. Let me not covet what others may have or feel that somehow I have to prove my worth to others. Let me focus on pleasing you and being fulfilled and satisfied in that. Help me to see any areas where I am not walking in your ways and grant me the wisdom and courage to change, even when it is very hard. Guide our leaders to seek after righteousness in all their ways. Help them see clearly your path from the path of wickedness. Please grant these requests to all those who are called by your name for your honor and glory. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Faith / Trusting God, Help / Serve Others, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Humility, Wickedness / Evil

Who Is Greatest in the Kingdom?

Many people have differing ideas of greatness. Sports start, movie stars, politicians… many are held up as great. But by what standard should we judge who is truly great? As for me, I like to use the standard set by Yeshua. Spoiler alert, it is very different than the measure of greatness in the eyes of the world.

Matthew 18:1-5

Rank in the Kingdom

      1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 23:10-12

10“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

So pay attention when the world tells you greatness comes from being a better athlete or better business man or just being wealthy or famous. None of these define greatness in the eyes of God. If you want to set out to be great, ask the LORD’s help and begin by serving others in His name. Humble yourself before God and submit to His word and His guidance for you. In these ways you can be great and you do not need special circumstances, talent, or money to get started!

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Greed, Healer, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Humility, Lying / Deceiving, Miracles, Obeying God, Pride, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Do Things God’s Way, Not Our Way

For those of us who study the Bible and have relationship with the LORD, we come quickly to know that He operates differently than we expect. He has His own way and His own timing. It is usually different than ours. Watch that we do not get frustrated or turn from Him… or even just avoid turning towards Him and obeying because things He instructs are so different than what we expect.

And let not our personal greed affect our obedience to His guidance and instruction. We do not serve Him to get rich. We serve Him because of who He is, king of kings and lord of lords. He is a loving Father. There is none like Him.

2 Kings 5

Naaman Is Healed

      1Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. 2Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

      6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

      8It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12“Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

Gehazi’s Greed

      15When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” 16But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18“In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

      20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” 22He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’” 23Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. 24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

      26Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants? 27“Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Greed was the downfall of Gehazi, and lying. Pride was almost the downfall of Naaman. Fortunately he had some caring advisors supporting and encouraging him to do as he was instructed.

Note also, that Naaman was not a righteous, godly man. Rather God healed him so that he would turn away from his false gods and turn toward Yahweh.

There is a lot in this scripture to reflect and pray about in terms of how it applies in our lives today. Let those who have ears, hear.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Government, Humility, Learning To Pray Effectively, Thankfulness, Traditions / Holidays

One Nation, Under One True God…Thankful and Humble Before Him

You will often hear today about “separation of church and state”. Many will claim we must separate our faith and obedience to the one and only God from our government. This is clearly not the intent of our founders and more importantly not the intent and desire of God. Further, it is a lie to say that this is how our nation functioned. “separation of church and state” is nowhere in the Constitution. It appears in some letters from the founders. It is primarily focused on the government not determining which denomination of Christianity we should follow. We see overwhelming evidence in history, if we study it (because schools will not teach it anymore). I have previously shared George Washington’s Thanksgiving Day Proclamation and also some resources about our history (Silencing God). Today I wanted to highlight another Thanksgiving proclamation from Abraham Lincoln to help us remember how our country should be humble and repentant and thankful before God… and yes how our government should represent our Christian faith in the one true God without apology.

I am referencing below a website by a historian named Bill Petro for Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation and afterwards Fox News for Abraham Lincolns 1864 proclamation. I am sure you can search these out online in many places.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION – 1863

Following the initial Presidential Thanksgiving proclamations of George Washington, John Adams and James Madison, there were no further Presidential proclamations for this day until Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day during the Civil War, but it was not initially in November. Instead it was in the Spring of 1862 and then again on October 3, 1863 for victories in battle. He later established the common Fall celebration of Thanksgiving for the blessings of the year on Thursday, November 26 1863. It was on March 30, 1863 that Lincoln, in his Proclamation for a Day of Prayer and Fasting said the following:

“…It is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.

“We know that by His divine law, nations, like individuals, are subject to punishments and chastisements in
this world. May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins; to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

“But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

“Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

“It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Abraham Lincoln later went on to say on October 3, 1863:

“It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Editor’s note: The following is a proclamation from Abraham Lincoln on Thanksgiving Day, October 20, 1864. (Fox News.com)

It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year, defending us with His guardian care against unfriendly designs from abroad and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy, who is of our own household. It has also pleased our Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our soldiers in their camps and our sailors on the rivers and seas with unusual health. He has largely augmented our free population by emancipation and by immigration, while He has opened to us new sources of wealth and has crowned the labor of our workingmen in every department of industry and abundant rewards. Moreover, He has been pleased to animate and inspire our minds and hearts with fortitude, courage, and resolution sufficient for the great trial of civil war into which we have been brought by our adherence as a nation to the cause of freedom and humanity, and to afford to us reasonable hopes of an ultimate and happy deliverance from all our dangers and afflictions:

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid that on the occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications to the Great Disposer of Events for the return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased Him to assign as a dwelling place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations.

Done at the city of Washington, this 20th day of October, A.D. 1864, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.

Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Day Proclamation _ Fox News

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.