Seth Durham, Author at A Kingdom Seeker

Then What?

Our Pastor has told the following story from the pulpit a couple of times. I don’t remember it verbatim, so the details aren’t right, but you’ll get the gist of it:

One day Pastor picked up a hitchhiker, and since they had a long way to drive, they struck up a conversation. The hitchhiker began to tell Pastor about his life and plans.

“I’m going to college to get my degree,” the hitchhiker said.

“Then what?” Pastor asked.

“I’ll get a good job. Make lots of money.”

“Then what?”

“I’ll buy a nice car and a nice house.”

“Then what?”

“I’ll probably get married and start a family.”

“Then what?”

“I guess I’ll raise some kids. Eventually retire.”

“Then what?”

“Well, I’ll go fishing and play with my grandkids.”

“Then what?”

Exasperated, the hitchhiker said, “Well, then I’ll die!”

Pastor smiled and asked him, “Then what?”

One of two fates.

Most people don’t like to think about death, let alone talk about it, but it’s important to face reality: one day, death will come for you. You can’t escape it.

The Bible reminds us in Hebrews that we are destined to die, and then we face judgement. In Romans we’re told that we will give an account of ourselves before God. The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us that after death our deeds will be judged.

It’s important to keep death in mind as you go through life, because one day you will stand before your Maker, and you will either receive His justice or His mercy.

Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:2

When God judges you, no matter how good a life you led, you will not measure up to His standard. The Bible makes it clear that we all fall short, and that the penalty for this is death (see Romans chapters 3 – 6).

So if you face justice, you will be found guilty, and your death sentence will be carried out. This means you will be eternally separated from God, the source of all that is good. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mathew 13:42 / Luke 13:28).

But there is hope! God sent His Son, Jesus, to die in your place. Instead of justice, mercy is yours for the asking. If you confess that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). If you do this, then when God judges you, the righteousness of Christ will be all that He sees.

Don’t put it off.

I know it’s not fun to think about death, but it’s vital that you do, because it’s going to happen, and I want you to be prepared.

God’s invitation for mercy expires when you do. The decision to accept Christ as Lord and Savior must be made while you are alive. You won’t be able to change your mind after death when you stand face-to-face with the Almighty. At that point it’s too late; your fate is sealed.

Salvation is simple: set aside your pride, and ask for forgiveness and redemption. Trust in what Christ did for you on the cross, and acknowledge Him as your Lord. There’s nothing more to it.

If you have rejected God’s offer of mercy up to this point, I pray that God will soften your heart and open your spiritual eyes before it’s too late.

Like it or not, friend, one day you will die. The question is… Then what?

Little Things, Big Things.

Imagine being a teenager living at the end of the iron age. An enemy nation conquers your people, and takes you captive. They drag you far from home to a strange land where you will face an uncertain fate.

Such was the plight of four, teenaged boys (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) when Babylon conquered Israel in 605 B.C.

We read in the book of Daniel that these four were part of a larger group of Hebrew captives. This was a group of exceptional young men; boys of noble stock, boys with high intelligence and wisdom. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, wanted this group of talented youths to serve in his palace, and ordered his advisors to teach them the language and literature of Babylon.

A little test of faith.

The king provided these Hebrew boys with the best food and drink the kingdom had to offer. We don’t know exactly why, but something about this food was dishonoring to God. (See: What was wrong with the king’s food? for possible reasons why.)

So this group of young men faced a dilemma: if they refused the kings offerings, there would certainly be consequences, but if they partook, they would be sinning against God.

We don’t know exactly how many Hebrew boys were in this elite group, but the text implies that all but Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah went ahead and ate the food. Maybe they figured that, under the circumstances, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Perhaps some of them were angry at God, and ate the food out of spite. Maybe some of them didn’t want to eat it, but were afraid not to.

But Daniel and his three friends took a stand. They decided to obey God, and they were willing to face whatever ridicule or punishment might come their way.

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

-Daniel 1 : 11 – 16

Daniel and his friends didn’t make excuses. They didn’t blow off God’s commands because they were inconvenient. They chose to obey, whatever the cost.

Eating the king’s food may not have been a huge deal (the text says nothing disparaging about the young men who did eat it), but it was important to Daniel and his friends to remain faithful, even in the little things. God rewarded them for their obedience.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

Daniel 1: 17

A big test of faith.

Some time later, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made a great, golden statue (ninety ft. tall, nine ft. wide), and ordered his subjects to worship it. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Daniel must have been on assignment elsewhere when this happened, for he is not mentioned in this part of the story. But Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were present, and as you can imagine, worshiping an idol was a big no-no for them.

Once again, these men were being tested, only this time the stakes were life and death. Worship the idol, or die. Those were their options.

But they would not bow to a false god! Once again, they took a stand, staying faithful to the one, true God.

(Note: the following text uses the Babylonian names given to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.)

But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews.

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!

You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.

That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.

But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?

I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Daniel 3: 8 -18

The king made good on his promise, and threw Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into a furnace so hot that it killed the guards who tossed them in! But God demonstrated His power, and the three men walked out completely unharmed.

This miracle had a profound impact on the king and the entire nation. Even today, thousands of years later, we are still telling the tale of these men and their unwavering faithfulness. How many millions of people throughout the years has this story encouraged and inspired?

The little things matter.

As I studied the first three chapters of Daniel this week, I really felt the significance of the first part of the story where they refused to eat the king’s food. There’s an important principle here: If you’re not faithful in the little things, you won’t be faithful in the big things.

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah trusted and obeyed God when the stakes were low. This gave them the confidence to do the same thing years later when their lives were on the line.

You and I may never face a situation as dire as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did, but we should be prepared to. That means being obedient today in the little things to strengthen our faith for the big things.

On Sheep.

If you could be any animal, what animal would you choose? Something majestic and strong, like a lion, perhaps? Maybe something cunning and fierce, like a wolf? How cool would it be to soar through the clouds as an eagle?

Odds are, you wouldn’t choose a sheep. Most people don’t think very highly of them. When someone is labeled a sheep, it’s meant as a knock on their intelligence and their ability to think for themselves.

At first it may seem insulting that God’s people are compared to sheep in the Bible. We like to think we’re better than that, but that’s just our pride talking. In fact, there are valuable lessons to be learned when we properly understand the analogy of God as our shepherd and we as His sheep.

Going astray.

The prophet Isaiah said:

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own…” (Isaiah 53:6a).

I did a Google search and found out some interesting reasons why sheep go astray. The following is adapted from the Google AI Overview:

Frightened:

Sheep are prey animals and have a natural instinct to flee when they feel threatened. Loud noises, quick movements, and dogs can all scare sheep and make them run.

Distracted:

Sheep can also wander off, even in ideal environments with food and water, because they can get distracted or busy. For example, they might get so focused on grazing that they don’t notice their flock has moved.

Separated from the flock:

Sheep are social animals that feel safe in groups, so separating one sheep from the rest can be frightening and disturbing.

Let’s look at how the factors that cause literal sheep to go astray also impact us as metaphorical sheep.

Fear.

It’s not surprising that fear is one of the things that causes us to wander from God. Fear is a powerful negative emotion.

Fear undermines our trust in God’s sovereignty. It fills us with doubt and uncertainty. Fear of failure keeps us from stepping out in faith. Fear of rejection keeps us silent when we should speak.

But God is more powerful than your fears. The message “don’t be afraid” appears hundreds of time in scripture. Ask God for the courage to overcome your fears, and don’t let fear take you off the path He has for you.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

-II Timothy 1:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

-Proverbs 3: 5-6

Distractions.

Even when life is going great and we’re not living in fear, busyness and distractions can lead us away from God.

We spend our days in the rat race, trying to make enough money to pay our bills and get a little bit ahead. The various roles we play (i.e. parent, friend, spouse, employee, etc.) consume a lot of time and energy. With all this busyness, who has time for reading the Bible, praying, and going to church?

And how easy is it to spend all day on frivolous things? I’m guilty. I can’t tell you how many days I’ve wasted scrolling through Facebook, watching T.V., playing video games, etc. It’s easy to get sucked into trivialities, and to lose sight of what really matters.

We must examine our lives frequently to make sure we have our priorities straight. We must continually reevaluate and refocus to ensure our Shepherd is in sight, and that we’re following in His footsteps.

I like this quote from C.S. Lewis:

“I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.” [emphasis mine]

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

-Colossians 3:2

Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.

-Psalm 119:37

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

-Hebrews 3:1

Isolation.

Like sheep, we are social creatures. We need each other. Surround yourself with strong Christians dedicated to following the Lord, and you will be more likely to stay on the right path.

We are not meant to go through life’s trials alone. Find a good church where God’s Word is faithfully preached, and get in the habit of attending weekly. Seek out Christian fellowship. Lean on your brothers and sisters when you are weak, and be ready to support them when they need you.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

-Proverbs 27:17

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

-Hebrews 10:25

The Good Shepherd.

We’ve looked at one side of the shepherd/sheep analogy, and hopefully you found it insightful how some of the same things that cause sheep to lose their way cause us to stray from God. Now we’ll look at the other side of the analogy: God’s role as our Shepherd.

Let’s return to Isaiah 53:6, and look at the last part of it:

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).

In spite of our waywardness, our shepherd loves us. So much so, that He took our sins upon Himself and died in our place.

I’ll close with the words of Jesus found in John 10. May they encourage and inspire you to stay close to The Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.

The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,

just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.“

-John 10: 11-16

Good News!

The literal meaning of the word “gospel” is: good news. But the gospel is more than just good news. It’s the best news! It gives meaning and purpose to our existence, and points the way to eternal life in a perfectly restored world.

Today I want to share the gospel with you, the essence of the Christian faith.

The Romans Road.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul laid out the fundamentals of Christianity. The “Romans road to salvation” is a selection of key verses from that letter that succinctly present the gospel message.

We’re going to examine those verses, and delve into their meaning and application. I encourage you to read the entire book of Romans so that you can appreciate the verses in their full context.

Bad news first.

The first few chapters of Romans are a bit of a downer. Paul is “setting the stage” so to speak, and the picture he paints is quite grim. It turns out that no matter how good you are, you’re not good enough to earn God’s favor. God judges you against His standard of perfection, and you simply do not measure up. You have sinned (an archery term meaning: missed the mark); you fall short.

Key verse:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 3:23

It gets worse.

Ok, so you’ve sinned. Is it really that big of a deal? As it turns out, yes. Our sin is an affront to a holy God, and the penalty is death. Not just physical death, but an eternal separation from God, the source of all that is good.

Key verse:

For the wages of sin is death…
Romans 6:23a

We are all guilty of sin, and therefore, we are all sentenced to death. The importance of this truth cannot be understated. Until a person realizes they are a sinner facing eternal punishment, they cannot see their need for salvation.

For the hard-hearted, the seed of the gospel dies here. The proud man will not acknowledge he is a sinner. He shakes his fist at God in defiance. Such a man is doomed if his heart does not change. But for those who acknowledge the sinful nature inside themselves, a nature that behaves contrary to God’s laws, there is hope.

The solution.

The second half of Romans 6:23 is our first look at the good news.

…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23b

Yes! A reprieve! A gift that replaces death with life! A gift made possible by Christ Jesus.

The obvious questions are: “how does Jesus provide this gift?” and “how does one receive it?”

The ultimate sacrifice.

Because God is just, He cannot let sin go unpunished. But because God is merciful, He made a plan to both punish sin and forgive sinners like you and me. How did He accomplish this? He came to earth as a man: Jesus. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Then He took our penalty upon Himself, and suffered death in our place. The blood He spilled on the cross paid our ransom in full.

Key verse:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8

Salvation.

Jesus’s death on the cross paid for our sin. His resurrection confirmed that He had the power and authority to make this atonement on our behalf.

Now we come to the nuts-and-bolts of salvation: repentance and faith.

Repentance means admitting that you are a sinner, and turning 180 degrees from your sin toward God. It means acknowledging that God is right, and you are wrong. It means confessing to God your personal need for forgiveness, and asking Him for it.

Faith means trusting that God will make good on His promise. It means believing that because of what Christ did for you, you have been made holy in His eyes, and will not suffer His righteous judgement.

Key verses:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:13

When you repent and put your faith in Christ, you receive the gift of salvation. As a result, you become a new creature (see II Corinthians 5:17). Christ becomes your King. This is what it means to be a Christian.

Blessed assurance.

Our journey down the Romans road ends with reassurance that our hope in Christ is not misplaced.

Key verses:

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Romans 5:1

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38 – 39

If this is your first exposure to the gospel, or if you have heard it before but never responded to it, I pray that the message pierces your heart. May you be moved to repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you are already a Christian, let the gospel encourage and inspire you. Thank God for your blessed hope, and look for opportunities to share the good news with others!

Humility.

Since the 1970’s, June has been known as “Pride Month” in the United States. Rainbow flags and other gay-pride paraphernalia are ubiquitous. Our culture now fully embraces the LGBTQIA2S lifestyle. The message: Be proud of your sexuality!

Social media encourages people to flaunt their wealth. You’re supposed to post pictures of the cool new toys you buy. Post pics of food from that fancy restaurant. Brag about your exotic vacations. The message: Be proud of your possessions!

Society encourages us to boast about our achievements. Go ahead and broadcast that you went to an Ivy League school. Make sure people know how successful you are. Brag about your intellect and business acumen. The message: Be proud of your accomplishments!

Notice the common thread. Pride is all about “me, me, me!” It is a form of self-worship, for it prizes the self above all else.

Not something to celebrate.

Pride is no virtue. In fact, it is chief among the cardinal sins.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis said this about pride:

“Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.“

Here’s a sample of what the Bible says about pride:

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.
Proverbs 8:13

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Psalm 10:4

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
James 3: 13-16

Opposite of pride.

Jesus taught humility.

Read Mathew 23:1-12 where Jesus condemns the pride of the Pharisees, and warns His followers not to be like them.

Read Luke 22: 24-27 where Jesus teaches His disciples that if they want to be truly great, they must humble themselves and serve others.

And Jesus didn’t just teach humility, He lived it. He demonstrated it when He healed the sick, when He ministered to the meek and lowly, when He washed the feet of His disciples.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45

Finally, Jesus exemplified humility in the most profound way possible: He took on feeble, human flesh, and willingly went to the cross to die for sinful mankind.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8

Food for thought.

A proud man is a miserable man. He looks down on those he deems inferior, and he burns with envy at the mere thought of anyone being superior. He lives in constant fear of being knocked off the pedestal on which he has placed himself.

Our modern world is at odds with The Almighty on the issue of pride. You have a daily choice to make: Will you go with the flow, and celebrate what God detests? Or will you dare to follow the example of Jesus?

Memorizing Scripture.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been memorizing one new verse of scripture a day. When I was trying to decide what to write about for this post, my daughter said, “Daddy, why don’t you write about the verses you’ve been memorizing?” That sounded like a great idea to me, so here goes!

Why memorize?

Memorizing scripture is not easy. It takes time and effort, but the process has many benefits.

As you work to retain a verse in memory, you start to think deeply about the meaning of it and how it applies to your life.
While you’re focused on scripture, your mind isn’t wandering aimlessly, or worse, thinking thoughts that are harmful / sinful.
Once a verse is stored in memory, you can bring it to mind when you need it, and it can be a source of comfort, encouragement, or inspiration.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11

Five verses:

I’m going to go through five of the verses I’ve memorized recently, and talk about what they mean to me:

1

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23

The “heart” in this verse is your innermost self. It’s the true, unfiltered, genuine you. It’s the seat of your emotions and desires. What’s in your heart is who you really are.

This verse is a warning to be careful what you allow to influence and shape you. Choose carefully what you watch, what you listen to, and who you associate with, because what you let into your heart becomes a part of you, and will determine how your life plays out.

2

I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
Psalm 146:2

This is a pledge to be loyal and faithful to God to the end. By making this pledge daily, you’ll be able to say at the end of your life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).

3

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
Psalm 145:8

This verse encapsulates the nature of God. It is because of His mercy, compassion, and unfailing love that He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins (John 3:16). It is His loving nature that motivates us to love Him. (“We love him, because he first loved us” I John 4:19).

4

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.
Psalm 147:4

This verse speaks of the unfathomable mind of God. Imagine a mind capable of knowing, not only the exact number of stars, but also their individual names! It reminds us how great God is, and how truly limited we are by comparison. (see also Isaiah 55:8-9).

5

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.
Psalm 131:1

This verse is a great reminder that we should always approach God with humility. We may not know why God allows certain things to happen in our lives, but we can trust that He is in control. We should let go of the things that are beyond our understanding.

You can do it!

I challenge you to commit more scripture to memory. Even memorizing one new verse a month is better than nothing. Find a verse that speaks to you, write it out on a 3 x 5 card, and go over it at least once a day. Meditate on it and see how it impacts your life. You’ll be glad you did!

Side note: If you have a hard time memorizing things, I hear ya. If you want to improve your ability to memorize scripture (or anything else), I recommend a book by Kevin Horsley called, Unlimited Memory. It’s not magic; you’ll have to work to learn the methods that he teaches, but I’ve found them to be quite effective.

Mind Your Tongue.

Julian Treasure gave a Ted Talk called, “How to speak so that people want to listen.” In this talk, he gives a list of seven things you should avoid when speaking. They are:

Gossip
Judging
Negativity
Complaining
Excuses
Lying
Dogmatism

When I heard the list, I smiled and thought to myself, where have I heard this before? (spoiler: it’s in the Bible!)

James chapter 3 reminds us just how unruly our tongues can be, and that if we are not careful our words can do great harm.

Proverbs 15: 4 says, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”

Let’s look at the Biblical reasons that we ought to avoid the seven things on Julian Treasure’s list.

Gossip

Talking about people behind their backs is rarely a good idea. The one exception is when you have something positive to say. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing!

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
Proverbs 11:13

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
Proverbs 16:28

Judging

Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all fall short of God’s perfect standard. God alone is qualified to judge.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?”
Mathew 7: 1-3

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.

And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.

Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
Romans 2:1-3

Negativity

A negative attitude is toxic. Negativity drags people down.

As Christians we always have a reason to be positive, because the trials of this life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18)!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Always be joyful.

Never stop praying.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Complaining

If you’re complaining, you’re probably focused on the wrong thing. You can complain that you’re stuck in traffic, or you can be grateful that you own a car. You can whine about needing to wear glasses, or you can appreciate the amazing gift of sight.

Shift your focus to the good things, and watch what happens. You’ll complain less, and smile more.

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Philippians 2:14-15

He comes to say that all are guilty for all the sin they have done and all the sinful things these sinners have spoken against God.

These men complain and are never happy with anything. They let their desires lead them into sin. When they talk about themselves, they make it sound as if they are great people. They show respect to people only to get something out of them.
Jude 1:15-16

Excuses

To make excuses is to abdicate responsibility. Never cast blame that you deserve onto someone or something else. Take responsibility for your actions.

[Adam] replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:12-13

Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
Proverbs 24:12

Lying

The Bible has a lot to say about lies and truth. God is Truth. He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19 , Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). We can trust in His promises.

The Devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

We must strive to speak only truth.

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
Ephesians 4:25

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
Proverbs 12:22

Dogmatism

Actually, sometimes, we should be dogmatic! When it comes to truth, we should stand firm, and never waver or compromise.

Where we should avoid dogmatism is in matters of opinion, or when we are uncertain about the truth. Dogmatism often stems from pride; from our need to be right. Be humble, and be open to the opinions of others.

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Colossians 4:6

Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions.
I Samuel 2:3

I don’t know how Julian Treasure came up with his list of seven things to avoid when speaking, but his advice is sound because it lines up with Biblical principles.

I challenge you to pick out at least a couple of things on the list, and make a commitment to eliminate them from your speech.

Faithful, Gracious, And Just.

Read Psalm 34. Take your time and meditate on each verse.

David wrote this Psalm during a very difficult period in his life. He and his men were being hunted by king Saul. They were hiding out in caves, and they had run out of food. Think about the fact that David was homeless and starving when he wrote these words:

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34 :1-3

How was David able to praise God even under these terrible circumstances? Because he knew God’s character. Throughout Psalm 34, David focuses on three aspects of God’s character: His faithfulness, His grace, and His justice.

God’s Faithfulness.

David experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand. When he was a boy, God helped him defend his father’s flock from vicious predators. As a young man, God gave him victory over the giant, Goliath.

So when David’s situation became desperate, he did not despair. He knew that God is faithful. He trusted that God would deliver him. This gave him strength, and alleviated his fears.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Psalm 34: 4-7

Life is full of ups and downs, but in times of hardship, remember that God is in control, and He is faithful.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
Psalm 34: 17-19

2) God’s Grace.

Grace means unmerited favor or kindness. David understood that he was a sinful man, and that he had done nothing to earn God’s favor. He was ever in awe of God’s great mercy and love, and he knew he didn’t deserve it (see Psalm 51).

But David knew the grace of God.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
Psalm 34: 8-10

For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!

—-

But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 34: 20 & 22

Like David, we should marvel at God’s grace. We are nothing but rebellious sinners, yet God offers us redemption and mercy. Salvation comes only through God’s grace (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

3) God’s Justice.

David saw wicked men around him prospering while he himself suffered. But he knew that God is just, and that the wicked would pay in due time.

God is loving and patient, and He wants people to repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9). But God is also just. Those who continue in their wicked ways and refuse God’s mercy will face His justice!

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.
Psalm 34: 15-16

Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
Psalm 34: 21

It may seem like the wicked prosper. They often do… for a season. But rest assured that one day God will judge them for their evil deeds.

So whatever you’re going through right now, do what David did and praise God because He is faithful, gracious, and just.

Friendship.

Do you remember the story of Job? The Bible tells us that Job was a righteous man whom God had greatly blessed. Job had health, wealth, family, and the respect of his peers. Then, without warning or explanation, everything he held dear was taken from him. His wealth was plundered/destroyed, his children were killed, and he became horribly ill, his skin covered in boils. Ugh!

Enter Job’s friends. Let’s look at the men who came to visit Job in his time of need, and see if we can learn a few things about friendship from them.

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.

When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
Job 2:11-13

True friends.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, demonstrated friendship in a powerful way. These men likely had families, careers, and responsibilities, yet they dropped everything and “traveled from their homes to comfort and console [Job]”. They had no ulterior motives, for Job had nothing to offer them. They went and sat with Job in silence for seven days, their presence sending a clear message: “We love you, dear friend.”

This got me to thinking: Have I cultivated any friendships in my life that rise to this level? If tragedy fell upon me, do I have a single friend that cares for me enough to do anything close to what Job’s friends did for him? Bonds this strong don’t happen by accident, and it’s a testament to Job’s character that he had at least four friends (Elihu is the fourth friend, mentioned later in the story) that cared for him so deeply.

And what have I done for my friends in need? A short phone call? A quick visit? A few hours of my time? When I look at what Job’s friends did for him, I must admit, I feel convicted. I may not be able to go and sit with a friend for seven days in silence, but I could certainly do better than say, “man, I’m really sorry about what happened,” and then just go back to my life. I need to do better in the future.

Not perfect.

Job chapter 3 – chapter 27 records the dialogue between Job and his three friends (note: the fourth and youngest friend, Elihu, is listening to the conversation).

Job’s friends clearly loved him, and had the best of intentions. Unfortunately, they thought they understood the cause of Job’s misfortune when, in fact, they did not. As a result, they added insult to injury by insisting that Job must have committed some heinous sin, and that God was punishing him for it.

Instead of comforting Job, they started preaching at him. They made assumptions that were false. They offered unsolicited and unwarranted advice, telling Job that he needed to repent of whatever terrible, secret sin he had committed.

On the one hand, this shows that Job’s friends were candid, and felt free to speak their minds with Job. That’s a positive thing. But they didn’t have enough information to rightly judge Job’s situation or to offer wise counsel. As a result, they unintentionally made the situation worse.

As we are told in Ecclesiastes 3:7, there is a time to speak, and a time to remain silent. When dealing with friends in pain, we should listen first, then pray for the wisdom to say things that are both comforting and true. If such words don’t come to us, we ought to keep quiet. Elihu demonstrates this for us in Job 32 – 37. He listened carefully, and when it was his turn to speak, he offered real words of wisdom.

The greatest friend.

The old hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus” is one of my favorites. Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And that’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me. He willingly laid down His life to pay our sin-debt. He offers the free gift of salvation to all who repent and put their faith in Him.

Jesus serves as the ultimate example of what a friend should be: loving, compassionate, and selfless.

So how good a friend are you? I know I have room for improvement in this area, and I suspect you do too. I think we could all be more giving of ourselves, more careful with our words, and better friends to each other.

Lessons From King Asa.

Asa, son of Abijah, was one of the few good kings that ruled over ancient Judah. His story is recorded in II Chronicles 14 -16. Take a few minutes and read those three chapters. There are many lessons in this passage. Here are a few that stood out to me.

1) Obedience leads to peace.

The first thing Asa does as king is address the widespread problem of idolatry. The countryside is littered with foreign alters, pagan shrines, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles. Asa destroys these detestable symbols of false gods, and then he commands the people of Judah to: seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey His law and His commands (II Chronicles 14:4).

As a result, his kingdom enjoys a period of peace. God blesses King Asa, and gives him rest from his enemies (II Chronicles 14:5-6).

—=—

If you want to be at peace, put God first in your life, and obey His commandments.

“Obey God and be at peace with Him.“
Job 22:21

Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:9 – The Apostle Paul speaking.

2) No problem is too big for God.

After a time, Asa faces a major challenge. A powerful army mobilizes against Judah. A million soldiers and three hundred chariots advance on the town of Mareshah. Asa prepares for war, but he is greatly outnumbered, and knows he cannot win.

In the face of certain disaster, he cries out to God: “O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O LORD, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!” (II Chronicles 14:11).

Asa calls out to God in his time of need, and God answers. God Himself fights the battle, and defeats the army that is too much for Asa.

—=—

We sometimes face challenges that seem impossible. In those times we can choose to despair, or we can call out to God, and trust that He is able to handle our situation.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
Psalm 55:22

3) God rewards those who remain faithful.

After God miraculously delivers Judah from their enemies, the prophet Azariah seeks out King Asa as he’s returning from the battle. Azariah tells Asa, and the people, that as long as they follow God’s commands, God will be with them. He also warns them not to turn away from God.

Then Azariah encourages the people with these words: “be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” (II Chronicles 15:7).

Asa wastes no time. He sweeps through the kingdom and lays waste to any remaining idols. He repairs the altar in front of the LORD’s temple. Then Asa and his people offers sacrifices, and enter into a sacred covenant with God.

God rewards the people for their faithfulness: “All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found him. And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side.” (II Chronicles 15:15).

—=—

There are blessings for those who obey the LORD. God delights in working wonders for those who love Him.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12

…[God] is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6b

4) Even the righteous can fall.

Asa and his kingdom enjoy a long period of peace and prosperity, but somewhere along the way Asa becomes prideful and complacent.

In the 36th year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha invades Judah, and instead of asking God what he should do, Asa acts according to his own wisdom.

Hanani the seer confronts Asa with his error, but Asa is unrepentant, and throws Hanani in prison!

Asa continues to sin, and even begins to oppresses his own people. When he contracts a serious disease, he is still too proud to seek God’s help. King Asa’s final years are marked by war, pain, and suffering.

—=—

Asa’s sad ending is a sobering reminder to be spiritually vigilant. When times are good, it’s easy to put God on the backburner. It’s easy to get lazy with things like Bible study and church attendance. Often times we drift away from God so slowly that we don’t realize it’s happening until something dramatic happens to get our attention.

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.
I Corinthians 10:12

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
I Peter 5:8

We can learn a lot from King Asa. If we remain faithful and obedient to God, He will reward us and give us peace. No problem is too big for God, and we should always seek Him first in times of trouble. Lastly, if we’re not careful, we can easily drift away from God. We need to renew our hearts and minds daily, and remember to put God first in our lives.