Tag: wickedness

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horseshoes and Hand Grenades

Daily Reading

Numbers 16-17

Daily Thought

Korah and his company were rebellious. God had heard enough of their grumbling and complaining, and punishment was coming, so God warned Moses and Moses warned the nation of Israel, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins” (Numbers 16:26). No one could say God didn’t warn them.

Harry Truman (not the president) was in his cabin when Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980. For two months the mountain rumbled. For two months they told Harry to move. “The danger is overexaggerated,” Harry determined. It wasn’t. He died. 

You may have heard it said that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods” (Numbers 16:31-32). It counts in wickedness, too. Get away! The danger is not overexaggerated. Close counts in volcanoes, too, and it counts in wickedness. 

Daily Prayer

Holy God, Your ways are perfect. Teach me to follow them. God may I have a heart that loves You, loves Your ways, and loves righteousness. May I have a heart that hates wickedness.

God, teach me not to flirt with sin. May I be convinced of its destruction and flee from it. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — may those things consume my thoughts and fill my desires.

Amen

Daily Question

When does purity have a stronger attraction to you than wickedness?

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The Little Green Car

Daily Reading

Isaiah 54-58

Daily Thought

He drives fast, whips around a little green car who is not in a hurry, and speeds ahead. The next light is red. Brake. Accelerate. Brake again. A “Speed Checked By Radar” sign, his eyes dart from the rear view mirror to the road ahead and back to the mirror. He will see the cop before the cop sees him. Switching lanes for the 20th time in 12 miles, the last turn is ahead. He checks his watch. Fifteen minutes. Not bad. His shoulder aches.  “Why am I so tense?” he wonders, as he rubs it.  

“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” ~Isaiah 57:21

He turns the corner and, one last time, glances at the mirror, spying the little green car coasting through the intersection, 30 seconds behind. The guy in the green car, his shoulders feel fine.

For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;
he enters into peace;
they rest in their beds
who walk in their uprightness. ~Isaiah 57:1-2

Peace and rest are found only in righteousness.

Daily Prayer

God of Peace, when I follow You, when I walk on the path You lay before me, when I pursue righteousness, I live confidently and I enjoy peace. What a wonderful feeling it is, Father, to think back on my day without shame. To smile because I made You smile. To know that I do not fear getting caught because I have nothing to hide. To live in the truth because I told no lies. 

God, when I do what is right, I find rest. And it’s a lot easier to talk with You.

Amen

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A Guy Like Me

Daily Reading

Judges 10-12

Daily Thought

The people of Israel are again (still) doing evil in the eyes of the Lord (Judges 10:6), so God lifted his hand of protection and permitted the Philistines to torment them. Israel cried for help, and God responds, “Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you” (Judges 10:14). But the people cried louder and God relented and raised a leader and Judges 11 is beautiful grace.

His name was Jephthah and he was born of a prostitute, but lived with his dad and his dad’s wife and their legitimate sons. A constant reminder that his father strayed, when Jephthah was old enough to leave, he did. He collected worthless fellows as companions and formed a mob, a mob that could fight, and Israel needed fighters. How Jephthah developed a deep faith in God isn’t recorded, but he spoke of his Lord more than anyone else in Judges. He was a mix of street smarts, worldly manners, and impassioned faith. God chose Jephthah to lead Israel.

He made mistakes, one in particular. He vowed to God, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return shall be the Lord’s, I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” His daughter was first out the door to greet him. His vow was foolish, even wicked, pagan, and ungodly; but that was the way of the world he knew. If you want the help of the gods, make big promises. The Bible records life as it happens, unvarnished. It records that Jephthah “did with her according to his vow that he had made” (Judges 11:39). The Bible is a rough read.

A guest interviewed on “The Tonight Show” said, “I don’t know anybody who could read the Bible and still want to be a religious person. It is a book filled with immorality, wickedness, and then just plain silliness.” Yes, it is. It is raw humanity in need of God’s strength and guidance, which to me makes it eminently readable. Three millennia later, I live in a world that is every bit as immoral, wicked, and silly. I need God, the kind of God who will work with a guy like Jephthah. And a guy like me.

Daily Prayer

My Lord, You show me your love in grace. I do not deserve it, I do not even desire it, and I certainly do not seek it. And then You die for me anyway. You take my sins on Yourself, you pay the price of justification, and You share Your righteousness with me. You adopt me as Your child, teach me Your ways, and give me Your strength.

How can I possibly not love You? I love because You first loved me.

Amen

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Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

Daily Reading

Numbers 16-17

Daily Thought

Korah and his company were rebellious. God had heard enough of their grumbling and complaining and punishment was near, so God warned Moses and Moses warned the nation of Israel, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins” (Numbers 16:26). No one can say God didn’t warn them.

Harry Truman (not the president) was in his cabin when Mt. St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980. For two months the mountain rumbled. For two months they told Harry to move. “The danger is overexaggerated,” Harry determined. It wasn’t. He died. 

You may have heard it said that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods” (Numbers 16:31-32). It counts in wickedness, too. Get away! The danger is not overexaggerated. Close counts in volcanoes and it counts tragically in wickedness. 

Daily Prayer

Holy God, Your ways are perfect. Teach me to follow them. God may I have a heart that loves You, loves Your ways, and loves righteousness. May I have a heart that hates wickedness.

God, teach me not to flirt with sin. May I be convinced of its destruction and flee from it. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — may those things consume my thoughts and fill my desires.

Amen