Here’s a great story. Kindness Becomes Contagious at Oregon Target (HT: News for Christians).
The cashier said witnessing the good deeds of strangers will have a lasting impact on her.
“I cried all the way home and just thanked the Lord,” Durall said.
If you are kind to someone, and it motivates them to be kind to someone else, which motivates someone else to be kind, which spurs someone else on, does the God who sees all reward you for all of it?
He can afford to….
Proverbs 24:11-12
11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Proverbs 24:24-25
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.”
I rarely address American politics here, but I have a lot of American readers, and this applies to British politics also, even though it isn’t election season here. Two thoughts:
1. If your vote could help save even one child being “drawn unto death,” but you use it differently because of tax policy, government spending, health policy, foreign policy, etc., “He that keepeth thy soul” will know.
2. If a candidate says a wicked abomination is acceptable and something government should affirm, Proverbs 24:24-25 says we should reject that candidate, if we want God’s blessing on ourselves and our nation.
“Gay marriage” is not about “rights.” The UK and America are not stopping homosexuals from their sin. It is about government benefits and approval, about using government’s power to force others to approve (or at least behave as if they approve).
Biblical principles speak to all political questions, but few are addressed so directly as abortion and government approval of sin, as we see in Proverbs 24. God will not bless a nation that approves killing children or gives approval to homosexual sin. If you don’t reject a candidate who openly approves such things, do not expect God’s blessing.
Our trust is not in politicians or princes. But what we say matters, as Proverbs 24:24-25 says. One way we speak is our vote, and Christians should speak (verbally and vote-ally) against candidates who openly endorse wickedness, even if we can’t trust their opponents to govern righteously. God will bless us for opposing wickedness even if we are betrayed by a candidate who breaks his promises, but He will not bless us if we remain silent. Sometimes, even if we don’t want to vote “Yes” for one candidate, we have to vote “No” against his opponent.
After my last post on New Testament Textual Criticism (NTTC), my friend Pastor Don Johnson commented that I am making too many assumptions in these posts. He has a point, to an extent. This series of posts is not intended to try to prove the unprovable.
David’s oxcart wasn’t just neutral. It was wrong, and Uzzah died because of the novelty. Autopsy said learning the hard way.
-Kent Brandenburg
I Peter 1:15-16
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
(Thoughts I shared with our men’s discussion group, and thought I’d give here as well.)
The Relationship Between God’s Holiness and Ours
Mandatory. Because God is holy, He cannot accept us if we are not holy. His holiness constitutes a mandatory requirement that we be holy.
Motivating. God’s holiness provides motivation for us to be holy. Love for our Maker and Saviour motivates us to be like Him in holiness.
Modeling. His holiness teaches us what holiness is. When we look at the Word we see His attitude towards sin and purity, His compassion, His justice, His forgiveness. These are all part of holiness, and His holiness teaches us what it actually means to be holy.
Means. (OK, I’m stretching to keep the M’s going here. 🙂 ). His holiness is the way by which we become holy. His holiness is upon us and in us. He is Jehovah my Righteousness. His holiness becomes ours — we could not be holy if He were not.
Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
He didn’t follow Jesus.
Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
He didn’t have enough faith to overcome his fear. He accepted the honour of men. He COULDN’T be saved. He failed in the things Christ demands of His disciples.
His name was Joseph of Arimathaea. The Bible tells us, despite his fear, that he was a disciple, good and just.
Most people would have said he wasn’t living the way followers of Christ live. They would have been right — he wasn’t living that way.
But maybe Joseph’s case cautions us about declaring a professing believer “unsaved.” Perhaps, despite sin, weakness, incomplete obedience, or cowardice, the time is coming — he’ll step forward, the coward boldly claims the Saviour’s body, the denier preaches to a Pentecost multitude, the Corinthian fornicator repents, the weak becomes strong.
We at times must declare actions sinful. Sometimes Scripture tells us to treat someone as an unbeliever — but not to make omniscient statements about whether or not they believe. God alone knows the heart. A life-story isn’t written until death, and even then, you and I only know a few of the chapters. God is both wiser and more merciful than we are. He, and He alone, will judge these matters, and judge them perfectly.
Psalm 78:38-39
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
The women’s 1500m was a tactical race. It saw heartbreak, as Morgan Uceny, who dominated the event last year before being tripped in the World Championships and finishing out of the medals, was again tripped, injured her back, and did not finish.
Mind Renewers 