The Lord wants us to know that, apart from Him, we can do nothing of true, eternal consequence. Too easily do we take credit for successes that belong to Him.

In Judges 7, Gideon gets this vital message by means of a living object lesson…and surely the form of this lesson would’ve been rather unsettling!

The Midianites were a formidable foe. For years, they’ve oppressed the Israelites, who’ve consequently lived in fear of this ruthless, heartless enemy. And now the Midianites have joined forces with the Amalekites and other lesser military forces to engage the weak, defenseless Israelites in battle.

The size of enemy army itself would rattle anyone. Judges 7:12 states that they “were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts, and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side in multitude.”

And Gideon’s force? A paltry 32,000 men.

But the Lord declared that those odds weren’t high enough; some of those 32,000 had to go. So Gideon dismissed all who would admit they were afraid.

22,000 hightailed it for home.

 “Still too many,” the Lord said, “I don’t want Israel to become arrogant and say, ‘My hand has saved me!’” So another plan for thinning out the forces was established—one that’s often misunderstood.

The remaining 10,000 headed to a water source to get a drink. There were two ways to drink: either get down on all fours and lap like a dog, or scoop up the water in your hands and bring it to your mouth.

As it turned out, the dog-like drinkers were sent home—all 9,700 of them—and the scoopers were kept, leaving an unremarkable force of 300.

Some have tried to explain the logic of this selection by claiming that the Lord wanted Gideon to have the most alert men go to battle. Since they scooped, they could keep their eyes on the horizon while looking for the enemy.

That explanation, however, doesn’t wash.

Remember, the Lord was doing everything possible to eliminate the chance that Israel could say, “My hand has saved me!” To have selected the best 300 soldiers would fly in the face of that stated objective.

So why did the Lord pick the scoopers? Simply because there were fewer of them!

In other words, if 9,700 men had scooped and 300 had lapped, He would’ve chosen the lappers.

Get the point: the Lord wasn’t interested in choosing the bravest, most skillful, strongest soldiers; He was interested in making sure everyone knew that He gave the victory.

You know the rest of the story. With that small handful of water-scooping soldiers, the Lord routed the Midianites and their allies.

Apart from the Lord, we can do nothing; empowered by the Lord, a weak, insignificant, obscure “water-lapper” can be an instrument in His hand to bring Him great glory!

Many parallels exist between growing in the Christian life and growing in physical life, but there’s at least one contrast. In physical growth, the older we get, the more independent we become (up to a point, of course!). After all, can you imagine a normal, healthy teen being dressed by mommy?

In our spiritual life, however, the more mature we become, the more we sense our dependency upon our Heavenly Father.

We don’t know how old the psalmist was when he wrote 119:17-24, but clearly he was old enough to learn the lesson of dependency upon the Lord. In his writing, then, he challenges us to be dependent upon the Lord in several areas, first being for our very life (v. 17).

I need the Lord to “deal bountifully” with me—that is, to deal with me according to His grace and not His justice—if I hope to “live.” He’s not talking about actual physical life, but enjoying a quality of life marked by purpose, joy, and meaning. Note, incidentally, that such a life is expressed in the keeping of God’s Word.

Second, I’m dependent on the Lord for insight into His Word (v. 18), so that I might see what is truly “wondrous,” or worthwhile and valuable. So easily are my eyes misted over by the fog of the world’s enticements, ideologies, and values. I need the Lord to open my eyes to see clearly.

Third, I’m dependent on the Lord for my stability as a pilgrim wandering through potentially dangerous territory (v. 19). Imagine yourself alone in the heart of Iran, needing to negotiate your way from one end of the country to another, without GPS or even a map. Now imagine yourself in the same setting with a military escort and an official, current guide. In which scenario would you prefer to be? In which would you find a greater sense of security?

Fourth, I’m dependent on the Lord for making good decisions (v. 20). God’s “judgments” are critical for decision making; therefore, I should eagerly seek to discover His perspective on issues and concerns before moving ahead with a significant decision.

Fifth, I’m dependent on the Lord for deliverance (vv. 21-22) from the personal sins of pride and transgression (“stray” – v. 21) against God’s commandments. I also need to be delivered from both the practice and the victimization of reproach and contempt (v. 22a). Incidentally, when I’m faithful to God’s Word, reproach and contempt against me will have no basis in fact (v. 22b).

Sixth, I’m dependent on the Lord for courage when confronted with a hostile situation (vv. 23-24). Yet this courage isn’t so much a commodity simply to be given, as the lion in Wizard of Oz wanted from the old wizard. It grows from a mind and heart that, once again, centers on God’s Word. Courage builds from a meditative mind (v. 23b), appreciative heart (v. 24a), and a submissive life (v. 24b).

As you face the day, don’t go it alone—depend upon your Lord!

The second section of Psalm 119 (vv. 9-16) begins by asking a good question:

How can a young man keep his way clean?

“His way,” of course, would refer to his path of life. It’s a question that represents a well-understood struggle—at least by someone who cares about his quality of life as God sees it. And it’s a question about resources: what’s available…how much is there…how long will it last?

And the answer?

Well, the short answer is to depend upon God’s grace. In v. 10, recognizing that God plays a role in keeping him on course, the writer cries, “O let me not wander from your commandments.” And in v. 12, he asks the Lord to teach him His statutes, acknowledging that without the Holy Spirit’s ministry of illumination, he’d be stuck on the wrong “unclean” path.

But I must not infer that dependence on God’s grace means I haven’t a role to play in this path-cleaning endeavor. On the contrary, multiple responsibilities rest upon my shoulders.

First, I need to aspire to know the Lord (v. 10a), to stay on track (v. 10b), and to know God’s Word (v. 12). If I don’t want these things, my path most certainly won’t stay clean.

Secondly, I need to appreciate the value of God’s Word (v. 14). I can’t have the attitude that the Bible is a “Sunday-only book”—a sort of clothing accessory for church wear. I need to appreciate that God’s Word teaches a “way” truly worth living!

Thirdly, I need to affirm the rightness of God’s judgments (v. 13). How can I expect to have a clean path if I disagree with God about what makes a clean path?

Fourth, keeping my way clean calls for me to absorb God’s Word (v. 11). As I truly treasure it (the literal idea behind “hidden”) in my heart, God’s truth permeates my life, going beyond my mind alone to affect my desires and actions. And why? To avoid sin, which takes us back to the driving question of this section.

• meditation upon God’s Word (reviewing over and over in the mind)
• respect for the Word (that is, when contemplating His ways vs. my ways, I choose His)
• delight in, and deliberate remembrance of, the Word (v. 16b, lit. “I will not ignore…”).

Last, but not least, and not in order of priority, I need to attend to where I’m headed related to the map, God’s Word (v. 9b), so that regular reorientation may be made. Indeed, a man may go astray if his map misleads him (not an issue, of course, with God’s Word!), but even with the most accurate map, he’ll still end up on the wrong road if he doesn’t pay attention to it.

In native Australian tribes, a customary test that a young man must endure as a right of passage to manhood is called a “walkabout.” The youth is supposed to go alone into the wild for a period of time, surviving on what he can scavenge or kill. If he makes it back—and most do, of course—he earns the right to become a man and to marry.

Though it may seem otherwise sometimes, we’re not called upon to venture out on a solitary “walkabout” in our Christian life. In fact, the first eight verses of Psalm 119 make clear that we have a significant companion to help us walk in the right way: the Word of God and the God of the Word.

Note that our Divine Companion for the walk enables our potential for a success. It is to Him, after all, that the prayer of verses 5-8 is confidently offered.

No question, though, we do face significant challenges:
Nevertheless, accepting the challenges yields a tremendous reward: true happiness (vv. 1, 2 – “blessed”). And fortunately, we aren’t expected to tackle this challenging life on our own, for we can—and must, really—call upon the Lord to remain with us in this walk (v. 8b); His presence is, after all, indispensable!

Don’t miss this, though. If we’re going to meet the challenges before us successfully, we need to be deeply committed! The psalmist sets the example in v. 8a – “I will keep your statutes.” And there’s a simple reason we need to make this commitment: the Lord has commanded us to keep His precepts! (v. 4)

Ah, but do we not all feel the tendency to wander, as the songwriter declared, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love”?

Again, the psalmist is as human as we, for he expressed that tendency in the form of a longing prayer, “O that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!” (v. 5).

At this point enters the Lord’s kind, skilled hand of correction. To “learn” the Lord’s judgments means to have been goaded by the rod. May not seem like a pleasant experience, but when we consider the alternative—being left to our own destructive path—should we not break forth in praise? (v. 7)

So, what is our goal in this endeavor we call “the Christian walk”? To be super saints who have the respect and admiration of all who behold our piety?

Not hardly.

The goal is simply to glorify our God by honoring His Word as it rightly deserves—not to mere select portions that we like, but “unto all your commandments.” Then we shall not be ashamed (v. 6).

A worthy goal indeed.

What does spiritual growth actually look like in everyday life? For many Christians, this question brings a sense of frustration. “I’m just not growing,” we sometimes lament, feeling stuck in our spiritual journey. But perhaps we’re asking the wrong question.

Instead of making blanket statements about our lack of growth, we need to get specific. Are we not growing in faith? In wisdom? In patience? In love? Growth in the Christian life isn’t a single, monolithic experience—it’s multifaceted, touching every area of how we live, work, relate to others, and honor God.

The Foundation: A Redeemed Life

Before we can discuss growth, we must establish the foundation. The Apostle Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-14 is directed specifically to believers—those who have already received the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is crucial. Spiritual growth requires spiritual life.

Just as Jesus spoke of good soil that receives the seed and produces fruit, and just as He described branches that must be connected to the vine, growth begins with conversion. We must first trust Christ as Savior, experiencing redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. We must be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, qualified by God Himself to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints.

Without this foundation, attempts at spiritual growth are like trying to get fruit from a plastic plant. It may look the part, but there's no life flowing through it.

A Word-Controlled Life

Paul’s prayer reveals that growth begins with being “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9). The word filled carries the same meaning as when Paul tells believers to “be filled with the Spirit”—it speaks of control.
To grow spiritually means to be controlled by the knowledge of God’s will. But this isn’t about mystical experiences or waiting for divine “revelations.” God has already revealed His will—His desires for how we live our everyday lives—in Scripture.

This knowledge involves three essential components:

• First, knowing God's will as revealed in Scripture. We discover what God desires for us by engaging with His Word. The blessed person meditates on God's law day and night. The good soil receives and retains the seed of God's Word. Growth requires that we know what God has said.
• Second, having spiritual understanding to make connections. This is where we bridge the gap between biblical principles and our life circumstances. Take the command to "honor your father and mother." What does that look like for an eleven-year-old child? For a twenty-year-old college student? For a thirty-year-old parent? For someone who grew up in an abusive home? Spiritual understanding makes these connections between God's revealed will and our specific situations.
• Third, possessing wisdom to apply what we know. Wisdom is the skill of putting knowledge to work in the right way. Just as the craftsman Bezalel had not only knowledge of metals but the wisdom to create beautiful objects from them, we need the wisdom to apply God's Word appropriately to our circumstances.

Consider this process: You know God's command. You understand how it connects to your situation. Now you need wisdom to apply it correctly. This is what transforms biblical knowledge from information into transformation.

A Christ-Pleasing Life

The goal of being controlled by God's Word isn't to make our lives easier, more comfortable, or more prosperous. The goal is singular and glorious: “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him” (Colossians 1:10).

What does a Christ-pleasing life look like?

It's a life that reflects Christ's character—His lowliness, gentleness, and long-suffering. It’s a life that reflects His priorities and His heart, particularly His passion for the gospel. When all is said and done, we live for an audience of One.

This has profound implications for every area of life. In your parenting, your teaching, your construction work, your retail job, your business ownership, your housekeeping, your friendships, your marriage—in everything, the question becomes: “Does this please Christ? Does this reflect His character? Does this align with His priorities?”

A Progressively Changing Life

Growth in the Christian life produces three interconnected results:

• Fruitfulness in every good work. Whatever your labor—your job, your studies, your home management, your service in the church, your family life—you bear fruit. As one Puritan writer noted, just as it's the glory of an olive tree to be fruitful, so it's the glory of a Christian to be fruitful in their place and calling. When ability, opportunity, and a willing heart meet for doing good, this is glorious.
• Increasing knowledge of God. Here's a beautiful dynamic in the Christian life: the more you apply what you already know about God, the more He teaches you about Himself. As you step out in obedience—perhaps in giving, in serving, in forgiving—you discover God's faithfulness in new ways. Your knowledge of Him becomes experiential, not just intellectual.
• Empowerment by God's power. As you walk in obedience, you're "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power" (Colossians 1:11). This divine empowerment produces greater endurance through life's difficulties and deeper calmness in dealing with difficult people—all with joy.

This is Christlikeness. Jesus endured the cross "for the joy that was set before Him." He faced mockery, rejection, pain, and agony with patient endurance. As we grow, we increasingly reflect this same character.

The Question Before Us

So the question isn't simply, “Am I growing?” The question is: “What is my number one goal in life?”

Is it success? Comfort? Prosperity? Happiness?

Or is it glorifying God by walking worthy of the Lord Jesus and pleasing Him?

If God has delivered you from sin and death through the blood of His Son, this must be your driving ambition—accomplished as you are filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work, and being strengthened by His glorious power.

This is growth. This is the Christian life. This is what it means to truly flourish in your calling, whatever and wherever that may be.

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Paul’s exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12 is framed around a distinct timeline:
• gratitude for what God has done
• confident hope in Christ’s return
• a sober, active ethic for the “meantime.”

As a believer in Christ, that new life in Him presupposes growth—conversion is not an endpoint but the beginning of sanctification. And that growth is practical and concrete:
• love that widens from brotherly affection to sacrificial concern for unbelievers…
• a learned and obedient walk that seeks to please God rather than define holiness
by cultural whims…
• a simple, peaceful rhythm of life marked by “minding one’s own business” and
working with one’s hands…
• and a humble submission to God’s will, expressed through habitual rejoicing,
persistent prayer, and thankfulness.

The text rejects two distortions of living between now and Christ’s return: a passive, careless waiting that coasts on spiritual inertia, and a frantic absorption in worldly distractions that erodes spiritual vigilance.

Instead, the Christian vocation in the meantime is active—training the heart and habits by Scripture so that behavior aligns with divine commands. Obedience is presented not as legalistic drudgery but as a grateful response to the grace that saves—learning and obedience belong together.

The sermon presses the social implications of holiness: how love for fellow believers and nonbelievers alike shapes public witness, how diligence or idleness affects testimony, and how quiet, ordered homes and workplaces embody the peace of the kingdom.

Practical illustrations sharpen the appeal—care for suffering neighbors abroad, refusal to indulge gossip, work ethic that honors neighbors, and spiritual disciplines that cultivate thanksgiving even amid hardship.

Ultimately the summons is to take the ordinary practices of daily life as the primary arena for holiness. The Christian is to live expectantly—looking back in gratitude, forward in hope, and now growing steadily in love, upright conduct, simplicity, and humble submission to the Father’s wise providence.

Key Takeaways from the sermon, “Growing in the Meantime”

• 1. Increase in brotherly and agape love. Love is innate to new life but must be intensified: brotherly love (philadelphia) moves toward sacrificial giving for others’ flourishing (agape), including unbelievers. Growing love reshapes priorities, compels practical mercy, and reframes political or humanitarian concern as an outworking of sanctification. Mature love refuses isolation and chooses costly service to the suffering and the neighbor. [10:06]

• 2. Learn and obey upright Christian walking. A right walk requires both instruction and submission; Scripture teaches measurable norms for life and the believer must learn them. Obedience is not legalism but the grateful response to grace—doing what pleases God because Christ’s mercy has first acted. True growth looks like increasing conformity to biblical character. [16:31]

• 3. Pursue simple, quiet, diligent living. Simplicity cultivates peace: a quiet life avoids gossip, unnecessary conflict, and the chaos of restless ambition. Minding one’s own business and working with one’s hands dignifies ordinary labor and repudiates idleness that harms witness. The mundane disciplines of household and workplace become venues for gospel credibility. [24:03]

• 4. Humility through rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving. Submission to God’s will shows itself in consistent rejoicing rooted in hope, persistent prayer that aligns desires with God, and comprehensive thanksgiving even amid trial. These disciplines rewire the heart to trust God’s providence and to see present hardship through eschatological hope. Humble submission is practiced in practical living, not merely in mental affirmation. [31:52]

Have you noticed how quickly a corrupt atmosphere can take over? How one bad apple can spoil the whole basket?

This can happen in the home.

When one of the parents is in a foul mood and behaving badly, others in the family can respond in kind. Before you know it, the whole house is in an upheaval.

Corruption can take over the workplace.

A high-ranking executive who’s more concerned with the bottom line and willing to cut corners will often create an environment where sales personnel oversell their product and bean counters cook the books.

When a country’s leadership is corrupt, the general population begins to accept what had previously been deemed unacceptable.

On and on we could go.

Trying to clean up a corrupt mess can take ten times longer than it took to mess things up in the first place! Not to be political or anything, but...well, you know!

This has been true from the fall of man. Genesis 3 records the fall; Genesis 4 records the first instances of jealousy and murder. Genesis 5 is somewhat of a pause in the development of the race as Moses recorded a genealogy from Adam to Noah’s sons.

But then you come to chapter 6.

If you were to read chapters 3-6 in one sitting, you would probably hit 6:1 after about 10-15 minutes; and shortly after the chapter begins, we’re told that the human race has become thoroughly corrupt (6:5).

Fortunately, as is the case in most corrupt organizations, there was an exception to the rule: Noah. Contrary to the spirit of his age, and by the grace of God Himself, Noah walked with God. And his wasn’t a closet faith, either; he was recognized by his contemporaries as a just and upright man. Given the pervasive corruption of the day, he must have stood out like a bright light in a dark cave!

What a challenging example Noah is for God’s people today. We, too, live in a day of pervasive corruption.

In the political world, it’s almost impossible to know whom to believe.

In the corporate world, image is everything, and the bottom line is the guideline.

In the home, selfishness reigns.

In the educational world, humanism controls the classroom.

These are dark days of sin’s pervasive domination of our world. We need to be Noahs! Will we stop the spread of corruption? Probably no more than Noah did. But we will honor God by letting everyone know we trust Him with our souls, and we will endeavor to live for Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

“What in the world is the matter with people?!”

Ever heard that one? How many times have you asked that question as you watched the news? Or scrolled social media? Or walked through Walmart?

It really is a crucial, foundational question for being able to interpret life, whether you’re talking about what’s going on at home, at work, or on the other side of the world. Answer that question wrongly, and you can mess up everything else.

For example, there are some who think people are innately good, and evil is merely a consequence of growing up in a wretched environment. Clean up a person’s environment and you’ll ensure better behavior.

That’s pretty naïve.

In the first place, it doesn’t consider why the environment is corrupt to begin with. It also fails to acknowledge that bad behavior finds expression at all levels of human existence, from the squalor of urban slums to the gated, upscale neighborhoods of suburbia.

Others think man’s problem is ignorance. Educate the beast, so the argument goes, and you’ll tame him. In reality, all you do is help him to be more sophisticated in the expression—and perhaps hiding—of his corruption. He’ll be less savage-like, but no less corrupt.

The only satisfactory answer to the question is found in Genesis 3 in the record of man’s fall.

“The matter” with people is that we have inherited a corrupt, depraved nature from our first parents. The Bible also calls it sin and declares that all men are sinners—we “come short of the glory of God.”

When we come to see this as true, we can then understand what’s wrong with the world and why all our efforts to fix it simply don’t work—our best intentions, labors, and apparent successes are still marred by our depravity!

But once we understand the real problem, we can then look for a solution. And what we’ll discover is that the same Book that reveals the root problem also reveals the solution, which is found in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Only by Him and through Him can the sin problem be dealt with adequately.

In other words, to change a man, you can’t simply change his environment or educate his mind; he needs radical heart surgery. As Paul puts it, he needs to become a “new creature” in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This is the season of celebrating and rejoicing in the birth of Jesus Christ. We make much of this time of the year, even more than of Easter. Of course, really, each Sunday is supposed to be a celebration of the resurrection—but I digress.

Numerous songs of praise have been written extolling the birth of Christ and of the Christ-child Himself. It seems, in fact, that every detail of the Christmas story has a song written about it. Even details not in the historical record have songs (e.g. The Little Drummer Boy)!

Such celebration and praise are certainly worthy of the One who came to be our Redeemer, but they pale in comparison to the worship He will receive from His own someday.

Revelation 5 describes a scene in heaven that must have been incredible for John to behold. A swelling chorus of “Alleluia” echoes through the halls of heaven as first a great voice ascribes praise and honor unto the Lord our God.

The voice is followed by the twenty-four elders saying, “Amen, Alleluia.”

Again, the voice calls all of heaven to worship, and an innumerable multitude responds with a thunderous affirmation of the Lord God’s omnipotence. All of this is prelude to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb—the permanent union of the Lord Christ to His bride, the church.

And then He enters the scene. Not as a helpless infant cradled in His mother’s arms, but in matchless power and dignity as the King of kings and Lord of lords! Not to become a “victim” crucified on a cross, but as the Judge preparing to consummate the ages and usher in eternity.

As you celebrate Christ’s birth over the next several days, keep in mind the ultimate celebration to come!

[Photo by Mario Mendez on Unsplash]

God always does everything at the right time. Maybe not according to our timetable, but certainly according to His!

This is brought out explicitly by Paul in Galatians 4:4ff in his discussion of the incarnation of Jesus Christ—His coming to earth—and His purpose in doing so.

The section begins, “when the fullness of time had come….” Implied in that statement is the idea that all that had transpired since creation came to a climax at a specific point in time.

Two years earlier would’ve been too soon; two years later, too late.

The timing of Christ’s birth involved circumstances in the Roman Empire, the region around Nazareth, Babylon and her magi, Jerusalem and the presiding king Herod, some shepherds, an innkeeper, and of course, Joseph and Mary. The convergence of all the details of that immediate time and of all the people involved was critical for God’s plan to be fully expressed.

But go deeper.

Rehearse in your mind for a few moments what you can recall from Israel’s history…the emergence of the Roman Empire…the collapse of the Greek, Medo-Persian, and Babylonian empires…the Davidic royal line…the rejection of Saul…the story of Ruth…the deliverance from Egypt…the immoral behavior of Judah with his daughter-in-law Tamar…the selection of Jacob over Esau…the securing of a bride for Isaac…the miraculous birth of Isaac…the call of Abram…the preservation of Noah and his offspring…the creation of Adam and Eve….

It all had a point of culmination: the fullness of time when Jesus Messiah was born.

The exciting thing about this passage in Galatians 4 is that the grand design of the ages did not merely intend to bring forth the divine Christ-child, but to redeem doomed sinners—“…to redeem those who were under the law….”

And why?

“So that we might receive adoption of sons.”

In other words, what God did at just the right time in human history was to send His Son for the express purpose of being our Savior!

Has that purpose been fulfilled in your life? To learn more, see The Story Film.

The Old Testament sure ends with a bang! The last two chapters cover quite a bit of ground, giving hope and promise, while delivering stinging rebuke.

One of those rebukes charges God’s people with robbing Him by withholding their tithes (3:8-10). Pretty strong language, but perfectly reasonable and accurate. From the inception of the nation as a civil entity, the Lord established the tithe as His. That makes things pretty much non-negotiable. So if I don’t give what’s His, and instead keep it for myself, that’s a form of robbery!

“Ah,” the New Testament believer argues, “I am so glad I’m not under that Old Testament Law! I don’t have to worry about that tithe stuff!”

Hmmm, I wonder if behind those comments is a heart that really doesn’t appreciate all that God has done and given—it’s essentially selfish.

While there are no New Testament commands to tithe one’s income to his local church, there are exhortations to give, and the assumption that the Christian will do so. How much? Not stipulated…but the Old Testament provides a good pattern. I should think we would want to give what we can, not as little as we can get by with.

In addition to the rebukes, the Lord holds out hope for His people, first by promising the coming of Messiah’s forerunner, as well as the Messiah Himself (3:1ff). And even though He will come as a refiner, God’s people will not be totally consumed in judgment (3:6). He further promises that, with the restoration of the tithe, the land and its inhabitants will experience the blessing of rich prosperity (3:11-12). For those who truly fear the Lord and endeavor to live for and honor Him with their lives, there is particular reason to hope. He takes notice of such individuals and promises to remember them, possess them, and deliver them (3:16-18).

The Old Testament ends with a return to prophecy of the forerunner, prophetically called “Elijah.” Recall that the Lord Jesus applied this passage to John the Baptist, declaring that he was its fulfillment. So, the concluding few verses hold out promise while maintaining the fact that a great, dreadful day of judgment lies ahead.

The forerunner has come and gone.

The Messiah came, died, rose again, and ascended to heaven.

Jesus Messiah stands today as the only possible Savior for sinful man.

The New Testament message, then, is still one offering hope while warning of impending judgment. Only those who trust in the Savior (“fear the Lord” in Old Testament language) can confidently face the future—can you?

Photo by Ronak Valobobhai on Unsplash      

One of the devotional books I read daily is Our Great Redeemer, a year’s worth of snippets from the sermons and writings of J.C. Ryle, compiled by Bryan Schrank. I recently came across this entry, which I found both convicting and encouraging. Hope you will, as well.

Believers, if you would have an increase in happiness in Christ’s service, labor every year to be more thankful. Pray that you may know more and more what it is to “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 3:1). Learn to have a deeper sense of your own wretched sinfulness and corruption and to be more deeply grateful that by the grace of God you are what you are.

Alas, there is too much complaining and too little thanksgiving among the people of God!

There is too much murmuring and coveting things we have not. There is too little praising and blessing  for the many undeserved mercies that we have.

Oh, that God would pour out upon us a great spirit of thankfulness and praise!

Believers, if you would have an increase of happiness in Christ’s service, labor every day to do more good. Look around the circle in which your lot is cast and lay yourself out to be useful. Strive to be of the same character with God; He is not only good, but “does good” (Psalm 119:68)

Alas, there is far too much selfishness among believers in the present day! [Note: Ryle died in AD 1900!] There is far too much lazy sitting by the fire nursing our own spiritual diseases and croaking over the state of our own hearts!

Up, and be useful in your day and generation!

Is there no one that you can speak to? Is there no one that you can write to? Is there literally nothing you can do for the glory of God and the benefit of your fellow men?

Oh, I cannot think it! I cannot think it.There is much that you might do if you had only the desire. For your own happiness’ sake, rise and do it, without delay.

The bold, outspoken, working Christians are always the happiest!

In Ecclesiastes, one of Solomon’s pieces of evidence of the vanity of life under the sun—that is, a view of life without God in the picture—is that one may spend his entire life working wisely, diligently, and righteously only to leave it all behind for someone who has no heart for it.

On another occasion, he laments that a man may so work all his life, but who knows what the person who follows in his footsteps will be like?

The last two chapters of 2 Chronicles vividly illustrate Solomon’s frustration.

What a stark contrast between Josiah, king of Judah, and all his successors!

The summary of Josiah’s life in 35:25-27 reveals a man greatly appreciated by Jeremiah, the prophet, and all the people he ruled. Not only did he exhibit righteous leadership, but he was also deemed a man of good character, worthy of being enshrined in the nation’s laments.

In short, he was a worthwhile example for his successors to follow, leaving them a good legacy to live up to.

Within a few months of Josiah’s death, his twenty-five-year-old son Jehoiakim ascended the throne. At his age, he was old enough to recognize his father’s legacy, love for the Lord, and righteous leadership. But his eleven-year reign is summarized simply as “evil in the sight of the Lord.”

He was followed by an eight-year-old king who reigned for three months. How much damage could a child-king do? Well, enough to merit the same summary.

He was replaced by his twenty-one-year-old brother Zedekiah, who also “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” but in addition he “humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet.”

Sad, isn’t it?

Imagine the grief of the man of God, who witnessed firsthand the godly legacy of Zedekiah’s grandfather, but was so arrogantly scorned by the grandson.

Finally, the entire nation was overcome by the Babylonians, marking the indefinite suspension of the monarchy in Israel.

At this point, some would attempt to build a case against Josiah’s fathering. Surely, he might argue, if Josiah had only been as godly a dad as he had been a king, his kids would’ve continued his legacy!

That is an unwarranted conclusion to draw.

The Scriptures give us no insight into the manner of Josiah’s fathering. Instead, let’s focus on what we do know: the sons rejected the example their father left them.

Let’s put the responsibility where it belongs.

So in application, then, let’s be sure we’re leaving the right kind of legacy behind…the right pattern for those coming behind us. And let’s not throw up our hands in despair concerning the uncertainty of the future.

Instead, let’s determine to do right in our lifetime and leave the responsibility for doing right on the shoulders of future generations.

I recently came across a prayer from the English puritan Myles Coverdale (1488-1569), one of the early translators of the Bible into English. He hit upon some themes that I found particularly poignant for modern Christians.

Our head and the one who goes before us, we are so unlike you! We are so far from right and true humility, when we are offended by fellow believers at the slightest wrong or unadvised word. And where should we give thanks for being rebuked for our own good, we are impatient and aggrieved!

O Lord Jesus Christ, help us to consider your holy sacrifice, so that it might produce fruit in us. Make us patient in the face of hurt and disapproval. Teach us by your example not to fear the rants and persecution of wicked people. Help us not to be discouraged by any wrongful accusations.

Teach us to see our own depravity, and how justly we are reviled and despised for our sins. Have mercy, O Lord, on our imperfection. You were reviled that you might take from us everlasting shame. You were beaten to deliver us from the beating we deserved for our sins. You were spit upon and mocked to bring us from everlasting confusion to everlasting honor.

So strengthen our minds, Lord, that in lowly shame we may patiently suffer and bear the hard words and checks that others give us for our sins and offenses. After all, you endured many more and much more false accusations and rebukes for us vile sinners. And you bore it all with the highest patience.

May the hard blows you endured ease our pains. May that scornful blindfolding of your eyes restrain us from hard-heartedness and conceit. Let the vile spitting on your holy face expel all carnal lusts from us. And may it teach us not to regard the outward appearance, but to hold and keep in honor the virtues of the soul.

May all the undeserved scorn and ridicule you experienced drive from us all our corrupt or degraded ways. May that rejection of your worthiness drive from us all desire of honor in this world. May it move us instead to pursue things which, in this world, are looked down upon.

Give us, Lord, strong victory in all patience. From our heart-roots may we acknowledge and confess ourselves to be most worthy of all contempt and slander, of all rebuke, shame, and punishment. Amen

And Amen!

Source: Grace from Heaven: Prayers of the Reformation, Robert Elmer, editor