The Benefits of Humility - Zephaniah 3:12

"Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord." Zephaniah's prophecy graphically describes the future day of God’s judgment. On "the day of the Lord" God's terrible judgment will be carried out against the rebellious people of Israel and all nations of the earth. Therefore, God’s people must repent immediately in the hope of finding a place of refuge in that day. The faithful remnant of God's people must be humble and patiently await God’s day of restoration (vs. 8), which accompanies the day of judgment. Jesus expressed this same sentiment in the Sermon on the Mount: "God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth" (Matthew 5:5). The day of the Lord--the second coming of Jesus--can occur at any time and according to both Zephaniah and Jesus, the best way to be prepared for that day is to live humbly before God. The humble will not only escape God's wrath, they will reign with Jesus over the earth!

The Eternity Connection - 2 Samuel 14:14

"All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him." These words were spoken to King David by a woman with a reputation for great wisdom (vs. 2). With advice from this wise woman, King David was persuaded to reconcile with his son, Absalom. The woman encouraged David to restore his relationship with Absalom as God seeks to reconcile with and restore His people. She reminded King David that God does not leave His people in exile but rather He devises plans to rescue them from their separation from Him. Our lives on this earth can seem short and insignificant, like water that is spilled on and absorbed into the ground. But God gives our lives significance because He has devised a plan for our redemption. God rescues, restores, and redeems us, and, thereby, connects our lives on earth to eternity. When God redeems you, your life becomes forever significant--eternally meaningful--because it is preparation for your eternal life.

The Pretender - Galatians 1:6-7

"You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ." We know from explanations later in this letter to the Galatians that some were teaching that Gentile Christians had to follow the Mosaic law. The Apostle Paul absolutely rejected any requirements for salvation besides faith in Jesus: "Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live" (vs. 4). Paul was shocked that the Galatian Christians were following teachings that added other requirements to the gospel of Christ. Paul classified it as a pretend gospel--one that is hypothetical, even fraudulent. So, Paul reminded the Galatians that they received the Holy Spirit because they believed the message of Christ and not because they adhered to the requirements of the Mosaic law (vs. 3:2,5).  Don't be fooled by any gospel that adds other requirements to salvation. We are saved and receive the Holy Spirit only through God's grace and not because of anything we can do. Then, we respond to God's mercy by righteous living that is enabled and empowered by the indwelling Spirit: "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives" (vs. 5:25).

Complete Confidence - Habakkuk 1-3

"Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?" (vs. 1:11). It seemed to Habakkuk that God was indifferent and unresponsive to the evil permeating society in ancient Judah (vs. 1:2-4). So Habakkuk candidly expressed his concerns about the injustice and unrighteousness he saw all around to God. God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question was quite startling. God planned to send the Babylonians, a godless, cruel and violent people, to deal with the injustice in Judah (vs. 1:6). Habakkuk found it difficult to harmonize God’s answer with what he understood about God’s character. How could a holy and just God chastise Judah by using a people more unrighteous than the Jews were? God is sovereign and almighty and His plans are supreme, even to the extent that He can use the evil acts of people and the devil himself, to work His good purposes. The evil one is actively working to disrupt God's plan: "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10a). God’s plans, however, are not thwarted by acts of evil. God is actively working to declare His salvation to humanity and His redemptive plan is undiminished by the existence and activity of evil in the created order: "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10b). Like Habakkuk, we should have complete confidence in God to work His good purposes in our individual lives and in His created order no matter the circumstances: "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! (vs 3:17-18).

It's Not About Me - Romans 14:5-12

"For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord" (vs. 7-8). The Apostle Paul makes a plea for unity among the Roman Christians based on their individual and collective accountability to God. Paul said we come from different backgrounds and are at different places in our walk with God. While some are more mature in their faith than others, no one should say or do anything that castigates the faith of another in Christ even though the brother or sister may be spiritually immature. No matter how advanced one's faith may or may not be, all of us belong to God and so we should respect others who are God's possessions: "Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval" (vs. 4). So my life on earth is not about me and my faith, it's about honoring and pleasing God in all things I say or do. One way I do that is by supporting and encouraging other Christians no matter how different they are from me or how spiritually undeveloped I think they are. Because we are all God’s servants, we are all ultimately and eternally accountable to Him: "Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God" (vs. 12). Therefore, my desire should always be to please God, not to live for myself or be critical of others who are not like me. After all, they are becoming like Jesus, not me.

Whatever It Takes - Romans 11:32

"For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone."

The Apostle Paul has been addressing the problem raised by the unbelief of so many Jews to the Roman Christians (Romans 9-11). If God had promised salvation to Israel, His chosen people, why were so few Jews being saved and how could Jesus truly be the fulfillment of God’s plan?

This verse epitomizes the theological defense that Paul makes for the future or ultimate salvation of Israel (and all people who trust in Jesus).

Paul explains that it was beneficial for all people when Israel, God's chosen people, were disobedient to God because God then extended His mercy to the Gentiles (or all people).

So redemption and restoration are the way God works His purposes in His creation. God can best show His love by having mercy on sinners.

And God's mercy is best received by those who are sinful. So it is in our sinfulness that we realize our need for God's salvation.

Jesus explained it like this: "Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17, Matthew 9:12-13; Luke 5:32-32).

In his first letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul gets to the crux of the matter when he unabashedly declares: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all" (1 Timothy 1:15).

Think of it this way: God does whatever it takes to show mercy to you, even dying on a cross.

Divine Symmetry - Romans 8:26-28

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." People (including myself) often try to comfort someone who is suffering or grieving by quoting a phrase from one these verses: "all things work together for good." However, in the middle of tragic circumstances, these words probably bring little consolation to the one who is hurting and the sentiment may even seem to trivialize one's loss or grief. While at some cosmic level the theology is correct--all things do work together for God's good purposes--people in distress aren't looking at the big picture, they are only feeling their pain. Maybe a better approach would be to reassure hurting people that God understands their pain and His love can strengthen and sustain them in their suffering. Nevertheless, we should interpret Romans 8:28 within its proper context. In these verses Paul is explaining how the Holy Spirit works in us, especially in our weakness. The work of the indwelling Holy Spirit is to appropriate spiritual life, God's life, to God's people. From a trinitarian perspective, Jesus represents the concerns of humanity to God the Father and the Holy Spirit represents the concerns of God the Father to humanity. In other words, the Holy Spirit works in us to bring a divine symmetry to our lives--to bring us into harmony with God's will. One way the Holy Spirit does this is by praying for us with groanings or utterances that are "too deep for words" (ESV) because they are expressed by our spirit through the indwelling the Holy Spirit. Some people call this a prayer language. When we do not know how to pray because of our human weakness, the Holy Spirit intercedes to God the Father in our behalf. As God's Spirit intercedes to bring our lives "in sync" with God's will, then we are assured that God's good purposes are being worked out through the circumstances of our lives. The Holy Spirit is imparting divine symmetry to our lives.