Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. 
(Psalms 139:23-24)

Psalm 139 is one of my favorites.  This is a passage worth committing to memory, a reminder of God’s constant presence.  A young lady once requested this passage to be read at her wedding.  How appropriate!  Surely God was the most important guest of the day!

The Psalm is easily divided into four sections.  The first section (vs.1-6) tells of the impossibility of concealing anything from God.  The second section (vs.7-12) declares the impossibility of escaping from God’s presence.  Section three (vs.13-18) speaks of God’s great power.  In section four (vs. 19-24) the psalmist enters into supplication to God.  It is on the last two verses I wish to focus.  Here the psalmist enters into reflective self-examination.  Consider below three important lessons.

First, the poet implies his imperfect knowledge of is own character.  Sin creates darkness and deception.  “Who can understand his errors?” (Psalm 19:12)   We are easily subject to a sense of self-importance.  It is easy for us to excuse ourselves or to lessen the guilt of sins to which we are inclined.  Thus, there is wisdom in asking the Searcher of our hearts to try us and cleanse us.

Second, the psalmist plainly states he is willing to know the worst about himself.  Men are generally afraid to be placed under such scrutiny.  If we go to the doctor want to know everything even the worst, but not so with the soul.  The true spirit is a willingness to be tried.  Only when God reveals our true character can we make the needed changes.

The third lesson is the assurance that God is able to lead him in the right way.  “Lead me in the way everlasting”.  “Show me the good way, the way of the righteous, the path that leads to light”.  Only God, through his word, can show us what we are and set us on the right path.
 
By George Slover


 

"Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. "And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  (Luke 14:12-14)

One Sunday morning, when I took my place in the pulpit, I noticed a guest sitting on the back pew.  Our visitor, dressed rather poorly, was slouched in his seat, and had his shirt unbuttoned revealing much of his chest.  I had pretty much sized up the young man deciding he was a typical “church bum”.

When the invitation song was led our guest came to the front and expressed the need to get his life right with God.  While I was still skeptical of his motives, I accepted his confession.  Less than a year later both his wife and 14 year old son were baptized.  He and his family never had much of this world’s goods to offer, but what they did give was far greater than any material thing – it was hearts of gratitude.

The above passage is a rather probing one.  The Lord demands that we examine the motives behind our generosity.  Jesus cuts to the heart of religious profiling.

What is the motive behind your religious work?  Some give out of a sense of duty, others to feel superior, and others because they cannot help it.  It is the later that is the law of the kingdom of Christ.  This is the only way to serve!  This places us in character with God himself.  (Mt. 5:45)  If one gives to gain a reward, he will receive no reward; but if one gives with no thought of the reward, his reward is certain!  Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 
(Acts 20:35)

By George Slover
 

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)   In a recent conversation the observation was made about the conduct of many:  “Well, folks usually do what they want to do”.  One misses a worship assembly on Sunday morning for a golf game, another refuses to change the lifestyle and friends that leads to worldliness, or another chooses a career path that will obviously put serving the Lord in jeopardy, another takes a job that will occupy so much of his time that he has no time for family or the Lord, parents will choose activities for their children that will take time away from Bible study.  Am I cynical?  It is true:  “Most people do what they want to do”.  Now let me add a couple thoughts that should frighten us!   First, most people will do what they want to do and think they can still be the Lord’s disciple.  The above passage points to the contrary.  Notice Jesus says:  “let him deny himself”.  Serving the Lord is not about what I want, but about what Jesus wants!  Christianity is not a religion of convenience, but conviction.  It is not self-serving, but about self-sacrifice!  Here Jesus speaks of the conditions of discipleship – “if anyone desires to come after me”.  Thus, the conclusion:  many who think they are the Lord’s disciples are not!   Second, Jesus said:  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) Only a few will find the narrow way and many will find the broad gate.  Perhaps, I’m not cynical after all.  Even Jesus said, “most folks will do what they want to do”!  Only a few are willing to make the sacrifice to serve Him.   Finally, I want to end with a positive tone.  The reality is that anyone who desires can change.  We can make the personal choices that will prioritize their lives and make Jesus first.  It is all up to you and me!  It all depends upon our “want”!   George Slover

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  (Jude 1:20,21)

The New Testament is full of admonitions to warn the disciples of those challenges that may cause them to lose their faith. Fewer of the New Testament letters are more pointed than Jude.

This short letter begins with an exhortation to contend for the faith. Already false teachers had crept in and turned the grace of God into the license to sin. These words are also appropriate today. Consider four ways to avoid falling away.

First, we must stay true to the apostolic message.(vs.17) It is evident that Jude’s letter was written after the letters of Peter and Paul. “The faith“ is a reference to the final, objective body of truth given by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 3:1–3). “The faith“ given by God, gives each disciple a solid validation for a life that pleases God.

Second, we must build ourselves up in the most holy faith. (Vs. 20) God did not put us here on an island, but provided a family of believers for the purpose of accountability and mutual encouragement. Paul speaks (Ephesians 4:16) of each member of the body doing its share and helping each other. It is hard to stand alone, but thankfully God gave us a spiritual community to help us in our journey with him.

Third, we must pray in the Holy Spirit. Our prayers must be in sincerity and truth. In faith, we must pray, nothing wavering. Our prayers must be in holiness, which are guided by the direction of a spirit of Grace. We must pray in love, lifting, holy hands without wrath which is also guided by the Holy Spirit. Without prayer man shows himself to be destitute of the Spirit. What a great resource have the saints in building up of their spiritual life.

Fourth, we must keep ourselves in the love of God. It is tempting to slide into the world of self-love where one falls to the things that are forbidden by God. Frequent reminders of God’s amazing love, coupled with the assurance of the return of a merciful Savior, can be a powerful incentive to stay on the right path. (2 Corinthians 5:14) But our continuance within it demands we persevere in building up the structure of a holy life on the foundation of the faith; that we nourish, and strengthen that life by prayer, and that we keep the eye of expectation on the future.

So we have a choice of either using those tools that God has given us continue on our journey, or to neglect them and fall away. Dearly, beloved, what path are you on?

By George Slover

 

'And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'" (Judges 2:2-3)   The text above reveals the failures of Israel to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan.  There are other passages that reveal the same. (Judges 1:21-34)  It was God’s will to completely destroy the Canaanites because of their false religions and gross immorality. (Dt. 7:1-5)  However, Israel failed and was soon found compromising with the inhabitants of the land. Judges 2:13,14 says, “They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.” (Judges 2:13-14) These immoral nations truly became a snare to Israel!   Just as Israel was to be a holy people (Dt.7:6), so are God’s people today to be sanctified.  Like Israel we live in a land in which our neighbors bow before false Gods.  Thus, it is tempting for us to compromise and make a covenant with the ungodly.   Such areas of compromise can have an ill affect upon our spiritual lives – “I’ve quit drinking, but I still go to the bar.”  or “I don’t dance, but I still go to the dance hall”. “I don’t smoke, but I still visit the tobacco shop every day.”  I don’t sleep with my girlfriend, but I spend the night in her apartment.”  “You, see I’ve change my life and I’m living clean morally, but I still hang around the crowd who is worldly”.  Such compromises will surely lead me back into the sins I’ve supposedly renounced!   See Judges 2:17 - Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so.”   It is time for some of us to clean out the closet and crush those images of pleasure we have hidden away and come clean of the crowd that tempts us to compromise our faith!  God wants all of our heart!   By George Slover