Scripture Nugget 8.4.2016

“…everyone wails and melts in tears.”

Life, real life, life here on earth is hard, there is much that happens that is tough to deal with. A friend of mine posted on FB, “When you "Go with God," why do we always forget that means building a big boat? Going to a land you don't know? Heading into the desert? Facing giants in the land? Having spears thrown at you? Being tossed into pits? Thrown in furnaces? Not having a place to sleep? Leaving behind family? Giving up privilege? Being crucified? If your "Going with God" only includes material blessings and peaceful living and a perfect family life, you aren't reading from the same Bible or history or tradition I keep studying and reading about and have been the past few decades.” So when I read “everyone wails and melts in tears” this morning it grabbed my attention.

“Everyone wails and melts in tears” Grief – deep, tear-streaked, heartbreaking, bone-wearying, soul-depleting grief – tests the limits of faith. When, for example, a child dies, a dream is shattered, tragedy strikes, or friends desert us, we can feel as if we are alone and out faith is fleeting. We can become overwhelmed with grief and weariness. When-not if but when – such grief comes, take heart; it is in times like these we can grow in grace and bring our lives to a deeper place of surrender and dependence upon God.” Life Application Topic, Sadness/Weariness, Wesley Study Bible, pg 833.

Dependence on God, living with God overcomes the strength of this sadness. God’s grace brings restoration, redemption and resurrection yet the hard things still happened and more are on the way. The question is will I/you face them alone or be hand in hand with God?

Scripture Nugget 8.4.2016

“…everyone wails and melts in tears.”

Life, real life, life here on earth is hard, there is much that happens that is tough to deal with. A friend of mine posted on FB, “When you "Go with God," why do we always forget that means building a big boat? Going to a land you don't know? Heading into the desert? Facing giants in the land? Having spears thrown at you? Being tossed into pits? Thrown in furnaces? Not having a place to sleep? Leaving behind family? Giving up privilege? Being crucified? If your "Going with God" only includes material blessings and peaceful living and a perfect family life, you aren't reading from the same Bible or history or tradition I keep studying and reading about and have been the past few decades.” So when I read “everyone wails and melts in tears” this morning it grabbed my attention.

“Everyone wails and melts in tears” Grief – deep, tear-streaked, heartbreaking, bone-wearying, soul-depleting grief – tests the limits of faith. When, for example, a child dies, a dream is shattered, tragedy strikes, or friends desert us, we can feel as if we are alone and out faith is fleeting. We can become overwhelmed with grief and weariness. When-not if but when – such grief comes, take heart; it is in times like these we can grow in grace and bring our lives to a deeper place of surrender and dependence upon God.” Life Application Topic, Sadness/Weariness, Wesley Study Bible, pg 833.

Dependence on God, living with God overcomes the strength of this sadness. God’s grace brings restoration, redemption and resurrection yet the hard things still happened and more are on the way. The question is will I/you face them alone or be hand in hand with God?

Scripture Nugget 8.3.2016

“They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. … The LORD of hosts is mustering an army for battle.” Isaiah 11:9, 13:4c

“‘The LORD of hosts is mustering an army for battle.’ God always acts to redeem and rescue us. We can’t outrun, out-give, outlast, or out grow God’s love. Out of the depth of that love, God delivered the people of God out of Egypt, moved an army to deliver the people of God from exile, and later would send the Son to rescue the world. The whole of Scripture captures God’s great love affair with humanity. We may try to run and hide, but the arm of God’s love for us is always long enough to reach and rescue us.” (Life Application Topic – Love of God, Wesley Study Bible, pg 830)

Whose army have you joined? Why? As a contemporary worship song says, “If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking”, are you ‘full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.’? I desire to be a part of God’s army, an army that battles with love to overcome evil! “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)

Scripture Nugget 8.2.2016

“But the LORD of hosts is exalted by justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness. … Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood, … Ah, you who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for blotter! Ah, you who are wise in your own eyes, and shrewd in your own sight!” Isaiah 5:16, 18, 20-21.

Justice and righteousness are defined by Holy God, not my personal preferences, nor my personal desires – yours either. When I/you rewrite the rules, when we push the boundaries established by God we are exchanging evil for good, light for darkness and sweet for bitter. Why do we do this? Why would one choose evil, dark and bitter over good, light and sweet? How is that wise? What will you choose?

Scripture Nugget 7.31.2016

“You have ravished my heart, my sister, and my bride, you ravished my heart with a glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.” The Song of Solomon 4:9

Two loves jump out of this verse to me this morning. The love between husband and wife and Christ and His church. Both are huge for me; both are terribly important to me. But do my actions make this clear? How do I respond to Cindy’s love? How do I respond to Jesus love? In Chapter 5 verse 6 we read of a late response; “I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and was gone.” O God that I respond quickly to your presence! O Cindy that I never ignore you!

Scripture Nugget 7.29.2016

“Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.” Ecclesiastes 8:12-13

This statement by the Teacher has multiple meanings for us. First, God’s grace is long term; God withholds judgment in the short term providing multiple ongoing opportunities for sinners to accept His grace. To choose life with God, righteousness over sinfulness. Unfortunately, many take this lack of immediate judgment as approval and continue in their sin. Second, it encourages us to hold each other accountable. Believers hold each other accountable to the standard of Christlikeness while believers share the Gospel with non-believers, tell the story of God’s grace to them, so that they become believers. Ultimately all will be judged by God, ultimately those who fear the Lord, who love God and others and accept God’s grace will live in His grace, moving on to perfection (Christlikeness) and exist in the Kingdom of God. It will not go so well for those who continue in sin, thumbing their nose at God. Grace abounds, grace is forever, yet grace does one no good if grace is not accepted. Choose grace!

Scripture Nugget 7.28.2016

“So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:20

Give up or give in? In what direction do I/you turn when frustrated with the results of personal efforts? To whom do I/you turn? What is the attitude in which we turn? The Teacher is bemoaning the fact that regardless how hard one works in this lifetime and how much is achieved, the results of the toil are left here upon this earth when one dies. Does that cause me to give up or give in? Give up, quit trying or give in to God? “When we give up our pursuits of happiness and seek the kingdom, we discover the full meaning of life. Giving up what we want and giving in to what God wants leads us to a fulfilling, meaningful, and purposeful life.” (Life Application Topic – Giving Up, Wesley Study Bible, pg 795) Jesus said, “Repent, the Kingdom of God is near!” Repent, to turn from sin to God; turn in to God’s Kingdom. O God forgive my striving for that which you did not intend me to have. Focus my efforts, I turn to You!

Scripture Nugget 7.27.2016

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law struggle against them. The evil do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely. … When one will not listen to the law, even one’s prayers are an abomination. … No one who conceals transgressions will prosper, but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Proverbs 28:4-5, 9, 13

The rules, as written by God, establish the boundaries for our lives. “Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.” Proverbs 22:28 When I/you/we push those boundaries, when we attempt to re-write God’s law, we are creating falsehood. God desires we enter into relationship with Him, in the order He created, in our place. Adam and Eve attempted to re-write the rules, God escorted them out of Eden. God’s grace has chased humankind ever since then. God woos each of us until we realize He chases and we stop running, we turn to, we confess our desire for independence, we confess our sins, we are forgiven (receive mercy) and enter into life pursuing Christ likeness, become like Christ. Grace (prevenient, justifying and sanctifying) is offered to all, is available to all. As the song says, “If grace is an ocean, we are all sinking”, jump in!

Scripture Nugget 7.26.2016

“Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them; for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. … Do not fret because of evildoers. Do not envy the wicked; for the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will go out. … Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of a gift never given. … Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Proverbs 24:1-4, 19-20; 25:14, 25

                                              Envy

Envy means to want what someone else has or to be resentful of others’ blessings, talents, and gifts. It causes us to become obsessed with what we don’t have; resistant and closed to what God wants to give us. Refusing to be open to God’s fresh movements causes us to become stagnant, stale, and sour with life and toward others. Through prayer, God liberates us from the destructive power and grip of envy by transforming, liberating, and empowering us for kingdom living. The barriers are broken and we can grow and experience God’s new opportunities and unlimited possibilities. -Wesley Study Bible pg 785

                                        Wisdom

The well-known “Serenity Prayer” captures ancient values. What is wisdom? It is the ability to “know the difference” between what must be accepted serenely and what can be changed courageously. It is the prayer of anyone who feels deeply the complexity of responsibility and the limitation of selfhood. The trouble is that only hindsight is 20/20. How wise Solomon was to build the temple – but how unwise he was to place the burden solely on underprivileged non-citizens. Profound worship cannot be founded on social inequity. Jesus will be wiser than Solomon – with the courage to change everything. -Wesley Study Bible pg 527

As a part of the Body of Christ (the Church Universal), a member of a local out-post of the Body of Christ (local-church) how do I/you/we live out our membership responsibilities? Do we fight and struggle and quarrel our way to in-mobilizing traction or do we spread the good news of Christ with others? Are we fighters are lovers, doers of good or bringers of harm? Are we empty braggarts or fruitful disciples? Puffed up and boastful always gathering in, holding on and never sharing or…are we humble servants who give generously, serve happily and reach out intentionally? Do we offer a cold drink of water or throw water on the fire? Are we helping build the Kingdom of God by going out and inviting others to come, by sharing the love of Christ; or are we inside pleasing ourselves slowly dying away? Wise or envious? Am I growing in Christ-likeness or polishing my self-image? O God that I may wise in you, each and every moment!

Scripture Nugget 7.25.2016

“Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.” Proverbs 22:28

Great thought here! God created the entirety of creation, God set the order and hierarchy then gave humankind responsibility to have dominion over creation. To keep and till, to be fruitful and multiply. Nowhere and at no time did God instruct us to re-write the rules, to re-do that which He created. O God that I would recognize your majesty and wisdom in creation, that I would be a care-taker of creation and a sharer of creation with others.