April 25 The God of Hate

April 25

The God of Hate

Ro 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved,

but Esau have I hated.

No!  No!  No!  God is a God of love. Everyone knows that. The Bible says so.

1Jo 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God;

for God is love.

So why the title “The God of Hate”? The purpose of today’s meditation is not that God hates people and is a fierce God filled with wrath. The purpose is to try to bring some balance back to our thinking.

The United States is rapidly moving into a culture where there is only one point of view. It is a culture of loving everything and everyone. I recently saw an ad on TV where a company ran an ad that offended the morals of a large part of the country and they received thousands of complaint letters. The letters were each rolled into a tube stood up on the floor where they were arranged to spell the word “Love”

See they responded to hate with love. That is the common response to Biblical thinking. If you are against murdering unborn babies (euphemistically called Abortion) then you hate women, do not believe women should have a choice, and are a mean, hateful, nasty, person.  The sad thing is there are so many church denominations that teach abortion (oh they call it “choice”) is a right of women. Even sadder the highest court in the US government agrees with them.

The exact same thing is happening with Sodomites. Oh dear that is an offensive term, I should have said Gay and Lesbians. But since the Bible calls them Sodomites and they were referred to in our laws as sodomites it seems like the most accurate term.

Laws are being passed that accept and protect the rights of sodomites. If you speak out against their vile and abominable sexual practices you are a hateful, unloving person. There are more and more churches that accept the sodomite life style as normal and wonderful and teach that God loves them and anyone who doesn’t love them is ungodly and hateful. Our courts continue to punish anyone who refuses to treat them as normal.

Bible believing Christians are being slowly boxed in by laws, the culture and liberal churches. Other religions are allowed to practice their beliefs, wear religious based clothing, do or not do what their religious beliefs teach. At the same time Christians are being denied the same freedom of religious expression. What happened to prayer at Commencement or religious comments in valedictorian speeches. Where are the ten commandments that used to hang on walls in public buildings. The government through 501c3 legislation even prohibit pastors in Bible believing churches from discussing a list of forbidden topics. I wonder if the same thing applies to mosques and other cults.  Even our soldiers cannot do or have certain things that would be offensive to the muslims in nations they are trying to protect. But our prisons must supply a Koran to Muslims that are incarcerated. And that is offensive to me!

All the above to say Christians are being squeezed out of the modern culture. The word love covers everything, except people who do not get in step with the popular culture of the day. It’s OK to hate them. But we must love sodomites, people who murder unborn children, and idol worshipping cults. The big lie is to try to justify all this by saying “That is what God would want us to do because God is a God of love.”

But God is also a God of judgment. The Bible says he hates some people.

Pr 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.    

The word abomination means “Intense hatred” according to Mr Webster.

So here we see God hates some things. A proud look, like you see on the faces of some teenage singing idols that are “loved” by millions, or some politicians, etc. 

A lying tongue. Lying is so common as to be expected from politicians, advertisers, and anything that deals with money or romance. More and more it is seen as normal and not a bad thing. But God hates it so much it is repeated in verse 19. A false witness that speaketh lies.

Hands that shed innocent blood. Does that mean God hates abortion?

The meditation for today has not been much fun to read. Sometimes we need to do the hard work of faith. Our God is a God of love and also a God of judgment. Our culture does not want to recognize that and would appreciate it if Bible believing Christians would just agree with them and forget all that Bible stuff. Popular theology teaches that God loves the sinner and hates the sin. But I think the fire and brimstone He dumped on Sodom did more than kill sin. It wiped out all the people. His judgment withheld the promised land from the disobedient people in the wilderness until they had all died except for two that were obedient. Even Moses didn’t make it! The Bible is filled with God's judgment on people.

It is not a new problem. Men have been trying to substitute good for evil and evil for good for centuries.  Christ was speaking with some Pharisees (big time church leaders of his day) about how bad they were. They did their best to justify themselves and when they couldn’t they tried to trick him into saying something that would make Him look bad. His response is our mediation for today.  

 Lu 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

April 24 Sounds like A Plan.

April 24

Sounds Like a Plan

Lu 12:18 …I will pull down my barns, and build greater;

and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

 

It is not often you find a young man who has taken time to think about the future in as much detail as he was explaining to me.

“I plan to join the Air Force and sign up for Air Traffic Control school.  That will give me the education and practical experience I need. When I get out of the Air Force I will get a job at some small airport like Akron, or Tulsa. After a few years’ experience there I should be ready for a medium sized airport like Houston or Cleveland. Then when I am about 5 -10 years from retirement I want to move to O’Hare in Chicago or JFK in New York. Those are really top of the line places. But air traffic controlers there can only take that much stress for about 5 to 10 years. So when that happens I will retire with a nice retirement income.”  

Like I said it was a remarkable detailed plan. It would have worked out too if he had not flunked out of the Air traffic control program! 

Charles Guiteau also had a plan. After the election of President Garfield, Charles lined up for one of the jobs presidents used to hand out to people. For whatever reason Garfield told him “No” on the first, second and third attempt to get a patronage position. That is when Charles came up with his ingenious plan. He knew the president and vice president had opposing views on patronage, so if Charles shot Garfield, then the vice president would give him a job! That didn’t work out so well either.

“How do you make God laugh?” is a question from Stockar McDougal, a former Lions football player. My wife found the question in a hard to find book entitled “The Men of Sunday” which tells of the faith of NFL players. The answer to the question “How do you make God laugh?” is to tell Him what your plans are.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who had made their plans without any thought of God. Jonah tried to get away from God in a ship. Saul was on his way to Damascus with plans to arrest and or kill Christians. Pharaoh planned to stop the Israelites from leaving by sending out the mightiest army on earth at that time.  Lot went to Sodom to get rich but the last we hear about him he was homeless and drunk in a cave with two pregnant daughters.

Our opening verse is the story of the man who had things planned out. He was a very successful farmer.  His fields yielded abundantly. His barns were filled and he planned to build bigger ones to hold his abundant harvests. He was planning for his retirement when he could sit back, take it easy and eat, drink, and be merry.  So where is the problem. 

If a person works hard, is successful and makes a pile of money shouldn’t they get the benefit of their hard work, and enjoy retirement?  Well of course but in this parable Christ is responding to a question from the crowd that was gathered around him.

Lu 12:13 ¶ And one of the company said unto him, Master,

speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

Christ refused to get involved in the family squabble, but knew the problem was covetousness, and responded.

Lu 12:5 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

The parable he then used as an illustration was to show how foolish it is to try to gather enough things for happiness. About the time the rich farmer was planning to build bigger he died.

Christ was explaining that covetousness may drive you to gather wealth and things, but will never provide happiness. Happiness is not a destination, but a method of travel. But seriously what did the farmer in the parable do wrong. If you turn to the passage in Luke 12:17-19 you will find the following words.

He..himself..I..I..my..he..I..I..my..I..my..thine

His wealth and future plans did not include any thought of God.  

Belshazzar was having a great party, wine was flowing, concubines were there, things were luxurious, with golden goblets, and all that rich people do at the king's palace. But then the finger of a man’s hand wrote on the wall and that night Belshazzar was dead. (Dan 5:30) He had not considered God either.

So what is the lesson we should learn today? It is not that we should not plan. It is not that wealth is sinful. It is not that hard work has its rewards.  The lesson is that we need to include God in our plans, or rather seek to learn what His plans are for us. God can use all kinds of people, as long as they place God first, seek His will, and their business deals and hard work do not become the goals of their lives.

As we plan may we all be sensitive to God’s leading. May we have faith to follow what he wants, even if it looks like we are missing out on a great deal. We may just be missing a pile of trouble we did not see coming.

James says it well and is the thought that we should remember and meditate on today.

 

Jas 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 4 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

April 23 Walking is Good Exercise

April 23 

Walking Is Good Exercise

Ac 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself….

If you are like I am and would like to lose a few pounds let me suggest that walking is a great way to do it. First you do not need to buy any equipment. You already own shoes, and a coat if it is chilly. Secondly it is free. You do not need to sign up, become a member, pay dues, or any such thing. Thirdly you do not need to go to some special place to walk. Just open your door and go for a walk. The health experts say just ten minutes a day will make a difference.

But you already knew everything I have just written. So why don’t we take advantage of such a simple and healthy thing to do? There are many good reasons… ooops I meant to say poor excuses. We are so busy we don’t have time. We promise ourselves we will do it tomorrow. We conveniently forget. We want to but can’t right now. We are too tired. My knee (hip, leg, stomach, head, little finger) hurts. If I have not listed your excuse, you have already thought about it.

If we boil all these excuses down we are left with three reasons we don’t do it. It is easier to not walk, or we don’t think a few extra pounds is unhealthy, or we do not think it is important to walk. It is easier to not walk is the clear winner of these three. We know we should but we do not.

The Bible says a lot about walking. But we already knew that too. Unfortunately we sometimes get a little lazy about our Christian walk. Oh I don’t mean we do terrible sinful backsliding kind of things. I mean we don’t do some things we know we should, because it is easier.  The Bible tells us how we should walk. 

Eph 5:15 walk circumspectly

Ro 13:13 walk honestly,

2Co 5:7 walk by faith

Ga 5:16 Walk in the Spirit

Ga 5:25 walk in the Spirit.

Col 1:10 walk worthy

Ro 6:4 walk in newness of life.

Eph 2:10 Walk…in good works

Eph 5:8 walk as children of light

Col 2:6  walk ye in him

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom

1Th 2:12  walk worthy of God

1Jo 1:7 walk in the light,

3Jo 1:4 walk in truth

Re 3:4 they…shall walk with me in white

There are many other verses that tell us how we should not walk. By now you have gotten the idea that walking is good exercise. Both physical walking and spiritual walking.

If you need to shed a few pounds then try walking. And if you need to shed a few pounds spiritually, try walking according to the Scriptures. Huh?  How can you be overweight spiritually? If you have not been walking according to the list above and many other Bible verses you have been gaining the weight of this world. The Bible describes what you should be avoiding and how not to walk.

Ro 8:1 walk not after the flesh

Ro 13:13 not in strife and envying.

2Co 5:7 not by sight

Eph 4:17 in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 5:15 not as fools

2Th 3:11 Not disorderly …but are busybodies.

1Jo 1:6 walk in darkness,

Jude 1:18 walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Paul in Galations lists several things Christians should avoid to keep wordly weight off.

Ga 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:

Next he lists the kind of fruit people have who exercise their Christian walk.

Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love,                       

joy,                

peace,    

             longsuffering,  

              gentleness,

                  goodness,

                faith,

                              23 Meekness,

                                           temperance….

Then in verse 25 Paul reminds us that it takes exercise to gain these.

Ga 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

We should all hop on the spiritual scales from time to time and check if we have added some worldly weight. When we feel the cares of this world, discouragement, fatigue, depression, anger, frustration, and a whole laundry list of ailments, it is time to check out our spiritual walk.

So if you see me walking along the road, don’t stop to offer me a ride. I need to lose a few pounds. However if you find me sitting along the spiritual highway, encourage me to get up and join you in your walk.

The greatest example any of us could have for how to walk is Christ.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love,

as Christ also hath loved us,

and hath given himself for us…